Cvette5

Alright well I am a 19 year old surgical tech for the U.S. Army and I was considering flipping branches to seek other oppurtunities with the USAF. I would be getting back from training and putting roughly $3,000 or so down on a 1999 or 2000 C5, with mileage in the 60k's. I have seen them go for about $20,000 or so. I have a 1999 Explorer XLT with 85k on it right now but that will be sold before the purchase. I have a credit score of 687 but I feel this time next year I will be all set in getting a C5, I also have considered a GTO. I love the car because it is IMO one of the nicest, meanest looking cars on the road, a car that though bone stock still hands *** and takes names. I bet you are all thinking I am some cocky immature moron who is looking to kill himself with a fast car. I am not a newbie to the tuning world and though the car I will be in will not be forced fed, only minor mods I have driven plenty of cars of this caliber. I have always paid for everything myself and it would not be in the wrong hands. I have thoughts of getting into an FRC, if not then a Vert... something about this car draws me in no matter how many times I drive it or love other cars.

I have driven two C5's in my life time and one C4. The first C5 was a 1999 White Vert with a black top, auto, chrome Y2k's with 12,000 miles... the second was a 1993 Torch Red glass roof auto with 13,000 miles on it... I wasn't too fond of that one. The most recent was a 1999 White Vert with a black top and the non chrome wheels, wide spokes, I do not know what those are called... this one was also an auto but had 71,000 miles on it and a lot of problems, a serious case of neglect. I would get a 6 speed of course, I was not going to turn down oppurtunities to drive the cars because they were autos.

I have considered all the sacrafice of driving this car and owning it and I can live with it to have one for sure, I will more than likely be living on base in southern climate and if not then I will have a daily driver but getting into one is a must regardless of the $329 per mo. insurance quote I recieved or the fact that my car payment will be close to $400 on a used car... I have one life to live and I will. I really have grown fond of the Magnetic Red, that is beautiful, there are other colors of course that I like... black obviously and Nassau blue is a favorite but good luck finding one for my price range, I would be sticking with minor mods, maybe gears, definately an exhaust system, intake and headers, probobly a strut bar or simple things like that, mostly cosmetic. I plan on Y2k chromies if the car I buy does not already have them, stock hood, tint and that is pretty much all that is needed. I love these cars. I would like some purchase advice from various perspectives, what to watch out for, some do's, dont's, pros and cons of certain years... I have read up in a lot of places and they say that the electrical issues on 98-00 are abundant. I would like an FRC not really for the look but for the solidity of the car and you do not see many but can one be had fairly easily for my price range of $20,000-$21,000 some time next spring, if not then it will more than likely be a convertible. Hey who am I kidding, if the deal is right and the car fits me it would be a targa, I can live. Thanks for the help

clemsonSOM_TA

wow, i can't believe i just read all of that... but since i did, i might as well reply. the title of the post is C5 or GTO? but you don't seem to be wondering about that aspect. I have never owned or even driven either, so i can't tell you about do's, don'ts. if i were to recommend one or the other, i would say go with the C5 simply based on performance. hope this was worth something

blkZ28spt

Get the C5. It seems you are pretty much set on that, maybe still trying to convince yourself I don't know....just get the C5. Buy a stock, unmodded, unmolested vehicle. Do you know what it costs to modify a corvette? Are you sure that bolt-ons are all you will want to do? No mod bug where you want more? A lot of the reason the F-body is so popular isn't just the lower initial price, but it doesn't cost as much to mod them either. Just a thought, might end up being better than a C5. The WS6 T/A looks more agressive than a C5 I would recommend a targa over a convertible. I've never been a fan of convertibles because they are much more vulverable to damage and theft. How many people do you know who have had a convertible top cut open? I know too many.

Yelocity

c5

TrakDay

iTrader: (7)

I currently have an 04 GTO, and just by reading your post it seems that you want the C5. I say get that and make yourself happy! I love my GTO, and wouldn't trade it for anything. But if you want the C5 as bad as it seems I say get that.

Third Gear

iTrader: (3)

Let me put it this way, do you want ground chuck or filet mignon?

btw, watch out for those cops up there, they are something else!

Cvette5

Cheap to mod a Vette? That sounds nice. I just see so many numbers from highly modded imports, front engine, front drive... rear engine rear drive and even middle rear drive... I know of a 734whp Skyline R34 that was running 12's at the track now that is SADD with two D's. a 590hp Prelude that was running mid 11's... these cars are making huge numbers but not putting any of them on the table at Epping. I won't be driving anything but my Explorer until my ducks are in a row next spring however the fact that the C5 I hear can creep into high 12's with the right drive bone stock (not z06) is intriguing. I would like to know what I could expect for HP or time numbers with simple mods like 3.73 gears, Intake, Exhaust, headers... I have also considered an EVO 8 used though I have to be careful of the specific cars background and such because those cars are never treated well, or even buying a brand new EVO 9 RS (Can't afford a GT or MR but the RS is roughly $27,000). That is an all around car that I won't have to worry about where I live for it, and the stock internals are bulletproof, that powerplant has been around since the 80's and is now perfected.

blkZ28spt

If you are referencing me, I guess I really wan't very clear. I asked because vettes are expensive to mod. It's the F-bodies that are cheap.

Swang

iTrader: (3)

id say go fbod if you want bolt ons. theyre cheaper. have you ever seen the price of a vette cat back? theyre like $1000+ for borla or corsa. actually, the fbod's can be very very low 13's or even high 12's given right conditions and a good driver. they even put down sometimes more HP stock than a vette since the vette has IRS and the fbod is solid axle. but like i said if you want to just to bolt ones, make a true dual setup for an fbod and do the rest. itd save ya some bucks. but...if you really got your heart set on the C5, good luck with it.

CaptUSA

iTrader: (5)

Can't go wrong with either car. '04 GTO's are going for peanuts right now though, so that could be a deciding factor.

Good luck with the transfer into the Air Force. I never met a guy who wasn't glad he made the switch. Don't be sucked into all the fun and games hype though. We'll put you to work.

RedZoutlaw

Go with the Vette...no offense to GTO people or to the legacy but the new GTOs are pretty much glorified Grand Prixs with a V8. I would go with the ultimate American sports car. The Vette.


P.S. or an F-body...the other american icon.

30th droptop

iTrader: (-1)

No family to need a back seat for - go with the Vette!

02transhawk

Not to get off topic about the car you want, but the AF is not accepting branch transfers or prior enlisted !!! If you are 19, then it is my guess you are E-3 or E-4 probably bring in 1500-1700 a month. I am not trying to tell you how to manage your finances, but there are a lot of cost associated with owning a car like a vette other than payments, like insurance, regular maintenence (sp?), tires....the list goes on.

3K down won't make alot of difference on those payments, prob 30-40 dollars. When you are looking at a vette with milage like that then you may have a few things to worry about. My suggestion...if you are dead set on that vette...wait a little bit...pay that Explorer off...save up a good chunk of change. Keep the Explorer for a daily driver and look into an 03-04 low milage vette or even a Z06 in a year or so...that way you could get something with a little bit of a warranty left, maybe been more taken care of...and once the Z06 hits the market...prices of the C5's and current Z06 will drop and there will also be more owners getting rid of thier current vettes for the new ones.

Again...I am not trying to tell you how to manage your money or what to do as far as a car...but speaking from experience and being in the military...I know how tight things can be from time to time. There is a good possibility of you being deployed sometime soon...what a perfect opportunity to save some $$$ and when you get back...you could buy almost anything you wanted. I know I was expecting a promotion when I bought my car...kept my pickup...3 months later I had to sell my pick-up and now I drive my Firehawk everyday...which is killing me cause it is 5 minute drive here and there...which puts too much wear and tear on it. Good luck with your decision...and let us know what happens.

*edit* Also, living in maine...there are going to be times like Nov-Feb when driving the vette won't be a good thing to do (snow, salt on the roads, and just the hardship of driving a vette in the freezing times...bad stuff can happen)!

AOC

Get C5. I don't dislike GTO but it is a very heavy car and bland looking doesn't do anything for me.

Swang

iTrader: (3)

if you go GOAT. get the 05.

StealthZ06

iTrader: (1)

If you do not need four seats, then get the C5 for sure.