Used 1997 C5, what red flags to look out for?

[Gummiente]

Looking at a nice, low mileage 97 C5 tomorrow. This will (hopefully) be my first Corvette, but I don't know much about them. Other than the usual things you look at when considering a used car, are there any red flags specific to this year and model that I should be aware of? Any assistance would be much appreciated!

 

[Black 03 Z06]

Aside from having a good look at the overall condition the one thing that is becoming a concern with C5's is the electronics. Some important parts are "unavailable", certainly from General Motors. Check the codes in the diagnostic centre, some maybe historical some recent but you want to write down the numbers and look them up prior to purchase.

If possible drive or have the owner drive you around for a while, a short blast around the block might not show up anything untoward. Listen for anything odd, brakes and steering for certain. Look to see wear patterns on the tires. Ask what maintenance was done over the years and what if any modifications were done.

The C5 is a great performance platform and in my opinion a great looking car.

There are lots of C5's out there buy with you head not your heart!!

Hope you find a good one and enjoy it.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Gummiente]

Thanks for the tips! The tires are all new Michelin run flats, there's new brakes all around and a new Borla cat back exhaust, according to the info in the ad. It is being sold safetied, so there's that as a plus.

To check the codes do I just scroll through the display using the buttons on the dash to the right of the steering wheel to find them, or is there some convoluted process that requires three fingers, a magical chant and the wearing of yellow socks to find them?

 

[Black 03 Z06]

Don't be silly everyone knows that lime green socks are the only ones that work!!

Try this...Hope it helps

 

[Gummiente]

Thanks!

 

[rfh928]

Looking at a nice, low mileage 97 C5 tomorrow. This will (hopefully) be my first Corvette, but I don't know much about them. Other than the usual things you look at when considering a used car, are there any red flags specific to this year and model that I should be aware of? Any assistance would be much appreciated!

When I bought my 98 at age 6, there had been a recall on the steering lock...it would literally lock up on you while driving...had it happen to me AFTER the recall service I took it in for...thankfully it was in a parking lot & not on the highway. After the 2nd attempt, it was fine. But GM never did bother to try to fix it and the steering lock was disabled thereafter. Other than that, I drove it for another 15 years, daily for 8 months of the year, and sold it last summer to buy my C7. Other than normal repair/maintenance items, it was way more reliable and parts were more durable than the ones on my C3 which I also drove for 15 years.

 

[my 1999 coupe]

Hi There and welcome to the forum,

I have had two C5's a 2004 Z06 and my current driver, a 1999 C5 6 speed coup with 78K on it. These are great cars and a really good bang for the buck. I agree with all the comments on electronics but will say that I was able to get my steering lock replaced has year at Wilson Nibblett Motors. I highly recommend them as a place for service. They are Canada's largest Corvette dealer(or use to be) and have a large well trained staff and tech and parts department. I live not far from you in Belleville and I drive to Richmond Hill for service. I have bought 14 cars from them over the years and a lot of their staff are the same during all that time , which says a lot. Just so you know I do not have any association with this Dealership.
If you are looking for a 6 speed there is often a rattle sound that comes from the back of the car when you accelerate from a stop. That is the linkage rattling and is normal.
I have the two roof option on my 1999 and have not experienced any rattling or cracking. I keep the rubbers seals well lubricated which I think is important.
Another general comment is that most Corvette owners treat their cars very well so it is not like buying a normal used car.

Good luck with your search and Welcome again.

Charlie

 

[Gummiente]

Thanks, Charlie. The one I'm looking at in a couple hours is in Belleville. I'm not keen on driving all the way to Toronto to get it fixed, but will keep your recommendation in mind. I have dealt with an independent garage in Gananoque for many years, they are well versed in Vettes.

 

[ron6468]

You probably don't need any more C5 comments to decide but you will be getting the best bang for your buck C series for sure. Mine's a '99 and even though it only has 41,000 kms on it, it's easily the most reliable car I've ever owned. Like everyone says, make certain the steering lock issue has been fixed but other than that, I haven't come across anything even electronic that can't be replaced or fixed by one of the many 3rd party parts guys out there. So far, I haven't had a single issue. Vette's this age have a lot of creaks, squeaks and rattles that are all part of their "charm" and usually nothing to be concerned of. Fiberglas, aluminum, rubber and a few other materials create their own Corvette sounds. Hope it works out and that there's at least a couple months left of decent driving weather.

 

[rfh928]

Hi There and welcome to the forum,

I have had two C5's a 2004 Z06 and my current driver, a 1999 C5 6 speed coup with 78K on it. These are great cars and a really good bang for the buck. I agree with all the comments on electronics but will say that I was able to get my steering lock replaced has year at Wilson Nibblett Motors. I highly recommend them as a place for service. They are Canada's largest Corvette dealer(or use to be) and have a large well trained staff and tech and parts department. I live not far from you in Belleville and I drive to Richmond Hill for service. I have bought 14 cars from them over the years and a lot of their staff are the same during all that time , which says a lot. Just so you know I do not have any association with this Dealership.
If you are looking for a 6 speed there is often a rattle sound that comes from the back of the car when you accelerate from a stop. That is the linkage rattling and is normal.
I have the two roof option on my 1999 and have not experienced any rattling or cracking. I keep the rubbers seals well lubricated which I think is important.
Another general comment is that most Corvette owners treat their cars very well so it is not like buying a normal used car.

Good luck with your search and Welcome again.

Charlie

I'll second the recommendation for Wilson Niblett...I bought my C7 from them last year and had nothing short of a great experience dealing with them. I agree with Gummiente on having a good local indie garage for repairs & maintenance once a vehicle is out of warranty...been doing that for 30+ years and has saved us a ton of money...and provided top quality service. Charlie also reminded me of the occasional shift linkage rattle...I had that very occasionally if I started off really slow in 1st gear. It also brought up another memory of a known issue...this is assuming a manual...when you put the shifter in 1st gear you have to make sure that you've pressed it forward enough that it won't pop back out of gear. Never consciously had to do this with any other gearbox that I've owned...once in a while I wouldn't pay attention and then it would grind for a split second as it was then partway but not fully in gear. A quirk that I read about at length on internet postings so just seemed to be a design flaw. It never created any issues though...I had 135K kms on it when I sold it last year and never had to do a thing to the transmission, clutch, motor...nothing major at all. Unlike my C3 which went through 3 clutches and 2 trannies (synchro issues) and a motor that leaked and burned tremendous quantities of oil at the end. And this from a well maintained & well driven vehicle. Hence my earlier comment about the durability of C3 parts if you decide to go in that direction.

 

[Gummiente]

Thanks for all the replies! I went and looked at it this morning; it does have new rotors and pads, new Michelin run flats, a lovely sounding Borla exhaust and Royal Purple full synthetic in the motor. Everything works, took it on a 20min test drive and there were very few rattles or squeaks. Yes, there's some scratches on the paint, the lexan smoked top has many spider web surface cracks and the drivers side leather seat shows wear on the upper bolster, but these were not deal breakers for me. So I put down a deposit and will take it home in a week or two!

 

[Black 03 Z06]

Congratulations. Hope you enjoy your new Corvette.

 

[rfh928]

Thanks for all the replies! I went and looked at it this morning; it does have new rotors and pads, new Michelin run flats, a lovely sounding Borla exhaust and Royal Purple full synthetic in the motor. Everything works, took it on a 20min test drive and there were very few rattles or squeaks. Yes, there's some scratches on the paint, the lexan smoked top has many spider web surface cracks and the drivers side leather seat shows wear on the upper bolster, but these were not deal breakers for me. So I put down a deposit and will take it home in a week or two!View attachment 43748

Nice...congrats! You'll enjoy it.

 

[Riley P]

Awesome! The only thing I was going to add, which is more of an FYI and not something you have to watch, but if it's a manual transmission car, and it sounds like the throw out bearing is louder than expected, don't worry about it. It's normal for these cars. Congratulations on the new ride!!!

 

[Gummiente]

Awesome! The only thing I was going to add, which is more of an FYI and not something you have to watch, but if it's a manual transmission car, and it sounds like the throw out bearing is louder than expected, don't worry about it. It's normal for these cars. Congratulations on the new ride!!!

Actually, it's the 4sp auto. It bangs kinda hard into 2nd, so I need to research that.

 

[OL Yeller]

Congrats on your purchase...miles of smiles to come