Haven't been on the board in years but recently traded for a 1999 Vette here at my car dealership. I haven't owned a Vette in 10 years. Anyway we have been deciding on getting a weekend getaway vehicle that's fun to drive and leave the motorcycle home a little more. Too many deer these days so the other half is scared to ride.

I don't want a huge investment on this deal. I like the 99 I just traded for, 71,000 mile coupe 6 speed. Nice car but we want an automatic.

Here's the dilemma. I kind of like the C5 better than the C6 interior wise. The C6 just doesn't feel as "cockpit" as I like if that makes sense.

I really want a 2003 50th Anniversary Ed, convertible or coupe with an auto under 35,000 miles. Problem is they seem to be priced over a normal C6. I'll never find one at an auction so I will need to purchase one from an owner. I don't have time to travel to get a car so I'd like to find something close to Iowa.

Just seems silly to me to spend mid to high $20's for a C5 when you can get in to a C6 for that easily. Just can't get the color combo of the 2003 anniversary car out of my head.

I see C6's all the time at the auction and a few C5's. If I get a C5 it has to be the anniversary model.

If I go with a C6 I'm pretty open to color etc.

What to do?

 

What to do?

Good question.

 

Don't settle. Take your time to find the right car for you. If you don't then you'll always feel unsatisfied.

 

Sounds like you already know what you want? Start looking at classifieds, Craigslist, etc.

 

Out of curiosity, why do you want an automatic? Obviously you don't mind clutches/shifting gears on the bike, why is the car any different? Serious question, not just being a d-bag

 

I think the '03 AE and the '04 CE are the two nicest factory issue C5's there are, so I understand completely why you are attracted to the AE.

I would not worry about what else you could buy (C6 or otherwise) for the same money. Find the car YOU want and buy it and ENJOY it!

 

OP, so basically you're running a WTB ad here to see if you can find a C5 Anni issue with A4, less than 35K on the clock and you want them to sell it below typical asking at around $20K and they have to be in Iowa.


Good luck with that. Something tells me you're either going to have to change your C5 Anni requirements or land up with a C6. But hey, you don't get anything if you don't ask.
EDIT: By change I mean, you're either going to have to accept a higher mileage car, or a higher priced car or both. I understand that you only want a Anniversary edition. You might have to consider a wider search area. Many on these forums travelled several hundred miles to get the exact car they wanted. Finding an exact match close to you is very lucky and I'm not including price in that comment, just the exact edition, transmission and mileage.

 

What was the Q?

 

Not in Ia, but in Id....good luck...you may have to travel...

http://boise.craigslist.org/ctd/5125219551.html
http://boise.craigslist.org/ctd/5102253868.html

 

Don't rush into a decision, lots of C5's out there.

Good luck.

 

There's more than one driver in the family and an auto would be better.

I'm not running a WTB ad and don't expect someone to give me their Vette. I'm just looking for feedback that may alter my thinking. I've been searching CL and other sites and found a few candidates. I would like to keep the search as close to home as possible. Who wouldn't?

I do have another option which I'm considering if I travel to get a car. My Dad lives in Florida and I've been looking around him too. I can fly down there for $100 one way non stop and visit him for a day or two then drive home. May do that for the right car.

I'm in no hurry really, I have the 99 to drive and it's a nice car too.

My cousin has a 2008 Vette I may run over and see him and take his for a drive. I rode in it once but just wasn't super impressed with the interior. Maybe driving it will change my opinion??

My ultimate goal is to move up in to a 2014 down the road when the prices come down a bit. I think they hit a home run with that car. Until then I'll stick with a good car that will hold some value over the next couple years. This is just a weekend cruiser for us so not to sound frugal but it's just the way I need to be on this deal. The bike we're basically parking is a 2011 CVO Streetglide that I have $40k in. I'm still going to ride it from time to time but I think the other half is giving it up. If I don't take her with me on the weekend trips it's a bit$h around my house for a few days when I get home.

 

If you really want an AE C5, then don't settle for something else. You may end up regretting not getting it. I wouldn't be concerned with expanding your search area - I flew from mid-Missouri to Atlantic City, NJ to pick mine up and then had a blast driving home.

 

If the ultimate goal is a c7, I would stick with what you have until then. My fiancé can drive the z06 just fine, the clutch is light enough and it's not a hard to drive car. Teach the others to drive it and they may want you to keep it!

Best of luck finding exactly what you want, I agree with you on the color scheme being incredible.

 

Wanna be cool and unique? Get a Bowling Green 2000 or 2001. Eveyone gives ya a 2nd look because there just aren't that many green Corvettes

 

http://www.carsoup.com/details/used/...~#.VauGsHnJCUk

 

Get what you want...

 

Get the AE C5. It's one of the nicest C5s made, and if you're anything like me you'll never be 100% happy with a C6 if it's not exactly what you want.

 

Gonna repeat what the majority said..............don't settle for just anything, wait and find what you really want and will be happy with !

 

Long after the fact, I realized I screwed up: passed up on a 2001 BG/light-oak convertible with 21K miles because I thought the asking price was too high for what was then a 10-year-old car. I had no idea that combo was so rare.
(I'm not real sure the dealer did either, as he'd gotten the car in trade for one of the exotics he normally sold: the next cheapest car in his inventory was close to $100K. )