I don't know if some of you remember, but I'm the guy who solicited everyone's help a month or two ago to get information on C5 build codes to find the exact Corvette I wanted: 2001 or newer, red, coupe, 6-speed, Z51. Well, I found her. 2001 with 33,000 miles.
Story goes like this (it's a little bit long so please bear with me). She was for sale about 5 hours away from me for the asking price of $27,400 (i.e. a couple grand under the going market value). I paid $110 to have a Chevy dealer inspect the car and give me their report before I drove all the way down to look at the car. Chevy dealer told me everything was OK for the most part, but he could see a little bit of color difference on the nose (I couldn't) and his computer records for the VIN showed this car had had a complete repaint under warranty at around 2000 miles. Also said the driver's-side headlight motor was about to crap out ($350, and you can hear the noises it's making) and as a side note they felt the brake and clutch fluid was dirty and would need to be serviced. I did not pay the extra money to have the engine compression tested, etc.
So I drive 5 hours down to check the car out, cash in hand. First bad thing I noticed was when I would fire up the engine and then shut it down with the transmission in neutral and the clutch out, there would be this knocking sound from underneath the car (driveshaft clunking around?). Used car dealer says "That's normal for Corvettes" and tries to tell me something about it having to do with the torque from the engine releasing or some BS. At this point I should point out to you all that I am a car guy/bike guy, realatively good with my hands and doing regular maintenance and minor repairs, and I have a BS in mechanical engineering. Therefore, I have a hard time believing any sounds like that are "normal". Next I take the car out on the road and found the following: little bit of a strange (hard to describe) noise when I've just let the clutch out and pulling off the line, being easy on the throttle; slight tinny rattling noise (like maybe a loose heatshield?) from somewhere underneath the stick-shift at various speeds/engine rpms; very distinctive engine knocking (pre-ignition knock) like the car was running on too low an octane fuel and/or the timing was off. Between these noises, the headlight motor, the rear tires being toast, and the dealer being exteemly shady and a major a-hole (would not waranty the car for 30 days off of his lot) I took a pass on the car and decided to ask around about these noises (which is where you guys come in) and look at other cars.
When I called the dealer who had inspected the car for me, I told him I heard these distinct noises that were pretty obvious and asked if they had really driven the car. He told me they had and had heard the noises as well but didn't bother to tell me because those were normal sounds for a C5 once it got some miles on it. He claimed that they had also heard the engine knocking but again didn't give me a heads up on it because he assumed it was obvious that the car was running bad/too-low-octane gas.
Now a month or more later my girlfriend tells me there is a used red Vette up at the Nissan dealer. I stop in and look an low and behold it is the EXACT same car I had looked at before. Apparently, when I didn't buy he sold it at auction and the local used-car/Nissan dealer bought it. Guess how much they want for it........$34,000. I told the salesman I knew this car inside and out and about the problems that it had which needed to be fixed (all remain except the new dealer put new tires on the rear). The test drive confirmed this. I told them I would do a deal with them on the car if they fixed all the problems but that it wouldn't be anywhere near what they are asking and I would offer closer to $27K. The lowest they would go was $31,700 before tax, tag, and title. They said they couldn't sell a car for blue book wholesale. I said they could because I was sure they had paid less than that for it at auction.
So now it's been about a month since I last looked at the car and it's still there. I'm willing to let them make $500-1000 profit off of what they bought the car for but only if I'm confident the car is solid mechanically. So my question to you guys is does anyone know anything/have any suggestions about the noises I heard? One new problem the car has somehow developed from sitting in the lot: the passenger-side door catches on the front-right fender causing it to rub and "pop" when closing the door.

Thanks in advance for everyone's advice and sorry this has become a novel. Just trying to get the exact car I want without getting burned.

Mark

 

Hope you find the right car but beleive me, this is not the car. You would have to be nuts to buy this Vette. There are many nice Vettes out there without these problems. If the rear tires were burned off, this is a good indicator that the car was abused.

 

Just curious, 5 hrs away sounds like near me in S Fla, unless you went towards the panhandle. In any event, I would have given up on this car the moment he tried to bs you with the TQ as being the reason why she died out. But thats just me.

 

The door rubbing against the fender is a very serious concern for me. If this indicates any collision damage, I would run, not walk, away from this thing.

The noise upon shutting off the engine I have heard myself when looking at a used 2001. My 2004 does not do this.

I was looking for the exact same car that you were, red Z51, etc., but when I took the time to look at the 2004's, I was able to find a black coupe for only several thousand dollars more than a used 2001. Since the new ones go for mid thirties now, I was willing to forego my color choice for a new car with warranty. Red would be hard to find since production stopped a long time ago, but its possible there may still be one out there.

Bag this one though.

 

I would skip on this C5, but some of the noises you heard when shutting off the engine and starting off from a light are normal. If you turn the car off with the clutch pushed in, it shouldn't make that noise (I believe there is another post in this forum or the general forum about this very same noise). And the noise you hear when starting off is just the sounds the engine makes when at very low rpm.

You may want to go and test drive a 2003 (one that you know shouldn't have any problems) and note what kind of noises it makes so you know if it is normal or not.

Good luck in your search!!

 

Well this should be obvious to you, first dead give away to not buy this car is that it has been repainted. Any used car I buy MUST have original paint. This indicates the car has likely sustained some sort of damage. Second as others has said if the fender and door arent aligned right something had to have happened to cause them to be misaligned (Collision)!!!!!!!!!!

As for the rattle your describing. If its only heard when the clutch pedal is not pressed that is the throwout bearing which technically IS normal on T-56 equipped cars. You should hear it on the f-body its VERY loud. And that is (if what im thinking your describing) the same sound you hear once you let off the clutch accelerating. Only thing is this shound should be so quiet its almost not even noticeable. If you noticed it that easily something very well may be wrong. My 99 6spd is basically quiet as can be and any noise im describing is just about not noticeable.
My advice is keep looking why would you want a car thats been all repainted anyway? Clean vettes are not hard to find. I also recommend buying from a private party. This way you dont have to deal with dealership bull****, and you meet the owner of the vehicle.

Hope this helps.
JT

 

Thank you all for your inputs. Just to let you know, I've got this post going on both the C5 Tech and C5 General forums. Again, I appreciate everyone's inputs and don't want to turn down good advice but I'd like to point out a few things and then see if everyone still feels the same way and if so, why:
The cosensus seems to be that with the exception of the engine noise, the noises I heard are normal for a C5.

The car had a clean CARFAX and the dealer that inspected it told me he found no evidence that the car had ever been in an accident. The passenger door rubbing on the front fender only started since it's been sitting in the lot of the new dealer. I pointed it out to the sales guy who claimed that no one has looked at or driven the car since I first checked it out 3 weeks prior. He said he would point it out to his bosses and when I stopped in to look at the car last night it wasn't rubbing anymore. Other than the noises I heard the car feels/sounds pretty tight.

As far as GM's computer spitting out that the car had had a repaint very early in it's life I can believe. The dealer that did the inspection told me that while this was not a common thing, it is possible the car had bad paint out of the factory and that is why it was redone under warranty. I personally could not see any differnce between the shade of the hood and the nosecone (which is what the inspecting dealer noticed) nor could I see any evidence in any crevices of overspray from a repaint.

So IF the engine noise turns out to be just bad gas and IF they fix the headlamp motor, fender, etc., does every one still think I should run from this car? Of course, I would have to get a good deal, and in my mind right now I think that is between $27-28K. I guess a little closer to $27K since the C6 is now out and should be driving down used C5 prices.

In terms of checking out the engine, my former GM engineer buddy gave me another idea. He thinks the ECU should have a history recorder that would tell me things like how many times the engine has been over XXXX rpm, overheated, if the stock engine management program is still in there or if it's been modified, etc. Does anyone know if this can be done and if so, can anyone suggest the best place to take it around Jacksonville, FL?

Thanks again for your inputs,
Mark

P.S. From a previous reply: "Red would be hard to find since production stopped a long time ago, but its possible there may still be one out there."
They stopped production of torch red a long time ago? My understanding is it was available all the way to the end of C5 production.

 

1) Forget that specific car entirely. It's a Corvette, there are MANY used ones from which to choose.

2) Go drive a variety of them to see what is what. Or, get a local Forum member (if you can find one) to give you a ride in a good, well-cared for one.

3) Forget about buying from a dealer!!! You see what it gets you. Yeah, yeah, I know there are exceptions... somewhere.

You're going to believe what you want from a dealer and think the rest is lies (if I understand correctly). It sounds like you're trying to talk yourself into this particular car!

All the best.

 

Check out this one
http://used-cars.autos.yahoo.com/use...UmY3M9cHJpY2Um

 

Pass on it. There are plenty of used C5's in mint condition to buy one with body/paint work.

 

I think I read on CAC that the last production for Torch Red was mid-march (months before the end of production for 2004). This is probably due to a different color red being used for 2005. I think they we going to build both C5 & C6 on the same line for a short period before the end of prod on the C5.

I def saw NO 2004 torch red vettes on the lots when I was looking in July.

It looks like you have a real thing for this car. I can not imagine the door and fender spontaneously starting to rub, and Carfax is NOT comprehensive by any means. If you do a search on that here, you will see at least one thread detailing a bunch of incidents that never showed up on it. Personally, there are so many red flags getting thrown up on this car that I can't imagine going aheas with it.

 

Good luck on your search. There are some good deal's out there I think I got one. I just bought a 2001 Coupe 26k 27,600 miles great condition, brought it to the dealer and they gave me the thumbs up. Great car !!!!

 

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think you've convinced me. I won't get the car unless the price is so good they basically drop it in my lap, and I don't see that happening with this dealer either. Reason I had such a hard-on for this one was it was THE combination I want (need): Torch Red, 2001 or newer, 6-speed, Z51 suspension. If anyone knows of any, drop me a line.

Thanks,
Mark

 

I'll add that yes, the "rattling" sound you are hearing when pulling away from a stop in first gear is completely normal; it’s a function of the gear box / diff design. If you pull away w/ some RPM's you won’t notice it as much. So don't let those drive line rattles deter you.