I was thinking of selling my C7 Grand Sport and buying a late model C5 convertible. I found a car I like with low mileage and it is in good condition.


My question to current C5 owners is this: I'm not looking to buy a tinkering project. I've been looking on the forum and have noticed a number of discontinued parts, salvage companies that have parts, etc., etc. How hard is it to keep these cars running in good condition? Am I buying a constant repair nightmare or are these cars still reasonably reliable and enjoyable if I don't want to tinker with it all the time?

Any help or thoughts on this front would be most appreciated. Thanks.

 

I bought mine brand new..............and have never had any problems with it, 43,000 miles. Even the tire pressure modules are still working after 22 years!

 

I have had my C5Z for almost 2 years. I drive it everyday about 45 minutes to work and 45 minutes back. These things are 20-27 years old at this point, so i can't tell you that you won't have to fix little things here or there. I had a belt tensioner go bad like 2 months after i bought the car. If you are okay with small jobs every once in a while it should be fine. Plastic gets brittle and after 20 years stuff will start to break down.

I park mine outside in the driveway all year round in Texas and I don't have another car. When i was looking i wanted one with 20k-50k on the clock. If any car sits too long or doesn't do much mileage a year it seems to accelerate the rubber/perishable stuff breaking down. I got mine with 45K and i just hit 63K last week and besides the tensioner and the A/C comp going bad, I have had no issues.

Just my 2 cents.

 

I honestly don't know how to respond to this. You're considering selling your C7 Grand Sport for a C5? And not even a Z06? Is your Grand Sport also a convertible?

Either way, obviously it's your car and your money and I guess I have trouble with that particular swap but, a base C5 with a convertible will introduce more variables that will need to possibly be fixed on an aging platform where getting replacement items are getting harder and harder to come by. I picked up my C5Z in August and there are parts that I had a lot of trouble finding and more so, some replacement parts are priced in a way that feel overtly predatory. If you're open minded to the that the car may be subject to quirks you can't readily address without finding obscure parts, then you're in a good place. At least you're informed that this could be problematic.

 

As much as I like and enjoy driving my 2002 C5 Corvette, it is not as high quality as later generations, and I knew this going in, it also did not cost as much as a later generation would.
I have done quite a bit of "tinkering" and upgrading on it and know that I will have to do more as time goes on, just the nature of the beast, it's 24 years old now and time is not kind to it.
So, if you are looking for a car you will not have to tinker with, a C5 is not the best candidate.
Keep your C7 GS is my advice, if one Corvette is all you can have at one time.

 

I appreciate the thoughts. I realize this is a difficult question to answer.

I've owned 4 C5Zs and 2 C7s.l--none verts. I've always wanted to have a C5 convertible, however, because I thought they were just beautiful. I thought this might be the time to jump but I know this is a decision I must make on my own.

But, answer me this please: how hard is it to get parts? I've seen several threads and some material in this C5 section that indicates it can be pretty difficult. That may be my biggest concern. I certainly don't expect an older car never to break. Of course it will break. But how hard is it to get it fixed.?

As Shakespeare might say, THAT is the question.

 

A C7 is much more complex than a C5, especially electronically. All those sensors will start failing eventually and that won't be cheap. Nothing on a C7 is cheaper, than a C5. Spare parts on a C7 are harder to find and more expensive. Is a C7 a more advanced vehicle? No question. Is a C5Z a more advanced car than a 63 Split Window? No question. However, just because a car is faster or better handling, doesn't make it more desirable. I've owned a C5Z and now own a C5 convertible. Both great cars but at this stage of my life, I prefer the latter.

 

Yes, but the quality of materials and construction has gotten better each generation since the C5 came out.

 

Look the C5 parts as a whole are not hard to find. As most cars go this is one of the best supported cars there is.

The ability to work on the car is so much easier than the C7. The C7 is overly more complex while the C5 is more basic and open to work on.

As for the quality yes it could be better but to be honest it is not really that bad. For what it cost new they could have been better but for what you pay used it is not a big deal.

I love my convertible. Just make sure the roof is good. It can be $1000 to $1500 to have a roof replaced.

 

I don't struggle to find parts. It's a truck engine, with a common transmission moved to the rear

They are pretty simple cars. Fuel pumps and EBCMs are issues that are likely over reported and blown out of proportion

I'd get the C5, learn how to use RockAuto and party. They will be on the road a long time coming

 

I would say ANY old, used car will introduce some level of maintenance need. These cars as owned or maintained by someone who does the basics tend to be pretty solid cars for the long haul which can absorb a heavy amount of abuse.

I have not encountered any scarcity of parts. I feel those responses come from owners who are not as involved in forums or their cars but maybe I am wrong. I will say that the prices of used parts have jacked up for the 5s since covid, though I believe that has been universal.

If I were stepping to a 5 from a 7.....
- check for all the basic needs first like fluid changes, replacing anything broken or leaking, check the hub, etc, safe tires by age and sticky rate. Etc erc

Going to C7 seats whether base or comp is a significant quality and comfort upgrade.

Going to even a basic coilover suspension (not Silvers or BC) massively improves the ride feel while allowing you to customize.

Sticky tires.

After that it gets to be your specific avenue of preference but seats, suspension, move over to hawk hps pads when your current set are gone.... The car gets amazingly more comfortable and agile and closer at least to street handling of newer cars. I'm also a fan of even a stock LS with an 8 to 10psi blower kit. Stock cam mpg and driving but then enough power to keep up with the joneses when you desire. This all makes for a pretty well rounded car.

 

There are sticky threads at the top of this forum that explain the nuances between the model years.

Essentially there are "C5.1 and C5.2 iterations."
1997-2000 is C5.1.
2000-2004 is C5.2.
Again, in a nutshell, most issues with the 1st run were worked out in the 2nd run. There are some NLA parts from C5.1 that are important to make note of. But none that should make you completely write off owning one. Do your research.

If you can afford the later model, go with the later model.

 

As for modifications that is a pure specific thing for you. Generally these cars ride and drive fine stock. Now if you are looking to drive harder and do track time mods can be done to help in cases like this.

My stock car drives, rides and sits fine for me. It is just a top down cruiser. For more aggressive things I am looking at the C8 right now. I will decide later this year if I go that way.

If you chose to mod document the modes with receipts and photos to help place some value to them. Undocumented mods often can hurt value vs documented help maintain value.

 

Ther are parts that are no longer available, but there are almost always work arounds. As I type this, I want to replace my sway bar bushings. My preference would be to go with stock rubber bushings again, but it's looking like that's not gonna be possible as GM no longer makes them. Everything aftermarket is poly. Would I prefer the OEM rubber ones? Yup, but the poly ones are what most use and will probably be just fine.

 

As mentioned, lots of very useful info on the C5, including parts that have been reported as discontinued or hard to find, in the stickies in both the C5 General and C5 Tech sections.

 

Thanks for the solid thoughts and suggestions.