So why is it that like 80% of C5's have a terrible gap between the door and front quarter panel on, at least, one side. My driver side looks great but my passenger side is pretty bad, bad enough that I thought the car had been in a wreck when I first saw it. After buying the car I realize most C5's have this issue. Whats up with that and can it be fixed?

 

Got pics, it would help, I've never noticed that? My car is not home or I would look at it. Got me thinking.... but I know I look at that on all cars because it is a measure of how good of shape the car is in as well as a clue of accidents. I would also look at the screws that hold fenders on and in door jams to see if they are tightened down in different places from original marks.

Is it the same all the way down or does it get wider on bottom or top?

 

That's a shame, I'm guessing your car was in a wreck. C5 don't come out of the factory looking terrible and as if they were in a wreck.
80% of all c5"s ? that's 190,800 of the 238,000 C5 made, did you inspect all of these yourself?

I have had my Hand in every single C5 on the planet, and find your accusation to be very exaggerated and unfounded.

The door gaps in my car, and inspect gauge used to set these gaps are typically hardly what you would call terrible by any stretch of the imagination.



If your car appeared to have been in a wreck it probably was, which would beg the question , Why did you buy the car in the first place? As far as setting the door gap, of course it can be adjusted by a competent shop

 

all the ones I look at are better than average! Like I said it's a habit for me especially at car shows, I look at them all new and old cars, it will definitely be a clue of poor body work if gaps are not equal to the eye.
I thought some how I was missing something.
To op.. like ET said any competent Body shop can tell you what is wrong quickly and how well they can fix it. Do your doors hang down or do the close easy?

 

Not mine.

 

The panel gaps on my car are very even. If yours are way off on one side, I would question whether or not there was a wreck or some other non-factory reason that the gaps are so large.

 

Must be just you.

 

Wow, I think you took this post way too personal. I wasn't downing C5's, especially yours specifically. Relax man I was obviously exaggerating on the 80%. Maybe mine was wreck, maybe not, but I have seen alot of c5's with this gap issue.

 

I don't think anyone is trying to be mean, But One of my pet peeves is someone claiming that "MOST " or 80% are somehow typically off because theirs is.
When someone makes a ridiculously exaggerated statement like 80 % look terrible, that would preclude that the person making that statement had personal knowledge of 190,000 C5's. that represent 80 % of the total population of C5's that were built.
IM very relaxed my friend in fact, IM actually laughing at such a ridiculous accusation.

Now, had you come in here saying my passengers side door to front fender gap is off , and can it be fixed, adjusted, there would be no problem..
Me pointing out just how ridiculous your statement was, was in an effort for you to see just how your query could have been posted without making you seem immature. How you are perceived by the people here, especially those in position to help you, goes a long way in people wanting to helping you, and responding to your requests for help.

If you accept my premise and understand it, you will have much more fun here. When some one slams a C5 without any regard, because their particular C5 is flawed, and blame it on GM, their quality control, or the engineering design, I do take it personally.

 

I get it, should've left the 80% out of the comment. Anyway, here is a pic of the pass side

 

Driver side



Im mostly talking about the gap at the bottom, not so much the gap going all the way up the door. I'm really hoping the car hasn't been in a front end accident. Nothing reported on carfax though

 

IN Idaho, seeing 3 corvettes is a lot.
You just posted picture of your passengers side.. you car sustained some damage, Note the top of the front fender sits lower than the top of the door. also , here is the tell tall indicator.. look how low the " front spear " of the side molding on the front fender sits much lower than the line of the door side molding..

 

One more pic of the pass side.
Any suggestions on why it's like this? Or am I being too **** about body alignment?

 

My '03 is has absolutely perfect fitting panels. I have never seen a gap like one posted even on my neighbors Yugo! (scratch me off the list)

 

I've noticed these things. So you think the car has had some sort of front end impact? Also, do you think this is something a body shop can fix?

 

It seems something is off, even the driver side looks like the gap is bigger on top than on the bottom, it should be equal all the way around the door, does the hood gap look good/ equal on both sides? it's probably off also.

 

I hope you can see that the front fender sits about .200 ( 200 thousands ) lower than it should.

this picture shows the top of the fender, the side molding alignment and also the lower part of the front fender.
You may also see some differences in the skin surfaces, and the variances of depth seen through the gap and door the door jam depths. the lower rocker sits differently than the door jam... the rocker sits shallow behind the door skin... the rest of the door jam sits deeper by various depths. This gives an illusion of inconsistent depth.

 

I forgot to mention the pass side rocker panel has a pretty bad scrap underneath towards the brake duct. It was there when I bought the car. It looks like someone cut a curb too sharp in a parking lot and put a really nice scuff on it. Maybe thats the reason for the fitment issue?

 

The hood gap is close but one side is a little wider than the other. The fitment around the headlights is perfect but on the sides its not exactly the same.

 

IM trying to help you here, not put your car down... its not that bad, but its not factory compliant.. Most people would never notice this unless you pointed it out.. If you can get use to it, most would never notice it, if it bothers you, a realignment of the fender ( bringing it up ) Its not the door...the door can not go any lower.