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I still have trouble with this concept. Yes, the C5 was the initial application of the LSx engine, but it's not like it had to carry the R&D costs for it. It was designed in a completely separate division and intended from the get-go to be used on multiple platforms, most (all?) with much higher production rates than the Corvette to amortize the nonrecurring costs.
This is absolutely incorrect... the engine developed for the Corvette had much more stringent demand.. first of all, it's bottom feeder, in a C5 Y body designed to run much hotter, than an F body... with a very specially developed Oil life monitor system and oil spec designed for heat dissipation... It was Dave hill who wanted the first bench marked and certified 200,000 mile engine for his C5 Corvette...the first in the world... 100,000 miles had been the previous design for any non diesel engine anywhere in the world... back in the 70's.. 60 K was the benchmark for engine design.. OK.. I'm getting too wound up.. Too many memories of what really happened.. too many bathroom discussions and conversations about this design. Good night everyone.
I was not gping to further fuel my emotions.. When I was leaving GM most of the sr engineers that were looking at retirement were not happy with the direction, our American Icon was taking... New direction was being keyed by EuroAsian design... To an Old guy like me, this was Corvette Heresy... No one liked the money going into a much more Euro look, after all the Corvette was always a muscle car in sports car trim...with such refinements, it appealed to the consumer looking at Euro Cars ... IN my opinion the plushness and attention to comfort was a step backward in American design... I think the c6 pales in comparison to the C5... at my age and my financial situation I could buy a C6 or C7 at any time... but why would I spend 70K to get the same wood I get now every time I start my car... the designs are going Euro exotic, as seen by the C7... I'm too old to appreciate this as a replacement for American muscle.. Gm is going the way they feel will appeal to the targeted market.... when the C5 was a dream late 1993, then when the team was assembled, like myself in 1995, we had two years to hit the mark... and we hit it out of the ball park.. Evident by the love and longevity of C5's in this forum.. I have at least a dozen people in PM who have in excess of 300K miles on their C5 and have not had anything internal to the engine go bad... I have 4 people with 400K., there is a thread some where on this forum with high mileage members who are insanely satisfied with their C5. I cant speak for the direction of the Corvette, but I know how the design starts,, I don't know who the target market is now... I also know that GM does Poll many former Corvette owners when developing the concept... many people ( former owners )get a nice package of information and a survey.. and GM uses this to help mold the concept.. GM does listen. The development of the LSX motor was a costly enterprise, now that the money was invested into the C5 budget, the C6 and seven don't have to spend as much in New development.. IM not going to defend GM or the C5 other than to say. GM took the cost to manufacture, and got every penny out of that budget to produce an American icon that hit all the design queues it set out to complete. Delivered it on time, and within budget. Not as easy as it seems... OK I think Ive answered part of your question about the short body, much less flowing design of the C6.with the nicer interior. The C7 is a different animal all together... But it still has a pushrod motor.. not sure when we will see that change but when and if we do.. it will be a 13K red line DOHC engine that wont have half the longevity of the LSX design, but maybe by them the target demographic wont care...
Its not my place to guess what GM will do... I think you are of the belief that people like me are blind to the faults of the C5.. believe me we are not... but most accept the trade offs, considering the original cost factor.. incidentally... how many owners of 16 year old cars with 100,000 miles can brag about people willing to offer them 20,000/ 25,000 dollars for a car with such longevity and mileage. MODs and their cost are rarely a factor in the price of a used car... in many cases, mods are a negative factor in resale..
Bill aka ET
That's just how it comes across when you act so shocked and hurt that I would criticize the interior of the C5. But never lose sight of the fact that in spite of my criticism I still bought a C5 and yes I do still love it. I am nothing if I am not honest.
And I agree with everything else you said. The C5 was mission impossible yet GM pulled it off somehow.
Well Evil twin thank you and your crew for your hard work and making such a great car . I love mine and well it was my dream car and l think the c5 is like a girl so there are some things that aren't perfect but if she looks good and is fun to ride you can look past all the little quirks.
That's just how it comes across when you act so shocked and hurt that I would criticize the interior of the C5. But never lose sight of the fact that in spite of my criticism I still bought a C5 and yes I do still love it. I am nothing if I am not honest.
And I agree with everything else you said. The C5 was mission impossible yet GM pulled it off somehow.
Let me put it in context
Its like someone telling you its a shame your little daughter has a big nose. ( you know she has a big nose ), but you still don't like someone telling you that.
If that makes any sense.
I don't think the interior is that bad either. What I like about it is how consistent it is, and I actually think it looks good, though very simple.
Someone just went for a ride in my car, and in the middle of telling me how amazing the lamborghini huracan he was just in was, he stopped to say "I don't get why people trash this interior that much, It actually looks pretty good"
Ill never understand automotive designers, they seem to be so out of touch and almost seems like after a successful design they fire the entire staff and hire new people, who then go and F%^& everything up.
Although porsches are pretty unreliable money pits I will give them credit for sticking with the same design over the years and just adding to it.
The C3 was definitely a timeless design, they blew it with the C4, its not that bad but its a step down from the C3, they redeemed themselves with the C5 and should of built on that style in a positive way, not butchered it like the C6, and then they come back with another design from way out in left field with the C7.
Its almost like they have a team of people who have no idea of what they are doing and where they are going, literally all over the place.
The C7 is a nice car, but its a little wacky looking
I agree except I like the C6 almost as much as the C5
Let me put it in context
Its like someone telling you its a shame your little daughter has a big nose. ( you know she has a big nose ), but you still don't like someone telling you that.
If that makes any sense.
It makes perfect sense. You put your blood, sweat, and tears into the C5 project so it truly is like a child to you.
I don't think the interior is that bad either. What I like about it is how consistent it is, and I actually think it looks good, though very simple.
Someone just went for a ride in my car, and in the middle of telling me how amazing the lamborghini huracan he was just in was, he stopped to say "I don't get why people trash this interior that much, It actually looks pretty good"
The only bad aspect of the interior is the materials that were used. Otherwise, its a very nice layout and miles ahead of the terrible C6. The C5 has a little of the C2 design and I for one love it!
You are smoking some really powerful crack rock if you think a C5 interior can even hold a candle to that of a 2007 Cayman.
That is the interior I had on my Cayman, and it was dismal.
1. Gauges were poorly lit and difficult to see at times.
2. Door latch broke within 3 days of purchasing the car, luckily covered under by warranty ($450 installed otherwise).
3. Nav unit looked like it was straight out of an early 90s sci-fi, and was practically worthless. Buttons worn off, clunky to use, you name it.
4. Interior "leather" was standard cheap german junk, D/S armrest was already cracking and I expect the rest would have followed within 4-5 years.
5. Stereo system was weak - not that I can say the vette is any better, but at least the Corvette engine sounds good so it doesn't matter as much.
6. Cupholders are inconveniently located, and snap off if you put anything heavier than a can of soda in them.
The only saving grace of the Cayman is that it's a great driving car - the steering is phenomenal. Other than that, the C5 beats it hands down in every field. I've driven and worked on enough German cars that the idea of "german engineering" or "craftsmanship" as a selling point is laughable. None of them are tested for durability anywhere close to what GM does, and none of them hold up to the use or abuse that a GM product will. There is a reason that larger tolerances are used - the Corvette is designed to be driven, not as a garage ornament.
I rented a 2015 C7 in Phoenix earlier this year, and proceeded to put 1000 VERY hard miles on it over the course of 3 days with my father; driving all over the mountains and desert of Arizona.
The C7 is a fantastic automobile, and took everything we could throw at it.
However, now that I have my C5 at 100% performance & 75% aesthetically where I want it; I have no interest in owning a C7 at this point. I love older cars, and the older they are the less stock looking you can make them. Stock sucks. I could put a C7 in the garage tomorrow, but I'd much rather fill that space up with something totally unique. Right now I am looking at mid 70s Lincolns to make into a lead sled tow vehicle.
I rented a 2015 C7 in Phoenix earlier this year, and proceeded to put 1000 VERY hard miles on it over the course of 3 days, with my father driving all over the mountains and desert of Arizona.
The C7 is a fantastic automobile, and took everything we could throw at it.
However, now that I have my C5 at 100% performance & 75% aesthetically where I want it; I have no interest in owning a C7 at this point. I love older cars, and the older they are the less stock looking you can make them. Stock sucks. I could put a C7 in the garage tomorrow, but I'd much rather fill that space up with something totally unique. Right now I am looking at mid 70s Lincolns to make into a lead sled tow vehicle.
C5 looks great, what performance mods are done?? I plan to do ECS kit and meth next year with Longtubes.
You are smoking some really powerful crack rock if you think a C5 interior can even hold a candle to that of a 2007 Cayman.
The C5 interior is garbage compared to literally every other car I've owned.
1. What's with the gigantic gap between the dash and door? Did we lose our one and only tape measure the day that was designed?
2. How about those sun visors made from cardboard that come apart after a few years? I've never owned another car with the "floppy dog ear" syndrome. Or is that a GM feature?
3. Don't get me started on the chintzy console frame that didn't fit right from day 1. I don't think I've ever seen a C5 where that thing wasn't popping loose. (at least not where someone hasn't taken it apart and fixed it)
4. Both of my door reflectors popped out when the tiny little plastic tabs that holds them in snapped off. I fixed mine with magnets.
5. Both of the little hole covers behind the door pull in my car are AWOL. And once again I don't think I've ever sat in a C5 that still had both of the originals.
6. The foam of your seat rests directly on a series of wires with 0 backing and 0 protection of any sort from those wires cutting through it over the years. This is why the C5 seats loose their cushioning over time. I fixed this by gluing a layer of denim to the bottom of the foam.
7. Speaking of seats, GM must've genetically engineered cows with extremely thin hides to make the C5 seat covers. I have never seen leather seats that wear thin, tear, and separate so easily as in a C5.
8. Gotta love the plastic bag of goo that GM used for a horn button. Over time the goo leaks out, and then your horn blows until it either burns up or you yank out the relay. I fixed this on my car by wiring in 2 momentary switches mounted on either side of the steering wheel cover.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. I could go on all day.
The C5 interior is comically bad. I have never had to make so many repairs and had so many issues with a car's interior before and this INCLUDES other GM offerings.
Yeah yeah sure, I've heard the "they spent money on the drivetrain" nonsense a shmillion times by now, but the honest truth is they could've addressed the vast majority of complaints people have with the interior for pennies and in some cases for nothing if they'd just had some better attention to detail.
And if you want to call b.s. on that pennies statement, just know that there is a GM engineer who worked the C5 project and posts often to the C5 tech forum who has gone on record as saying that were design changes to the C5 interior which were made to save as little as $0.05.
Now don't get me wrong. I love my C5, but I don't delude myself as to its faults. Its interior is horribad. And to defend it is either delusion or blindness.
Good Lord...is it possible that someone can complain as much as you have about the C5 and not have gotten rid of the POS?
I still love mine and think that it is a wonderful vehicle. You may want to get an appointment with one of those "$200 an hour people"
But never lose sight of the fact that in spite of my criticism I still bought a C5 and yes I do still love it. I am nothing if I am not honest. 
