Thinking about buying a C5 which I will keep and will be a future NCRS car.

[Rob M.]

Re: Thinking about buying a C5 which I will keep and will be a future NCRS car.

Common problem on the C5's I noticed:

- Plastic gears of the headlights wear out (can be replaced with messing equivalents)
- site windows motor freezes (especially on the less used passenger window)

regards,
Rob.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Thinking about buying a C5 which I will keep and will be a future NCRS car.

Common problem on the C5's I noticed:

- Plastic gears of the headlights wear out (can be replaced with messing equivalents)
- site windows motor freezes (especially on the less used passenger window)

regards,
Rob.

to prevent excess wear on the headlight gears do NOT raise or lower them at road speed because they are like big air brakes and raising or lowering them against the air pressue of the moving car will wear them out.

[Michael M.]

Re: Thinking about buying a C5 which I will keep and will be a future NCRS car.

The neat thing about this passion we all have is the variety available by generation. Each generation has its trials and tribulations, but thats what is unique. My goal is to own one of each. I purchased a 98 conv last summer 1-owner, garage kept car with 14.6K miles, with every available option for $19.5K. if your looking for future value, I would recommend a z06, with as low of miles as you can find. if I remember correctly there was a HP change early on in the c-5 zo6s. They are out there with several hundred miles or just a few thousand, great value righht now.

GOOD LUCK
Save the wave!

[Tom H.]

Re: Thinking about buying a C5 which I will keep and will be a future NCRS car.

if I remember correctly there was a HP change early on in the c-5 zo6s. GOOD LUCK
Save the wave!

You are right Michael. 01 Z06's are 385HP. 02-04's are 400.

Standard 97-00 Corvettes 345 HP. 01-04's 350 HP.

[Gary J.]

Re: Thinking about buying a C5 which I will keep and will be a future NCRS car.

If you want to shift gears then condsider the 2001 Z06 in Speedway White, there were only a little over 300 made that year.

A Z06 was not offered in white again until 2007 with the Ron Fellows Special Edition Package.

Now in 2010 you can order a white Z06 along with the ZR1 coming in white also in 2010.

I know, according to my wife, white is not a color.

I know it is not a C5 but the Sunset Orange in a Z06 there were a little over 300 of those made.

[Valeria H.]

Re: Thinking about buying a C5 which I will keep and will be a future NCRS car.

Clem,
Surely the lights have auto shut off. On my Toyota Camry Road Worrior that I have 170,000 miles on and still running strong with any major problems I keep the lights on. They shut off after a few minutes but will be on automatically when I start the car. I like this feature as it insures that my lights are alway on regardless of the driving conditions. I would hope this would eliminate the problem?
What are your thoughts?
Valeria

[Clem Z.]

Re: Thinking about buying a C5 which I will keep and will be a future NCRS car.

Clem,
Surely the lights have auto shut off. On my Toyota Camry Road Worrior that I have 170,000 miles on and still running strong with any major problems I keep the lights on. They shut off after a few minutes but will be on automatically when I start the car. I like this feature as it insures that my lights are alway on regardless of the driving conditions. I would hope this would eliminate the problem?
What are your thoughts?
Valeria

some C-5 had automatic headlights but not all. a lot of owners did not like that because everytime you started the car the headlights opened in your dark garage and when you back out side in the daylight they would close putting more wear and tear on the gears. all C-5s had front orange corner running lights that are on any time you start the engine. my personal opinion that C-5s with the headlights open spoiled the looks of the car so i was glad they were only open in the dark.

[Michael W.]

Re: Thinking about buying a C5 which I will keep and will be a future NCRS car.

Check the C5 section of the CorvetteForum. There have been many documented problems with C5's. The majority were fixed by the 2002 model year. The 01's had an oil usage problem due to a new design piston ring that was proven to be the problem. Then there was the column lock problem, and on and on. I bought an 01 brand new and had nothing but problems with it. Also, before you buy one with the Z51 option, drive one. With the run-flat tires, they ride like a truck with 100 PSI in the tires. The first time I took it on the freeway, I thought pieces of the car would fall off it rode so rough.

Jim - I agree!! I bought the Z51 + 6-speed and she came with run flats! Oofff on European roads she corners great but the ride was hard! Meanwhile I replaced the Run Flats for normal sports tires and have repair kit in the boot.

Mike