Just wondering what the long term parts situation will be for c5's. Would like to keep our 01 long term and have seen some posts in the past where people were having trouble finding electrical parts. Any insights?

 

Given GM's past BK, society's desire for "bigger and better every year", and the industry's current trend of more and more gidgets and gadgets, I hate to say it or think it, but I have a sinking feeling in my gut that we C-5 owners may have issues in the future.

I have a C-5 with only 23,000 miles on it, with no plans to sell it or replace it, but this potential situation DOES concern me. I'm not worried about "hard" parts, as engine parts, suspension parts, etc can always be "upgraded" to newer or better parts. However, the dozens of switches and electrical modules do make me think twice about wanting to keep the car long term....

 

It's already bad if you need an ecbm for a pre 2001..

 

As many of these cars as were made, doesn't make sense that there will be a vender that starts to make the parts? or at least repair them?

 

Hopefully the Chinese should be able to recreate the parts and satisfy the demand.
When C5s become as collectible as C1,C2,C3s, repo parts should become available. You can get just about every part there is for them.
It is a little scary with all those electronics, though. I think they made them way too complicated with all the bells and whistles, but of course that's why people bought them.

 

Computers are getting better everyday. Who is to say someone won't come up with replacement components that do everything the old obsolete ones do.

 

I'm not worried, if you have the skills there is always a way to keep these cars on the road. If you have the skills to build a street rod from scratch why would these cars be any different. I built many street rods and custom cars in my business over the years and I would just start with the body which is the most important thing to me. Body parts will always be available. Don't worry , enjoy your car !

 

I was thinking the same thing. My 2002 WS6 TA had a Bosch system that worked the same way as the one in my 98. Traction control but no active handling. I think some one in the know could make that work with the ECU and BCM. There were a lot of those cars. Also there are places that auto parts stores send ECMs and BCMs to be repaired. Maybe those places will find a way. I had the same concern with my Sky. They are a small production car and there are already parts you can not get. That's why I traded it for a 08 C6 Vert. If this is a problem in the future it will get much worse with each new generation. There are electronic gizmos on the C6 that it will not work without. The C5 at least has nothing that can not be bypassed. I know someone who has a 2000 that removed the ECBM and programmed out the warnings with EFI Live. He has no ABS. There are after market ABS systems out now that could be added when they get better. The C5 may be the last generation that is not disposable when it gets old. Lets face it GM most likely will not be around in 20 years. The C6 and the C7 for sure will be non repairable at some point if that happens. I must admit the goodies are nice. I thought the key-less system was stupid. Now I hate to have to use the clicker and key in my truck and C5.

 

I had the same concern about my low milage 98 vert. So I bought a couple of ebcm from fellow forum members who totaled their cars . Bought one for 250.00 and the other for 400.00 . Both low miles and w/o AH M series. I also bought the steering wheel sensors. Just in case. I am a little OCD . I can always sell the parts later , if I sell my beauty.

 

As demand grows, the value of these modules will skyrocket. Someone will repair these at some point...And that someone will make a lot of cake.

 

It is nice to have spare parts on the shelf if you ever need them. When I had my C3 if a part failed, many times I would buy two just to have a spare. When I sold it, the guy that bought is was happy to get all the extra stuff.

 

Someone knows what they do and the way things are going it wouldn't surprise me if a superior product is created. If the demand is there someone will find a way to make a better product and make money from it. For many applications aftermarket products are better than original equipment.

 

The thing is, you don't need to know exactly how they work internally, you just need to know how they behave at the connectors. Even if GM doesn't have the schematics for a module, they have the interface signals documented down to a very low level.

Black-box reverse-engineering isn't necessarily the kind of thing one guy can do in his garage, but it isn't exactly rocket science either. Most of the effort in this area tends to go toward engine management systems (to facilitate go-fast mods), but the other systems aren't any harder to crack.

 

GM did kind of drop the ball on this one. Big time. They knew Corvettes are a long term product and they should have made sure parts would be available for the next century or at least sell the rights, schematics, dies and manufacturing machinery to aftermarket manufacturers. What the hell were they thinking, anyway? Did they think these cars would qualify for Cash for Clunkers someday and eventually all end up in the crusher?

 

...BUT, C-1s, mechanically, were the same for 8 years, and the biggest "electronic device" in it was the radio. C-2s and C-3s ran for 19 years, and again, mechanically, shared hundreds of parts, and also again, had very limited electronics. The C-4s introduced the age of electronics, and the C-5s got even more complicated, and in many cases, more exclusive to both Corvettes, as well as to model years, hence limited numbers.

 

Electronics are getting better and better every year and everything is getting more complicated. Have you looked at a smart phone lately. When I first thought about getting a C3 I thought maybe parts could be a problem but found out everything is available, when NOS ran out companies started making new parts. Twenty years from now C5s will be primitive compared to new cars and I bet you will be able to buy every single part for it because there are so many of them. C5s are less complicated than every new car manufactured today. Demand will drive companies to built replacement parts and I don't think we should be afraid of electronics.

 

Sorry even the crusher has standards. They want steel cars not plastic. You might stuff it in the curbside recycle bin though, they take plastic. The truth is they stopped building dependable collectible cars years ago. Now they build disposable recyclable environmentally friendly cars.

 

I'm really glad for this thread. I plan on keeping my C5 forever. The availability of parts has been a concern.

 

I disagree. C5s are dependable and are on their way to becoming collectibles just like the Corvettes before them.

 

I have 90,000+ on mine. Supply and demand! We demand, they will supply. You have to search, but you can find what you need for C1s. Besides, my hubby is an electronic genius, so I will be OK!!