'98 Convertible

[thunderlevin]

I'm considering buying a 1998 Vette convertible. It has only 37,000 miles on it and they're asking $17,900. It's a manual trans with the Z51 handling package. Does that seem like a good price? Also, it has EIBACH 1 LOWERING SPRINGS and BILSTEIN SHOCKS. I'm wondering if the lowered vehicle will be a problem as a daily driver, getting over driveways and such. Any thoughts? Anyone here with a lowered C5? This would be my first corvette.

 

[catbert]

I like the idea of a convertible with the Z51. It's a nice, somewhat unusual combination. The fact that it has been lowered and has an expensive Eibach suspension would make me investigate the car pretty closely to see if it has been seriously raced, or otherwise abused. If you aren't able to do it, have someone with a lot of Vette knowledge check it out. If it was seriously raced, it would have had a roll bar. Look for telltale signs, i.e. patches in the trunk, etc. Maybe the prior owner just liked the profile of a lowered car, and that's cool. Driveways are almost always a problem with lowered Vettes.

 

[Toms007]

Lowered cars also tend to ride a bit rougher. Here is a quote from another member here who took a lowered Corvette across the country for another member. This car which I have personally seen (and drool over) is lowered the right way and this is what Nut had to say about it.

Quick: However...... and this is a Nut opinion although I think I can speak for Guy here; lowering these cars is a HUGE mistake. My 2002 Vert, even switched to the Sport mode is a wonderful ride and extremely comfortable. Quick's ride was harsh at best and bone jarring every time we hit even the slightest bump in the road, entering and exiting any gas station, burger joint, hotel, ...etc; as she constantly bottomed out on the rear tires. The only fear Guy and I had short of something popping out from the side of the road at 85mph and tearing the lower nose panels off, was the thought of a flat tire

Not to discourage you on your quest, but I'd say take that bad boy for a long ride. And heed catbert's suggestions.

 

[thunderlevin]

Unlower?

Can anyone give me an idea what it would cost to return it to stock height?

 

[thunderlevin]

While I'm on here, let me ask if anyone can recommend someone in the Los Angeles/Burbank area who could check out this vette for me?

 

[catbert]

Can anyone give me an idea what it would cost to return it to stock height?

It's hard to tell what's been done to the car. Eibach makes a spring and sway bar kit, but not shocks for the car - it runs about five hundred bucks. They also make a coil over kit that sells for over three grand. You need to know exactly what is under there. They lowering could have been done without any kit at all by the purchase of simple bolt.

It's easily reversible. Everything you need can be bought used, if you want to go that way. If you really have Eibach stuff under the car, you can probably sell it for more than you will pay for OEM equipment.

 

[thunderlevin]

Interesting. Thanks.

It's hard to tell what's been done to the car. Eibach makes a spring and sway bar kit, but not shocks for the car - it runs about five hundred bucks. They also make a coil over kit that sells for over three grand. You need to know exactly what is under there. They lowering could have been done without any kit at all by the purchase of simple bolt.

It's easily reversible. Everything you need can be bought used, if you want to go that way. If you really have Eibach stuff under the car, you can probably sell it for more than you will pay for OEM equipment.

 

[timfitz63]

I'm considering buying a 1998 Vette convertible... It's a manual trans with the Z51 handling package...

I like the idea of a convertible with the Z51. It's a nice, somewhat unusual combination...

Speaking to this point, my '04 convertible is equipped with the 6-speed and the Z51 suspension package, and I like it -- a lot! Can't go wrong there, in my opinion.

... I'm wondering if the lowered vehicle will be a problem as a daily driver, getting over driveways and such. Any thoughts...?

Yes, this will be a problem if you're not careful. Mine is stock height, and I know I've got to watch it going over speed bumps and such; it's just the nature of the beast... One quickly learns to angle their approach to such obstacles and take them slowly -- and I'm actually rather astounded at the humps and gullies one can negotiate without scraping one's C5. But a buddy of mine in San Antonio has an '01 Z06 that he's lowered just a bit, and despite any efforts on his part to follow the prevailing wisdom about angles and speeds, it scrapes the lip of my driveway whenever he pulls in/out of it, whereas mine does not. And the lip of my driveway isn't but a few inches in height from the street surface, and not a particularly steep a grade...