Purchasing advice please
Thread Starter
1st Gear
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Purchasing advice please
Greetings folks,
I’m in the market for a C5. Having never owned any generation of the vehicle before, I wanted to get some advice. Is there any specific or hidden areas of wear and tear that I should look for on/under the vehicle? Is there any specific years of the C5 that had more issues than others that I should maybe avoid? Any other general information would be great. Thanks
I’m in the market for a C5. Having never owned any generation of the vehicle before, I wanted to get some advice. Is there any specific or hidden areas of wear and tear that I should look for on/under the vehicle? Is there any specific years of the C5 that had more issues than others that I should maybe avoid? Any other general information would be great. Thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 7,780
Likes: 2,252
From: Brighton MI
There's a ton of information in the stickies at the top...here's a link:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ion-files.html
You will get many opinions...I have owned a '97 for over ten years virtually trouble-free...but many will steer you away from the earlier years due to a couple of key parts that are not available any more (used parts are available, of course).
But, the general advice of buying the newest and lowest mile version you can afford holds with C5's as is does with most cars.
IMO, the most important thing is how has it been maintained and cared for?
Best of luck in your search!
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ion-files.html
You will get many opinions...I have owned a '97 for over ten years virtually trouble-free...but many will steer you away from the earlier years due to a couple of key parts that are not available any more (used parts are available, of course).
But, the general advice of buying the newest and lowest mile version you can afford holds with C5's as is does with most cars.
IMO, the most important thing is how has it been maintained and cared for?
Best of luck in your search!
Last edited by 4XLR8N; May 18, 2021 at 08:08 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,062
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Usual used car stuff. Do the electronics work, ac?
Get the car up to hwy speed, any vibrations or humming noises?
Leaks..Does it shift properly etc
Get it up on a lift, the underside can tell you a lot about the cars history. lots of "babied" cars end with a wax job and oil change.
Grab the wheels and see if there is up/down or side/side play.
A good PPI buy a pro is money well spent if you arent a wrench.
Even the nicer low mile cars are getting up there in age and may need a little $ once you first purchase it.
Tons of these cars out there so be picky. None of them are "rare collector" cars like a lot of sellers may wanna believe
Get the car up to hwy speed, any vibrations or humming noises?
Leaks..Does it shift properly etc
Get it up on a lift, the underside can tell you a lot about the cars history. lots of "babied" cars end with a wax job and oil change.
Grab the wheels and see if there is up/down or side/side play.
A good PPI buy a pro is money well spent if you arent a wrench.
Even the nicer low mile cars are getting up there in age and may need a little $ once you first purchase it.
Tons of these cars out there so be picky. None of them are "rare collector" cars like a lot of sellers may wanna believe
Last edited by cv67; May 18, 2021 at 09:50 PM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 390
The best time to buy a C5 is during the fall season when the demand is slower. Go for the newest C5 model year you can afford. By 2004, Chevy had pretty much worked out the bugs for the C5 generation. If you have a first choice of a certain color combination of exterior and interior, they may not always be readily available during your search. Have a second or third option available in case your first option is hard to come by within your area. Be open to searching and traveling across state lines to find your C5. Some members have found theirs from across the country. It took me about 6 months of searching until I found my C5. Good luck with the search for your ideal C5. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
All good advice. Also, are you auto mechanically DIY'er? Are you able to sort out electrical issues in cars? If not, then do you have the funds to have someone else do the repairs? The C5 platform is now 24 years old and can/will have issues that are particular to the C5. Before buying, I suggest researching repair facilities in your general area that are familiar with repairing the C5. I recommend contacting the local Corvette Club for recommendations. Lastly, if you can, bring a buddy with you that has car savvy and can help point out the good and the not so good when looking at a potential buy. Good C5 hunting. Make it fun. I did.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 13,066
Likes: 79
From: Los Angeles CA
There's a ton of information in the stickies at the top...here's a link:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ion-files.html
You will get many opinions...I have owned a '97 for over ten years virtually trouble-free...but many will steer you away from the earlier years due to a couple of key parts that are not available any more (used parts are available, of course).
But, the general advice of buying the newest and lowest mile version you can afford holds with C5's as is does with most cars.
IMO, the most important thing is how has it been maintained and cared for?
Best of luck in your search!
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ion-files.html
You will get many opinions...I have owned a '97 for over ten years virtually trouble-free...but many will steer you away from the earlier years due to a couple of key parts that are not available any more (used parts are available, of course).
But, the general advice of buying the newest and lowest mile version you can afford holds with C5's as is does with most cars.
IMO, the most important thing is how has it been maintained and cared for?
Best of luck in your search!
C5’s and bought one 7-8 years ago with 120,000 miles
Mostly nothing but regular maintenance. Good luck Medic
Pro
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 544
Likes: 33
From: SW of Chicago Illinois
Keep in mind the used car market is on fire and very high right now. This has trickled into the C5 market as well. Be prepared to pay up for a good example, or use the time to research and get better acquainted with the car until the market cools off.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 90
Likes: 58
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
All good advice from everyone so far. I purchased mine after months of looking. Some would say to stay away from the '01 model due to oil burn. In the end I was able to find a 2001 with 56K miles and it had the right color combination and price I was willing to pay. I haven't regretted the purchase yet. For a 20 year old car the paint is 9/10 and the interior is also a 9/10. I have changed all the fluids which isn't really all that hard to do yourself. I also had the dreaded headlight gear issue to tackle which in the end wasn't to tough to fix. My next plan is to add some long tube headers and a air intake with a tune. Good luck on finding your C5.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 776
Likes: 246
From: KY
You will pay $2,000 to $5,000+ more for one now than you would have had a year ago unless you get lucky. Those priced as last year's prices go really quick. The Z06's are really selling at a premium as that is what almost everyone wants. I don't know if that market will cool off like the coupe and FRC will later.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,554
Likes: 3,300
From: Virginia
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '21-'22
Pretty good advice given by everyone. If you read the sticky posts, you'll have a pretty good start on everything you need to know. ALWAYS get a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic who knows Corvettes. These are really great cars that can easily last 200K + miles if cared for correctly. With that said, the car's history and maintenance is more important than the mileage. I would honestly go with a car with 50K miles over a car with 15K miles. These cars do develop certain problems if they sit undriven for too long. Be patient, and wait for the right car. Good luck with your search! Let us know how it goes. If you find a car you like, feel free to post it up here, and we can advise you on it.