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I have a Black 3LT 2013 Grand Sport and have been thinking about a C5 Vette for a daily driver.
There are two C5 Convertibles in my town for sale at dealerships. One is a 2001 Pewter with Ebony interior and black top 1SB/1SC(?) automatic with 63,XXX miles for $18,987 at a Major Dealership. The other is a 1999 Black with Lt Oak (?) interior and black top 1SB/1SC (?) automatic with 53,XXX miles for $16,900 negotiable at a Mom & Pop Shop.
I don't know my C5 trim levels but both cars have HUD and, at least, Power Driver seats with Memory. Both are Manual tops, I guess all C5 verts were manual tops.
Both vehicles seem to be in really good shape inside and out. I am supposed to go test drive the 99 Black Vert tomorrow after work.
My questions are:
Are these good ballpark prices?
Are there any problems with either of these model years?
Are there any items to look for different than on C6s?
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If it were me, I would go with the '01 - I like the color better, it has a bunch of upgrades to the platform compared to the '99, you can get replacement parts/repairs to certain parts (EBCM in particular) and for what it is worth the HP is a bit more (5 additional ponies).
Is the price on the '01 definitely firm or is there room for negotiation there too?
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In my opinion the 01 would be my choice, It will have the upgrades and you can still get parts, The 99 parts are getting hard to find like EBCM and it is not repairable like the 01 is.
Black looks great when clean, But it is a pain to keep spotless, The Pewter is a classy color and very easy to keep looking, I have a pewter and love it. Also seeing you are looking at automatics, Check the RPO codes in the glove box and look for a Z51 code, That will give you the better suspension and better rear end gears, The automatic with the standard 2.73 gears are some thing else. lol
Mr.Bill
99 looks clean, aftermarket exhaust, c6 wheels, painted calipers, but the 01 platform is upgraded and just because of that I would choose it over the black one. Pewter is nice as well. Check the reverse lights, make sure they come on, the selector switch at the tranny could be bad.
If it were me, I would go with the '01 - I like the color better, it has a bunch of upgrades to the platform compared to the '99, you can get replacement parts/repairs to certain parts (EBCM in particular) and for what it is worth the HP is a bit more (5 additional ponies).
Is the price on the '01 definitely firm or is there room for negotiation there too?
I have only been creeping on the 2001's page at the dealer's website. I have gone by there and looked in the windows a couple of times. The dealer has dropped the price on the 2001 $1000 from $19,995.
What are the 'bunch of upgrades' from 99 to 01?
I like the Pewter color as well, but that black is beautiful.
We met a lady, by happenstance, in Myrtle Beach Last June at the Coach Mens' Store, she was an employee. We went down for the Corvettes at the Beach Show. She saw my Corvette hat and we struck up a conversation. She mentioned her car, that she had bought it new, it was her car, and that she was thinking about selling it. But that it was only a 1999 Blue Coupe with 43,XXX miles and that she wanted $12,500, if I recall correctly, and her husband was on the fence about selling it, but the car was hers.
My 2013 is black so I know what a pain that is to keep clean, but it is a labor of love. I will check the RPO Codes tonight when I test Drive the 99. Last night I was in a hurry and it was starting to rain.
This is probably the best advice I have ever received from Corvette Forum. It is not the normal posturing and not at all what I would have expected from Corvette Forum. Thank you for your honesty.
This is probably the best advice I have ever received from Corvette Forum. It is not the normal posturing and not at all what I would have expected from Corvette Forum. Thank you for your honesty.
Having 2 black Vettes is going to be very time consuming to keep them looking good. Nothing is better than driving a vert to me. I'd also go for the 01, but I'm kind of partial to pewter verts, don't know why..
I have only been creeping on the 2001's page at the dealer's website. I have gone by there and looked in the windows a couple of times. The dealer has dropped the price on the 2001 $1000 from $19,995.
What are the 'bunch of upgrades' from 99 to 01?
I like the Pewter color as well, but that black is beautiful.
We met a lady, by happenstance, in Myrtle Beach Last June at the Coach Mens' Store, she was an employee. We went down for the Corvettes at the Beach Show. She saw my Corvette hat and we struck up a conversation. She mentioned her car, that she had bought it new, it was her car, and that she was thinking about selling it. But that it was only a 1999 Blue Coupe with 43,XXX miles and that she wanted $12,500, if I recall correctly, and her husband was on the fence about selling it, but the car was hers.
PM VettemanJack, I believe he has the year by year changes that were made to the C5s. I know the TPMS/Key Fob module was upgraded in 01 and is less expensive to buy parts for and the EBCM was changed on 01 to a unit that is usually repairable if it fails. But that's only part of the list. IMHO, both those verts are nice. The 99 seems a little high, but it's a really good looking car with C6 wheels. That 99 coupe you mentioned for $12.5K with that low mileage would be a home run if you got it for that price.
I agree with this statement. My brother got the bug to own another Vette after he rode in my C5 Z06 on a couple of trips. He previously had a C4 many moons ago.
He likes the C6 platform and was deliberating on buying a used ZR1 or a new GS. I told him first off, if you buy a Vette commit to driving it. If you commit to driving it, which would you feel more comfortable putting the miles on? He chose the new 2013 GS and has followed through with driving it. If you ask if he has any regrets... He'll tell you he wishes he would have bought one sooner.
So why not enjoy what you have? You could take a portion of the money you would have spent on a C5 and mod your current GS with some feature you "gotta" have. Then pocket the rest of the money for something else.
My Z just turned 226k miles and still looks decent and runs like a top. I get compliments all the time. I just wish I bought mine new so I could take credit for all the miles.
Edmund's True Market Value (Zip Code Compensated) for the two cars with options to the best of my knowledge:
1999 Dealer Retail: $12,975 Private Party: $11,091 Asking: $16,950
2001 Dealer Retail: $14,969 Private Party: $13,020 Asking: $18,987
I agree with this statement. My brother got the bug to own another Vette after he rode in my C5 Z06 on a couple of trips. He previously had a C4 many moons ago.
He likes the C6 platform and was deliberating on buying a used ZR1 or a new GS. I told him first off, if you buy a Vette commit to driving it. If you commit to driving it, which would you feel more comfortable putting the miles on? He chose the new 2013 GS and has followed through with driving it. If you ask if he has any regrets... He'll tell you he wishes he would have bought one sooner.
So why not enjoy what you have? You could take a portion of the money you would have spent on a C5 and mod your current GS with some feature you "gotta" have. Then pocket the rest of the money for something else.
My Z just turned 226k miles and still looks decent and runs like a top. I get compliments all the time. I just wish I bought mine new so I could take credit for all the miles.
I drive my GS quite often. I usually drive it once a week or so to work, weather permitting. Around town with my wife, and on almost all road trips. She has right at 10,000 miles on her since I bought her new in June 2013. I was just looking at a sporty Daily Driver. I commute to work approximately 100 miles round trip 5 days a week.
Edmund's True Market Value (Zip Code Compensated) for the two cars with options to the best of my knowledge:
1999 Dealer Retail: $12,975 Private Party: $11,091 Asking: $16,950
2001 Dealer Retail: $14,969 Private Party: $13,020 Asking: $18,987
Those prices aren't what the market is doing around here. Doubt very much you can buy one for that book. Even NADA is low for what they sell for around here. I was offered more than that book for my high mileage car this summer and turned it down. You might find a beater for that, but not a good car. At least in my neck of the woods.
Those prices aren't what the market is doing around here. Doubt very much you can buy one for that book. Even NADA is low for what they sell for around here. I was offered more than that book for my high mileage car this summer and turned it down. You might find a beater for that, but not a good car. At least in my neck of the woods.
That's strange, in the C6 Forum the first answer to "How much is my C6 really worth?" is "Forget Kelly and NADA. Go to Edmund's True Market Value. They're pretty spot on."
That's strange, in the C6 Forum the first answer to "How much is my C6 really worth?" is "Forget Kelly and NADA. Go to Edmund's True Market Value. They're pretty spot on."
I made offers on some C5s based on Edmunds and got laughed out of the room. NADA was much more realistic.
with the rest...go with the 01.
C5 Question from a C6 Guy
