Do a search on the C5 forum - steering column lock was/is a very serious problem '97-2000+

There was a recall, also.

:cheers:

 

I did that with the C5 - so I have 120k on my C4. First I hated the '97 wheels and didn't want to buy aftermarket, so I waited. Then while I was looking, I heard about the Z06 405HP, so I waited. Then I couldn't get the 405HP in a Targa, so I waited. Then I decided to wait for the 50th Ann, thinking that something special would be under the hood - even if not the 405. You know what happened there. After that disappointment, I felt too close to the C6 to buy. So ... I completely missed the C5.

To be brief, life is too damn short to wait. We live in a time where technology leaps are realized every year. Next year's Taurus will have an option that isn't have available on your MB this year. So what. Buy the car EXACTLY the way you want it. Enjoy it.


[Modified by LongTimer, 4:28 PM 9/18/2003]

 

i agree with longtimer

 

:iagree:

 

And what year did the oil burning problem start with the C5?

 

Oh, Monica will be so happy! Technically, their $700 UNDER INVOICE ended a few days ago, but I'm sure that since you'd buy 20 of them, they'd cut you a break and extend the sale!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=642864

 

:bs The warranty SOMETIMES covers the oil consumption, depending on whether the dealer wants to fix it or not. The oil consumption is because of bad piston rings.

The rocking seats are not fixable. Warranty does not cover this.

Column lock is another unfixable thing. The faulty part can be replaced with another part that will eventually become faulty. Identical parts.

Noisy fuel pump on the '97 is not covered by warranty. It works fine, but it's loud. Therefore, there's no problem according to GM.

The only ones that the warranty covers well are the leaky rear ends and sticky headlights. Every other problem is covered but I've listed all of the nagging problems the C5 has, which are mostly unfixable.


Just remember, warranties are not the end-all to every problem the C5 has.


[Modified by GDP, 12:04 AM 9/19/2003]

 

Holy moly, that's a good price! Of course, only for cars in stock...I wish to order my Vette EXACTLY how I want it (options, etc.), just like I did for my 2000.

Edmunds.com lists (including delivery fee) 2004 Vette MSRP as $44,535, invoice as $39,068, and "True Market Value" as $44,492 - that's $5,424 (if I didn't mess up calculating...) OVER invoice. So $700 under invoice is certainly a great deal. That's a $6,100 difference than the average transaction. Your example is hardly typical.

The price you mention must be the exception, otherwise Edmunds is really off - and they base theirs off of a more typical transaction (i.e., what the market will bear, based on national averages of purchase price). Not that they are perfect, but against the quote of one dealer, I tend to side with national-level research, adjusted by region.

So, according to Edmunds research, it is far more typical for a 2004 Vette to go for over $5k over invoice. I have a feeling that GM dealers will have no problem selling 2004 Vettes, even with the C6 coming out soon. You mention an extreme case, one based on a retailer seeking significant out-of-state customers (via the internet, no less) and not typical of most Corvette purchases, even for the 2004s.
http://www.edmunds.com/about/pricing..._pricing2.html :smash:

But in all seriousness - if she is that serious about pricing, I may have to call her up when I start shopping for that C6! Very intriguing. Thank you for sharing. :cheers: I love this forum! <Still shaking his head over that incredible price...>

 

If I'm completely off base, and dealers nationwide are significantly discouting 2004s - please tell me. Seriously.

Those prices are incredible. I don't think I would mind upgrading to a 2004 and still waiting a year or two for any C6 bugs to be worked out, LOL, at those prices... :cheers:

 

EDIT:
I didn't mean to pile on. I missed the earlier post about Monica. I'm sorry for the dupe. The price does tell us something about the demand of a perfected C5 vs a new C6.
Consider the followin post of Monica Dean from Maxi Price Chevrolet. I'll quote from C5 for sale:

"Here we go again.
Now through Sept 15th, buy any instock 2004 Corvette for $700 below dealer invoice.

Offer ends Sept 15, 2003. Delivery must be taken before Sept. 30, 2003. You must talk to me to take advantage of this sale. Prior sale voids this offer. We will collect $481.20 in doc & processing fees. Maxie Price has one of the largest Corvette Allocations in the country. We do participate in GM's dealer advertsing program which adds 1.5% to the invoice from GM. I will be more thasn happy to fax you the invoice. This offer does not include the Z16 commemorative editon Z06. "

You have E-Mail


Phil Zivnuska





[Modified by Zivnuska, 7:52 PM 9/21/2003]

 

Amazing. I had a '99 FRC, an '01 Z06, and now an "03 Z06, and my headlights have never stuck, my seats have never rocked, I've never had oil problems, my diffs never leaked, my fuel pumps have never been noisy, and my steering columns have never locked up. I must be the world's luckiest guy.


Which years did you own that had all those problems?

 

Hurricane, your off base. As a benefit of being on the Forum, we have supporting dealers. :hurray: Any of them will routinely take several thousand off MSRP, and at times of low demand, huge amounts. If you check out the C5s for dale section, you'll see supporting dealers selling at GM supplier discount to everyone, or giving 6-7k off. Only an ignorant Joe Blow would pay MSRP, much less at a premium. Thank god those folks exist, the profits allow our dealers to keep prices low for us. Check out Monica Dean, Karl Johansen, or Jason Walter to see what a C5 deal should be. :cheers:


[Modified by fdxpilot, 11:31 PM 9/21/2003]

 

Thanks for the reply! All I can say is that prices, including from supporting dealers, have changed quite a bit from when I bought 3 1/2 years ago. I certainly didn't pay MSRP, but in late '99 no dealers I could find, including some supporting forum dealers that I talked to, at that time would 6k-7k off MSRP. $2k-3k off MSRP was more typical of a really good deal back then. Of course, will all things, there will be exceptions.

Thanks for bringing me up to date! :cheers:

I may definitely try a supporting dealer next time, though. :D

 

My c5 was a very solid car but not perfect that is why I leased it.It had all the usual c5 problems some were fixed[seat, column lock,wheel bearings, fuel pump]. I was happy to be done with it because as it acummulated more miles and it was out of warranty i did not want to have to pay to fix it.And even when the warranty covered the repairs I did not get the hassle free servicethat i get with my BMW.Yes the M3 had some bearing problems in engines produced in 2001 of which I was dissappointed since previous engines are bulletproof. Believe me for the money a M3 will run with anycorvette on any track. Ive had trouble keeping up with a few of them. But the overall quality and fit and finish is 1000%better.Look at one you will not have to make excuses for how cheap your car looks insideor how soft the paint is.If you are happy with this level of quality shame on you because chevy will not improve them much.Did you ever look at the dealer profit on a Zo6 its 6000. On a M3 its 4000. :banghead:


[Modified by 1lapvet, 5:28 AM 10/4/2003]

 

[QUOTE]You think BMW or Mercedes owners worry about this stuff?? I doubt they want to wait an extra year for their M3's or E55's.

The new M3 came out in 2001 and had loads of problems. Many blown engines. Bmw owners didn't expect that in a $50,000 sports car. I waited until 2003 to buy my M3.

RaceCarDriver

 

Pretty lucky, I'd say. I have owned none, but if you pay a visit to the C5 section, I'm sure you will find out about these problems.

Did I mention the non-working gas gauge? :thumbs:


[Modified by GDP, 3:07 PM 10/10/2003]