Buying a c5?
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
Buying a c5?
Hey guys I’m new to the forum and have been interested in a c5 right now I own a cobalt ss and want to gain those 4 cylinders I’m missing. I can find some c5s for like 10k should I buy one?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 776
From: Göteborg, Sweden, Europe
2025 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
all the best in your quest... oh ... there are a lot of C5 ... it is not a rare bird ...so take your time.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
Likes: 4,668
Safety Car
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 3,680
Likes: 1,040
You, asking that question tells us you are unfamiliar with C5 and its contemporaries... You'll learn to ask the correct questions... You'll, in time, become familiar with the LS Corvette by hang out here.... Patience is a virtue... Learn the limits of your abilities.. a10 thousand dollar C5 Corvette gonna require car experience.
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
Thanks for all the replies, I’m not in a hurry right now but seems like I probably will have the car to use on nice days while I’ll keep the cobalt as a daily. It sounds like working on a corvette takes experience which I don’t have much of but I’ll start to research to see the problems that can come up
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 3,680
Likes: 1,040
Thanks for all the replies, I’m not in a hurry right now but seems like I probably will have the car to use on nice days while I’ll keep the cobalt as a daily. It sounds like working on a corvette takes experience which I don’t have much of but I’ll start to research to see the problems that can come up
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 4,455
Likes: 916
From: South East
Doesn't matter how many miles, condition, or price - get it inspected by a mechanic, a plus if the mechanic has any experience with Corvettes.
Post your location and ask if any forum members can look at it too.
If you're in a decent size city, chances are there's a Corvette club around - can ask them who they trust locally, and who they don't.
Good luck!
Post your location and ask if any forum members can look at it too.
If you're in a decent size city, chances are there's a Corvette club around - can ask them who they trust locally, and who they don't.
Good luck!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 6,511
Likes: 4,359
From: Florida
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner- Unmodified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Thanks for all the replies, I’m not in a hurry right now but seems like I probably will have the car to use on nice days while I’ll keep the cobalt as a daily. It sounds like working on a corvette takes experience which I don’t have much of but I’ll start to research to see the problems that can come up
Here are some YouTube channels that will help learn about the cars and show you how to perform projects and repairs:
https://youtube.com/c/chrisdraper2007
https://youtube.com/channel/UCEcxitAZrTrPpiwWovipwrA
This is “The C5 Buyer’s Guide” from the Toys4LifeC5 channel:
Enjoy!
Pro
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 719
Likes: 642
From: Northern Ohio
2025 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,602
Likes: 3,322
From: Virginia
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '21-'22
As others have said, do your research. You might be able to find a good C5 in your price range, but it will be a higher mileage car. One thing with these cars is that the way the car has been cared for is MUCH more important than the mileage. A properly cared for C5 can easily go over 300K+ miles. Be sure to get a pre-purchase inspection on any car you buy. Good luck!
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,704
Likes: 239
From: Redondo Beach CA
Exactly, but in the interests of this conversation, allow me to develop that statement a bit.
This is a high line luxury car, with a cutting edge technical design philosophy. No matter the resale value, it will continue to need a repair budget to keep a high line luxury car on the road. Which brings us back to how old cars get expensive, deferred maintenance. This isn't some Toyota mini truck designed for low cost and durability. It is a luxury product for people who want a third car for week end fun and such and who always have new cars, because time is money, and high end car repairs can quickly eat a lot of both, time and money.
I had planned on some mild wrench turning when I got a C5. Turns out a wildly overestimated any desire to get grimy, greasy and skin up my knuckles like when I was younger and had less cash.
This is a high line luxury car, with a cutting edge technical design philosophy. No matter the resale value, it will continue to need a repair budget to keep a high line luxury car on the road. Which brings us back to how old cars get expensive, deferred maintenance. This isn't some Toyota mini truck designed for low cost and durability. It is a luxury product for people who want a third car for week end fun and such and who always have new cars, because time is money, and high end car repairs can quickly eat a lot of both, time and money.
I had planned on some mild wrench turning when I got a C5. Turns out a wildly overestimated any desire to get grimy, greasy and skin up my knuckles like when I was younger and had less cash.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 385
From: Punta gorda Florida