What years to avoid?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Niagara Ontario
What years to avoid?
A little history, always been a "car guy", never owned a Corvette, not really much of a backyard mechanic. My question is, is there certain years of C5's I should avoid looking at because of known expensive repairs?
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 4,308
Likes: 3,455
From: Somewhere, Florida
St. Jude Donor '20-'21-'22-'23-'24
No offense intended here, but having joined the forum 15 years ago, and presumably been on other forums since then, you didn't think to check the sticky threads that go over this ad nauseam before posting a new thread about it 18 years (minimum) after the cars were built?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
Point well made. Even in the 2001 to 2004 there are problems. Especially the 2004's with gas tank leakage costing about 4K to fix. This issue affects VIN 45110258 to 45125500. If VIN falls within this range and no documentation it was fixed, the question is when will it happen, not if.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,566
Likes: 3,305
From: Virginia
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '21-'22
I agree with others '01-'04. Check out the thread below.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...facts-vid.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...facts-vid.html
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,280
Likes: 1,097
From: Pittsburgh PA
If you want to know if there is any year corvette that does not have problems. Good luck finding one. Just like any model and make, most have problems. But nothing that will leave them for dead. Buy the newest and nicest that you can afford.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Niagara Ontario
I agree with others '01-'04. Check out the thread below.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...facts-vid.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...facts-vid.html
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,280
Likes: 1,097
From: Pittsburgh PA
What we have here is a 1998. Just pulled it out of the garage after 7 months. What a great car. Runs just as good if not better than the day i bought it new. I fell sorry for people that come on this site for information about C5s. Because they stay away from this type of car, and I don't blame them. But I'm sure that because of what they are told and see, a lot of similar great cars like mine are past on.
Last edited by Fcar 98; Apr 20, 2022 at 03:52 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 962
Likes: 6
From: Jackson MI
What we have here is a 1998. Just pulled it out of the garage after 7 months. What a great car. Runs just as good if not better than the day i bought it new. I fell sorry for people that come on this site for information about C5s. Because they stay away from this type of car, and I don't blame them. But I'm sure that because of what they are told and see, that a lot of similar great cars like mine are past on.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 627
Likes: 181
From: west coast of Canada
check out toysforlife For folks in the market to buy a C5 - The best years to buy
Pro
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 547
Likes: 230
Point well made. Even in the 2001 to 2004 there are problems. Especially the 2004's with gas tank leakage costing about 4K to fix. This issue affects VIN 45110258 to 45125500. If VIN falls within this range and no documentation it was fixed, the question is when will it happen, not if.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,365
Likes: 414
From: New Jersey
Point well made. Even in the 2001 to 2004 there are problems. Especially the 2004's with gas tank leakage costing about 4K to fix. This issue affects VIN 45110258 to 45125500. If VIN falls within this range and no documentation it was fixed, the question is when will it happen, not if.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 163
Likes: 81
Buy the cleanest, newest car you can afford. Generally good advice.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,062
Likes: 1,166
From: N. Alabama
Bought a 2003 Z06 in 2005. Most of the time it has been tracked. It is still holding up well and showing up a lot of newer cars on the track. They are bullet proof. The '04's did put the fuel pump in the tank I believe. Mine isn't so will be easier to replace when necessary. So far, hasn't been necessary.