If you're already starting with a high mileage under $10k C5 then I say fine go ahead put 2k+ a month on it but from your Original post it sounded like you were looking at a 15-20k car with fairly low miles and C5's are LOW and even lower when lowered like mine and pick up A LoT of rock chips on the highway so i doubt you'll say that with 24k highway miles a year with it..

 

you are right, and I actually have a few ideas on that.. Clearbra, maybe plastidip. or repaint the bumper every few years. We really don't have much in the way of rock where I am but we do have sand. My headlights after 20k are starting to get a tad foggy, I think the clearbra will be fine unless the car I get is already blasted then I wont care..

I am shooting for something in the mid 50s range, I am not going to take a sweet garage queen with 20k and has never seen rain and drive it into the ground. That doesn't make much sense and I would feel bad doing that. But if grandpa has a coupe that he drove and has some miles and some blemishes for a good deal I wouldn't turn that down.

 

I"m retired, and I drive my C5 everywhere, everyday. Something i can't imagine not doing.
If I go to home depot, I drive C5. Couple weeks ago, I drove up the California coast to see the redwoods, and then over to Lake Tahoe, then home; and I drove my C5.
And we're planning a trip soon, up to Oregon to Crater Lake, then over to the Grand Canyon, on the way home.
Drove it to Mt Rushmore in S Dakota, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and then home again, last September.

You bet I'd drive it everyday, as the OP is wondering about!

Don

 

I picked up my z with 60k on it and dd it for 6yrs before i sold it. I loved every minute of it and it never got boring. It went threw a couple of changes over the yrs like bolt ons, then cam, then nitrous, and finally a sc 750rwhp fire breathing monster on stock bottom end. I drove that car everywhere rain or shine and even snow. Guess what, it never melted . the only problems i ever got out of the car was a bad window regulator and a couple of clutch's before i got one that was able to handle a beating. I was not easy on the car at all and you know it Steve lol. I took it to multiple track days, road racing, auto x, and 1/4 events. It never skipped a beat, but I also maintained it pretty well. I say go for it, they are great dd's and get great gas mileage until you get on it lol.

They aren't the best pictures but here you go.

 

I drive mine daily - only 30 miles but I would rather do 100 miles in a Vette than 1 mile in a beater or worse, a silver honda. It sounds like you are going to mod it whether it is a Z06 or not. I might just save the 5 or 6K and put that into what you want, cam, heads, suspension, wheels/tires tune and make what you want. but then again, I like the Z06 body style. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

 

If you can do it, go for it. My 4-cylinder (2011 Saab 9-5) gets the same MPG as my C5 unless it's pure highway. I drive that car in the winter. The C5 is driven from about April to the end of November. During those months, unless it's getting fixed, it's sitting outside no matter the weather. It is inside and covered for the winter. I put about 210 miles per week or so on it, though tomorrow I'm driving about 350 miles on it.

As for driving it on the weekends? I'd still be just driving it to work.

 

I did drive my 2000 Coupe on my daily trip from Orlando to the Space Center. 104 miles each and every day. It is/was a great commuter. I averaged around 27 MPG running around 80. Zero issues with the car, just oil changes. I am in a van pool now, but I pass a white C5 everyday on 528, both in the morning and afternoon.

 

Driving up to the California coast, trips and short daily use isn't the same as just putting the car on cruise on the highway for the same 100 mile daily rat race to work IMO though..you're enjoying your car and getting good use out of it
When the rock chips, gas and wear and tear bills start adding up and the "newness" of driving the Corvette starts wearing off the OP might feel different about commuting so many miles each day in it is all Im saying

 

You just don't get it!

I earned each rock chip, and mile on the odometer. That was my intent when I bought it, and that is the reason I keep it; to drive and enjoy.
The only time I ever didn't drive my Corvette (3 of them over many years) daily, even before I retired; is when I used to live in the midwest and winter roads and salt made that impractical.

If, in many years my C5 is showing 'wear and tear' as you put it; it will be with pride and satisfaction, that I will say to friends that I put each mile on it, each rock chip; and I loved it. What a hoot to drive, every day!
That's why I bought it. If I wear it out (doubtful, because these things were engineered to last a long time), I'll just get another, and 'wear' it out too...
And if I get too old, or my health fails, and I can't drive a Corvette someday; I'll have memories of driving it, wearing it out myself. Not memories of it 'sitting' in a garage.... duh!!!

But, I respect your right to let yours sit, and collect dust....


Don

 

Don't you mean the white C5 passes you?

 

We are actually going opposite directions, but our E350 is pretty quick! LOL

 

That never crossed my mind, but then in that case we are both right, you pass each other.

 

Couldn't agree with you more!! Have had five 'Vettes over many years and they each were daily drivers. If I walk out and see a pristine 'Vette and some other vehicle, guess which one I jump into and enjoy the hell out of driving!!!! Just can't resist......

As to commuting with the cruise control on.......you're still in a 'Vette and it doesn't have to be going fast or carving corners to be a pleasure to drive and very comfortable!! I enjoy it no matter why I'm in it or when. I waited a long time to be able to have my first one and I refuse to miss out on any of the fun and pleasure now that I am able to have them. I drive mine year 'round without hesitation.

DSTURBD

 

Well it’s been 12 years and I am finally going to pull the trigger on this sometime at the end of the year, life got in the way preventing me from doing this, still obsessed over these cars.. now the values have absolutely bottomed out and it’s hard to find a car with less than 50k miles!!
question, it’s seems real hit and miss on buying private, has anyone had experience with buying from one of these corvette retailers. There is a big one called corvette warehouse in Dallas that seems to have a great selection. I’m in so cal obviously so if I can find a place local that would be nicer..
anyways, still stoked at the idea, still driving tha long commute, my Jetta has 350k miles on it now and it’s getting tired..

 

Well, it's definitely been awhile. I'm glad you haven't let your dream die. You really don't need to find a car with less than 50k miles on it. The newest C5 is 22 years old. That means if it has 50k miles on it, it has averaged less than 3k miles a year. The C5 was designed to be driven, and can develop problems if it just sits for too long. These cars are extremely reliable when properly cared for. There's a C5 in the NCM that has over 770 k miles on the original LS1 engine. Honestly, at this point you're truly better off picking up a well cared for example with around 75k miles on it than you would be paying more for one that's just been sitting in a garage.

Also, there's no reason that you can't buy from a private seller. My number ONE piece of advice regardless of where you buy it is to get a pre-purchase inspection. Again, with these cars it's much more about how they were cared for than the mileage number on the odometer. Documentation is always a huge plus. There's a C5 Corvette buyers guide sticky. You'll want to read through that. Good luck with your search. You started this thread over a decade ago. I hope your Corvette dream comes true soon. Feel free to post up any listings that you're interested in, and we can offer advice. Hopefully, you'll be posting up pics of your new C5 soon.