driving C5
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
I've owned Corvettes since the 60's and frankly can find nothing particularly fragile about them if they are well maintained... that is unless you like to stomp the loud pedal too much... they can be broken.
I have an 1985 I purchased new with with just over 8K miles on it. It now gets driven less than a thousand miles a year. At one point it was stored for 9 years and required only a new fuel pump and is one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned. If the car is well maintained and stored inside, there is nothing fragile about them.
The C5's are more sensitive to battery voltage, but as long as the battery is maintained, it should be as reliable as any vehicle. Is it better if it's driven more regularly, probably, but I seriously doubt any harm comes from driving it as little as you do. Sell the car because it's the right thing for you to do... but not because it isn't being driven more than you are currently.
Good luck... GUSTO
I have an 1985 I purchased new with with just over 8K miles on it. It now gets driven less than a thousand miles a year. At one point it was stored for 9 years and required only a new fuel pump and is one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned. If the car is well maintained and stored inside, there is nothing fragile about them.
The C5's are more sensitive to battery voltage, but as long as the battery is maintained, it should be as reliable as any vehicle. Is it better if it's driven more regularly, probably, but I seriously doubt any harm comes from driving it as little as you do. Sell the car because it's the right thing for you to do... but not because it isn't being driven more than you are currently.
Good luck... GUSTO
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 26,345
Likes: 231
From: SoCal
Originally Posted by true2myself02
I've had my Vette 4 yrs now. I'm about to sell it b/c my spouse is nagging and fussing about how often it should be driven. I'm sick of hearing his mouth! How often should these cars be driven? Are they that fragile that if they're not driven EVERY WEEK, they'll fall apart?!!
Please help settle an argument, before I just chuck everything and get rid of my beloved car!
Please help settle an argument, before I just chuck everything and get rid of my beloved car!
2004 with 67K miles
DH
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Huntington Beach, SoCal
I have discovered in the past year of owning my "dream car" that there are two different types of Corvette owners:
Those that are like you and I, that love the car and plan on keeping it forever (or as long as possible) and therefore baby it when you can. I plan on letting my son drive it for his first date when he turns 16, so I have 11 years to wait.
The others, are the ones that feel the Vette is built to be driven, driven hard, and that is what they do.
I bought my 2000 pewter A4 coupe with 19800 last year. Unfortunately it has 28XXX now. I wanted to keep it around 25, but my wife will not stay out of it, and has put the miles and the scratches on it. I knew I should not have compromised, and bought a 6 speed.
Do what makes you happy, if it is your car, then let know that it is your rules.
My 2 cents.
Those that are like you and I, that love the car and plan on keeping it forever (or as long as possible) and therefore baby it when you can. I plan on letting my son drive it for his first date when he turns 16, so I have 11 years to wait.
The others, are the ones that feel the Vette is built to be driven, driven hard, and that is what they do.
I bought my 2000 pewter A4 coupe with 19800 last year. Unfortunately it has 28XXX now. I wanted to keep it around 25, but my wife will not stay out of it, and has put the miles and the scratches on it. I knew I should not have compromised, and bought a 6 speed.
Do what makes you happy, if it is your car, then let know that it is your rules.
My 2 cents.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,038
Likes: 3
From: Charlotte North Carolina
People will do what they want....but I like driving my car. I put about 45,000 miles on my car last year for work. Yup, that's just one year. It is my daily driver round town and back and forth across North Carolina. It gets driven fairly hard sometimes, covered in bugs, some rock chips, etc....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,899
Likes: 1,839
From: Hot Springs AR
Originally Posted by true2myself02
Thanks for the reply, doc. No, I don't drive it much (4 yrs old, has 14,955 miles on it). If I'm making a mistake with the car, I'll do better. I'm just not tryin' to run her in the ground. My hubby says I need to drive it every week, which I'm not willing to do. Am I wrong? He thinks the car will "fall apart" if I don't drive it all the time.
There are two things you need to pay attention to: first, when you go for a drive, get the car up into it's normal operating ranges temperature wise (190+ coolant, 180+ oil), then drive it for 15-30 minutes. This will dry the normally occuring water vapor out of the crankcase and engine oil (where moisture will combine with oil to form acids).
Second, get a battery tender to keep the battery properly charged. C5s have fairly significant battery drains when turned off, and will deplete a battery within a couple or three weeks. Don't use a standard battery charger, even a 1-2 amp trickle charger will overheat the battery and cause all sorts of nasty things to happen. A decent tender will run between $30-$60.
So, drop the fear level on both sides of the issue. Enjoy your car and your hubby!
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 324
Likes: 2
From: Rogersville TN
Originally Posted by Oldvetter
95,000+ miles on my 98. I would say that you are driving it enough. How does the battery hold up, you may want to get a Battery Tender (about $17 at Wall Mart), you keep it hooked up all the time.
These cars have a lot of battery drain when not driven, can go dead in 2 weeks.
These cars have a lot of battery drain when not driven, can go dead in 2 weeks.
Cheers, Curt
