Hi guys, im considering a C5 Corvette, obviously you want the newest you can afford but should i basically scrap any idea of getting a 97-2000 model? Seeing how the EBCM is an issue? Those that do have those model years, do you worry about yours? Thanks!

 

Yes, get an -01 to -04

This is coming from a 2000 owner.

 

Also coming from a 2000 owner, I would say it depends. You are correct that 97-2000 does experience a "fatal error" with the EBCM module. If having ABS, traction control, and the optional Active Handling mode is something you are sure you want, then I would recommend trying to only consider 2001+. My EBCM has completely failed but I don't mind it. My car was not optioned with Active handling, so I'm only down ABS and traction control and I'm up an ABS and traction control light on the dash. I cope by understanding the limitations of the car and driving/stopping "like an adult." But I also appreciate not having to think twice about gunning for it if I want to swing the tail end out on a rainy day. There are other advantages to purchasing a 2001 -2004 C5, specifically the bump from a rated 345hp to 385hp. For me, the first sports car I ever drove as an LS3 C6, and the extra 100hp certainly shines a little brighter when compared to my 2000 C5's.

However, if you're considering a C5 for the sake of owning a C5, and you know you either plan to go all-out in mods or will just be using it as a daily driver, I would not discount the earlier models. Personally, I would say the only model year I, personally, would not pursue is the 97 model year, and that is only because of mostly cosmetic items: I don't like the wagon wheels, I wanted a heads-up display (not an option in 97), and maybe a handful of other rather petty items. I would advise to STRONGLY consider a C5 corvette, but with that I would advise learning what options/experiences are important to you, and use that to put your budget to good use. Any C5 is an excellent car, but I'm in the belief that not all C5's were created equal.

 

I don't buy into the oft stated "get the newest or lowest miles" C5 you can afford. As lovely and relevant as these cars are; .they are all at more or less than 20 years old; every one of them is an old car. You might buy a low miles "newest" 2004 and have a very expensive gas tank repair (check the VIN). Any year or any number of miles might be better or worse than any other year or number of miles.

Go into this car thinking of it as if you were buying a house. Due to age and history, each car is going to be very much an individual. I bought a 2001...and some folks would pass on that year because some cars had excessive oil consumption (not an issue with my car). The oft stated "darling" year of 2003, by some accounts demonstrated the lowest level of quality control after leaving the assembly line.

If you are going to garage the car, spend more time polishing it than driving it (and that describes a whole lot of Corvette owners), and if/when you do drive it, it will be a fair weather proposition; then pretty much any year will do. Buy the prettiest car you can find no matter the year and enjoy it.

If you plan on driving the car a lot (I did ,and I do); then read the stickies (do not be too scared by them, but they are very informative) and buy the best car you can and in those years where you are prepared to deal with the many issues that come with any used car. I absolutely love my higher miles 2001, I've owned it 4 1/2 years and put over 20,000 miles on it; but it has not been cheap to keep...but worth every penny. Most of these cars when bought will need new tires and there are a myriad of other things that may need to be done to make the car fully road ready and keep it on the road. My car today, is a better car than when I bought it, and it is older and higher miles than when I bought it.

 

As a general rule of thumb, I would agree that you want an'01-'04. However, the most important thing about these cars is how they have been cared for and maintained. Keep in mind ultra low mileage cars tend to have issues if you suddenly start to put actual miles on them. I would say a well maintained car in good condition with 40K-65K miles is the sweet spot to aim for. The number 1 piece of advice that I can give you is to get a pre-purchase inspection by an experienced Corvette mechanic before you purchase any vehicle. If the seller will not allow this, then walk away from the deal. Watch out for the '04 fuel tank issue (check the VIN range). There's no problem buying an '04 in the effected range as long as they have documentation that the problem was corrected. Also, make sure that you look at the date codes on the tires of any car you look at. Some low mileage C5s still have the original tires on them! Remember that the amount of tread and mileage on a tire means nothing if the tires are old. If the date code is more than 6 years old, it's time for a new set. You can factor that into price negotiations. a new set of quality tires will run you around $1K. Good luck with your search. Be patient. There are a lot of these cars out there, and you'll find the perfect one for you. Don't settle or compromise on what you want.

Also...welcome to the forum!

 

Sounds like you have no clue about Corvette cars... What's your present ride? That's the first thing we gotta know to thoroughly answer a neothite question... Second.. If a youngster (16-21)... answers will be considerable. What say you.?

 

Sounds to me like he has been doing his homework. His question is very reasonable. No need to be condescending.

 

You're right.. My bad.. I've bad experience with my teen driver.

 

C5 is a great car. I bought mine new, and will tell you that a well cared for one will be a good buy. Just like any used car and certainly one close to 20 years old. It is a roll of the dice with what you end up with. Look and drive any year. Have the car looked at by someone you trust. Not all cars have the problems you will hear about.

 

When considering a C5 in any year, there are issues that I suggest you think about: as I did and decided to buy anyway. 1) Are you mechanically able to fix cars yourself ? Do you have the tools to do the fixes? 2) C5's have all kinds of electrical anomolies that can make ownership a paint in the *** to find and repair 3) Is there a Corvette specialty repair facility within in your area that can fix the stuff that will surely happen and afford to pay for?

Just make sure you know what your are buying. Have an inspection done by someone that is familiar with C5 before buying. Contact the local Corvette Club for recommendations.

I have owned my C5 for 7 years and enjoy every minute I drive it. It is a great car but be mindful of the issues that are well documented in the above stickey's

 

I've owned a '97 for almost 12 years. Done some mods, but only had to "fix" a couple of things. Nothing major and no EBCM failure. The LS1 bumped to 350 hp in 2000 I think (385hp was the first year Z06 in 2001). Wagon wheels were standard on all 97 - 99 cars IIRC.

All things being equal, yeah, I'd go for the later years. But all things are rarely equal, especially with used cars. I would not obsess over the year. How it was driven and maintained is far more important.

Find one you love and buy it!

Best of luck!

 

loved my 99(sold) and our 01 Z06 with 135k is going strong !!!

 

Also be aware that some of the electrical problems have no good solutions or repair...such as the DIC/instrument cluster which can be a major annoyance.

 

All C5's are great! I'd pay close attention to how the seller took care of the car. History of maintenance receipts is a plus. You can tell by talking to the seller if they took care of the car. I looked at a couple C5s at dealerships and the sales rep had no clue about the car. I can do basic maintenance. I have a local Vette shop that can back me up.

Before I purchased my 04 I made a list of items that I really wanted. I wanted Auto, HUD, Z51, and a coupe with dual roof tops. Pay close attention to the tire codes. I looked at a bunch of C5's and they all needed new tires. That's a $1K+ expense. Good luck in your search.

 

Buy what you like,

 

You are getting great advise from the forum members that have responded to your post.

I was looking for a 2001 - 2004 A4 Convertible with mileage between 30,000 - 50,000 in either Torch Red or Millennium Yellow. The car had to have 1SB or 1SC options on it. I got lucky and found a 2004 Torch Red with 30,400 miles, with the options I wanted, that was locally owned and being sold by a highly reputable Chevy dealership 30 miles from my home. The car was in great shape and you could tell it was well taken care of. Had my local GM trained world class certified technician check it out, who gave it a thumbs up and very healthy report. The tires were Goodyear F1 runflats with a date code of 2009. The tires still had 8/32” tire tread left on them but needed to be replaced. I used that to get the dealership to lower the price to cover a new set of tires. Thanks to the forum, I made sure the VIN of the 2004 I was buying was outside of the fuel tank issue. I am extremely happy with my purchase and after the Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06 Plus tires were install, it drives like a new car.

 

Personally I would try to get 2001 - 2003 Z06 or Z51 6 speed.

 

I said I wasn’t gonna buy a 1997 Corvette either 10 years later it runs as well as ever.
It’s a weekend car with a few trips.

Get it checked out and/or take somebody with u who knows C5’s. Good luck

 

I've had my 97 for 2 years now, and have no regrets. mines at 55k on the odo. I have had to replace the ignition switch, fairly easy repair.
I have also experienced the service column lock with the car stalling at 2mph, easily solved with the LMC5 kit.
Oil pressure sending unit also, very common.

I have seen the car deactivate the the traction control and abs, but so far the EBCM is still functioning.

 

The EBCM problem is overblown. More damage is done to these cars reputation than the actual failures could ever have done.