Horsepower means nothing when you have cars that weigh hundreds of pounds more. It going to take a lot more power to compensate for that. Not to mention how it affects handling.

 

The boats we own weigh less than a Corvette. Just an FYI.

Also, gearing plays a lot in the car's characteristics, they are on 8+ automatics now.

 

My gripe with the interior of the C5 isn't with the aesthetics as much as the actual feel of the switches and levers.

Take the seats. You have 9 million switches for angles and air bladders and yet the cheapest feeling manual recline lever and when you release it you can feel each side of the seat pop free. It should be powered if the rest of the seat is powered. The unit that houses the seat adjustment moves inside the housing independent of the buttons. Prior to my seat swap I added some foam to try and stop the movement.

The dash piece that houses the fog lamp and trunk release is another good example. The switches themselves don't have the most positive action as they're covered push button switches, but the whole unit again moves in the dash. It should be significantly more solid inside the dash itself.

The HVAC can be improved so I won't gripe on that and the other areas of my interior I could gripe about are more than likely age and use related rather than design.

I just wish all the switchgear had a more positive action than what we got and things had tighter tolerances. Compared to my first car, a 1990 Honda Accord and my Mom's old Pathfinder that was a similar vintage of my C5 the interior feel was a truly a step back.

That being said all of those gripes go by the wayside the second I pull the targa off and crank the stereo.

 

Personally I could give a rats butt what others think. I like my C5 and really thats all that matters. Mike

 

I drive a 04 Z-16 with 100 extra HP over stock ,springs and shocks all new but stock with SP-2s . This 04 will out run any stock C-7 Stingray on the road I do it all the time on the track off the track . The matter of fact one guy in our club with a new C-7 sold his new C-7 , I keep out running him ,he now has a new Z and another club member just out ran him in an 08 C-6 Z 558 WH-HP 410 gears . He will learn one day to leave these HOT RODS alone. . That deal is a old school thing out doing newer cars with older one ,my old out dated C-5 is fun to drive and the look on there face when I out run them is priceless.. Yep interior is crap for sure.. I call the C-5s the 55-57 Chevy of today .. Cheap to buy can build one heck of a hot rod out of them and look good doing it .. What more could you want .. GPS phone heated seats ,really .. and at almost 4000 LBS.. My 04 3100 LBS power to weight deal .. Just my take..

 

The Mustang outweighs the C5 by 600 lbs, and the Camaro outweighs it by 700...they need the extra power to haul all that pork around!

 

True every year they add 50 more HP and 300+ more LBS . Not saying my old C-5 is fast but the power to weight deal is the key . Old hot roders look at that stuff.

 

Throwing Hp after weight is like throwing good money after bad.
Newer cars have a lot of convenience features that are nice but add weight.
Then to meet fuel economy and EPA regs they have to do things that can make a car seem sluggish. It's not for me.

 

For those that think a C-5 interior is subpar, check out a Chrysler product (any of them) from the same era.

 

Obviously you've not driven a C-7 (even a base model)
I own a C-5 and a C-7, and have owned Vettes since the early 60's, every model change has been a major advance (except maybe the C-2 to C-3).

The C-7 is in a totally different class than the C-5 (which I love,but come on, it's 20 years old)

 

I would expect it to be awesomely different, simply because of the difference in price tags. The price of a C5 is about 1/3 or less the price of a C7, my main reason for owning a C5 is because it is the best model if you want an affordable reliable vette with 21st Century styling.

 

I've never heard anyone complain about a lack of power in the C5's. Not a single complaint.

I do hear about the interior all the time. The interior IS low quality, I agree with them. I just look past it, it's not that big of a deal. I own two of the things, so obviously not terribly concerned about what other people think.

 

I took an extended test drive in a 2017 Grand Sport. The interior quality was definitely better than the C5, but I certainly didn't find it impressive. It's ok...but nothing about it struck me as high quality.

 

The C5 interior is a bit basic by today's standards, but a lot better than the Mustang I replaced it with back in 1997. I rally like the instrument panel. It has a good size speedo and tach, plus auxiliary gauges - exactly how it should be. As to all of today's tech, meh. Most of it is there because the cost to the manufacturer is low, yet they can charge the customer a lot for it. Oh, and it will be the first stuff to go wrong.

The seats, though, suck. The seats in my wife's 2005 Legacy were more comfortable for a long run, albeit with no better support. The seats on her new Genesis Sedan are a revelation - comfortable, good support and you get out after a long drive and still feel fresh.

My biggest bugaboo is interior noise - no point in having high end audio if you have to have the volume way up to hear the quiet passages, if your ears then get blown off by the loud passages. These days, I confess I try to steal the Genesis for any long journey.

I have no complaints about stock power levels or handling. More than enough of both for public road use. And one the advantages of the lower bhp/liter is plenty of low rpm torque.

And count me as an enthusiast for the styling - smooth and sophisticated, not all angles and garish. Plus, Corvettes are supposed to have pop up lights. My wife, not a car person, counts C5's as having a "classic look". I can't disagree.

 

Maybe, but the interior is a bit claustrophobic after the C5.

 

I built my C5 the way I want it so no complaints.

 

Yes the C-7 is a Way better built Corvette that the old C-5 and I guess is a totally different class but if someone wants and old hot rod to ride around in , well for the price and the fun can't beat the old C-5 . A OLD C-5 just set a record on the Golden mile 203 MPH .. Yes it did have 700 + Hp .. Just saying..

 

I bought it for my enjoyment.

 

many of the complaints you see (like seats interior) new owners complained about. The controls remind me of my truck..or a malibu or?

Test drove a new 02 6 spd and was real turned off at how slow it felt was ready to buy it. The power band on these is flat so you accelerate quicker than it seems but still.
Sorry but 345hp at least in that one felt way subpar, that was coming from a stock 90 ZR1 and those arent all that fast either.

In fact the LS6 shoulda been standard in all those cars, fel the same after driving the Z. thats what a stock vette shoulda felt like.

EPA requirements though what ya gonna do?

 

I just bought a 97 coupe, my 3rd C5 and the car still feels very modern. I have a new C7 Z06 and it is an animal and has alot of trinkets in the interior. I gotta say, I kind of like the simplicity of the C5. It just works. Obviously not as fast, but still no slug. I have just as much fun driving the C5 (well almost ) I think I'm driving the C5 to Carlisle.