Hi all i have posted here a few times and everyone has been great so thanks! I am in search of a car, either an SS or C5 if i can get a really good deal! So i have taken the step to driving a couple cars to see how they compare. First let me say obviously the C5 is rides like a dream compared to the SS and is a much cooler feeling car, however at age 21, anything a step up from my V6 camaro which was my first car was amazing! So anyway i read a post here a few days back that was saying how people with SSs are always claiming to beat C5s and its just not true, well i drove a 99 C5 a4 with about 30k miles and later that day i drove a 01 SS a4 with about 6k miles on it I must say to my surprise both felt super close and i really couldnt see a diff in straight out handling. I didnt take top speed, only hit about 70 in each but i was surprised. Handling.. well lts just say the vette wins, but the SS, which had the Bilstein package option handled really freakin well, .. more than enough for my type of driving. Overall i would take a vette anyday but just thought id share a comparison that surprised me a little bit. Bang for the buck is right on for the old maro forsure.

 

[Modified by Ryan2002C5, 2:50 AM 1/7/2002]

 

2 words............

C5/ANY VETTE = :D

SS = :U

 

Follow your gut feeling and you cant go wrong..

 

It is good that both of the cars you drove were A4's... compare apples to apples (the transmissions, not the cars :lol:). The SLP suspension option on the SS is pretty slick, did the C5 you drove have the Z51 suspension? If not, it should even up the score in the handling department. I have the Z51 suspension on my C5 and have driven a fully SLP optioned SS... I'd take the C5. :D

Patrick :cheers:


[Modified by Patman36, 10:08 PM 1/6/2002]

 

Well I think I can help here: I currently have a 2002 C5 Vette (Electron Blue), I did however own a 2000 SS (Navy Blue) along with a 95 Camaro Z28 with a 383 All Fully Loaded with removable tops.... I enjoyed All (3), Now the difference between the 95 (when stock) and the 00 ss was speed and handling and the ride was so much better in the "SS".... Now the Difference between the "SS" and the Vette are as followed:

- 1/4 mile times are about the same (vette may be a bit faster, its lighter,
but both have the same power plant)
-Top speed goes to the Vette nodoubt
-Handling The Vette is slightly greater than the SS
-Now the main - Cruisin in a vette is like no other the feeling - the respect on the road is unbelievable, everybody ooohs and aaaah, waves and smiles.... Dont get me wrong people liked my "SS" but not as much as the vette... My Buddies all have 2000 - 2001, 2002 camaros z28, SS, and Trans-ams Ram Airs and all are sharp cars, but when we hang out people just tend to bypass there cars and come right to mine and start asking questions or admiring it.....
- I know your going to ask do we race them...... Of course all the time.... Stock to stock the Vette pulled a better time than the others by .10 of a sec including my "SS", but now that i have exhaust and halltech and hitting 12.7's just makes there mouths drop that i have now increase that much over them.

I Love all cars (especially GM Cars) and I must say I love the Vette the best... Even thought the mods i had on my "SS" were cheaper to buy and I had the car running 10.90's to low 11's, I still love the Vette - but we well see what happens when I get the money for the mods for the vette, can it still be quicker than 10.90, i dont know :D we will see

Oh and by the way im 24, In case you were wondering...

But its your choice and you will love either car just dont forget the $$ with the vette...
- Insurance
- Parts cost more
- Maintenance is higher
- Gas prices, cuz everyone will want a ride!!!!

:seeya

 

Don't forget those... mods do cost a bit more. :)

Patrick :seeya

 

That being said :cheers: It really is all about what you can afford. Insurance will be a :mad but if you can swing it, the Vette will return the favor ;)

 

I own a 2001 Camaro SS 6 speed. I was in search of a C5 when I went to the dealer.. I test drove several before test driving a SS. The Vette I test drove was listed at 51k.. I purchased the SS for 29k.. I might not get the looks that a vette would get me, but it is sure great to pull up next to a vette knowing that you are just as fast and still have that 21k in your pocket.. I have since then modded the SS. So far I have put 5k into the car and that is including suspension.. I am at 390rwhp/380rwtq.. The 5.3L heads go on this weekend.. The heads are massages quite well.. Looking to see around 420 to the wheels....

 

I considered each for a bit until I purchased the world-class performance vehicle listed below. 97' 29k miles and enough change to get some SERIOUS mods and still be below 29k..... :D

There's the corvette. And then there's everything else :yesnod:

 

my .0002 cents, The insurance on my vette is a lot cheaper than on a Camaro SS or Z28. I considered the SS, but liked the look, feel, and handling of the vette better, besides, I don't see 20 of them everyday :)

 

When I went from Z28 to Corvette, my insurance did not change.

I really enjoyed my Z28 but I am never ever going back :D The vette is that much better. Bought my Z28 at 23, and my vette at 26. One thing: maybe buy the SS now and take the money you save to add a few performance goodies- then you can take down unmodded vettes with no problems :D. Then in a few years maybe you'll have a tad more money and can buy a vette and mod it?

Good luck, I think you'll love either car...

Lates,
Justin


[Modified by ambitin, 6:26 AM 1/7/2002]

 

Several good points made here. It's also about which one you really want. :chevy

 

Quote:
But its your choice and you will love either car just dont forget the $$ with the vette...
- Insurance
- Parts cost more
- Maintenance is higher
- Gas prices, cuz everyone will want a ride!!!!
------------------------------------------------------
-Insurence is slightly less on my Vette than the SS.
-Vette gets better gas milage.
Both are great cars.


[Modified by jefffxdwg, 8:15 AM 1/7/2002]

 

Isn't it tough when you have to choose?

I went from a '98 SS with FULL SLP treatment to a '00 C5. The SS was a great car but had a harder edge to it then the C5. The SS also seemed to only get attention from 20's something males or High school girls. The C5 gets "thumbs up" wherever I go. My insurance DROPPED with the C5 a couple of hundred $$ a year too!

If I could have both, I would. They are very different cars with similar performance. Good luck choosing. Pick the one you can afford and enjoy the ride.

:cheers: :chevy :cheers:

 

I had an SS previously. The SS was a fun car but the depreciation is unbelievable. :eek:

 

Ok, so you could be just another 21 year old with a Camaro, or one of the very few 21 year olds with a Vette. I am 23 and love my Vette, just because people always ask me what I did to afford a Vette, or ask me where my daddy is, makes me feel good cause I paid for it and my house without daddy's money. Anyway, get the Vette, the 01's will have a touch more HP with the new intake, but the Vette is lighter and will make up the difference.

Vette + stall converter = 12 second car

Trust me, anytime you are out with friends hanging out, someone will always ask, who's Vette that is

I've owned Mustangs since I was 16, 97 Cobra, 01 Saleen Vert, and nothing is as nice as owning a Vette.

 

I would say get the one thats in your price range. If they both are, go for the vette.

 

I was in the same boat about a year ago. I test drove the '01 SS and I honestly wasn't very comfortable in it. One of my buddies had a '00 C5, and let me drive it just about every other day. Driving it is what sold me. I bought a '98 with just over 40k on it. I've put about 21k on it since I bought it and have no complaints. My insurance is somewhat high tho, about 4k/yr. Good luck with it.
Dave

 

My 2 penneth... I own a 2000 C5 6 speed, and a 2001 SS 6 speed, and it really depends whether you like going round corners or not. If you care about cornering buy a C5, if you have the spare cash buy the C5 (its just a nicer car). If you are tight for cash and don't care about cornering buy the SS (its damn near as quick (up to 100 or so), and actually feels like it has more torque lower down). If you care about driving don't buy an automatic transmission.

I live in So Cal. and vettes are 10 a penny so no one looks at vettes here, I think the camero actually generates more interest, but if that's what you want try Chrysler - they have something retro from the 40's I think right out the box, or even a two wheeled car like a Harley. The yuppies all seem to buy boxters (to go with their Harleys), so I guess they think that is the vehicle to be seen in.

Insurance; varies regionally, vette is more here, but not by a lot. Check with your agent.

Well, that's about it, hope I didn't offend anyone too much - you can always trust and Englishman to be PC :)