i took a 99 c5 for a test drive today and what i saw was;
1. the mph light on the speedo faded in and out, is this the elect problem ive heard of?
2. the tires were worn out, whats the average cost for replacements of good quality?
3. the brake pads were worn down quite far, not much meat left on them, whats the average replacement cost at the dealer? front rotors were already replaced once and they would at least need all 4 surfaced.
4. the edge of the drivers seat was worn out, whats the cost to have the seat repaired?, its worn were it does when sliding against it getting in and out, on the edge.
this was a 99 with aprox 45,000 miles, itd be my first vette and this looks exspensive already.
thanks for your help.
don

 

Go find another one, for 45k some one beat the snott out of it

 

asking for trouble. If you are buying a vette if should be cared for and not have to drop money when buying it...

 

1. Not a problem, it just does that
2. Tires will run $1200-1500 for run flats, a bit less for non-runflats
3. Pads aren't too bad, maybe a couple hundred (a guess, I've never needed them)
4. You can replace the whole seat, or just get a new skin. Either way is pretty pricy, but I'm sure someone who has done it will chime in. I heard there was a recal on the bolsters, but I don't know if a '99 would still qualify.

 

1. can't help w/ that one
2. you can pay anywhere from $700 - $1500, www.tirerack.com had good prices the last time i needed them. stock sizes are 245/45R17 front and 275/40R18 rear
3. the last time i went to a dealership, they couldn't even put a battery in right, so there is not way i'm trusting them to work on my brakes. It's my life on the line when i'm driving 150mph on a regular basis, so i do my own brake work. A new set of Hawk HPS will cost about $200, most aftermarket pads will be close to that. Rotors are $20 each from NAPA, or you could pay close to $1000 for a nice set of fancy ones.
4. that's pretty comomn, mine has started to wear out and i've got less than 30K, you could replace it for around $500-$600 or get.

That said, i wouldn't buy a car that has worn out parts, it's a good sign that the car has been abused (driven like it's suposed to be). No offence to anyone here, but there are plenty of old farts that just let their cars sit in their garage and back them out to the driveway to wash/wax them occasionally. It's a buyers market right now, i'd for a better buy.

 

I bought my 1998 C5 for cheap because it had several problems. I bought it from a dealer who took it on trade. I paid 19,999 but it cost the dealer $3600 to get it roadworthy. They had to replace 4 Goodyear run-flats, they had to change the brake pads and rotors, they had to change a running light, a vacuum line to make the oil pressure guage work, and a few other odds and ends. The car is in tip top shape and runs great. Factor the cost to replace and service the parts into your negotiations, you may walk away with a great deal.

 

I don't see where you say how much you would be paying for the car. It depends on the base costs and how much you would be willing or able to pay to get it back up to snuff. 45K miles doesn't in itself mean the car is bad. You are going to have some normal wear and tear on any car depending on mileage.

 

I answer a few of your concern's before I answer.

1. the mph light on the speedo faded in and out, is this the elect problem ive heard of?
A - Usually means a weak electrical system, most likely the battery is going

2. the tires were worn out, whats the average cost for replacements of good quality?
A - If you want a direct OEM replacement for the GY EMT's (run flats) figure $1200 to $1300 with mounting and balancing. Non run-flats figure about $500 less

3. the brake pads were worn down quite far, not much meat left on them, whats the average replacement cost at the dealer? front rotors were already replaced once and they would at least need all 4 surfaced.
A - The new improved GM ceremic pads are quiet reasonable at $80 a set, you can and should replace those rotors, many folks are opting for SportBrakes which are slotted/drilled for less than $300 so figure new brakes at $350. You can do the brakes yourself but if the dealer does it add another $75 to $100. That could cost you close to $600.

4. the edge of the drivers seat was worn out, whats the cost to have the seat repaired?, its worn were it does when sliding against it getting in and out, on the edge.
A - This is a common problem if your not a careful owner - appears the previous owner was not. You can replace just that portion of the seat for around $200, but I think I would re-do the entire drivers seat to include new cushions (assuming the passenger seat looks ok) for around $350 with OEM materials.

Next is the mileage, while not high from a "the car will self destruct in the next 20K or so miles" there are so many pampered C5's on the market right now with half the miles with some nice mods already included that I would "run - don't walk" from that car. Believe it or not folks are still finding used C5's with less than 10K on the clock, and they are selling for not much more than a fair market price.

I'd look in our For Sale Section and start shopping. Most folks that would list their car here for sale are **** to the point of not driving the car if there is rain in the forecast in the next county. These are the cars you want to find.

The C5 is an incredible bargain right now provided you do your home work and don't get blinded by the pure sex and raw emotion of the car.

My advice, keep looking.

Good luck and good hunting.

Tom

PS: Since the C5 is such a complicated piece of machinery I would factor into my budget an extended warranty.

 

this is the place to ask questions, i learned alot here

 

thanks everybody!
hes asking $25,9
in todays market i thought it sounded a little high anyways.
i will keep looking.

 

Run. Run Forest, RUN

 

[QUOTE=donnyonee]thanks everybody!
hes asking $25,9
in todays market i thought it sounded a little high anyways.
i will keep looking.[/QUOTE That is too high!

 

Keep looking.