I have a '99 manual vert. Do I sometimes think about the electrical issues that are often outlined in this forum by those seeking info or help? Well, sure! But I also wonder about the thousands of C5's that are out there motoring along never having had these issues. Perhaps, and I'm just thinking as I type, its a worry thats somewhat over blown. A good part of the posts on this forum have to do with various issues/problems but I would bet that our forum members only represent a fraction of C5 owners that are out there. Personally speaking the only electrical issue I have had is a whole bunch of funky electrical crap that was caused by a defective battery and that immediately vanished with the install of a new battery. A fuel leak was the only other issue I have experienced. Actually my C5 has required less attention/repair than most cars that I've owned. It has actually proven itself to be an outstanding automotive purchase. Just my personal experience and thoughts here. Y'all have a good one!

 

I have had my 99 6 speed for 18 years and it's about to turn over to 34,000 miles. The only problem I've had was about 10 years ago the air-conditioner compressor went out and had to be replaced. I hated the run flat tires it came with and got rid of those at 28,000 miles. I learned on these cars that sit a lot it's important to have a sealed battery and keep it on a battery maintainer.

 

There’s a few gremlins on those cars but Name a twenty year old car that is more of a rush to drive and still is the sexiest car on the road. These were well made solid cars .my friend had a bulletproof trusty Honda Accord of the same vintage that had the timing belt go on him immediately the Valves dropped and Took out the entire engine . Being foreign parts it was cost prohibitive to repair and foreign car shops aren’t cheap .that reliable Honda is sitting in a junkyard today

 

honestly the c5 is the car I trust most out of the 7 vehicles I've owned. That includes 4 toyotas, a Nissan, and a Suzuki motorcycle in the list. Look just a few posts above and you'll see the c5 with 773,000 miles on it. There are many many cars with over 200k on the original engine, and at least 2 with over 500k.

None of the common problems besides the column lock issue (which is 100% eliminated with a $40 lmc5) would leave you stranded. If I had to go on a 5000 mile trip and could pick any of my previous or current vehicles: I would put new tires on the corvette, clean the air filter, change the oil, and set out.

 

Go ahead and pull the trigger. Is there risk - yes, but not worth worrying about. I've had 2 C5's - a 2000 for 7 years with no issues and 3 years ago we purchased a 2002 with 77,000 miles that had been owned by 7 different people for about 2 years each. We immediately took it on a 3500 mile trip to Utah, last year we took it on another one to Tennessee and this year we went on another to Idaho - no worries.

 

I should start my statement saying that I pretty much always say "no" to any posted buying advice. But then I am not a guy with cars as a hobby or a vette fan boy of any worth.

You can make up your own mind about the future lack of needed parts, the salient point is that the later models are improved, and the parts are interchangeable across years, not just a one year and done deal.

I see a future where only the guys with show cars will pay and continue to buy the rare used parts needed as supply goes away. the mass market cars will be parked, priced out of the market. When your steering sensor costs more then the engine, and is used to boot, only those with a great desire will throw into that crap shoot.

If my 03 electronics go south, I have multiple years of parts production to draw on , my tiny, small money likes that. As it is now, interior trim pieces, when available, no longer come in colors, just black plastic today. PLus my running gear is more developed, with more power. Some say pretty much the zcar output, but not advertised as that close. I don't go by that, but add it only for conversational information.

What struck me is your casual regard to the mods on an old used car. The cars are pretty, I have one, but 2017 minus 1997 is getting there. Twenty five years gets me an antique car special interest plate in my state, if I ask.

Mods are not normal. In a normal used car market they detract from value. Unless some chump decides he knows better than the market, or actually has skills to beat the market. The general market knows few people sell a trouble free car, mods add complexity and cost to repair, and normally lessen durability. So they are usually negotiated as a negative value, unless you are a teenager with no demands on your time or money beyond a car.

in this case, the trouble might not be mechanical , it might only be financial, a potential for non stock operation in the future, and the resultant great loss of value. The car might be perfect otherwise, but few cars perfect cars are for sale, and those cars are easily identified by the asking price. In my low skill, even less desire for, car repair world, mods are a concern. In deed, it is traditional used car buying advice to avoid such cars. Shun any mods, unless you are into fixing and racing, do them yourself .

MY main concern would be that with any non stock parts, the operating temperature of the engine might have also been changed, Changing the thermostat is popular with posters here, i suppose because it is low cost, easy, and ignorant.

If the operating temps were changed, plus with added headers, you might be buying a car that has been repeatedly stressed, never good, while operating outside of designed temperatures, even worse. And, as such, certainly won't go the designed distance, unless you get a miracle car, or have magical money to fix everything possible.

A test drive should give you the temps the car is seeing. As you say, mechanical stuff can always be fixed, but this is the entire engine running outside of the designed limits, that the owner felt needed headers and more power, probably for the common reasons. I wouldn't by an engine repeatedly stressed outside of the original operating design intentions.

A few stuck in the past people who post here like to change the thermostat on these cars, so the gages look like they did with cast iron designs from the past, and they feel better. An engineer will tell you with todays engines, any change from the designed temperatures requires a complex rethink, not just some dude with a dyno and an earn while you learn header tune up.

In closing, while I appreciate the advice from guys with 40, 000 mile or so on cars that are 15, twenty years old, the normal miles per year is around 14,000. So while the advice is factual, it is pleasure or part time driving, and should be considered in that light. For most cars that mileage is a two to four year old car, and few problems should be expected, with that milage on any modern car, of any make.

AS far as general concerns, it is just a high line chevy. When repairs are needed, no car is cheap, or as one guy told me as I complained about parts and cost, it is always another eighty bucks. At least you are in the right country. Just consider the same need for a one year only control computer , but your car is from another country. I"ve had to pay nine prices to get an old english small door lock part, taken off a collection of doors headed back to the home market, where demand is more dependable. Where such a dinky part could never command the price I paid.

One last thing, get a convertible , otherwise you are missing the point of a car designed for fun. Kind of like being in a room and laughing along with the group because everyone else is laughing and you catch the joy and can't help it, but still don't quite understand. With an open car, you get the full understanding. Again, I turn to the market to support my position, check the sales figures. or , ask an owner.