Oppo thoughts on the C5 Corvette?

"SmugAardvark" (SmugAardvark) 01/03/2018 at 05:14 • Filed to: Chevrolet Corvette, C5

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Good idea...or Great idea?

The time has finally come for me to get a new weekend/autocross/track day car. I was in high school when the C5 first came out in 1997, and I was instantly in love with it. Of course, the car was nowhere near my financial means at the time. But with time and depreciation, they are now firmly within my grasp. A decent low-mileage example can be found in my area for about $16,000-$17,000, with Z06 examples going from about there to $20,000. I’d go so far as to say that it’s one of the relatively few “dream cars” I’ve had that is easily attainable at this point in my life.

I’m putting together a list of pros and cons, trying to figure out if this is a wise choice.

Pros:

Proper FR layout.

Great performance for the price.

Very good reliability for a higher-end sports car.

Civil enough road manners to be driven daily should the need arise.

Relatively good fuel mileage if I can go easy on the gas pedal.

LS motors can be built to epic proportions, and with relative affordability.

Cons:

Not very practical if I do decide to use it more regularly.

Tires are going to get expensive.

Insurance costs will go up significantly.

Fiberglass body panels often mean replacement rather than repair.

Interior quality on par with the Chevy Cavalier I actually had in high school.

Probably going to be a ticket magnet.

So, with that said, I ask my trusted peers here on OppositeLock if this is indeed something I should move forward with. I’d probably be on the lookout for a Z06, but I can’t imagine that I’d pass on a base model for the right price.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 05:56

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C5 Corvette? Yeah, great car. More practical than you think, insurance doesn’t cost much more than a Miata, and most newer cars have panels that are meant to be replaced instead of repaired anyway. Go for it.

Nauraushaun > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 06:36

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In Australia these are rare cars which makes them expensive to maintain. We have none of the ‘Vette stigma, in fact I reckon people think Chevrolet is cool as can be over here since they’ve only heard of the ‘Vette and Camaro. They’re cool, anyone who has one is cool, and it’s great to see them on the road.

Does that help

6Cylinder > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 06:38

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C5 is probably the most affordable track toy right now. Great car.

vondon302 > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 06:54

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I say go for it. You might find this interesting.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/2004-37-corvette-z06/

PartyPooper2012 > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 06:59

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I own a 99. Tires are not super expensive. I bought 2 just a week or two ago for 149 ea. Sure it’s more than 75 ea for regular car’s size, but I was bracing myself for 500 a tire and it turned out to be better than that.

Insurance might not be as high as you think since car is close to 20 years old. Depends on what year you get tho.

Interior quality just downright sucks. I dont know much about cavalier, but interior sucks. Plastic vomit made of brittle crap. Drives me nuts. I see cars from 60s and 70s in better shape than this

You don’t get tickets for having a vette. You get tickets for driving vette in a spirited way

random001 > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 07:11

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I daily drove a C5 Z06 for almost 9 years. AMA.

E90M3 > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 07:11

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Insurance costs will go up significantly.

I got my 2011 M3 in 2014 in the ripe old age of 24. At this time, I held onto my 1997 Explorer. The cost to fully insure that for 6 months was $450. Now of course the M3 is more, by only $150. I was pretty presently surprised that the M3 was only $600/6 months to insure. Insurance might be cheaper than you think.

SmugAardvark > E90M3 01/03/2018 at 07:18

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Yeah, I guess it wouldn’t be too much more than some of my previous fun cars (S2000, MR2, Mustang), especially since I’m in my mid 30's now.

SmugAardvark > PartyPooper2012 01/03/2018 at 07:25

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I own a 99. Tires are not super expensive. I bought 2 just a week or two ago for 149 ea. Sure it’s more than 75 ea for regular car’s size, but I was bracing myself for 500 a tire and it turned out to be better than that.

I’m assuming you aren’t riding on run-flats? Do you carry a spare, or a plug and fill kit?

Insurance might not be as high as you think since car is close to 20 years old. Depends on what year you get tho.

I guess that makes sense. My ‘65 Mustang, despite being a fun little car, was dirt cheap to insure.

Interior quality just downright sucks. I dont know much about cavalier, but interior sucks. Plastic vomit made of brittle crap. Drives me nuts. I see cars from 60s and 70s in better shape than this

Thankfully, I’ve already ridden in a couple of C5 Vettes, so my expectations going in are very low when it comes to interior quality.

You don’t get tickets for having a vette. You get tickets for driving vette in a spirited way

Definitely. My current daily is a Nissan Cube, which doesn’t look sporty (and most certainly is not at all fun to drive). So I think it flies under the radar, so to speak. With triple the power and a proper sports chassis, I’ll have to actively remind myself to keep things reined in.

SmugAardvark > vondon302 01/03/2018 at 07:26

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I had no idea GRM got a project C5, thanks!

SmugAardvark > Nauraushaun 01/03/2018 at 07:28

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It certainly does. Over here in the U.S., I think there can be somewhat of a stigma that old guys trying to pick up trophy wives drive Corvettes, or that men buy them to compensate for other deficiencies.

As for me, none of that really is of any concern. They’re great looking cars, fun to drive, and I’d be thrilled to have one.

SmugAardvark > random001 01/03/2018 at 07:39

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Hoo boy, alright, I’m sure a ton is going to come to mind, so I’ll jump right into it.

1. How did the T56 hold up? Any issues with premature clutch wear?

2. How common do you think it is that the steering wheel lockout issue has been properly dealt with? I’m hoping that I can call my local Chevrolet dealer to find out if a car I’m looking at has had the issue taken care of.

3. What kind of fuel mileage did you get? I’ve heard that mid 20's is reasonably easy to attain, with 27-28 MPG being possible with a light foot and cruise control.

4. How tall are you? I’ve ridden in a few over the years, but I’ve never spent an appreciable amount of time in one. I’m about 6'3" and 200#, and my hope is that it won’t be an ordeal to find a good seating position. For reference, I did alright with my Honda S2000.

5. Are you by chance in California? I’m curious as to what mods I can get away with before I have issues with getting the car smogged.

6. Are there any easy ways to tell if the car I’m looking at suffers from excessive oil consumption? I’ve been told it is an occasional issue in the earlier model year cars.

I’m sure I’ll think of more, but this is what I’ve got off the top of my head. Thank you!

random001 > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 08:20

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1. The T56 is one of the most bulletproof transmissions ever invented. I had 170k miles on my Z before I sold it. If you want to read a long rambling rant on my history with the Z, go here.

The only clutch failure I had was my father. He burned one out for me when I let him borrow the car for a weekend. My replacement had the wrong size hardware, so the clutch plate backed out, but replacing the bolts and it was fine for another 30k miles until I sold it.

2. Pretty sure that issue was solved on the Z06, but my 2002 had no issues like that. Either way, GM has a fix. If you have a vin, you can usually ask for a specific service and they’ll tell you.

3. Jeebus. Highway on Michelin PSS’? 31-35 mpg cruising at 72. Engine load is something ridiculous, like 5% on a flat road. Around town, though, expect much lower. When I was living in Atlanta, with an equal highway to town, I’d average 18 mpg. In town stoplight traffic, under 10.

4. I’m a tick over 6'4", 180 lbs. I did, however, swap the seats for a C6 Z06 seat because the foam had collapsed in my driver’s seat. I could have just replaced the foam.

5. Nope, not in california. But honestly, with that car, mods are the least of your concerns. You can add power, but a good tune is nice. Tires are the biggest thing you want to change. The exhaust is sublime as is, the Z06 had that titanium muffler, and they sound so good. A high performance clutch is nice, but none of these cause smog issues. That may be the car I modified the least out of anything I’ve ever owned, and I’m on vehicle 40 at this point.

6. Well, the oil issue was solved in the 99 or 00 models. If you look for a Z06, look for the 405 HP model, 2002+, and none of the issues you’re concerned about are there. Or just keep to a 2000 or later car, and you’ll be golden.

Anytime! I so miss that car...

SmugAardvark > random001 01/03/2018 at 08:24

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Great info, I truly appreciate it. Now I just have to find the right one for me..

random001 > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 08:43

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If you find my old car, let me know. I’d like to have that back....

SmugAardvark > random001 01/03/2018 at 08:47

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Haha, will do. I’ll be checking out a red ‘01 Z06 this weekend, but I’ll keep my eyes peeled for a black one.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 09:07

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Is good. Especially if you don’t get a ZO6. Then it’s a hatchback! The tires are indeed gonna get yeah, but not super bad. I was looking at getting snows for a C5 and a set of wheeels, you know just in case. And it was only about 1200 bucks for wheels and tires.

I don’t think it would really be a ticket magnet either Corvettes are more associated with retired Vets than young punks.

PartyPooper2012 > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 10:04

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I was indeed running on runflats. Bumpy as fuck, but I figured since there is no spare, no need to rock the boat. THEN.... I hit a pothole size of wyoming. Bent the rim. Run flat tire got fucked. Drove home on flat wheel... about 45 miles... yeah. Wasn’t fun, but it was middle of the night. Now I bought two new wheels so I can replace the bent wheel and have one on standby. That was a debacle. Now I have two sorta like brushed aluminum/nickel .... idk... and two new chrome. Looks stupid, but couldn’t find the right color/ thought I had dirty chrome wheels. Anyway... Thats my problem.

BeaterGT > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 10:20

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I just picked up a high-mileage Z06 for <15k to track for the foreseeable future, here are some of my takeaways.

Corvettes are one of the best cars to insure due to so many old guys not driving them (thanks older gents!). Insurance is cheaper on the 2002 Corvette Z06 than my 2005 Legacy GT for example.

Z06s can leak water due to poor bonding materials used in construction. It’s just a lid placed on a Convertible C5 if you didn’t know. So if you can do a water test when checking them out, I’d advise it unless you have a garage.

Apparently 2001 models are more prone to the oil consumption problems and even my slightly tired 2002 LS6 eats some oil.

Tires are a little more expensive, but don’t go for OEM sizes and you’ll be fine.

Seats are TERRIBLE. If you plan to track it or drive quick at all, look at alternative seat options. Interior quality lacks in general, but let’s be real, you’re not buying this car for its interior.

You might be able to squeeze upper 20s out of it for gas mileage (I’ve only managed 27) but again, not too much of a concern. Same with things like interior noise...in a Z06 you’ll hear quite a bit of sounds due to lack of sound deadening and the powertrain practically next to you.

Having said all that, it is extremely hard to find the same level of performance at this price point. On your test drives, look out for any leaks (obviously, but water too!), check out the condition of the front bumper scrapers to see what kind of hits the front has taken, and if its a pre-04 Z06 you will want to see if the valve springs have been replaced.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions as I was just recently in the market.

It’s good for the straight stuff too!

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 10:38

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You might be surprised on the insurance cost, at least if you are over 25. My C4 was the cheapest to insure car I’ve ever owned, and when I was considering a 996 or a C5/C6, I got similar quotes. I can insure a C5Zo6 for less than my new F-150. It turns out that cars primarily driven by 60 year old guys tend to have more minimal claims exposure for insurance companies than cars that tend to be driven by 20 year olds. I think the most expensive car insurance quote I ever got was for a civic SI. It turns out 20-year olds crash V6 mustangs and Honda Civics all the time, and the insurance premiums reflect that.

Takuro Spirit > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 11:47

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Only if Z06 and in this color pls.

bob and john > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 14:27

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insurance wont be as bad as youd think, as its mainly old guys who drive it and dont really abuse or have a lot of claims on them.

MichaelGauby > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 14:29

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Go for it. I stumbled across these as a bargain track car not too long ago and want one as well.

Nauraushaun > SmugAardvark 01/03/2018 at 20:47

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I have heard these things. Left me very confused for a while. In Australia they’re just cool

SmugAardvark > BeaterGT 01/04/2018 at 02:15

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That helps a bunch, thank you!

You’re right, I wouldn’t be buying the car for the interior. I’m glad to know what to expect going in though. And the noise isn’t of concern to me. Again, it’s a sports car, it should be fairly loud, at least in my opinion.

SmugAardvark > PartyPooper2012 01/04/2018 at 02:16

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Ouch, that’s a bummer. Thanks for the knowledge about tires. Good stuff to know.

BeaterGT > SmugAardvark 01/04/2018 at 08:26

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You’re welcome, good luck in your search.

RT > SmugAardvark 01/04/2018 at 13:18

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Little red (C5) Corvette.

This car is much too fast.

But it needs an interior that’s gonna last.

And the ride. The ride is so harsh.

It must be a jackhammer on wheels.