Thread 28623221

I am proposing the C5 corvette test. This also somewhat applies to the 4th gen WS6 trans am and Camaro SS.

>When deciding whether to buy a sports car or not, ask yourself one simple question: Am I getting as much value out of this car for a 15k C5 chevy corvette?

The car features:
>Heads up display
>Pop ups
>6 Speed manual transmission
>Very reliable 350cu aluminum block V8
>Dual zone climate control
>Targa top
>4 Golf bag sized hatchback
>Advanced traction control
>In car DIC/OBD2 sensor
>Limited slip differential
>Independent double wishbone suspension
>Driver oriented/cockpit style interior
>Rear mounted tans/Transaxle and front-mid engine design
>True, Perfect 50/50 weight distribution
>345Hp, 350tq, 30mph highway
>Looks like an F16 Falcon on the outside
>Feels like an F15 Eagle on the inside

If the answer to the question is no, you buy a C5 corvette for 15 grand. The answer is almost always no. So far the only car to beat the price to performance is a miata, and thats only because there are 3 million of them for 5k a pop.

In all honestly I dont think we really deserve this great a car for so cheap. I hope the prices go up. Its an RX7 that you can actually drive. Its a camaro that handles well. It has everything good about the 90s and everything good about the 2000s. I really hope these cars dont get ratted out with the incoming recession.

ITT: cope.

>leaf springs
that's why they're 15k

>>28623221 (OP)
>Heads up display
It's "Head-Up Display". It refers to the operator's posture, meaning the eyes do not have to be averted from the windshield/canopy while viewing information projected onto the canopy.

Hideous millennial design car

>>28623223
Its truly impressive for how similar it looks like RX-7, hailed for being one of the most beautiful cars of all time, but somehow looks outdated and slightly bloated.

>>28623223
>>28623312
Cope.
>>28623236
Still handles fantastic but lets be honest, if you really care youll put coilovers in regardless of the car.

>boomermachine
how bout no gramps

>>28623221 (OP)
The only legitimately cool aspects of the car that you brought up were:
>Reliable 345hp/350tq engine
>Acceptable traction control (if you want it)
>OBD2 sensor
>LSD
>Double wishbones
It's a great car for the price, don't get me wrong, but a 370Z has it beat in every way including price, performance, convenience, and looks

>>28623354
> the niggan 370 credit score nism black

>>28623338
Ugly as fuck compared to the C4

>>28623354
I havent driven the 370 but i have driven the 350 quite a bit, and from what I can tell i disagree. To explain a couple features:

>Heads up display
I genuinely, wholeheartedly believe every sports car needs one of these. Its one of the most useful parts of the car. Should honestly replace screen tachs altogether.
>6 Speed manual transmission
Part of the magic of the car is its long gearing and over drive gears. Pick a gear. You have 6 of them. Mash. Lightspeed. Its great.
>Targa top
All the upsides of the convertible with way less downsides. Wish more cars still did these. Sun roofs arent quite enough but they are cool.

I could go on about how car interiors arent driver oriented enough anymore and on and on. I went ahead and looked in my area and I literally cant find a single manual 370z. Theyre all autos, and they range from 9-15k in my area depending on the condition. If we assume based on that, that a decent manual 370z is 15k, the C5 still kinda has it beat. The japanese car tax sadly still exists.

I will admit, the 370z probably handles better if it doesnt have some retarded 3 piece wheel and rubber bands. Still doesnt beat the entire package of a C5. Next!

>>28623221 (OP)
the c5 is over 25 years old and no longer a solid reliable buy
c6 is now the new c5

>>28623373
>HUD
Nah, they're just personal preference. If you really want one then you can get an OBD2 HUD with much more customization options for $20
>6 speed manual
Do you live in the middle of nowhere? There are over 40 manual 370Zs in a 50-mile radius of me
>Targa top
I don't like convertibles, especially when they come with worse performance at the limit. At least the C5 was designed as a convertible first so you only lose out on Cd as opposed to weight or rigidity.

>>28623221 (OP)
>>When deciding whether to buy a sports car or not, ask yourself one simple question: Am I getting as much value out of this car for a 15k C5 chevy corvette?
I care about other factors more than objective performance.
I bought a c5 and sold it after less than a year to get something else instead. There's nothing wrong with corvettes, but they just don't excite me at all.

So I propose instead: buy the car you want instead of just looking at a spec sheet and picking the best in your budget.

>>28623408
why are you calling a targa top a convertible?

>>28623320
The biggest problem with the c5's looks are just how fucking massive every panel on the car is. The ass is just a big blank rectangle. The doors are like 4 feet long. I don't think it looks dated at all though.
>>28623338
FRC has such awful flow, don't know why people like these

>>28623415
For the simple reason that people waste money on their own delusions of grandeur. People think they need X or Y car to do something, when there are more simple answers. People ignore the C5 corvette because they dont actually know what it is.

>Buy the car you want instead of just looking at a spec sheet and picking the best in your budget.

For many years people have recommended different cars based on what you want to do and the price to performance ratio. It used to be the 240sx, then the MR2, then the 350z then whatever. Those cars fell in popularity at one point, the prices lowered, and then when people realized what they were and "japanese car good", they rose back up with clout.

One exception has been the corvette. The C4 was always ignored, and so is the C5 previously and now. The C6 is a more complicated story because of drag racing, but people ignore the corvette because of the reputation of their owners, which is built out of a frustration and disdain for those owners, the boomers. That is to say, their boomer parents. Its the same reason millenials and gen z also dont care about old muscle cars, or more specifically, overpriced muscle cars. The difference is the C5, and honestly even the C4, are a great deal.

>>28623433
>The biggest problem with the c5's looks are just how fucking massive every panel on the car is. The ass is just a big blank rectangle. The doors are like 4 feet long. I don't think it looks dated at all though.

Part of that was due to the type of fiberglass they used, and construction costs. The rear is admittedly eh, but the notch design of the C4 doesnt quite fit right either. The 350/370 in comparison is worse though, its a big round bulb.
My point is that the car culture at large holds a grudge against a great car because of no fault of its own. That, or there are no option DVDs to create hype around the car. Probably both.

>>28623236
Dumbass wrenchlet thinks the shape of the spring matters kek. Same type of ricer to buy up a McDonald's car with a plastic engine kek

>>28623221 (OP)
If it's such a good car then why aren't roads filled with C5 corvettes

>>28623449
>and so is the C5 previously and now
What the hell are you talking about? C5s are massively popular and have been for the past 5-10 years since they've been affordable for poorfags.
Go to any drift event or track day and you'll see a few.
No one cares about c4s because they were slow outside of the only spec worth getting, and at the price of a zr1, you can get a c5 or possibly even c6.

>>28623525
Because most people aren't interested in a 25 year old sports car when they just want a car to go to Safeway, Mr Goldberg's office, and home.
Again, go to any hpde/conefag/trackday/drift day and you'll see c5s. They're objectively the best performance per dollar. OP isn't wrong at all.

>>28623555
I actually like the C5 both as a 90s poster kinda car and also out of all the corvettes, but I disagree that it's the one answer to everything. It's just itemizing specs and numbers on a checklist.

>>28623563
>but I disagree that it's the one answer to everything
It's the best performance per dollar currently. What motorsport outside of offroading is it not the answer to if you can afford it?

>>28623525
Because normies don't care about performance

>>28623582


Back when I was researching a new car to get (so to speak), the G37 IPL, 2010-2014 Impreza WRX, and Cadillac ATS all turned up as options. C5 is definitely up there if you don't mind two seats though.

>>28623236
>transverse composite leaf spring used as a sway bar
You're only pretending to be retarded, right?

Come on dog you know a $5k Miata is fucking ROASTED these days

>>28623221 (OP)
Have you ever owned a C5?
I have

Probably the most underwhelming cars I’ve owned. I listened to this board and a bunch of other reviewers and whatever, found it for $8000 from the original owner, and bought one. 1999 model, T56 car, not a Z06.

Top three worst interior quality, only behind a 1998 Chevrolet Silverado and a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 I have also owned. They’re not fast. They don’t sound good unless you spend the money on a nice exhaust and get rid of the H pipe for an X pipe. Sure they do fine on fuel economy but they’re lightweight. Gearing with a double overdrive is pretty retarded so have fun going to jail if you’re caught at redline in third gear. Overall meh cars and I will never buy another one. Glad I made a few thousand selling it.

>>28623760
Is there any reason why you keep buying pre-2000s cars?

>>28623760
This mimicks my exact thoughts except I paid 11k for mine and sold it for 14k 2 years later
I think they're fine sports cars but nothing special like this board pretends.
>>28623765
Why the fuck would you want to own something made in the 2000s?

>>28623765
There aren’t many vehicles made in the 2000s that I would want.

>>28623221 (OP)
>American
Yeah no thanks.

>>28623770
>>28623760
Define fast
Sub 5 seconds to 60 and a top speed of like 180 is pretty fast, and that's stock

The absolute biggest problem with corvettes (for me) is that they suck ass as a fun street car unless you like to collect speeding tickets as a hobby.
I'm a poorfag and don't have the money to beat on a corvette as a track car, so my c5 was mostly used to cruise and get up to speed limits quickly. It was cool being able to stomp on the gas and do like 120 before I knew it, but I had way more fun being a faggot boy racer in a miata than I did with my corvette.
I also just never felt comfortable driving such a large vehicle

>>28623787
The problem with that line of mentality is that every slow car sucks ass as a fun street car once you experience a legit sports car unless you're doing some meme single-make race with friends.

>>28623811
>fun street car
>single-make race

>>28623221 (OP)
>Pop ups
>V8
I only care about these

>>28623787
>I also just never felt comfortable driving such a large vehicle
I bought a turd gen chicken two years ago. I wouldn't say it's uncomfortable to drive but it's obnoxious to drive in some of the tiny streets of my yuro city. Parking is a different world of pain too, especially parallel parking, I imagine if I had a C5 it wouldn't be any better.

>>28623354
You can get a Z06 and still keep some cash in your pocket for the price of a 370Z which outperforms it in any meaningful metric on the road.

I concede that the interior is probably better in the Z but I don't mind the C5's interior. Looks are subjective (I think the Corvette looks better, Z looks like a dog squatting to take a shit) and you buy neither car for convenience (Of which I'd wager the Corvette is more convenient regardless.)

Picrel, my Z06. I've driven 370Zs before and while they're nice I do prefer my corvette. (Neither are as good as my Turbocharged Miata with Supermiata Suspension though.)

>>28623868
Nice pic

>>28623221 (OP)
>Heads up display
Cool
>>Pop ups
I'm not a soilennial that creams his panties over pop-ups. They only look good on 80s wedges anyway.
>>6 Speed manual transmission
Cool
>>Very reliable 350cu aluminum block V8
Yeah, if you fix the oiling issues
>>Dual zone climate control
Cool I guess if you drive with the missus often?
>>Targa top
Until it starts leaking, like every 90s car with targa/T-top
>>4 Golf bag sized hatchback
Cool
>>Advanced traction control
Cool, inb4 skill issue if you need it
>>In car DIC/OBD2 sensor
Cool
>>Limited slip differential
Cool
>>Independent double wishbone suspension
Cool
>>Driver oriented/cockpit style interior
Too bad it's a rattling and squeaking GM parts bin garbage
>>Rear mounted tans/Transaxle and front-mid engine design
Cool
>>True, Perfect 50/50 weight distribution
Cool
>>345Hp, 350tq, 30mph highway
Cool
>>Looks like an F16 Falcon on the outside
Looks like a melted bar of soap
>>Feels like an F15 Eagle on the inside
Feels like any 90s GM shitbox on the inside

>>28623868
>You can get a Z06 and still keep some cash in your pocket for the price of a 370Z
That's not true at all, 370s aren't 20k+. 370s are about the same price as base c5s.

>>28623780
Rent status: free since 1776 ;)

>>28623966
>thread about an american car
>hurr rent free
Are you clinically retarded?

>>28623354
>V6 muscle car
No thanks

>>28623981
>Come into a thread talking about American cars to make a comment saying you don't want an American car
>Surprised_pikachu.wmvjpgpngtiff

>>28624066
Is that really an accurate description? It's not the chally wally guy we're talking here.

>>28623221 (OP)
>fugly gt car
>gm was still far from out of the woods on having dogshit interiors
>>28623354
It's the reward at the end of the tunnel for finding one that isn't clapped. Even worse than miatas.
>>28623760
I haven't owned a c5 but I cannot believe it is worse than a 3rd gen camaro (or c4 for that matter).

Na I won't buy american shit

>>28624075
>nooo you can't disagree with the op, you have to have a circlejerk echo chamber!!!

>>28623787
Also adding to this a corvette also doesn't really make sense for certain roads. In the town I grew up in there were a ton of fun b roads with tight turns but they still had wide lanes, and sweepers. Where I live now the b roads tend to be very tight with narrow lanes. I don't think I'd ever even hit half throttle and a corvette would be damn near the width of the lane.

>>28623221 (OP)
>bottom feeder
>scrapes on a slightest incline

What's with this sqmefagging retard trying to pretend the c5 is ugly?

>>28624569
The front bumper (especially the front license plate cover) could use a redesign and the stock wheels are mid. The total lack of OEM spoilers, even on the Z06, is also kinda lame.
Aside from that I'd agree that they're nice looking cars. I wish they kept the circular rear end dual tail lights on the newer generations, they look way better even if it doesn't mesh super well with the new aggressive styling

>>28624594
>The total lack of OEM spoilers, even on the Z06, is also kinda lame.
But does it need them

>>28624604
>C5 has ~50/50 weight distribution
>RWD cars handle better with some rear bias, or rear-biased downforce at a minimum
Yes, and aftermarket options look terrible

>>28624594
>The total lack of OEM spoilers, even on the Z06, is also kinda lame.
The entire car is basically shaped like a wing. It's the most aerodynamic corvette ever made.

How would (you) design a wing to look good? The shape of the car doesn't really work that well for any wing I've ever seen on it.

>>28623221 (OP)

For 15 k in America, but in asia or europe its rare and other options exist which are better supported.

For car I want looks, reliability and driving feel more than anything else.

Also I dont need 300 bhp, Id rather have more mpg and space inside for 4-5 people, plus noise isolation.

A Lexus I can get for 15 k or even 10 k + 5 k in mods would be much better fit for me.

Id drive Lexus with aftermarket wheels and suspension + custom exhaust and intake tuning + ECU for under 15 K any day over old american oversized car.

Might even pull of Lexie under 10 k and Miata for 5 as fun car.
One for dates another for solo ride up the mountain.

15K can be put to use in many good ways much better than C5.

You guys arent racers, you just like cars. Life isnt a race.

Pick what you enjoy for irrational reason + some rationality in there.

Life is too short to be rational. If something even makes sense on paper it doesnt mean it will move your heart or loins.

As a guy you probably learned this lesson a few times.

>>28624653
I have not personally ever ejaculated in a Lexus

>>28624617
>posts static weight distribution
My question still stands: does it need them?

>>28624656
I tried and it's really hard (unlike my dick in a Lexus)
In a Chevy it's way easier

>>28624633
I like the little spoiler they use in Spec Corvette

>>28624729
It would objectively and aesthetically be a better car with one, yes.

>>28624749
>objectively
Please provide evidence then. I'm asking you the third time and you still can't answer.

Are you telling me I get a c5 corvette for 15k?
Fucking hell
Yanks live in paradise for cars

>>28625036
>Are you telling me I get a c5 corvette for 15k?
no, you can get one for ~10k if you look long enough.
If you want an automatic, I've seen them as low as 7k for ones in okay condition.

>>28623966
Stop generalizing, dickwad.

>>28624749
Objectively and aesthetically a lot of cars, if not most, look retarded and gay with any kind of wing. C5 isn't an exception.

>>28623525
Normies value entirely different things in a car than we do. They want to forget they're even driving. They don't want to feel the road or hear their engine because it scares them. They would literally just teleport from their house to their destination if they could.

>>28623787
>I also just never felt comfortable driving such a large vehicle
>corvette
>large
anon...

>>28623221 (OP)
E60/E63 M cars also compete, since you can find them for a very similar price.
>but muh maintenance
Its a german supercar with much higher build quality than the C5 or C6. Just set aside $5k for maintenance and budget big items like rod bearings.

>>28626104
>set aside 1/3rd of the purchase price for maintenance
Bro. Also for what it's worth, manual E60/E63 M5/M6 are rare and have a massive premium. You can get a 2007 M5 for $15k sure, but a manual is $30k.

Corvettes are faster than Miata's. Miata's are for poorboys to take first class in E street. its gonna cost you more to run a vette, but its definitly got the cool factor.

>>28626261
>Corvettes are faster than Miata's
No way

>>28626081
It's 2 feet longer than a miata and all in the nose. Not sure what gay comparison you found but a miata is 155 inches to a c5's 180, and a miata's 66 inch width vs corvettes 74

>>28626343
Right, Miatas are tiny. Corvettes are just small.
Maybe they feel big from the inside, but they are not large cars.

>>28626104
The nice thing about a corvette is that you're not going to have to pull the whole fucking motor apart right after you buy it.

>>28626369
Why do you keep using the c6 you disingenuous cunt?

>>28626464
That site doesn't have a C5 for whatever reason. The C6 is 5 inches shorter, 1 inch narrower and has a 1 inch longer wheelbase.

It's really not a big car, anon.

>>28626468
I'm not sure why anon is being so aggressive, but it's a very front biased length. Also if you're coming from a miata which it sounds like, then it's gonna feel huge

Me nodding along with all the good points anons make even though the coolest and fastest car I've driven and owned was a base model >20 year old fwd volkswagen

>>28626486
>it's a very front biased length
V8 stuff
>if you're coming from a miata which it sounds like, then it's gonna feel huge
Absolutely, but it's by no means a large car.

>>28623221 (OP)
>30mph highway
That's pretty bad anon
>>28624136
Shh you're gonna summon the monster truck suspension schizo

>>28626487
My first car was an 03 golf. Had about 100hp new, maayybe 90 by the time I owned it. Shit ripped. I loved that car.

>>28626494
>Shh you're gonna summon the monster truck suspension schizo
Lot of really steep driveway and parking lot entrances in my area, so I'm a bit concerned about those.

>>28626505
C5s scrape on even fairly gentle driveways

>>28626507
Any way to improve that? I don't mind driving something in what's called "safari" style.

>>28626516
Go at as much of an angle as you can. Basically do what stancefags do. You'll still scrape, but it really doesn't matter that much unless you're autistic

>>28626494
Wasn't he banned a while ago? If it's over then he's definitely chilled out

>>28626516
Front lips are basically wear items on sports cars. They're pretty much all just a somewhat thick piece of black plastic specifically because black plastic hides scratches easily and is cheap to replace if the next buyer wants a factory new exterior.
With that in mind, just slow down a bit on bumps and dips and don't worry about it in general

>>28626494
I'm pretty sure that's meant to be mpg
The tall gearing on 'vettes let you get surprisingly good mileage while croozing

>>28626554
The nose still scrapes on a lot of driveways, not just the front lip

>>28626534
Basically what I do with my current scraper, but I have to do that rather seldom, the car isn't a bottom feeder, and it's kind of a shitbox, so I don't really care about the plastic lip. But I don't want to do that anymore.
Guess the C5 isn't so versatile after all. Shame, could've been a good purchase. In this part of Yurop they are rare, and 30+ year old cars registered as classics get tax preferences.
>>28626554
We're talking about the air dam that deflects air from under the bumper to the radiator pack which is a thing specific for Corvettes (also 3-4 gen Camaros/Firebirds). Not the same thing as the lip. I'm also a bit concerned about gravel and debris getting to the radiators (since I frequently drive on unpaved roads).
Besides, not every sports car had a lip. Pic is about the same time period as C5, and you can probably brag in /org/ about its approach angle.

>>28626593
>c5s aren't usable because the front scrapes on driveways
What the fuck retard shit am I reading

>>28626593
>two door sports car isn't versatile
I mean, no shit. Get a hatchback if you want a really versatile small car.

>>28626608
>mfw C5 is a hatchback

>>28626611
It's a liftback, no?

>>28626611
>>28626617
Also, most hatchbacks still have rear seats, even 3-doors.

>>28626617
>>28626624
OP said hatchback, officially it's a fastback coupe, wikipedia says "more like hatchback coupe". Who am I to argue with them?
Besides, I don't want to haul lots of stuff and people, I want to drive roads and go places without a roof above my head. I do that with my current shitbox but I'm a bit tired of scraping, so I wish for an improvement on this part.

>>28626631
>I want to drive roads and go places without a roof above my head
>but I'm a bit tired of scraping, so I wish for an improvement on this part
You're looking for the incomparable 1996 Geo Tracker.

>>28626631
So get a miata

>>28626633
Won't do, the doors aren't frameless and it retains B-pillars and parts of the roof. You still feel like you're in a cage in these cars (there are others like this starting from the Wrangler) while having more trouble removing/storing/installing the removable parts than in a traditional convertible.
To save you the trouble of suggesting them, both T-Roc or Evoque won't be an improvement for me in the engine/gearbox department.

>>28626653
The soft top on a tracker stows pretty cleanly, but I get where you're coming from. The cage thing is probably intentional since they're 4x4s and the narrow wheelbase makes them pretty prone to rolling.

I think you might be pretty hard pressed to find something that fits the bill with the ground clearance you want.

>>28626653
>Won't do, the doors aren't frameless and it retains B-pillars and parts of the roof.
so does the corvette unless you get the faggot barbie version.
Again, just get a miata.

>>28626662
Not him, but I think the frameless doors are the most important factor in getting rid of that cagey feeling.

>>28626078
I'd argue people pursuing cookie cutter and meme choices based on used performance per dollar no less is peak NPC behavior

>>28626752
>I'd argue something really stupid

>>28626664
You might be right since B-pillars are going to be out of even peripheral vision most of the time. Don't have much experience with targas to be 100% sure though.
>>28626660
Thank you for understanding. I'm looking into different convertibles with decent ramp angles, one of them being Jag X100 (before its final facelift) mentioned above. I'm also considering modifications like slight suspension lift and bigger wheels (meaning total diameter), a combo of these two is apparently called a "safari" mod, saw that in several places online. Which reminds me,

Any C5 owners here? Does anyone know how far ride height adjustment bolts can move the car upwards from "neutral" (stock?) position? Usually people use these bolts to lower them, so finding someone who did the opposite is a bit hard.

>>28626766
>Any C5 owners here? Does anyone know how far ride height adjustment bolts can move the car upwards from "neutral" (stock?) position?
no one here is mentally ill enough to raise their c5 to maximum height. seriously, just buy a different car.

>>28626808
I dunno, I personally have a fondness for bubba rigged compact cars. They're like the buggies that should exist but don't. There's just something somehow transgressive yet cool at the same time about making a high performance sporting machine all terrain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d7aRoYvYs0

>>28626844
you're really homosexual and I want you no where near corvettes. get the jag.
you're after a convertible I guess so it doesn't really matter either way.

>>28626539
Not banned, but doxxed

>>28626861
Nah, shrimpdicks like you just can't appreciate the boyish wonder of being able to tear it up anywhere you go with something that can go anywhere you want, and look great while doing it. You've lost the spark of life.

>>28626905
you're just a homo

>>28626913
nou

>>28626227
True, but the SMG cars are fine. Youbcan always swap later. The factory manual was pretty shit too. The maintenance cost thing is just something you'll have to live with if you want a V10 that competes with a C6 Z06 for $10k less.
>>28626371
Yeah. LS motor is god tier, but the interior is so shit for a daily.

>>28623221 (OP)
I want people to notice me and be envious.

>>28626948
>but the interior is so shit for a daily.
I don't get why people pretend this. It's really not that bad. It's better than a lot of econo shitboxes from the same era. It's not good by any means, but it's completely serviceable.

The steering feels very heavy and unresponsive. I don't get this thread at all. They're not really fun cars.

>>28626808
>sees a question about stock suspension adjustment range
>you're mentally ill, go buy a different car!
The most sane miatafag, I guess.

>>28623221 (OP)
>I really hope these cars dont get ratted out with the incoming recession.
Same, this is my favorite generation of vette.

>>28626861
You're talking to another anon, retard, and you took the bait.
>>28626905
But with this I can wholeheartedly agree. Don't think you need to "bubba rig" a car for that though, people even race theirs without that bullshit.

>>28626343
Driving the C5 vette is kind of an anomaly, because it feels wider than it is. Dont get me wrong, its got some width, but because of how it sits so flat and low to the ground, and the wide tire planted feel and all, but by american standards its not that big of a car. It also looks larger than it is as well.

>>28626507
>>28626516
There isnt much you can do to fix this. C5s were designed for McMansion white guys on decently paved roads. The Front air damn is basically intended to be scraped and is easy to replace, so dont sweat it if you scrape a little from time to time.

If you drive regularly on unpaved roads i dont know why youre considering a low sports car in the first place. Buy a subaru, or something. The C5 is a great sports car, but for people who are considering a true sports car or a touring car, not hatchback with higher suspension.

>>28627249
This is partially because a lot of corvettes arent driven a whole lot, and even otherwise probably havent had their bushings changed. New tires, a sway bar, and new bushings (not necessarily poly or delrin) do a ton for the car. Otherwise check the leaf springs. Its a longer sports car, and has a lot of grip, put it through the corners faster.

I would also like to note that if you think the RX7 FD or ford probe is a good looking car, but the C5 is ugly, then youre fucking retarded and coping.

>>28627971
How did the Ford probe get brought into this?

>>28623221 (OP)
>>Heads up display
neat but a gimmick
>>Pop ups
not a good thing
>>6 Speed manual transmission
sure (if looking at old sporty cars)
>>Very reliable 350cu aluminum block V8
sure
>>Dual zone climate control
in a 2 seater? who cares lol
>>Targa top
not a good thing
>>4 Golf bag sized hatchback
sure whatever
>>Advanced traction control
anything newer than 2000 will have traction control, this should be amended to say toggleable, as in you can turn it off
>>In car DIC/OBD2 sensor
whatever, everything has it
>>Limited slip differential
sure
>>Independent double wishbone suspension
whatever
>>Driver oriented/cockpit style interior
doesn't really matter
>>Rear mounted tans/Transaxle and front-mid engine design
lol
>>True, Perfect 50/50 weight distribution
not that big of a deal
>>345Hp, 350tq, 30mpg highway
fine, but power:weight more relevant i think
>>Looks like an F16 Falcon on the outside
>>Feels like an F15 Eagle on the inside
while these are subjective looks, i don't think they're accurate and i think you're retarded for thinking this

>>28627971
>There isnt much you can do to fix this.
You sure? There are tons of suspension and other mods even for less "enthusiast" and less popular sports cars. Corvettes also have a way to adjust height even with factory suspension and I'm still waiting for someone to answer my question about that, since I wasn't able to find anything besides J and K height in project charm.

>The C5 is a great sports car, but for people who are considering a true sports car or a touring car, not hatchback with higher suspension.
I don't need higher, I'm going to be fine with a regular touring convertible with regular suspension. Why does the "hatchback" word keep appearing in the replies?

>>28628000
>neat but a gimmick
HUDs are actually really fucking nice. I miss mine a lot.
>popups
>not a good thing
oh I can just stop reading here, you're a gay zoomer.

>>28628145
They're not a bad thing either, just an aesthetic choice that may or may not mesh well with the rest of the car's design. It looks good on the C5 at least.
From a driving perspective, it can be a bad thing because it dramatically increases drag at night

>>28626874
That insufferable fuckface more than deserved it.

cool cars. just makes me mad that there's like a 95:5 ratio of automatics to manuals. so hard to find a manual.

>>28628145
>oh I can just stop reading here, you're a gay zoomer
Soiboi millennial detected

>>28623582
The c5's at my local conefagging events regularly get mogged by miatas and hondas in laptimes. Not that that is super impressive since it is just conefagging, but you asked for an example.

>>28628145
>>popups
>>not a good thing
>oh I can just stop reading here, you're a gay zoomer.

>weird square body lines when closed
>aerodynamic parachutes when open
>can break

>>28628207
>>28628000
>>28623881
>>28623312
Samefag detected.

>>28628228
that's not a car problem, that's a driver problem.

>>28628163
it's because corvettes are boomer cars and the manual costed an extra $815 when new.

>>28626874
>doxxed
You better not be jestin' anon. I really hope it's true.

it's the coolest car you can buy under 15k

>>28623221 (OP)
Had a 2002 C5 06.

>good value
Yes
>great power, balance, braking
Also yes
>GM cut corners to meet a price
Yep

The C5 and 06 are great, if, and only if, you're not dependent on a shop, because dumb shit will break and probably is already broken. I love the car but every couple of weeks something dumb would happen and I'd have to fix it. Will the car keep going? Probably. But reliability is where GM cut corners.

>>28628267
Dumb ass keyboard keeps omitting the Z in Z06 for some reason. But yeah, really enjoyed that car, minus the ridiculous hours spent keeping it in good shape.

>>28627971
What did the Probe do to you anon? Steal your "girlfriend"?

>>28628024
mine is max height from the previous owner and I left it because I could not even get up my driveway (which I thought was pretty flat) without scraping the air dam lol. Realized it scrapes on literally everything, usually just the dam though which is not that big of deal if you come with maximum attack angle you have maybe 3.5 inch clearance it's probably like 2.5 if you lower it or 2.75, don't worry you'll get used to the plastic "crunch" it's different then the sound of the bumper, also am selling to to get a subaru that I can use all year, make of that what you will.

>>28628156
>dramatically increases drag at night
Oh nooooooooooooooooooo, not an undiscernible difference between them up or down in normal road usage, I can't take it nigger man, help me!

>>28628232
>can break
What a retarded argument. Everything can break on a car and it's not like pop up motors or whatever else dies 50 times a week.

>>28628267
Outside of the very well known issues like the harmonic balancer, the only thing I can think of that they cheaped out on is the interior. GM spent a ton of time and testing making sure the car holds up. Otherwise its pretty standard sports car maintenance. These are hard use machines. Regardless, even the most fucked up C5s WILL run.

Most of the money i spent on my vette after getting it was making the interior less shit and adding QOL stuff like a short throw. These cars are otherwise very reliable.

>>28628267
>reliability is where GM cut corners.
are you just making shit up?
3 years of ownership and I never had a problem.

>>28628290
harmonic balancer, ebcm, 1-4 lockout are the only common problems I can think of.
also they used plastic gears in the headlights which are prone to breaking and they're sealed so it's kind of annoying to replace

>>28628280
Meanwhile this board cries that new cars are overcomplicated and will break all the time, even though they are more reliable than ever.
But needlessly complicated headlights that break the lines of every car designed after the 80s are good for some reason. God I hate millennials.

>>28623221 (OP)
Viper, babeeeh
>b-but 15k
Whatever, spend more money.

>>28628295
The only shitty thing here is the EBCM. If you have a 97-00 Model, you have to buy a late gen EBCM and kinda hot wire it to the older car. This costs somewhere been 1.5-3k, but if you find a junker car its cheaper. How someone hasnt reverse engineered the thing or figured out another solution is beyond me, and honestly im at the point where i might try it myself. The harmonic balancer is well known on all GM LS cars and theres many solutions to fix it. the 1-4 lockout is only annoying the first day you get the car. Many other cars have similar, annoying and well documented issues. The E46 M3s subframe falls apart for gods sake, and how much do they go for?

This entire thread has shown the exact point of my OP. Everything here is either cope or grasping at straws. Trying to argue this car isnt a standard to compare to for reasonably priced used sports cars is a joke. Attempting to argue that a design attractive enough to sell so many units that it made GM keep the car in the lineup is silly. Wow yeah, the pop ups can fail. Who cares.

Ive also seen a slight lack of determination in the thread, especially from >>28628267. I mentioned before that the miata is still a good buy, but do you know how much youd probably end up doing to that car anyway? Youre going to be looking at parts off flying miata and similar for months. Like sure pop ups fail, they might fail on a miata, just buy metal gears and fix it. Some of yall are so avoidant of old car maintenance that im starting to think most of yall might be brown.

Buy a corvette. Replace the harmonic balancer and do normal 2nd/3rd owner TLC. Any car thats actually driven and enjoyed, how it should be, will need it. Jesus christ.

>>28628318
>just buy metal gears and fix it
huh, you can still buy brass gear upgrades for these, neat. wonder if there's anything similar for miatas.

>>28623338
>>28623223

On one hand it looks worse than a Tesla Model S, but on the other hand it looks better than an e30 m3. Hard call 2bh.

>>28623354

The only 6 cylinder worth buying is made by Porsche. The reign of the v6 and i6 will come one day when the EPA has destroyed the last v8, but it is not today.

>>28628300
Why are you attempting to argue about a topic you're clueless about? You're what, like 20?
Appliances now are plastic trash with strained engines and too many electronics that require bullshit dealer tools. There's no possible way to argue its easier to keep a new car on the road than an older one.

>>28628356
Yeah you can buy brass gears for like $70 for 2. You have to open up a sealed assembly, but it's a permanent fix that isn't very hard to do

>>28623753
a $5k miata is a beat na/nb or a decent nc1 you lowballed

$10k gets you in a nice nc2 or a higher mileage nc3. or a absolutely mint na/nb but honestly they're not competitive for anything other than vintage car feels (its 100-140hp).

>>28623868
z06s are different enough from c5s where they're more fun imo probably the changes make them more raw and fun on the street, i never hear people having complaints with them like >>28623760

its probably something gm did to improve the car as a whole that you can't easily adapt to the lower model, think s550 mustang gt vs gt350 (the shelbys always have better steering and feedback)

>>28625036
they sell stupid quick because op is parroting what every youtuber has said for the last 5 years, the $10-15k ones are autos but the real price is closer to $14-20k for a manual that isnt a clapped pos

manual tax for gm cars is retarded, you're pretty much buying the t56 for the difference in price in some cases (gto, ws6, corvettes)

>>28628318
owning old cars fucking sucks sometimes when you just want to get in and drive it

and a c5 is a old car, at the age most of them have you're worrying about stuff like rear main seals, clutches (fun job on a torque tube car), worn synchros, weather seals/stripping, hvac blower motors, leaking steering rack seals, etc.

c6 is a better purchase atp. and surprisingly no one has mentioned how cheap 5th gen camaro SSs have gotten (the price of a auto c5 in some cases but now its manual, 10 years newer with backseats)

>>28628408
>the $10-15k ones are autos but the real price is closer to $14-20k for a manual that isnt a clapped pos
I just sold mine last year, it took 2 months listed at 15k to get a 14k offer. Manual, very good condition, every bell and whistle available from factory, 80k miles
I paid 11k for it 3 years ago, but I was stalking every marketplace like a hawk every day multiple times a day.

If you want an automatic, I've seen okay condition ones as low as 7-8k.

I am not reading this entire thread but I will post this
>Plastic fantastic interior
If it spent any time in the sun, it will be brittle by now. One good pot hole and the dash cracks.
>Brakes
Yeah enjoy the lights and the ABS errors
>Skip shift
It's making you go from first to fourth unless you give it a ton of gas
>30mpg
Yeah see skip shift. If you don't skip shift you are getting maybe half that.

>>28628470
>If it spent any time in the sun, it will be brittle by now. One good pot hole and the dash cracks.
Its leather. Mine has sat in the sun plenty. No cracks. Youre retarded.

>Yeah enjoy the lights and the ABS errors
Which ones? You mean the precise zero issues ive had for the past 5 years?

>It's making you go from first to fourth unless you give it a ton of gas
Get to 3k rpm and you can shift. Get a tuner to change it if you really hate it. Youre retarderd.

>Yeah see skip shift. If you don't skip shift you are getting maybe half that.
Ive gotten 19 city without skip shift on a decent tune. 31 mpg on a 3 hour road trip. Youre retarded.

>Mass produces sports cars to rival with exotic brands keeping prices low then, and now for future sports car enthusiasts
THANK YOU CHEVY FOR YOUR SACRIFICE. WE KNOW FUCKING FORD COULDNT DO THAT WITH A FORD GT.

Eat shit Jeremy Clarkson. plastic bits and leaf springs means poor boys could have 350WHP sports cars 20 years later for 15k

>>28628470
>If it spent any time in the sun, it will be brittle by now. One good pot hole and the dash cracks.
yeah, for all the corvettes that are street parked and left to rot in the arizona sun.
>Yeah enjoy the lights and the ABS errors
huh?
>It's making you go from first to fourth unless you give it a ton of gas
it's been almost 30 years, it's well documented how to bypass 1-4 lockout you cock gobbler.

I propose the V6 Challenger test.

>>When deciding whether to buy a sports car or not, ask yourself one simple question: Am I getting as much value out of this car as a V6 Challenger?

>The car features:
>traditional cluster-mounted heads up display that works in the daytime
>angel eyes
>german 8 speed auto-manual transmission
>Very reliable 3.5L aluminum block V6
>Dual zone climate control
>5 seats
>4 Golf cart sized trunk
>Advanced traction control
>In car DIC/OBD2 sensor
>can install your own Limited slip differential, wrenchlet
>Independent double wishbone suspension
>Driver oriented/cockpit style interior
>All parts inside the car are in normal sensible places and not random locations decided by gm management on an ouija board
>Perfect 50/50 weight distribution under full acceleration
>305Hp, 269tq, 34mpg highway
>Looks like a Faulcon-DeLacy Anaconda on the outside
>Feels like the Vic Viper on the inside

If the answer to the question is no, you buy a v6 challenger for 15 grand. if you STILL need more, buy a v8.

In all honestly I dont think we really deserve this great a car for so cheap. I hope the prices go up. Its a Viper that you can actually drive. Its a camaro that you can see out of. It has everything good about the 90s and everything good about the 2000s. I really hope these cars dont get ratted out with the incoming recession.

>>28628290
>>28628293
>>28628318
ECBM fails due to shitty components, repaired for life by 3rd party
Any leaves or gunk will block the AC box drain and flood the interior of the car
Trim above windows cracks in every C5 allowing leaks and wind noise
Pilot-shaft couplers and bearings fail requiring full drivetrain drop
GM used plastic gears in both the headlight, HUD, and vent mixers requiring replacement or repair with brass gears
Seat upholstery is garbage and will fail/has failed
Rear cover sags due to no supports
Clutch gets stuck to the floor because of bad slave unit, requires full drivetrain drop
Lights in the radio and AC fail due to bad surface mount capacitors. Self-repair or mail them out
Stock shifter and linkage gets harder to use due to length and time. Replace with one of the other drivetrain drops to save time

And when you inevitably drop the drivetrain don't get a single chip or scratch on the leaf spring or it's full replacement. It has zero tolerance for any damage of any size

>My C5 has never had problems!
Repaired by previous owner or you're too stupid to realize there's a problem. There's not a GM product on the planet that doesn't have issues. Stop being children.

>>28628520
But to wrap it up, it's a good car and performance is great for what you pay, but stop being retards and pretending like GM didn't engineer in problems.

Also I forgot, black spots on the back of the car? Yeah because GM specs for the piston rings were too large and they didn't match pistons, rings, and cylinders properly. Get a catch can or do a full rebuild.

could you imagine if ford mass produced ford GT's and we could have them for 15k a pop after boomer fucks got tired of them and traded them in for a mustang SUV.
Cheby will never not be number 1.

>>28628520
>ECBM fails due to shitty components, repaired for life by 3rd party
97-00 are non-serviceable and no longer produced. This and the harmonic balancer are the two biggest problems c5s actually face.
>Any leaves or gunk will block the AC box drain and flood the interior of the car
don't leave your car parked outside under a tree
>Trim above windows cracks in every C5 allowing leaks and wind noise
don't leave your car parked outside and don't take the roof off constantly
>Pilot-shaft couplers and bearings fail requiring full drivetrain drop
not a common issue
>GM used plastic gears in both the headlight, HUD, and vent mixers requiring replacement or repair with brass gears
$70 and like 30 minutes to an hour if they break
>Seat upholstery is garbage and will fail/has failed
Was fine in my car, but a lot of people just swap out to corbeau a4s because the stock seats are pretty asscheeks.
>Rear cover sags due to no supports
true but why does that matter?
>Clutch gets stuck to the floor because of bad slave unit, requires full drivetrain drop
not a common issue
>Lights in the radio and AC fail due to bad surface mount capacitors. Self-repair or mail them out
not a common issue
>Stock shifter and linkage gets harder to use due to length and time. Replace with one of the other drivetrain drops to save time
not a common issue

>>28628543
>not a common problem
You mean not a common problem that the average person that buys a 6th hand 20 year old car recognizes.

>My car makes a ticking sound and the clutch acts weird.
>Huh I guess it's just old
>Coupler grenades and they just buy something else

>$70 and like 30 minutes if they break
So you've never done one. Makes sense

>why does my car's body losing its shape matter?
Gee I wonder why someone might be concerned with that

>>28628552
>make up an uncommon scenario and pretend there will be a bunch of problems in this made up scenario
I don't get this

>So you've never done one. Makes sense
you're right, I've done two, not just one. Unless you're clinically retarded (which it seems you may have this problem), it's a very straight forward and quick repair.
>Gee I wonder why someone might be concerned with that
I thought you were talking about the cargo cover lmao
no idea what in the fuck you're even talking about. I swear you must have smoked crack before posting here.
Nothing you said are common issues, and it would honestly be harder the find a 6 owner corvette than a single owner corvette for sale, unless your budget is like $7000 and you can only find trashed abused salvage title pieces of shit.

>>28628520

Every single fucking car that has ever been made has a list like this. Everything fucking breaks or wears out eventually.

>>28628277
Why do you even post on this board, let alone pretend to own a sports car, if you never go above 40 mph?

>>28628648
>Everything fucking breaks or wears out eventually
Nuh uh, my car is perfect and has never had anything ever break.

>>28628649
Anon, the drag pop-ups add is completely meaningless for street use where you would use them. Outside of the highest levels of endurance racing, you'll never notice a real difference in headlights up or down.

Wow lots of debate. Ive had a modified Z for a few years. It was my dream car as a kid because I'm a legitimate 30 year old boomer. The C5 is a fun car because it's a stupid simple formula.
>ls engine up front
>power to the back
>2 doors
>manual transmission
>decent handling
You can buy a larger and slightly worse handling 1st gen Miata with a shit ton more power that goes way faster for $5k-$7k more. That's the entire fucking appeal of the C5.

>>28628648
Not Corvettes though. The car brings out a special breed of autist that will deny any issues.

>>28628275
Kek, thanks. It's a shame, really.
I dismissed Subies a long ago because of, well, a number of reasons. Looked into 3-series Bimmers and smaller X-series, they came with xDrive (and that sometimes means +10 mm clearance compared to the M-Sport or other popular option packages), people usually get away with 1" taller tires without any wheel spacers, there are suspension lift kits (strut spacers) for like +20-30 mm (taller ones exist but might put CV axles under a lot of stress), and these cars usually have really short front overhangs.

>>28628380
And yet the average age of cars on the road is going up

>>28628300
>needlessly complicated
It's a headlight with an additional motor, what's "needlessly complicated" about it? Retarded mystery meat zoomer.

>>28628649
Why do you even post on this board, let alone pretend to own a car?

>>28628408
>$14-20k for a manual
>meanwhile in my yuroland its closer to $25k equivalent minimum
I mean at least I have my turdgen firechicken.

>>28628838
Actual corvette owners have already said what the most prevalent issues are...
>>28628859
Are you actually fucking retarded? Do you not realize that disproves your point? The average age of cars on the road increasing means more people are driving older cars because they're more reliable and better value than new trash.

>>28628866
Seething soilennial

>>28628877
>Are you actually fucking retarded? Do you not realize that disproves your point? The average age of cars on the road increasing means more people are driving older cars because they're more reliable and better value than new trash.
No retard, it means people are not junking 15 year old cars anymore, which according to this board are already "plastic leasebait" or whatever buzzwords retards on this board like to spew

>>28623221 (OP)
hydraulic pressed car, reminds me of a slipper

>>28628930
You might genuinely be the dumbest person on this board.
>umm actually the average age of cars on the road increasing means more people are driving newer cars!

>>28628943
Cope

>>28628927
>non reply
I accept your concession mutt

>>28628957
>non reply
Yes, that's what seething about someone being a "Retarded mystery meat zoomer" is

No, but serioslu, why do millenials go into soi rage and get offended as if you just punched their mother in the face whenever you say you don't like pop-ups? Not even if you say it as a fact that they suck, just that you don't like them? Who do they make motorized headlights their entire personality?

>"yeah bro, c5s are such a good value, you're stupid if you buy anything other than c5"
>everyone buys a c5
>prices go up and they stop being good value
>"nooooooo"

>>28628969
>serioslu
seriously*
>Who do they
Why do they*
Time to commit sudoku I guess, though not before soi-up glazers

>>28628484
>None of that is true because I modified my car to not be that way anymore

>>28623221 (OP)
We're not all americans here. A busted old C5 would cost upwards of $70k here, but $15k buys things that are even faster with far more storage space

>>28623312
>Designed in mid-90s
>Oldest millennial was a freshman in high school
Your bait is retarded like you.

>>28628996
Nice Catera pick-up

>>28628996
>A busted old C5 would cost upwards of $70k here
fucken oath ikr, the boomer cope in this country is real.
>i know what I got

>>28628771
Oh, it's the tiny people again.

The C5 Corvette would be the perfect car if it didn't have the sloppiest GM slop interior imaginable

>>28629621
>new tires vs 20 year old tires

>>28629621
a full minute faster when adjusted for inflation.

>>28629664
>when adjusted for inflation.
kek

>>28629664
The ZR1x is basically just a tuned NSX with a V8 instead of a V6. Honda wins again

>>28626808
Damn, JD really let himself go after winning the election.

>>28629681
Your mom is just a tuned orangutang. Primates win again.

>>28629683
He could never sink lower than marrying some dries up old jeet offcast

>>28629645
the interior is fine. I don't get why people pretend it's that bad

>>28629683
I don't get it
that guys looks nothing like him

>>28629865
>ugly button shapes
>cheap plastics
>pillow sized airbags
>off center shifter
>weird vent shapes
>ugly plastic door handles
Compare the C5 to the Fiero and tell me they didn't fuck the C5 up bad

>>28629894
I hope you're not actually trying to argue the fiero is good.
the corvette is fine, just unremarkable. people pretend it's egregiously bad when it's just very basic.

the c5's interior is like every other interior in every car chevy made at that time. Sitting in my c5 felt basically the same as sitting in my 03 trailblazer. It's cheap plastic and large panel gaps, but completely functional.
I guess when you're buying a (when account for inflation) $90,000 car, you expect a luxurious interior. But chevy had to cut costs somewhere, and that meant a basic bitch interior.
Realistically, the 911 from the same era sucked just as much ass

>>28629962
I will argue the Fiero interior is several steps above the C5, which is sad because they both came out of GM
The people designing the Fiero understood the importance of symmetry and familiar shapes like circles and rectangles
90s designers thought they could do better and that led to abominations like the C5

>>28630007
>the importance of symmetry and familiar shapes like circles and rectangles
you sound like an autistic child.
a good cockpit design is extremely drivercentric and asymmetrical with shapes and placement that make things easy to use without looking at them.
you're shitting on the corvette's interior for things no one complained about. it was the quality of material and fit and finish, not the shapes or layout.

>>28630017
Pissing off the girl in your passenger seat doesn't make a car interior good. You'll notice Porsche never tries to pull that shit ever.
The 986/996 came out at the same time and is notorious for it's ugly interior and all the 987/997 did to reign it in was kill the strange shapes and RETVRN to basics like circles and rectangles.

>>28630034
stop responding to me you unbelievable faggot.

>>28630039
Not my fault your car gives women the ick

>>28630047
Nta but I've never seen someone cope harder than saying a c5 corvette will "give girls the ick" unlike their fiero.
I could poll 10,000 women and guarantee every one of them would rather sit in the corvette

>>28630086
I own a Cayman thoughbeit

>>28630090
We really don't need another BMW retard

>>28630189
Were you raped by BMW or something?

>>28629894
wew lad, that interior is so basic you could make replacement parts with a drill press and a band saw.
>>28630007
>abominations
were they even trying ? 1996 ford KA / Taurus are much more powerful

>>28629894
>>28630034
What mental illness leads to this? It really does sound like autism.

>>28629962
Amogus looking ass center console

>>28623221 (OP)
Hai guise what's going on in this....
oh my.

what else would you even buy under 15k if you wanted something cool?

>>28630586
Industrial grade refridgerator.

>>28630586
>e30/e36/e46
>s2k
>s30/s130/z31/z32/z33/z34
>s13/s14/s15
>evo1-4 (wouldn't recommend it without another 10k in spare cash to dump into it)
>na/nb/nc miata
>almost any mustang or camaro
>c3
>any gen sti
>aw11/sw20
>fc
Not going to keep going but there are many cool cars under $15000.

>>28630578
shits lookin a lil dusty there, champ