Opinions needed.... looking at buying c5 with supercharger

[zrtman]

What are the big money items on a C5 besides engine/trans? Looking at one with 120k supercharged 6 speed. A lot of miles and engine is starting to smoke. Can get it for around $8k I think. I own a C4.. parts for the C5 seem cheaper....

Any expensive trouble spots on the C5?

 

[Hib Halverson]

I'd pass on the deal unless you think the car is worth 13,000-15,000.

A supercharged engine at 120,000 miles which is already smoking is likely toast so, you're looking at an engine overhaul. If the car was driven hard, you're also going to need to consider transmission work. You also need to consider the condition of the supercharger hardware.

And, you're going to need to take a look at the drive axle–if the lube was never changed, it's likely the limited slip may be worn out.

Consider brakes–usual stuff–pads rotors but also, if the brake fluid has never been changed, the EBTCM.

You could be looking at putting 5 to 8 large, parts and labor, into the car to make it run well.

 

[zrtman]

Engine is not an issue... family owned machine shop here. It is all the other stuff.. electronics, etc.. Just not up on C5's (C4 owner).

 

[LLC5]

Engine is not an issue... family owned machine shop here. It is all the other stuff.. electronics, etc.. Just not up on C5's (C4 owner).

Just like your C4, some of the electronic components are discontinued now. EBTCM's, wheel sensors, steering wheel sensors, etc are sort of some known issues but not anywhere near an epidemic. All can be fixed if parts are available. Depending on the year and the options, 8K seems steep for a known bad engine C5 to me. Superchargers don't just take out engines, you have a torque tube with drive shaft and bushings, drive axles, and rear diff that could be severely worn also depending on how the vehicle was driven. Good luck either way.

 

[kpic]

I drive a supercharged C5. It is all opinions and you know what they are worth. Mine is furnished for free which is a lot more than it is worth.

Which blower is it?

To be blunt, it sounds as if it was flogged. You could easily put more money into parts to rebuild that car than buying a solid car and add the blower yourself.
Last thing you want is vehicle which was abused as the abuse might not stop with the engine. I'd go through the trans, diff and powertrain on GPs.

If you buy it and it has a stock balancer and P/S bracket, pitch them as it is 50-50 they will fail from the blower load. That added another 400 plus for an ATI and ~100 for the P/S bracket. As it removes the blower load a flip drive is better but $$.

Stay below 600 RWHP and do not flog it and it will run for years. Run it at the strip a lot and plan on trans, diff, drive train etc.

 

[65-to-00]

Glad that shop time and costs aren't an issue; that said I would still consider the down time during extensive rebuilds. Since you don't mind wrenches, have the space, how about getting a low to mid mile Z06 and supercharging it? Your confidence in the peripheral items would go way up, things that will drive you nuts like seat or window motors and stuff.