Hey guys I’m new to corvettes and I’m considering buying a c5 Corvettes to have some fun with and also flip. It has a bent valve and for some reason the gears are extremely stiff. Meaning you have to put a good bit of force to move the shifter. Is that normal? Also what other issues should I be looking out for, what’s the best years etc. the more information you can give me the better.

 

Welcome to the forum! You should read the sticky threads at the top of both the C5 General and the C5 tech forums. This will give you a really good overview of the issues you need to be aware of. The shifter in the C5 can be a bit stiff. Look up the anti venom mod. It's basically free aside from the cost of 2 washers. This will fix the shift issue. The best years are covered a bit in the sticky post. '02-'03 are going to be your most problem free years. The other cars are good too though. Be aware that parts for the '97-'00 cars can be a bit harder to come by. The other big issues are the EBCM on the earlier cars, and the gas crossover tubes on the '04 cars. I'll let you read up on the details of those in the sticky threads. Good luck! Let us know how things go, or if you have any other specific questions.

 

To give you a feel - my ‘98 pretty much hasn’t seen a dealer since I picked it up in Feb 1998 (just to replace the column lock under warranty)- that good! Only shop visit is for tires. Other than that I just do the fluids, belts, maintenance and brakes so far in 73K.

 

Stiff shifter is not normal. When you push in the clutch even with the car off you should be able to move the shifter through all the gates and it should go into several of the gears with minimal force, just gently pressing.
I'd look for a 2001 or newer to avoid the electronic brake control module on the earlier cars. They are encapsulated inside the unit and can't be repaired. Not available new, expect to pay $2k for a good used one IF you can find one. Or drive with out ABS & traction control.
FE45 suspension is very expensive to repair. Watch for that to have been eliminated and tuned out.
Check a convertible top for the window adhering well on all sides. Sometimes they can be re-glued, other times the top has to be replaced.
Check the operation of the 12 disc cd changer if so equipped. They often fail by now and are typically "fixed" by replacing the entire center bezel and installing a new double din sized aftermarket radio.
Look at the brightness of the center console, HUD, and DIC. All can be fixed if dim.
Emblems damaged on hood and trunk deck lid? Replacements are available in the $100 range for the set.
A few early cars had batteries that leaked acid onto the control module UNDER the battery tray. Not easily checked and a pain in the butt to fix in some cases.
Wipers not working? If the drainage udders have been neglected and filled with debris water can get on the wiper motor control board and leak onto the floor inside the car.
Doors lock and unlock using the key fob? Door module relays can go bad, new modules in the $4-500 range or you can pull the module and have just the relays replaced for about $75.
Tire pressures reading ok? The batteries in the TPMS transmitters in each wheel last ten years or so. Can be a few hundred if you need a new set and there are a couple different systems depending on year of the car. Aftermarket units available much cheaper but pay attention to compatibility.

 

All good advice presented above.

There are a few videos, recently a couple from Toys4Life C5 that highlight what to look for when considering a C5 purchase and the sticky threads contain info compiled from years of feedback on common C5 issues.