NEW C5 OWNER, Maintenance Help / Recommendations
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1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2025
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NEW C5 OWNER, Maintenance Help / Recommendations
Hi all, I'm a 22 year old who just got himself a C5. It had one owner before me who did not do proper maintenance (I know this because it had 22 year old tires on it). Anyways, I'm looking to a bunch of maintenance work but I need suggestions and help. If you bought a C5 that had not been given proper maintenance (outside of oil changes and brake pads) for 20+ years, what would you go about replacing? Treat me like a novice please, I want to make this car last for the next decade at least.
Cheers !
N.B.
~42,000 mi
Have replaced Harmonic Balancer
Got new tires (very cool)
Manual, 2003
Cheers !
N.B.
~42,000 mi
Have replaced Harmonic Balancer
Got new tires (very cool)
Manual, 2003
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Certainly check all hoses, belts and filters (including the fuel filter) and replace as needed. Replace the coolant with new DexCool unless it has been recently changed. Good idea to replace the tires. Make sure the tire pressure sensors work - 20 years would be exceptionally long for a stock set to keep functioning if they have not ever been replaced. Lubricate all weatherstripping with dielectic grease or other weatherstripping protective coating. I would probably consider replacing the differential and transmission fluids (along with the transmission filter) just to have a good baseline for future maintenance. If you have an owner's manual for your car, look in the maintenance section and see what else is recommended.
Congrats on your C5 - it is a fun and reliable car if properly maintained.
Congrats on your C5 - it is a fun and reliable car if properly maintained.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 862
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From: SW Desert
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-asap-vid.html
Watch this Toys4Life vid. (Currently in C5 Tech). Good info for recent purchases.
Watch this Toys4Life vid. (Currently in C5 Tech). Good info for recent purchases.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 71
Likes: 20
From: Chapel Hill, N.C.
Like these guys have said, start with the fluids and go from there. I noticed the rubber on my sway bar end links were deteriorating, so also check those types of things. This is a great forum because the members are very knowledgeable and tolerant of new bees, like myself, asking questions that they have heard 1000 times.
Welcome and congratulations on your purchase.
Welcome and congratulations on your purchase.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 71
Likes: 20
From: Chapel Hill, N.C.
Certainly check all hoses, belts and filters (including the fuel filter) and replace as needed. Replace the coolant with new DexCool unless it has been recently changed. Good idea to replace the tires. Make sure the tire pressure sensors work - 20 years would be exceptionally long for a stock set to keep functioning if they have not ever been replaced. Lubricate all weatherstripping with dielectic grease or other weatherstripping protective coating. I would probably consider replacing the differential and transmission fluids (along with the transmission filter) just to have a good baseline for future maintenance. If you have an owner's manual for your car, look in the maintenance section and see what else is recommended.
Congrats on your C5 - it is a fun and reliable car if properly maintained.
Congrats on your C5 - it is a fun and reliable car if properly maintained.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 92
Likes: 50
I cannot state it enough: harmonic balancer. If it is original, it will fail. Ask me how I know. I bought a low mileage garage queen with a similar maintenance track record as yours. My harmonic balancer started to separate after taking it out on the road only 6 times.
I also changed all fluids (coolant, power steering, engine oil & filter, transmission, differential, brakes, and clutch), spark plugs, fuel filter, and upgraded the air filter to an aftermarket intake.
Taking care of all weather-stripping, and a good detailing is a great idea as well.
After that, enjoy the ride!
I also changed all fluids (coolant, power steering, engine oil & filter, transmission, differential, brakes, and clutch), spark plugs, fuel filter, and upgraded the air filter to an aftermarket intake.
Taking care of all weather-stripping, and a good detailing is a great idea as well.
After that, enjoy the ride!
Melting Slicks
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I say this like a broken record to every new C5 (Vette owner for that matter) - change every fluid you can, if it has a fluid, change it. Oil, Transmission, Differential, Brake, Cooling, Steering. Throw in a fuel filter too. It is must do maintenance!
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 2,870
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From: North Coast
Go on YouTube and look for videos from C&S Corvette. It is a pure education on what yo to and how to fix things on C5 corvettes, it is not a modified cars video but the regular repair of everyday things on these cars and what to avoid.
These videos helped and saved me tons of money fixing things.
These videos helped and saved me tons of money fixing things.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 862
Likes: 714
From: SW Desert
