Specifically - looking to be red pilled on the C5 vette.
I'm not really brand biased and I've really been wanting to get into a manual v8 rwd car I could enjoy daily driving, doing some light mods, and having fun with at the drag strip, auto cross, and maybe road course events.
Looking in the 10k range I was mostly looking at 4th generation fbodies and 99-09 Mustang GT's and also 96-01 Cobras. I didn't realize C5 vettes had got as cheap as they are. I was thinking they were all still 17-20k since whenever I see them pop up on FB that's what they are even with higher miles.
I've realized from spending last week or so searching them on craigslist they're much lower then that.
I'm currently talking with a guy a couple hours away about a 99 base model 6 speed car with 142k. He's original owner. He was asking 10k but we're all the way down to 8500 as he has had it for sale for a month. Said no lower than 8500. Said nothing wrong with it mechanically. Rebuilt trans and new ls7 clutch both at 130k. Said almsot whole AC system including compressor was done around 120k. Lot of steering components/front end bushings at same time too. Has a borla catback exhaust and a vararam cold air intake. Interior is nice too just has a slow passenger window. Exterior good minus some touch up painted chips on front bumper and headlight covers.
From the pure sound of it does it sound like a solid deal? There are some other c5's around the 9-12k range with 90-120k miles a few have more mods. Guy said he has all the receipts for his though and has sent me a ton of good pictures and it looks really nice for a 140k car.
Just trying to decide if saving the 2k on buying this one would be justified. And overall does Veeky Forums consider c5's a good value car? My only worry is that when I get ready to sell it probably in 3-5 years due to c7's the value will tank so hard for a high mileage one I'll be lucky to get half of my 8500 back.
If he says he did all of that work, and wants only 8500 for it, i mean that seems pretty good. It's just 8500 bucks if shit goes bad so its no big deal since its not alot of money.
Kevin Martin
yeah main reason I'm into it. $8500 isn't like a big number that would ruin me if something did happen like it blew a motor or something.
12-14k for a better modded c5 that blew up would hurt me a lot more
Ayden Robinson
you're better off just driving it till it dies. you're not going to outgrow it either unless you're a pro driver. I'm looking at them too and the z06 is a killer deal but probably too much car for me
Isaiah Hughes
Sounds like a good deal op. I paid a fair bit more then that for mine which is a lower mile one with more mods (A&A supercharger, bolt ons, etc) but I almost wish I would of gone the route you're looking at as I also found some nice cars for the 8-10k range with 90-140k.
Mine is a 6 owner car and the guy I bought it from wasn't who did the mods and enjoyed the car as a cruiser and wasn't so much of a mechanic. He struggled to really give me specific details. Exterior and interior was kept clean but it looks like he didn't touch anything in the engine bay and left a few things go that would've been so easy to take care of early on.
I love the car don't get me wrong but with cars like these, an original owner selling their car they've truly driven but maintained like it sounds like your guy has - makes that car a lot more attractive.
It's hard to come up with a better value than a used vette. Sounds like the guy took care of it, I'd probably do it
Logan Fisher
^Mine The few times I have driven my C5 its been a nice driving car, Since I inherited it from my old man it only has under 30K miles on it, so not so sure about how they do with more miles. But I haven't had any issues with it. For the offer it seems like a great deal, the C5s are great driving cars.
>142k It's hard to beat the value of any gen Vette. However, that's still a lot of miles.
Their lifespans are usually only as long as any other car (175k-200k)
Jack Richardson
Did anyone ever try the C5 Z06? I'm really looking into it but idk if the differences are worth it over a regular C5.
Benjamin Sanchez
I own one. The differences are worth it, and it just looks better hands down.
Jordan Phillips
>The differences are worth it, and it just looks better hands down. while looks are subjective (I prefer the looks of the regular C5), the Z06 is tighter and lighter.
Camden Barnes
>The differences are worth it, and it just l I thought this way before too, but eventually I came around.
Oops, meant to quote >*I prefer the looks of the regular C5
Ian Cox
There is a big difference.
I have a slightly modified C5 Z06. I've driven cars with 200 more hp, and they simply don't compare. Granted, these were AMG's, not the most exciting high hp cars, but the corvette is just too good.
Ryan Jones
Ive got a 2007 z06 and my uncle has a 2002 c5 targa. Thats the one thing I envy about his is ripping off the top. I like his car. There are a million electronic gremlins in that car though so pay attention to all warning lights and whatnot.
Liam Jenkins
Dont buy a sports car thats not a ferrari to get money back. Buy it for smiles.
I have a '99 as well, so I'll let you know what my thoughts and experiences have been. I bought mine at 80k miles for $14k
>has the harmonic balance (largest belt pulley) been replaced? If not, does it wobble/squeak when the engine is running? This is notorious for failing due to the rubber part that seats against the crankshaft. If it fails catastrophically you can throw a rod and ruin the engine. A replacement OEM balancer or an ATI superdamper are not that expensive, but replacing it is a labor intensive process that requires removing the steering rack >rebuilt transmission What exactly did he rebuild on the transmission? Ask if he also changed out the rear main oil seal when the transmission was out as it can go bad and ruin the clutch >LS7 clutch definitely a bonus. Ask if he put a remote clutch bleed line on it. The C5 has a bad design on the slave cylinder rod where clutch dust gets onto it and into the fluid and must be changed often. It will be very tedious to access the slave cylinder bleeder because you have to get under the car and remove a bunch of shit to get to it Read this to get more info: superchevy.com/how-to/engines-drivetrain/1410-c5-and-c6-clutch-pedal-not-returning-technically-speaking/ >Interior when you check it out in person look closely at the condition of the seats and the plastic on the dash. These are not made of great material and tend to get worn or break Also check if the seat slides back and forth a small amount while driving, which is common when the seat rail bushings are worn. You get used to it but it's can be annoying >borla catback is it an S-type? I have one and it sounds great, but drones horribly in 6th gear (overdrive) >Vararam intake Supposed to be one of the best flowing intakes, but won't make much power gain without upgrading the intake manifold
Alexander Richardson
part 2 >steering and control arm bushing replaced good thing, these squeak like hell when they go bad and it's cold weather >Window seals and targa top weather stripping These will likely have gone bad by now and can lead to leaking in rain or windows bowing open slightly at highway speeds >Check the engine compression if you can or pay a shop to do it It's important to know if the piston rings are in good condition. This goes for any vehicle with that many miles
140k is not too bad over all, but you should keep in mind that if you want to make it to 200k for sure you should be able to set aside a couple thousand for maintenance just in case. If you plan on only keeping the car for a little while before selling, it's probably better to stay away from the C5
It's a great car that I'm very happy with, but has a lot of GM tier issues that are easily overlooked by first time buyers >pic related
