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But the cars are absolutely, unquestionably, without a doubt...dated. I also own a 2016 Golf R, which makes the C5 Vette feel 20 years old...because it is. Comfort, options, tech, interior quality, build materials, electronics, the way it drives/handles, chassis, etc. The list goes on and on.
The platform is old now, and it's blatantly obvious compared directly to most new cars.
I agree the interior looks dated. A double din with modern tech really helps the look and utility, IMO. With a double din the only thing that assigns an era to the interior look is the HVAC controls. I wish someone made an aftermarket solution.
I think the dual zone HVAC controller is even more dated than the simple 3 dial controls mostly because the dual zone unit used the button faces from 1989 lol. I'm actually kind of happy I don't have the dual zone.
I think the dual zone HVAC controller is even more dated than the simple 3 dial controls mostly because the dual zone unit used the button faces from 1989 lol. I'm actually kind of happy I don't have the dual zone.
I completely agree. It's the buttons that ef it up. I even looked into swapping...no go on the swap, says the tech section.
I have a Red 99 FRC. Of course it looks somewhat dated, the car's 20 years old. That said, I have loved that shape ever since the 1st time I laid eyes on it. I also have never been one that has disliked the interior either. For a 20 yr old car that interior is just fine. My car has zero rattles and squeaks, lucky I know, but true. Seats are some of the most comfortable seats to sit in, and to me the c5 is one of the easiest vettes to get in and out of. What more could I want from a sports car/2 seater?
It looks dated in a cool sort of way like a classic muscle car kind of way. I have no BSMs, car looks mean, clean and lean. I like the less is more look to it. One of these days I will update the wheel combo, but the car gets looks still ,and more importantly, I dig it! Just because something "new" comes along, does not mean that it makes the something "old" any less cool or important. Trust me, the c5 is/will be a classic in it's own right. Can't wait to see what a Speedway White, Z06, brings at Barrett-Jackson in say, a mere 10-15 years! jmo
Yes absolutely & I love it b/c of that fact lol! Barely weighs over 3000 lbs, can actually turn off ALL the "nannies", shakes @ idle even w/ stock cam (now....well different story), pop headlights & the round steering wheel give it a pseudo "muscle car" feel, can hear everything going on around me mechanically & otherwise down to the pebbles pelting the rear wheel wells.....of course dynamat, new head unit/speakers w/ bluetooth, Radioflyer HID's in front & tinted LED's in back, black powdercoated factory wheels, 3/4" drop on stock bolts & tinted windows definitely "modernize" the car quite a bit, but I REALLY love how well the C5Z straddles the line between muscle & sports car & the lines of the car I don't think will ever become dated, a side view shot of a slightly lowered C5Z is still one of the sexiest profiles of an American sports car in the last 50 years IMHO.
Not to be devil's advocate here....but what seems dated to me is a 4,600 lb challenger w/ 707hp only matching the performance of a bolted C5Z lol - talk about taking steps backward (or none at all I suppose....since the hellfats all still ride on a mid '90's E-class chassis....except for the trackhawk)
Not to be devil's advocate here....but what seems dated to me is a 4,600 lb challenger w/ 707hp only matching the performance of a bolted C5Z lol - talk about taking steps backward (or none at all I suppose....since the hellfats all still ride on a mid '90's E-class chassis....except for the trackhawk)
I've always joked, you know why Dodge came out with the hellcat motor? So their SUV class performance cars can feel just as fast as other manufacturers that have less weight and power. Power to weight ratio is real people.
Not to be devil's advocate here....but what seems dated to me is a 4,600 lb challenger w/ 707hp only matching the performance of a bolted C5Z lol - talk about taking steps backward (or none at all I suppose....since the hellfats all still ride on a mid '90's E-class chassis....except for the trackhawk)[/QUOTE]
I had a 2006 300C back when it was new. Loved that car. And yes, it started life as the prior E class chassis and many other components. I can't believe FCA is essentially still recycling that vehicle more than a decade after Benz dumped them. I guess if people keep buying...
Dated? Yes and no. The exterior body styling still looks great. I always felt if a C5 was parked next to a C6, and someone who knew nothing about either car would probably have thought the C5 was the newer car. But the C6 was really a C5.5 anyway. I will pass over the C7 - looks too much like a squashed Camaro for my taste. On the other hand, the C8 has me wondering how to explain to my other half that I want to replace one toy with another quite expensive toy. It's definitely the first Corvette since the C5 that has piqued my interest, but I am not going to pay any "dealer premium" on principle, so it's gonna be a wait...
The "dated" giveaways for the C5 are the interior and dash/displays. To modernize it, the whole center stack would have to go, to be replaced by a modern display screen with a/c, audio and nav controls. Pretty much a herculean task, I would think. Then there's the steering wheel and let's not forget the seats, which are IMO the only actually bad-for-1997 part of the interior. Who would put together what was then a supercar-level performance car and fit seats with essentially zero lateral support? Crazy.
Our other car is bang up to date, with all kinds of electronic "nannies" most of which I've turned off as they are more distraction than use. Lane keeping being a good example. Quite frankly, if you actually need lane keeping assist, turn your driver's license in and use Uber. It has push start/stop, as they all do now. Personally, I would rather just turn a key, as those keyless systems have proved to be the perfect "back door" for car thieves. The central stack nav/audio/HVAC/camera display though is excellent - big and clear. And that's the one thing I really, really miss when I go back to the C5. That and the fact that it has much more supportive seats - and of course they are heated and cooled.
Go to Carlisle..see every vette ever made..even the C4 is not really dated once you compare it to the older cars. Just look at 1994 zr1..that motor is truly excotic compared to many.
And most people cant tell the difference between a 5 and 6.
Coming home this morning our cars stand out from everything on the road
