First time post, new C5 owner. Love this forum and have used regularly for information. Thank you! I recently purchased a 2004 C5 with 20,000 miles. I had all of the fluids changed and new tires (had plenty of tread life but were original - 16 years old). Looking for input on any other maintenance items that should be done to ensure continued trouble free driving over the next several years. Thanks for your advice.

 

Sounds like you've gotten the all the fluids changed so I think you've already got what should be done. Keep a battery tender on if you won't drive the car for a week or so as the C5 seems to love eating batteries. Speaking of batteries, make sure you have a AGM battery in the car as a regular lead acid battery can leak and cause all sorts of problems.

You Tube

 

Welcome Gohawks to our C5 forum. Lots of great info here on our C5's. Be sure to read " The Definitive C5 Info" sticky thread. PS - I am a Iowa Hawkeyes fan also.

 

Welcome!
When I bought my 03 vert awhile back I had read the stickys on this forum. There's a ton of good info there.
My car was a one owner with 28,000 miles on it and in great shape. I bought it as a toy for my wife and I to tool around in.
I wanted it to be in first class shape so I changed all the fluids and hoses then decided to go ahead and do the harmonic balancer. While doing that I also changed out the belts and tensioners.
My car has the A4 transmissions and I also changed out the shifter cable for peace of mind.
I have driven the car now for over three years without any problems.
These cars are a ton of fun and in my opinion they are the best looking Corvette out there.
We just love it!
Good luck!

 

Welcome to the club and enjoy your new ride. You will absolutely enjoy it. Sounds like some of the basic maintenance issues have been taken care of. I bought mine last year (first Corvette ever) and still haven't found a towel big enough to wipe the smile off of my face. Happy New Year and cheers

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR, and welcome to the forum!! Sounds like a beautiful car. I'm sure you'll put a few more miles on your car. Heck, you could double the mileage, and you'd still have only 40,000 miles on an '04!

 

Now get out and start living the dream!

 

Throw the tires away not because they are worn, because they are old and a hazard

 

Well, C5's are about the most reliable V8 pure sports cars ever made, so you're likely just fine.

Trickle charge the battery in winter or it WILL die
The ignition switch needs service occasionally, but mine didn't need work for over 100,000 miles
the column lock issue can be a pain, but is an easy fix with a cheap kit from online
Some old battery cases break and leak acid on to the frame underneath, best check that out

And that's it! Enjoy your new ride, hard not to in a C5

 

Thanks for the input. Attaching picture

 

Carefully check both the hoses and belts for signs of cracking and rot.

 

New tires as soon as possible! Also, if not already installed get a LMC5 to address the column lock issue. I can't over stress that! The damn column lock has a way of locking up any where and at any time. Mine locked up 18 years after new, luckily in my driveway. Don't assume it has been taken care of, that was my mistake. Get it checked and if not installed get the LMC5 installed Not expensive, fairly easy install and can save you a ton of trouble. Good luck with your C5, wonderful cars and a lot of fun!

 

If an auto I would Replace the shifter cable bushings, It's a part that will leave you stranded and have to be towed. If it brakes you will hope it does in neutral, If the car needs to be moved the transmission must be placed in neutral by hand. The original bushing should be hard as a rock and very brittle and ready to fall apart at anytime. The only tell tell sign is when you go to shift the gear selector and you have no resistance with movement. Your car will not move and in my case my selector bushing broke apart in my drive way, then a couple of months later the bushing broke apart at the end of the cable that connects to the transmission. I was left in a parking lot for about 10 hours trying to find a flatbed tow truck that knew how to get it in neutral to drop it at my house.

 

I had my C5 parked almost 4 1/2 years, however I kept gas tank near empty and would pour in a gallon of premium fuel once in a while and start it, let it idle and fully warm up, figured that way the gas wouldn't go nasty.

If the car is parked at your friends or whoever and they are ok with you bringing it back, I say start it after checking all fluids etc, drive it around the block in neighbor hood, watch gauges and make sure it's not overheating.

It would be good if you could do oil change before driving it, but if not perhaps drive it to your mechanic to get changed ASAP don't drive it anymore than home, and to shop for oil change.

Also you can test brakes driving slow in neighborhood, and watch engine coolant temp to make sure it's not getting too hot.

You could always have it towed on flatbed tow truck but 40 miles has got to be expensive.

After taking it on baby steps around immediate neighborhood, drive further out on main streets but try to keep near the house it's at, then once it's proven no overheating or any issues, if you drive on freeway maybe try to stick in slow lanes and not drive faster than the minimum speed of slower traffic in slow lanes.

If you are in L.A. area then that probably doesn't work that way, unless it's very late at night.

Also not C5 but June 2020 I drove my 1965 C10 pick-up about 30 miles after sitting over 7 years stored at my mom's house to my house.

I waited until about 11pm for cooler weather and less traffic, and less chance of old truck overheating.

Had GF follow behind me and most of trip was freeway, kept truck right at 65 mph, no overheating everything went fine.

Hopefully you have towing included on your car insurance just in case you need it.

 

Oops just noticed after posting reply, the question was asked right at end of 2020, thought it was recent.

Probably got car home months ago. Lol