I just check my vin against the recall check on the link you posted I get the notice in the mail and will never let the gm techs ever touch my C6 and I only had two

 

You can judge for yourself by reading the TSB's and Recalls associated with the 2005 Corvette. I have owned first year vettes from 4 of the first 6 generations and of the 25 vettes I have owned the first year vettes were without a doubt the most trouble prone but that is pretty common with all new car models, not just the corvette. If you check later C6 years will see both TSB's and Recalls are small in numbers compared to the 2005.

Link to the 7 Recalls for the 2005:

http://www.aboutautomobile.com/Recal...rolet/Corvette

Link to all the Technical Service bulletins related to problems associated with the 2005:

http://www.aboutautomobile.com/TSB/2...rolet/Corvette

 

At this point in time with all of the recalls completed does that mean it will be fairly smooth sailing from there? In other words have the previous owners endured the worst part. Seems to make sense.

 

I know what you mean, I've spent an hour or two detailing my C5. That's one of the reasons I am thinking of getting a C6 so I can have something new to play with and make shiny. LOL

 

I think you already know that the later years of any generation are the most advanced and less trouble, just think about your present vette the 2004 which was the last year of the C5 and about the only real problem they had was the new design fuel tank leaks. Believe me the 1997 first year was not trouble free and not anywhere near as good as your 2004.

I find it strange that you would now want to go with a first year C6 when for a few dollars more you could move up a couple of years and get the new beefier drive train plus other fixes and improvements that GM rolled out on later years. Just getting rid of the 2005 only shark tale XM antenna and the oversized steering wheel alone would be worth the extra dollars.

A clean 2005 coupe with nearly 90,000 miles should go for around $20k and for $25k you could get a under 15k to 25k low mile coupe a couple of years newer.

Just look through the history of the C5 from the first to the 2004 you now own and you will see how many things were changed, fixed and improved over the production run:

C5 Yearly differences in models

1997

• Completely new, redesigned Corvette. Base (FE1) and Z51 (FE3) suspension packages.
• All Z51 cars include: Power Steering Cooler, xx, xx, ??
• 97-00 C5 LS1's produce 345 HP @ 5600 RPM and 350 Ft Lbs of torque @ 4400 RPM.

1998

• Convertible becomes available
• Active Handling becomes available late in year
• The two slots of a 1998 (and possibly late 1997s) curve toward the rear at the bottom. (versus straight down)

1999

• 26# injectors substituted for 28#
• Fuel pump revised to reduce noise
• FRC "Fixed Roof Coupe" aka the hardtop, becomes available. All FRC's are MN6 (6-speed) cars with the Z51 suspension package, and are about 60lbs lighter than coupes.
• HUD introduced
• only one line in driver's side fuel rail cover (no fuel return line?)
• Power telescoping wheel becomes an option
• ? Steering hardware changed to combat wandering
• door sill trim plates added

2000

• Millennium Yellow available
• ? "Thin Spoke" versus "wagon wheel" design wheels become standard.
• Pup cats added to CA models for LEV emissions requirements (5hp loss relative to 97-99)
• Steel swaybar endlinks instead of plastic on Z51 equipped cars
• Z51 swaybar diameters grow (25.4/21.7 to 28.6/21.7 to 28.6/23.6 (note: new rear same as Z06)
• No keyhole on passenger side doorhandle
• Passenger airbag 'off' switch added to console (light by TC/AH button)

2001

• return to 28# injectors for all models.
• Second Generation Active Handling
• Nassau Blue discontinued
• Alternator 'clutch' pulley added on A4 cars
• New soundproofing + foam in all cars
• Smaller keyfob
• electrochromic dimming rearview and driver's mirrors
• lighter AGM battery
• Thickness + Material in vert change
• Chrome exhaust tips for coupe + vert
• 85MM MAF with integral temp sensor (versus 74mm with separate plug for IAT)
• LS1 cam profile changed to: .500/0.500, 198/208 on 115.5LSA (From: 0.472/0.479, 202/210 on 117)
• All Corvettes now have the LS6 intake manifold
• All Corvettes now have the LS6 engine block (windage passages in block), which includes a beefier oil pump.
• LS1 changes result in new output of 350 HP @ 5200 RPM and 375 Ft Lbs of torque @ 4400 RPM (MN6)
• Hardtop/FRC discontinued
• Pup cats added to all models
• Stronger synchros in all transmissions
• Exhaust manifolds revised (5hp regained) - thin wall cast replacing SS manifolds
• metal valvestem caps (late year)
• Torque Tube changed from metal-matrix composite to aluminum alloy 6061, increased in dia from 55 to 63 mm.
• Driveshaft couplings have also been upgraded on manual-equipped models for additional strength and durability
• Introduction of the Z06, which has as differences:
o hardtop body style
o rear brake ducting
o screened inlets on front fascia, without foglights
o F1 supercar tires 265-17 front, 295-18 rear, on 17x9.5 and 18x10.5 (one inch wider, respectively
o new LS6 top-end with new style head design (10.5:1 compression, 64cc chamber), LS6 cam (0.525/0.525, 204/211 on 116) - 385hp
o M12 transmission with shorter gearing (1-2-3 analagous to MN6 with 3.90 rear diff
o Titanium exhaust system
o lightweight windshield
o New, stronger clutch with redesigned master + slave cylinder
o Stronger rear differential (shotpeened ring gear)
o Red brake calipers (otherwise identical)
o Trans overtemp warning light on DIC
o 6500 redline gauges with special checkering + Z06 font
o redesigned PCV system to help combat oil burning
o Red LS6 Fuel Rail Covers (FRC's)
o FE4 Z06 suspension - uprated springs, bars (30mm/23.6mm), shocks (note front spring and rear bar same as Z51)

2002

• Z06 Changes:
o Z06 LS6 cam changed to: 0.551/0.547, 204/218 on 117.5
o Less restrictive intake airbox lid
o Descreened MAF
o Removal of pup-cats (total with changes = 405hp)
o Z06 shocks revised with less rebound for better launching
o Z06 brake pads revised for better stopping (generate more dust)
o Lighter, sodium filled valves w/ stronger valvesprings
o higher tension rings installed to prevent oil burning problems
o slight piston redesign *
o clutch strength upgraded.
o HUD available on Z06 (not avail '01 model year)
o Wheel supplier changed to Speedline, moved from forged to cast. Weight nearly identical
• Electron Blue color offered
• Steel endlinks changed to aluminum

2003

• Late model-year new fuel system design from C6's

2004

· Z06 shocks further refined. Accompanying upper front control arm bushing, and rear swaybar bushing changes.

 

Makes sense to me also. Like others had said, do your homework before you make the deal. If it checks out you should be fine.

BTW, that '04's a beauty. You shouldn't have any problems when you're ready to sell that one. Good luck on you decision.

 

I agree that I would rather have a newer model C6 and very well may end up that way but I am trying very hard to not increase this into a car payment. Just looked like it may be a good way to get into the C6 platform without breaking the bank. I love my 04 and if this 05 is not a good deal I will walk away. Thats why I'm getting feedback as to what other experiences have been. Absolutely agree that the first year of a new generation is always the worst but as I stated before I was thinking that after the recalls and service bulletin fixes have been performed on the vehicle it may have taken care of the majority of the issues. Unfortunately around here I find that the jump to 2007 or higher is a bigger jump in price than I want to make. Thanks for the insight and advice.

 

Thank you, I have learned a lot working on that car and it has become kind of a therapy detailing it. It will be hard to move away from the C5 to a C6 but I think it's time. The good thing is that I can take my time and enjoy what I have until something comes along that looks right. If not this one, another C6 will be there waiting for me I'm sure. Thanks again and I appreciate the feedback!

 

I like your 04 too. I miss my millennium yellow C5. I love that color. I want the M.Y. C6 someday.
You'll miss the C5 for a second. The C6 is a whole different machine in every way.

 

Nice color though. My 05 vert is also MagredMet.

 

Of course I can' speak for you, but personally, I would keep the 04 C5 than buy a 05 C6. One thing is that you know what you have in your current car, but no idea what you will end up with in another car.

Other than 50 additional horsepower, what else does the 05 C6 bring to the table? That additional 50 HP is easily found in the aftermarket world.

 

Thanks Joe, I just may do that. One of the main reasons I want to move up to the C6 is the upgraded interior. While it may not be up to the C7 standards the one that I was looking at did have a NAV system built-in. Also the headlights on a C-5 are horrible. I have installed aftermarket HID bulbs which work just finebut they come not without problems. For the buckets to close properly a resistor is needed and I don't like using them. It gets hot hot hot. I took the resistor out and just remember to switch over to highbeams before turning off the lights and they will close properly. But I really don't like rigging something up like that. I like things to work properly but don't want to spend $400-$500 on the high-end replacements. By the time that I add all the aftermarket stuff to the C-5 I figure I could be driving a C6 with those options already there.I may expand my search is up to a 2007 and see what happens. I don't have to jump on something that doesn't make sense so just doing some fact finding in case this 05 looked like a great deal. I will find out tomorrow I guess.

 

What?

Chuck M

 

C6 has a different style interior but the quality isn't any better. I just had a custom upholstery shop fix the drivers seat foam in my C6. The quality is no better than the C5 I had.

I have the POS $1750 factory NAV in my 09 and it's now 6 years out of date. Why? because I refused to pay $200 each year for the latest map update CD from GM. That's $1200 I've saved by using a $85 Garmin that has free lifetime map updates(four times annually) and is 1000% more user friendly. My factory NAV is used to fill in that hole in my dash, and allow me to operate the radio.

You are correct about the terrible headlights on the C5. I traded my C5 in on my C6 Z06 before I did anything about the headlights, but I was looking at spending around $900 to get decent headlights for the C5 before I got rid of it. My C5 was 10.5 years old when I let it go, and the headlight buckets never failed to operate properly, but I know of a few that gave their owners problems.

Now jumping to a 2007 or even better a 2008, makes better sense(to me)as there are considerable improvements(like the 436 HP LS3 in the 2008 model year). 2005-2007's need an aftermarket air cleaner to pickup some extra horses(that are starved for air), but the 2008> up has the same basic air breather that is used in the Z06).

The 2005 has the A4 while the 2006 has the A6. The 2005-2007 has the T56 while the 2008-2013 has the TR6060.

 

LOL, really? The C5 is cool, I love them. The styling is way outdated. 50HP is a lot. It's like comparing your C5 to the 02-04 C5 ZO6. It's a night and day difference.

I had my 01 with intake, headers full exhaust . Performance wasn't even close to the LS2. When people say 50HP isn't much, that's coming from people that don't have and never have had an extra 50 HP. It's a big difference. I know you got a Z and all, but that's like comparing an LS3 to the LS7 and saying it's not a big difference.

 

According to the link that the corvette forum sent me a couple of months back the C5 with similar horsepower is faster than both the C6 and the C7 because it is far more aerodynamic.

"It comes down to aerodynamics. The 2000 Lingenfelter Twin-Turbo Corvette Stage II had “no external changes” as the video below says. From the outside, at least, this was a stock C5, which means this car benefitted from the stock C5′s exceptionally slippery 0.29 drag coefficient.The C6 ZR1, with its fancy ground effects and greater appetite for cool air, achieves a drag coefficient of 0.36; in other words, it’s the brick in this comparison."

"Why C5 Corvettes are Faster than C6s and C7s"

https://www.corvetteforum.com/articl...aster-c6s-c7s/

 

CRAZY the c6 coupe is the lowest coefficient of all cars made 0.286
This is the C-5 list

**************************************** ********************************

Stock(Street Tire)

1) 12.79x @ 109.80 - boostyfox Details
2) 12.841 @110.68 - cptinjak Details
3) 12.84x @ 111.xx - Ramsiec5 Details
40 12.93x @ 109.46 - sgostisha Details
4) 12.964 @ 112.79 - pbaur Details
5) 12.98x @ 110.xx - lrbinwpb Details
6) 12.990 @ 107.01 - Mistamike17 Details
7) 12.99x @ 109.81 - c5vette_dallas Details
8) 13.014 @ 106.3x - werckedc5 Details
9) 13.025 @ 105.54 - CRV3TT3 Details
10) 13.10x @ 105.xx - slvrC5vert Details

and the C6 stock list

Showroom Stock LS2 (2005 -2007)
12.215 @ 115.45 - LS1LT1 - 06 A6 - (1278)
12.235 @ 115.58 - 06C6FVR - 06 M6 Z51 - (333)
12.290 @ 114.29 - Proney - 07 M6 - (4500)
12.314 @ 114.82 - CYA Vett - 05 M6 F55 - (675)
12.422 @ 113.90 - DrRichie - 05 M6 Z51
12.499 @ 114.90 - Jschindler - 05 M6 Z51
12.53x @ 113.00 - Wicked07C6 - 07 M6 Z51 - (914)
12.540 @ 113.59 - Tony 63 Vette - 06 A6 - (1510)
12.548 @ 113.74 - Tony96LT4 - 06 A6 Z51 - (1149)
12.56x @ 113.39 - Red Sleeper - 06 A6
12.56x @ 112.00 - Orange C6 - 05 A4 Z51 - (56)
12.650 @ 111.65 - Zippin Zee - 05 M6 Z51 - (48)
12.665 @ 113.03 - Mdrrandall - 07 M6 Z51 - (1675)
12.693 @ 114.88 - Prankster - 06 M6 - (1621)
12.69x @ 112.32 - Silverlx - 06 A6 - (872)
12.703 @ 112.43 - Jelsis - 06 A6 Z51 - (452)
12.70x @ 113.00 - Blackmajik - 07 A6 - (1627)
12.71x @ 111.30 - Flyin05 - 05 M6 Z51
12.71x @ 111.00 - Demented - 05 A4 Z51
12.74x @ 108.67 - Shooter 49 - 05 A4 3.15 - (39)
12.756 @ 112.57 - C5Pilot - 07 A6 Z51 - (903)
12.757 @ 109.25 - Ponchorello - 05 A4 3.15 - (990)
12.795 @ 112.17 - Jchazr - 05 M6 Z51 - (447)
12.80x @ 111.00 - SheDevilC6 - 07 A6 Z51 - (1668)
12.81x @ 112.83 - Vette-oholic - 05 M6 Z51 - (494)


also the C5Z06 V2 LS3 C6 THE C6 IS FASTER

Showroom Stock LS3 (2008 - 2013)
11.718 @ 119.94 - AndrewZPSU - 08 M6 - (2586)
11.806 @ 118.82 - Gmrulz - 08 A6 Z51, NPP - (3478)


C5 Z06 Bone-Stock Times

1--11.783 @ 116.90--1.818--J-Rod---------'02
2--11.818 @ 117.26--1.783--Ranger--------'02 11/03 Slip

Now the C6Z06 AND C6ZR1 are clearly faster too I dont even need to post the times

 

hehehe! just hoping I'm not in the car when mine explodes.

 

those recalls are not on all 05C6 VINS and the TSB'S are on all model C6 years, my VIN only has 2 and I haven't had a problem with the active handling or the low beams at 9 years old and 39,000 mile a 1/4 mile at a time, did have a rear crack but hey hundreds of 1.4s 60 fts and 10 second 1/4 runs, and the reason is wheel hop have seen plenty of 2nd generation rears crack

 

Those are quarter mile times the article relates to which car has a faster top speed if the horsepower output on the c5,c6 and c7 are the same. The CD becomes much more critical at high speed than in quarter mile times.