A better comparison would be C5Z to C6...similar power and similar price point; and where I was stuck trying to make a decision.

Ultimately I chose a C5Z because it has a slight performance advantage, looks more "special", and has a timeless design that will always look good (unlike the C4).

C5 has a disadvantage when it comes to the interior, but can be helped dramatically by putting in an Android based head unit, changing the stock shift ****, and changing some of the materials (eg. real leather shift boots and console covers are cheap on ebay).

C6 has ugly headlights but can be improved dramatically by blacking out the insides (versus the stock body paint color).

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I owned a C6 for 2 years. Sold it and bought a C5 which I personally like better. It's all a matter of taste but in my opinion the C5 is more elegant looking and performance wise can hold it's own against a C6 during "normal" use.

 

Wow I don't know they got rid of it!! Shame easy to check keep watch .. I have code scanner don't even need it.. my car has it built in. Guys don't sell your c5 .. easy to keep road..

 

C5 hands down a monster on the road and easy to keep ... I wouldn't trade it for C6 .. .. hehe

 

I don't know, using the money saved by buying a C5 vs a C6, one could spend that money on performance upgrades on the C5 to make it perform as well, or better than a C6...

 

Glad to see you're still around! Have you seen your C5 since you sold it? I bet the guy who bought it is lovin' every minute of it! Damn, I wanted that car, I'm jealous!

 

If I still get excited about a vehicle after years of ownership, that's all I need to know...

 

Like any review, its just opinion. I would totally disagree with the video in regards to the side and rear going to the C6. For you, it sounds like you should trade for a C6. For me, no way.

 

They lost the ability of checking and resetting codes from the DIC.

I think they also lost the ability to train new wheel sensors and key fobs.

 

I can see why people like both either one better than the other. Personally 90% of the c5 I like more than the c6, the c5 rear end needs a little something.

Painting the lower facia and either a small wing or that rear bumper cover that has the extra lip added on helps quite a bit.

 

The C6 LS3 has more power but its also heavier than the C5Z.

Road test from Motor Trend and the like magazines show the C5Z is actually quicker.

 

Anyone else a fan of Regular Car Reviews? Here's a comprehensive guide to which Corvette is best Corvette.

 

These threads are always a hoot. With the exception of styling (eye of the beholder) the C6 is generally the superior machine. Those of us who own C5's will be loyal to our brand. Those who own a C6 or Stingray will follow suit. With that being said, I've never seen a wide body C5 that looks as good as a wide body C6. One man's opinion.

 

I love RCR!!! I have their headlights go up/down keychain on the vette keys.

I have so many feelings about the C5/C6 thing. Looks wise the C5 takes it for the most part. Not a fan of the C6 from the A pillar forward, but there IS something about the rear end of the C6 from the B pillar back that does it for me, and of course the wide bodies look great too.

Interior... C5 ALL the way. I hate the C6 interior, and its not even because its "cheap" I just don't like the aesthetic. Looks like it would be right at home in some front wheel drive crossover SUV.

From a performance perspective the LS3 vettes are hard to beat out of the box, but I feel like if you're building it and you have the MONEY to build it the C5 is a better platform. It may be slightly bigger but its significantly lighter.

I do love all Corvettes though. So much so that I have a bucket list of what to own, even if it means having a main "nice" corvette and a beater corvette. I love C4s and by god I will own one one day. So deliciously 80s. I also want to restore a 68 or 69 C3 myself and it MUST MUST MUST have a 427 with side pipes. C2 and C1 will most likely always be out of my price range. That brings us to 6 and 7. I definitely want a 7 one day, theres no question there... and... if the right C6 comes along, maybe... juuust maybe.

The point is... I want them all. You want them all. We all want them all. I'd give it a go for the "why the hell not" factor. See if you can find one you can try out and get real intimate with before you make a big decision.

 

Actually OP, seeing all the comparisons shots in your video just solidified my love for the C5.

 

Of course there is bias here as it's the C5 section, and myself a C5 owner so I prefer it.

However one incredibly discerning feature of the C5 vs C6 issue that you have to remember is there is not really a lot of fundamental differences between them. The C4 to C5 change and the C6 to C7 change was much more revolutionary in nature than the C5 to C6 evolutionary change. At the C6's heart it's largely a C5 in nature (this is most prominent in the 2005 models, where a lot of C5 carry-over parts were used) and if anything the car gained a lot of quirks; Lack of on-board DIC diagnostic functionality without a code reader, electronic door locks that can be hap-hazard, a need for non-pop up headlamps due to both styling changes and increasing costs with pop-up designs to remain within laws, etc, etc, etc.

The way I see it is this. Had I not owned a Corvette at all and were looking for something not as new - and costly - as the C7, I would get a C6. As a C5 owner, I don't really see a need to purchase a C6 and will likely move into a C7 when I'm able to. If anything, one good thing about the whole C5 to C6 similarity is it gives you a VERY LARGE strike zone - 1997 to 2013 - for that classic saying in Corvette buying; "buy the newest and "best" car you can afford that is what you want."

 

I do not like the C6 base at all. The proportions just look like a chop job.
The wide body C6s (Grand Sport, Z06, ZR-1) look like a finished product.

Performance wise, yes the C6 wins over a base C5. However, for what a base C6 costs, you would be better off comparing it to a C5 Z06. Throw that into the mix and the C5 will win the performance challenge as well (unless you are looking at C6 Grand Sport, where it becomes a driver's race and of course the C6 Z06 and ZR-1).

I have actually considered a C6 Z06 replacement for my C5 Z06. However, cannot justify the difference in cost and the issues with the LS7 heads kind of keeps me at bay.

However, with the used C7 prices coming down, I plan to wait and pick up a used low mileage C7 in a couple of years. I love everything about the C7 and I do mean EVERYTHING!

 

I'll be honest, I bought a C5 because I couldn't afford a C6. I prefer the C6 interior, rear end, and headlights (I hate pop-ups). That being said, I love the C5, I just wish there was an attractive looking fixed headlight conversion that didn't cost over $1000.

 

That video is awesome!!! The narrator hit the nail on the head with 'some' Vette show participants

 

All his videos are hilarious, though sometimes off putting. He actually doesn't have a lot nice to say about the C5's in general. He's also got a MAJOR hate-on for Subaru STi's, which is my previous car. haha