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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 05:16 PM
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Default Corvette C5 purchasing question

Hey everyone, new to the forum. I currently have a C4 and just recently sold my C6. I obviously miss that car, but cannot afford another C6 at the moment. I was looking toward the C5s. There is a C5 in my area that is a one owner, 2001, manual, priced at 5500. The reason it is priced so low is because it has 240,000 miles! Should I just walk away and not even take a look at it, or for that price could it be worth it? The C5s in my area are all pretty high miles (around the 100k mark) since I live in so cal, but none like this. I have been looking for a while for a nice C5, I doubt this one is the one, but the price is intriguing. Opinions would be appreciated!

Thanks
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 06:21 PM
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That's a lot of miles!
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 06:22 PM
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pictures might help, I would think it would part out for at least that ???
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 06:44 PM
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https://images.craigslist.org/00000_...e_1200x900.jpg

https://images.craigslist.org/00Y0Y_...h_1200x900.jpg

https://images.craigslist.org/00A0A_...q_1200x900.jpg

https://images.craigslist.org/00z0z_...q_1200x900.jpg


My main fear is getting into a rebuild and everything, throwing 10k+ into this car when I could have bought one with around 70k miles for 12 or 13k. Also, the resale value on a car with this amount of miles is probably pretty poor, especially after I drive it as well.

but again.. 5500 haha
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 06:52 PM
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Originally Posted by kern17
Hey everyone, new to the forum. I currently have a C4 and just recently sold my C6. I obviously miss that car, but cannot afford another C6 at the moment. I was looking toward the C5s. There is a C5 in my area that is a one owner, 2001, manual, priced at 5500. The reason it is priced so low is because it has 240,000 miles! Should I just walk away and not even take a look at it, or for that price could it be worth it? The C5s in my area are all pretty high miles (around the 100k mark) since I live in so cal, but none like this. I have been looking for a while for a nice C5, I doubt this one is the one, but the price is intriguing. Opinions would be appreciated!

Thanks
don't look back. You could easily buy a money pit. $10K could be just the beginning.
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 06:58 PM
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Can you do your own mechanical work? That's the big question.

I'd pick up a 5k c5 tomorrow to gut and build off of; but if I wasn't able to turn my own wrenches, and just wanted a stock car - I'd pass.
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 06:59 PM
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I.e.: you can pay 20k and you get the same pile of **** interior that falls apart on it's own by 50k miles.

Corvettes are only good for swapping out the stock junk.
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 07:06 PM
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I can only speak for myself, but I would walk away. Save up some more $s and find one with a lot less miles on it. C5s are fairly reliable, but 240K is a lot of miles.
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 07:28 PM
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Originally Posted by AE Guy
That's a lot of miles!
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 07:58 PM
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Thanks for all the input everyone! Looks like its overwhelmingly a pass verdict. I will keep looking. Thanks for the heads up, and most likely saving me a lot of future head ache!
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 10:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Vetteman Jack
I can only speak for myself, but I would walk away. Save up some more $s and find one with a lot less miles on it. C5s are fairly reliable, but 240K is a lot of miles.

I'd like to point out that's not 240,000 miles on a car, it's 240,000 miles on a high performance sports car. It's got plenty of hard time miles on it. I'm sure if you buy it, you'll be looking to drive it hard at least part of the time. No, I'd pass. That car will break under stress and you'll land up spending the money you're proposing to save by buying a high mileage car. IMHO, save up and buy a C5 with less than 100K, preferably less than 75K on the clock. I'd go for a 2002 to 2004, age takes it's toll too.
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Old Dec 16, 2016 | 10:55 PM
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The C5 at the 100k mile mark has proven itself to be a reliable and fun car with plenty to give. There are a lot of cars on this forum in that range that still look and run almost as new. Sure, some maintenance will have been done, but 100k is nothing to be scared of if you find one that appears to be well taken care of and not overly abused. The price of a 100k car will be very appealing as well. Good luck with search...

Last edited by jdvann; Dec 16, 2016 at 10:56 PM.
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