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So I'm curious what y'all would do. I have my c5 and love it, had it about a year now and got it for a steal. When i picked it up there were some small issues that the owner didnt know how to fix. His gauges were malfunctioning, headlight motor issues, a/c wasnt cold, cracked rims (from pothole). Anyways i addressed everything i could, replaced rims with an extra set i had, recharged a/c and its held cold for a year, replaced headlight gear, bought a new cluster and had mileage reprogrammed. The car runs and drives great but i am realizing that other items wil be needing maintenance and i may soon feel the effects of the corvette tax plus diagnosing the issue and spending uneccesary money in doing so.
cons: the car has 130k miles but like i said the previous owners kept the car in great shape for its age, no leaks or weird noises and engine runs strong. There have been 5 previous owners which i believe a few were within a family. So maybe 2-3 prior independent owners before me. Starting to have starting issues, may be starter or ignition switch. It is a 1998 model. Ultimately i wanted a 6 speed but settled for the a4 due to the great price and looks.
now i am considering picking up a ls1 camaro ss, with 75k miles, a few bolt ons, and 6 speed. I believe i can sell the c5 and buy the camaro with the proceeds, and maybe even have $1000-1500 left in proceeds.
my biggest concern is the c5 in the long run, with all the electronics and cost of things to maintain i'm wondering what your thoughts might be. Did i mention i enjoy driving a manual car?
You didn't say what year the Camaro is - might be a factor for some. Whether you choose an auto or manual depends on where you drive and what your preferences are. If you commute daily in heavy, stop and go traffic - you might get really tired of a manual. If traffic isn't a problem, then a manual might be a good choice. I'd go with the newer car in most cases but that's no guarantee you'll like it better. Let us know how you chose and post a photo of the ride of your choice.
Dbgoodwin and tbrowne, thanks for your replies. The camaro is a 2001. It would not be a daily driver and mainly for cruising. Other things i need to consider are the upgrade parts i have on the side. I have zo6 243 heads, long tube header and xpipe, a btr stage 2 cam and oil pump, and 3.42 diffrential for the c5 which i was going to add a converter when i do the install. Of course getting the camaro would mean no need for the diff or a stall and the heads and cam could still be used.
i just love the look of the c5 and how it turns heads, the look is timeless being 20 yrs old. On the otherhand, the camaro's looks ain't bad, performance wise is pretty comparable and it is a m6.
It all depends on what you want to drive and be seen in. For me and in my area Camaro's are all over the place. Just about like Honda's. C5 Corvetts are another story. They are almost as infrequent as the C2's and C3's. I never driven a vintage/newer Camaro so I have no opinion on their handling behind the wheel. But just having a 30 mile drive yesterday just before the snow hitting our area, driving the C5 was a hoot.
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I would choose a 1998 Corvette over a 2001 Camaro even if the Corvette is an auto. If it was a newer Camaro ZL1, my choice would be different.
As for the worries about the availability of parts for the 1998, they'll be around for a long time. I have a 1999 and a 2002 and I'm not planning on selling either.
Dbgoodwin and tbrowne, thanks for your replies. The camaro is a 2001. It would not be a daily driver and mainly for cruising. Other things i need to consider are the upgrade parts i have on the side. I have zo6 243 heads, long tube header and xpipe, a btr stage 2 cam and oil pump, and 3.42 diffrential for the c5 which i was going to add a converter when i do the install. Of course getting the camaro would mean no need for the diff or a stall and the heads and cam could still be used.
i just love the look of the c5 and how it turns heads, the look is timeless being 20 yrs old. On the otherhand, the camaro's looks ain't bad, performance wise is pretty comparable and it is a m6.
Those heads and cam would be a nice upgrade to the Camaro as well, so no need to take that into consideration. As for the rear end, you can sell that, so money saved on that.
Not to mention nothing is forcing you to keep the Camaro for ever. Good clean six speed f body’s are still fetching decent money
Neither. Not a fan of the Camaro, would not buy an auto Corvette. Sell the Corvette, buy one with a stick, there's millions of cars out there.
You say you bought the C5 right and addressed some issues, so I'm guessing you can get out of it easy enough. Through the parts you've collected at a 6 speed C5. Sell the diff and buy a clutch for after the heads/cam build. Gen4 camaros do nothing for me personally. I like the gen5s, and I miss my 1969 Camaro. Good luck.
A "Camaro" that turns heads would be the Firebird. WS6 Firebird... yum. My issue is their handling won't be as good as a Corvette. Also, getting under that cowl to change spark plugs or oil sender...
I used to have a 02 z28 camaro, I would always get catfish camaro comments. If you’re going to get an F-Body always go for a WS6 Transam. But how do they compare to a C5? Looks? Corvette easily. Handling? Corvette easily especially once you upgrade the shocks and sway bars with some low cost quality parts. (C6Z shocks, z51 sway bars and get some good tires). One thing I hated about my Z28 was the amount of body roll it had. Even drove a SLP SS with a mild modded suspension still didn’t feel planted and still had some body roll. Also the sitting position in the F-body feels a bit weird because of the T56 next to you compared to the transaxle design of the C5+ corvette, it isn’t as comfortable as the corvette.
Also F-body doors are heavy, the window motors crap out, the windshield is way to long, the gauges are funky(its awesome having the dic in the corvette), the headlights fog up quite fast even after restoring them, they tend to have fuel pump issues and the gas gauge may stop working(it did in my mine, fuel pump was still good at 121k when I sold it), also don’t get mad if people mistake your camaro resembling a chrysler sebring coupe .
I agree with grantv and Time for a C5, sell the 98 and look for a clean 2001+ six speed C5 corvette.
If maintenance cost is a big factor I can understand where you’re coming from by looking at F-Bodies, though those 10 bolts are crap if you want to see any drag strip work.
I sold my almost perfect automatic '04 C5 after 1 year....just bought low mile 2000 M6 Z51 C5, love the 6 speed box and the true overdrive 6th gear. Don't like heavy f bodies, get a 6mt C5
I sold my almost perfect automatic '04 C5 after 1 year....just bought low mile 2000 M6 Z51 C5, love the 6 speed box and the true overdrive 6th gear. Don't like heavy f bodies, get a 6mt C5
6 speed f body cars aren’t really heavy. Most weigh around 3350-3450 depending on fuel level. That’s pretty dang close to a c5.
my biggest concern is the c5 in the long run, with all the electronics and cost of things to maintain i'm wondering what your thoughts might be. Did i mention i enjoy driving a manual car?
I would never get rid of a car I liked because of "future, possible" failures, if you like your C5 drive it. Cars are the worst investment ever, but are a lot of fun. Second, I think you answered your own question above. Good luck either way you choose.
I say go for the Camaro. I had a 95 lt1 z28 and always got compliments on it and was a very fun car. downside is they may not handle as well as a vette, but with enough money anything is possible
I have a 2001 Trans Am and I'll drive the Vette over the TA anyday of the week. The TA handles terrible, I can make the TA handle better, but stock for stock the Vette is a better starting point. The TA is also a bit heavier compared the Vette so it feels quite a bit more sluggish. Any long distance driving and the TA becomes uncomfortable to sit in compared to the Vette, yes even with those crappy C5 seats. The dashboard on the TA is huge and sticks out leaving little knee room for a passenger, not to mention the huge bulge in the passenger floorboard(for the catalytic converter) making it uncomfortably awkward to sit in for long periods of time. For short people like my wife driving it can become a chore due to the lines of the hood. On the flip side I do get compliments on the TA even in stock form and on those nice days I enjoy pulling the T-tops off and cruising. Typically, when pulling up to the gas station it's not uncommon to hear, "I had one in high school", "I always wanted a Trans Am", or "that was the best car Pontiac made." Regardless, of all the positive comments I'd still take an auto C5 over a manual f-body any day of the week. Sell the Vette and find you a manual one, and if you can swing it find you a Z06.
11-15-2018, 02:19 PM
c5 auto or 6 speed ls1 camaro
You say you bought the C5 right and addressed some issues, so I'm guessing you can get out of it easy enough. Through the parts you've collected at a 6 speed C5. Sell the diff and buy a clutch for after the heads/cam build. Gen4 camaros do nothing for me personally. I like the gen5s, and I miss my 1969 Camaro. Good luck.
