Mew2

Hey guys I drive a 2001 Torch Red C5 and I love it...I came from a 1989 Camry and man I didn't know cars were this amazing.

I've been following the C7 launch and love the car, I am an IT guy in the militray (lower enlisted almost to SGT) and am in love with all the electronics in it!

My question is...should I trade my 110k mile C5 for a C6? Is it a night and day difference? I would love to have the keyless entry, mp3 and navigation (I have a tape deck) and a HUD...along with the XENON headlights, ect;. I just don't know if I should keep paying my C5 off (9.8k more) or trade up for a C6. Any comments or suggestions?

Hameister

I don't see how anyone can actually answer your question. It's a matter of how much you want all the new technology that's available in the C6 vs. the C5. Style, design, technology, is all a function of personal taste, needs, desires.

Mew2

I guess my question is...is it a huge difference in car? Ride? Power?

I've never driven a C6 and would love all the upgrades but I love my car and don't wanna trade it in for basically the same thing with a few luxuries. Curious on the thoughts of people who made the jump.

Hameister

Why not rent a C6 for a few days, have at it, and see for yourself?

Mew2

For some reason...I never thought of that haha

I guess I'll give a try. Thanks

Mods can delete if need be

Hameister

Best of luck!

talon90

I guess about all I can offer is a review I did when I traded in my '97 C5 for my 2005 C6. Hope it helps.

http://www.theredlion.us/c6.htm

jkcam6017

My $.02 worth, is keep the C5. It is a great Vette. At 110K miles, you are in a position where no one will give you much for the car, but it may easily be good for another 100K without a lot of problems.

A C6 (what I own) has some improvements, but I doubt they are worth the $$ in your situation. Keep saving, keep working on the C5, bless you for your service, and when the C5 doesn't owe you much you may be in a position to get anything you want without a real financial strain.

Good luck.

dklowrider

IMO, C3-C4, or C4-C5 would be night and day difference. C5-C6 is an improvement in many areas, especially power, especially if you go to '08 for the LS3, but not a night and day difference. Improved driving experience all around, cockpit is improved but familiar. Styling is of course personal preference. Either a C5 or C6 can be had loaded or pretty basic as your's sounds to be. Keyless entry, HUD, factry cd with a 12 disc changer are very common on C5s, and you can easily go aftermarket head unit for the latest bells and whistles.
One area you may experience trouble is trading a '01 w/110k miles that still has 9.8k owed on it.
Renting one, or at least a very good test drive is a good idea.
My C5 was at 98k miles and I only moved up because I felt like it. I loved it and had no sense of it not being a 200k mile car, it's just what car guys do sometimes. I love my '08, but I loved my '02 also.

Flh Den

I traded an 04 A4 and bought an 08 mn6, and as much as I love the C6 and the Ls3, could I have been happy still driving my C5. Absolutely!!!
Good luck with your decision.

goldwingerguy

That's the route I took...wife and I did a weekend trip, and weighed the pros and cons and went with a C-6 afte selling my C-5 never looking back.

Hameister

I hear ya! My new '13 C6, is the first, and only 'vette I've ever owned, so I have no basis for comparison.

I just turned 400 miles yesterday, and I'm still getting used to the car. It's just awesome. I went to a car show a few weeks ago, where there were many Corvettes on display. I wanted a '63 split window coupe. I wanted a C4 and a C5. For a few minutes my mind went all Jay Leno on me, ha!

dklowrider

You're only limited by the size of your wallet. (but I'd skip the C4)

Chuck Little

I traded my 01 Torch Red Coupe, 97M miles for a 2007 Red Coupe.

You don't have any equity now, and probably won't until you have paid off a big chunk of what you still owe. You can probably come close to what you owe if no service lights are on. (Service Antilock,Etc are killers)

My C6 is nicest car I ever owned. I've been in car business all my life, and love this car for what it is. Raw power, good looks and loads of fun.

If you can trade without stretching your pocket book and hurting, go for it.

My 2007 is twice the car what my 2001 was, and they were both loaded.

dvilin

Sound advice.

bgspot

I just recently (this past october/november) made the switch from a c5 to c6. My thoughts:

1. I thought i would miss my c5...i don't!!!

2. Even though i only have a base model and not a z06, the difference in torque is noticeable. To me the c5 didn't feel all that fast, especially compared to my brothers '96 camaro. It just felt raw as others have put it, i guess because it wasn't all that refined. The c6 pulls from 0-160 (yes 160, not 60) with ease and no signs of slowing down and does it while feeling smooth and composed. I never felt confident in the c5 above 120. The c6 makes me feel confident, but i know my limits and will never try and go beyond them.

3. Lets face it, the c6 does not have world class interior but for "me" it looks and feels much better.

4. The only two things that i think the c5 had over my c6 is my c5 did do better on the highway, even with long tubes. It got 28-29 while my c6 with no headers gets only 24-26. The second is i liked how the c5 had a third storage compartment in the trunk. The c6 just has the 2 smaller compartments and no third large compartment.

5. I had a 7k or 8k mod list for my c6 about 6 months before i even bought it. In the past 3 months that i've owned the car, i haven't had a desire to change anything about it except 1 or 2 things. This is because the car just feels so much more grown up or adult like to me than the c5. My only desired or must have mods are a nice exhaust system and a HUD. My car has no bi-mode so it is dead quiet and that annoys me. I plan to put a borla s-type on it by the spring/summer.

All in all, i have no regrets of letting go the c5. For me i didn't have any unrealistic expectations of the c6 and thats probably one of the reasons why i love/enjoy it so much more. Trust me, you won't be disappointed with the c6.

go4gman

Having owned a 2000 C5 triple black, I can assure you, that the C6 Grand Sport convertible is definitely more solid, faster, and reliable than my previous Vette. I never thought that I would get another Vette but in 2009, after seeing a picture of the new Grand Sport convertible, I knew I was in it again. You won't be disappointed.

FrankTank

I too owned a C5... awesome car and if I could have afforded 2 Vettes I would have kept it.

If you are going to make the jump to the C6, my recommendation is to do an 08 or newer. The LS3 vs the LS1 is a pretty big jump and worth it IMO. The 2005-07 LS2 is a very good motor and is of course faster than the C5 LS1, but IMO, given your situation, not worth the change.

Yes, the C6 has some updated bells/whistles and is a tad more up to date interior, but nothing to write home about IMO.

JohnAE455

I had a C5, A4 coupe for over 10 years and loved it. Last year I did an overnight test drive of a 2012, A6 coupe. I took it back because, frankly, I didn't feel the differences were worth the money. Changed my mind after driving a stick, and traded but would not have gone from a C5 auto to a C6 auto. My choice and I'm sure others will disagree. Good luck.

ryoder

It depends on what you can afford. For me the C6 was well worth the marginal cost increase.
I bought the bottom of the line 1LT and love it.
You can now get a C6 brand new for rock bottom prices with the 3k owner loyalty rebate so I would say go for it.
The C6 is much faster than the stock C5 and it feels like a modern car.
I had a 2001 C5 and a 2008 C6.
Actually I might have had a 2002 I can't remember