Going to buy a C5...

[Freak Of Nature]

Well... Just recently I bought my first Vette (84 coupe) and fell in love. My reason for buying it in the first place was to make it into a project car & turn it into a beast. When looking in the Auto Trader, saw a Vette that looked like it needed a little loving & was for a GOOD price. Go & check it out & it's in almost mint condition (the picture was just crappy). For the price & condition I couldn't pass it up. Now I have it & don't have the heart to change it. Had put alot of thought into it & just can't do it. It's to beautiful! I'm just going to completely restore the non-mint items, respray it, and make it my sunday only car.

Now... What about the beast I wanted? I've decided to buy a 98 for that prodject. I figure in about 3-4 months I should be able to get it. It'll take me that long to find "the perfect one" for me anyway. I have 4 loans to pay off (3 student & 1 car). They should all be gone by then & the fun will start!

Any tips on what I should look for? Better versions/options? Don't know alot about them yet so your input would be great! Also if you see any good deals or want to sell yours soon, let me know cause I'm interested.:cool

 

[Freak Of Nature]

Also...

I forgot a question. What is the benifit of a manual? Never drove one before. Everywhere I go people go "ohhh.... it's an automatic" while rolling their eyes. Why? Never really understood the difference? Should I go rent a car & start learning now you think? LOL!

FoN

 

[JBsC5]

The stick shift on the C5 only takes a few minutes to learn..yet its not a bad idea to rent a stick shift if you can find one. Most rental car companies do automatics I think.

I hadn't driven a stick shift car in probably 10 to 15 years.. I drove my automatic C5 up to Mass. from NJ and drove home in a stick shift Z..

I don't think it took me 3 minutes to remember how to drive a stick shift..

Just buy the car you like and if need be...bring a friend to show you how to drive a stick shift.

Automatic 3:15 rear gear cars (G92 option) are great drag cars btw..and the price is lower to purchase.

If you can get z51 suspension..and Active Handling..it would be good.

Congratulations on your 1984 beauty..That was a great car and still is.

Not sure you would want 2 corvettes but to each his own! Have fun and remember as the C6 comes out...in the summer of 2004...the C5's should drop in retail resale..

Maybe save a few dollars more..and wait till then ...just enjoying that present 1984 Corvette?

JMO

 

[Freak Of Nature]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure my sister learned on a rental? Feel bad for that car. LOL! Will look into it this weekend.

Not sure you would want 2 corvettes but to each his own!

Heh, I want one of every generation. In reallity it probably won't ever happen (well... not anytime soon atleast). I'd like to have my Sunday crusing car (my 84), a summer toy (the 98), and then my winter/family car (my 00 Intrepid).

Have fun and remember as the C6 comes out...in the summer of 2004...the C5's should drop in retail resale..

Very true! I'm in no real hurry, so maybe I'll do that. Since I look on Ebay, Auto Trader, and MANY other car sites, if I find a good deal I'll probably take it. Sometimes the deals you find over the net are amazing. Who knows? I guess time & anxiousness will tell.

 

[singledad_9]

I bought my c5 1 week before the first snow. It was a great week. I asked the guy if he wanted to make the car payments over the winter or did he want me to make them for him. Never buy a vette in the spring, everyone wants them, never sell them in the winter, no one needs them. Simple economics. Also, JB is correct, with the C6's being released next year, the prices of C5's are bound to go south. This of course depends on the quality, looks, dependability and performance the C6 is provides.

Standard vs automatics is merely a personal choice. Some like auto's, I like standards. To me, part of the vette hobby is its history and a big part of it's history is the standard transmission. Try them both. One suggestion though, if you are expecting to drive it in stop and go traffic, you might prefer the auto. Resale of automatics will be less than the resale of the standard and the C5 came standard with an automatic and the standard was a cost option.

 

[atmmac]

Standard

I didnt know how to drive standard either until my uncle gave me the vette. It is a lot of fun but he is right when you are in traffic it is a pain to have to keep shifting.

 

[MM-C5]

Oh! To ONLY have a car loand and 3 student loans!

Tom

 

[Freak Of Nature]

Oh! To ONLY have a car loand and 3 student loans!

Tom

Hahaha! Those are the exact words of my mother.

 

[bluecoupe]

The transmission choice may depend on what you are going to do with this "beast". For drag racing you are better off using an automatic. You won't have to deal with all the clutch upgrade issues when you add horsepower to your motor. It is easier for an inexperienced racer (or most people for that matter) to launch off the line with an automatic. For Autocross or road racing get a manual shift and take a race-driving course.

 

[RED C-5 OF Jax]

I have a 98 coupe, automatic with active handling and 3:15 rear gears. Great Car!!!!!! Make sure you get a mid year 98 with active handling.

 

[johnl]

You can have my 141,000mi 97 C5. If you are going to build a racer......

 

[gonetobama13]

Consider where you'll be driving a stick shift before buying one. If you have my luck, you hit every red light. I bought a six speed anyway because there aren't that many lights where I live. However, I used to live in St. Louis, and I'd never get a shifter if I lived there or in any other medium to large city. If you have doubts, get an auto. There's plenty of torque for you to have a lot of fun even without shifting.
John K