Corvette C5 - Talk me into it!
Discussion
Hi all,
Seriously considering buying one so am trying to do as much research as possible. I've found one that I like ... 2001, targa, auto, red, low miles.
Like the supercar styling, performance and reliability. On the downside its LHD and uses leaf springs. SWMBO would prefer a Porsche.
It'll be my garage car and mainly driven in Yorshire.
Love to hear your experiences.
Thanks
Seriously considering buying one so am trying to do as much research as possible. I've found one that I like ... 2001, targa, auto, red, low miles.
Like the supercar styling, performance and reliability. On the downside its LHD and uses leaf springs. SWMBO would prefer a Porsche.
It'll be my garage car and mainly driven in Yorshire.
Love to hear your experiences.
Thanks
You certainly won't regret it, though you might wish you'd gone for the Z06 version. Until I bought my C6, the C5 was by far the best car I'd owned. Reliable, economical (yes!) minimal depreciation, cheap to service and fantastic performance.
Just get one.
There; is that what you wanted?
Just get one.
There; is that what you wanted?
I didn't realise you could get something like this for 15k, I can't think of anything I'd rather spend 15k on. http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/c...
There was this topic a few years ago. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I still have the scans somewhere but maybe nowadays there could be an online copy?
ETA; Hopefully this link will take you to the scans of two reviews in issues of Used Car Buyer. Possibly from 2002 and 2009 so pricing will be different.
http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/24252452
Great value for money cars and 10 years on from when I had my C5 I would still consider another even though I have a C6 now.
I like the C5 shape and think they have aged well.
I still have the scans somewhere but maybe nowadays there could be an online copy?
ETA; Hopefully this link will take you to the scans of two reviews in issues of Used Car Buyer. Possibly from 2002 and 2009 so pricing will be different.
http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/24252452
Great value for money cars and 10 years on from when I had my C5 I would still consider another even though I have a C6 now.
I like the C5 shape and think they have aged well.
Edited by mark387mw on Tuesday 9th August 13:08
It would have to be a six speed manual for me, preferably Z51 pack too.
Well that is the choice I made, and still sticking with it after 12 years and around 160,000 miles. I'd explain to your wife that you can buy the Vette, use it like a Porsche and take her for a posh dinner once a month with the savings in maintenance. And there probably isn't much difference in fuel costs either with mid 20s easily achievable if you don't drive everywhere like your hair is on fire (which is quite hard and very licence threatening as they are fairly quick). If you were to choose the Z06 as suggested above, you lose the hatchback and targa roof.
Don't worry about the leaf spring (singular, only one, transverse rear). At quick road speeds, you will hardly notice as the handling is perfectly adequate. As you get used to C5 handling, you will find it a non issue going quicker and leaning on the tyres a bit more. The driver aids are a bigger issue when pressing on at track speeds (obviously not on a public road officer) as they tend to kick in quite intrusively just after you have sorted it all out, unbalancing the car again for you.
LHD is not a problem, except sometimes when looking for an overtake. I just move out slightly watching my passenger intently. If all the colour drains out of their face, there is obviously something coming
But really, they are a hoot. Not a car for the attention-shy though, even the shortest journey tends to attract a lot of attention as they are not Porsche common.
Well that is the choice I made, and still sticking with it after 12 years and around 160,000 miles. I'd explain to your wife that you can buy the Vette, use it like a Porsche and take her for a posh dinner once a month with the savings in maintenance. And there probably isn't much difference in fuel costs either with mid 20s easily achievable if you don't drive everywhere like your hair is on fire (which is quite hard and very licence threatening as they are fairly quick). If you were to choose the Z06 as suggested above, you lose the hatchback and targa roof.
Don't worry about the leaf spring (singular, only one, transverse rear). At quick road speeds, you will hardly notice as the handling is perfectly adequate. As you get used to C5 handling, you will find it a non issue going quicker and leaning on the tyres a bit more. The driver aids are a bigger issue when pressing on at track speeds (obviously not on a public road officer) as they tend to kick in quite intrusively just after you have sorted it all out, unbalancing the car again for you.
LHD is not a problem, except sometimes when looking for an overtake. I just move out slightly watching my passenger intently. If all the colour drains out of their face, there is obviously something coming
But really, they are a hoot. Not a car for the attention-shy though, even the shortest journey tends to attract a lot of attention as they are not Porsche common.
Edited by SeeFive on Tuesday 9th August 17:52
Soop Dogg said:
SeeFive said:
Don't worry about the leaf spring (singular, only one, transverse rear).
Definitely 2 - both transverse, one front and one rear.The comparison with leaf springs (2 per axle) of a horse and cart variety is quite funny.
If you really don't like the idea then splash out on some race proven coilovers which removes all that crap anyway.
Go and drive one, you'll buy it for sure.
Soop Dogg said:
Definitely 2 - both transverse, one front and one rear.
I stand corrected. Absolutely right, you know I have never noticed it, even when under the car diagnosing a front hub sensor fault and swapping the loom across sides and finally removing the faulty hub to extract the sensor. Must get a new lead light
Wow some great words of encouragement from everyone... and a very insightful technical description of the suspension set-up. One big advantage of that set-up is being able to have such a low-down streamlined car.
For me the targa is a big attraction (thanks to my brother driving me round in his Fiat X1/9 when I was younger). Also, an auto is necessary due to a long-term injury. Therefore a stock C5 will suit me. I would then fit a Borla exhaust as the first enhancement.
The one linked below is my new favourite. However, the MOT History (DVLA Checker) doesn't fill me with confidence.
For me the targa is a big attraction (thanks to my brother driving me round in his Fiat X1/9 when I was younger). Also, an auto is necessary due to a long-term injury. Therefore a stock C5 will suit me. I would then fit a Borla exhaust as the first enhancement.
The one linked below is my new favourite. However, the MOT History (DVLA Checker) doesn't fill me with confidence.
Stu-nph26 said:
I didn't realise you could get something like this for 15k, I can't think of anything I'd rather spend 15k on. http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/c...
Soop Dogg said:
I actually really rate the composite transverse 'leaf' spring.
All the weight is really low down and it means you don't need turrets that take up lots of room in your engine bay and boot.
Coil springs aren't exactly a new idea anyway!
Exactly this! It's only that kin fool Clarkson continually drawing comparisons with a horse cart or a lorry! They are worlds apart technically. All the weight is really low down and it means you don't need turrets that take up lots of room in your engine bay and boot.
Coil springs aren't exactly a new idea anyway!
The spring and the pushrod V8 (also antique apparently! (see LT4 etc)) mean the front end of my C6 is so ridiculously low and streamlined that most people just simply cannot believe there is a 6.0 V8 in there! Seriously, many of my none petrol head friends who assume i'm a millionaire for driving a circa £18k Vette think it must be rear/mid engined.
Then there is the 32 mpg on a run........
Every time I do a trackday I get comments akin to "I can't believe how planted it is" or "I thought you'd spend more time going backwards."
There is nothing close for the money, simple as that. Lot's of things are a tad more accomplished in certain areas but nothing imho offers the complete package (LHD apart) of the Vette.
I bought mine last year and haven't stppoed enjoying it. The LS engines are almost bullet proof, mine has almost 100k on it and no issues to date, there are many examples in the States with 300k+ and even one with 700k on the original engine. There are many aftermarket parts available if you want to go down the modding route and service parts are easy to come by. For the price you'd be hard pressed to beat it on so many levels and the soundtrack is superb.
This was she looked the day I brought her home:
And how she looks now:
This was she looked the day I brought her home:
And how she looks now:
ColinGr said:
I bought mine last year and haven't stppoed enjoying it. The LS engines are almost bullet proof, mine has almost 100k on it and no issues to date, there are many examples in the States with 300k+ and even one with 700k on the original engine. There are many aftermarket parts available if you want to go down the modding route and service parts are easy to come by. For the price you'd be hard pressed to beat it on so many levels and the soundtrack is superb.
This was she looked the day I brought her home:
And how she looks now:
Wow I want, the mods look great This was she looked the day I brought her home:
And how she looks now:
They are great cars. the suspension is more expensive to produce than coils and saves lots of space so Americans can get golf clubs in the boot.
The LS1 engine is a classic and very easy to maintain and very reliable.
All alloy with 8 coils - a child could maintain one.
Just watch the ECU which is, IIRC somewhere under the battery and can suffer corrosion issues. Check the car hasn't been jacked inappropriately on the floors too.
The LS1 engine is a classic and very easy to maintain and very reliable.
All alloy with 8 coils - a child could maintain one.
Just watch the ECU which is, IIRC somewhere under the battery and can suffer corrosion issues. Check the car hasn't been jacked inappropriately on the floors too.
I've had two. Both z06 versions. Absolutely cracking cars. Does not have the suspension finesse of a modern European sports car but more than makes up for it through shear performance and grin factor.
Really good on track as well, for the money nothing to touch the overall performance. Reliable and durable.
Really good on track as well, for the money nothing to touch the overall performance. Reliable and durable.
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