Hello, just joined, looking for a C5 or C6.

JetJock

CCCUK Member
Greetings. I hope to enjoy a hard top, manual car on the wonderful winding B roads in my neck of the woods. Given the longer overhangs on the C5, I'm wondering if spending a little more to purchase a C6 will make for a less noisy and cheaper driving experience, given the lumps and bumps in the road that may administer quite a pasting to the undersides.
Otherwise, I think I'll be pretty happy with either car, so long as parts availability is not too bad.
Any suggestions which is more suitable, please, for this or any other reason?
 

Rich

Administrator
Thank you very much for joining the Club, Linton. I hope the search for a Corvette goes well.
I have had several C5 and C6. The C6 perfoms better and the later ones with the LS3 engine are the best version. However, like with most things, technology results in improvements so the C6 is overall a better car. However, the C5 is fantastic so I guess it comes down to budget. C5s can suffer from electrical gremlins. The Club has a C5 Buyers Guide which I could send you - we don't have one for C6, I'm afraid. Beware of flood damaged and other insurance losses from the US. A Carfax is a must.
If you find a car, please post details here as the Club Members will chip and it's possible the car is known to the Club.
 

JetJock

CCCUK Member
Thank you very much for a kindly welcome, Rich. I probably prefer the look of the C5, but it's the view out of the windscreen that's most important :)
Your suggestion that the later car is better engineered makes perfect sense, and the extra power of the LS2 / 3 might not go amiss either.
As I close in on my potential prey, I'll take up your suggestion of sharing details and look forward to any feedback.
Thanks again.
Linton
 

teamzr1

Supporting vendor
The LS2 was only used for a few years for the early C6s
It also had a bastard of a PCM (Powertrain Controller) (E40) for those 2 years and if needed to tune it or replace it will be harder to find one
Also, the early C6s used a 4 speed auto tranny like C5 has and then later C6s switched o the 6 speed auto tranny
I suggest if going for the C6 then go with the LS3, LS7 or LS5 (Z06 or ZR1)

I have owned my 1999 C5 since new, everything still works on it today and the LS1 engine is a bullet, will take the power and have balls
if adding the parts to do it. Mine runs 500 flywheel HP when on engine alone or 700 HP if running 200 HP shot of NOS

Only real wiring issues were with leaking battery acid and run down to where the PCM is and the wiring loom but if that did not happen on
the C5 you get, then it will not happen.

For any new generation Corvette, best not wanting the first 2 years of them

Good luck on your Corvette hunting !
 

JetJock

CCCUK Member
Thanks JR. Much appreciated.
Great info from a loooooong time owner! :O
I don't plan any power mods - the roads around here won't enable the use of more power than any of these come with. I definitely want a manual box.
I have read of valve guide issues with the LS7 and cam chain tensioners in the LS3, but likely these would have been sorted by now, I guess.
Thanks again.
Linton
 

Fishy Dave

CCCUK Member
As you're looking for a manual the PCM issue above isn't something to worry about.

Everyone will have a personal view, mine is not to be put off the LS2, the engine is just as reliable as the LS3, but 30bhp less power on paper. If your budget will run to an 08 or newer then go for an LS3 equipped car by all means. My budget was miniscule (relatively), I was certain I would choose a C5 and import it myself, before I found my cheap 2007 C6. Whatever you choose will make you feel good, make a great noise and be quicker than 95% of what's on the road. :)
 

FIVE RED

CCCUK Member
Can't speak about a C6 but I've had a manual 2002 C5 for around 15 years. Bought from the first owner in Fife so I guess he enjoyed the car on roads north of the border, especially as he bought a C6 Z06 to replace it.
We had a club member from Scotland (Shifty I think he was known as), he liked nothing better than driving at speed on your roads so you shouldn't be thinking the C5 is less suitable than a C6.
The C5 looks & drives great, mine's been trouble free & a joy to drive. If going for a C5 they say buy a 2001 model or later, something to do with piston ring changes, although I don't know of anyone on here who's had such problems.
Good luck with your search.
 

JetJock

CCCUK Member
Thanks for more info and feedback, friends.
Essentially, I'll probably choose the car on condition rather than necessarily preferring one generation over the other. There aren't that many manuals in good shape around, and I don't need to bother taking on anything obviously dodgy or needing to be registered.
I have my eye on an 05 manual coupe in red, 60k miles, with some mods - Borla, Calloway intake, short shift. Current reg is R?GOE in Yorkshire. I wonder if anybody knows it. Hope to take a look at it soon.
Thanks again.
 

JetJock

CCCUK Member
£23k 2005, 60k miles, private sale with a few goodies bolted on, or £30k 2008, 20k miles, from a dealer? Both red, so that's one consideration sorted. Does £7k buy a replacement engine if it goes bnag? Even the lower figure is 3 x what I've ever spent before on a vehicle, but I can run to both - well, either, not both! :)
Do these sound like realistic values to you guys and girls, who've been around Vettes for years?
Can anybody confirm the annual road tax on the 08 will be £600ish? :O
Thank you
 
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Fishy Dave

CCCUK Member
That's a nice position to be in, to be able to buy either. :)
Tax will depend on where the car came from, my US model has cheaper tax than the same year UK car.
£7k would almost certainly repair, if not replace the engine, but given mine has past 220,000 miles (some of them quite hard miles) I hope you'll be lucky and never need to worry about that.
Given the difference in price and if you are happy to spend it, I would opt for the LS3, 2008 example. Had that '05 been £20k I'd say go for that one.
 

Roscobbc

Moderator
Annual road tax on any late model yank......if a personal import (so not supplied through a franchised GM UK dealer) will be at a lower annual figure (somewhere in mid £200's I believe) - IMHO both of the asking prices are a good £5K more than reality............having said that good late model used cars seem to be advertised at premium figures.....are they selling?........perhaps judge by how long seller has been advertising the car for (and why hasn't it sold?). You'll get get the best indictaion of that after looking for 3 or 4 months.
Fishy Dave comments are very valid......perhaps if the later low mileage example is really good and has documentation to support things - and it 'floats your boat' perhaps pay the additional figure. If you're not a high miler in a few years that'll become a very low mileage car for the year (y)
 

Fishy Dave

CCCUK Member
I've just had a quick search for what's about, there are very few manuals about to choose from. With prices crazy in the States it doesn't make sense to bring one in either. Now, if you could find another mere 5 to 7 thousand there are a pair of Z06 that could tempt you ;)
 

Roscobbc

Moderator
Shame its only manual's you are looking for - this one is the preferred LS3 but auto (it should be a 6 speed) - good colour, silver - original owner seems to have ticked all the interior options boxes -
 

JetJock

CCCUK Member
Thanks again all.

Yes, lucky to have choices - but this has been a loooong time coming.

I'm leaning more toward the C6 LS2 or 3 (reputed to be a little more wieldy on narrow roads than the C5) although I've never had a car later than 05 because of the annual tax involved.

I'm led towards being a little wary of imports (other than the original dealer cars) unless they've been owned over here for a good while and have good UK history, although I understand they're cheaper to tax. Can anybody lead me to the loophole (perhaps on the DVLA website) that clarifies the beneficial tax situation for imports please?

Z06? Yes, I've seen a couple advertised, but I've little doubt it's too much car for my local roads in the Highlands. Although not wildly more expensive to buy, I suspect any replacement items might be eye-wateringly expensive, too.

Hope to look at a couple of cars (mentioned above) this week. The 08 is from a dealer, and the 05 is a private sale, but the owner is about to start selling cars, I think.

Wish you a nice weekend.
 

FIVE RED

CCCUK Member
Shame its only manual's you are looking for - this one is the preferred LS3 but auto (it should be a 6 speed) - good colour, silver - original owner seems to have ticked all the interior options boxes -
That C6 looks good value for the year so worth looking into. Yes it's an auto but if it's a 6 speed auto box it'll give you some flexibility, although I know nothing about these boxes. I love my manual C5 but if stuck in traffic I sometimes wish it was an auto.
Checking the mot history the only previous advisories have been minor, although the fog lamp switch is a curious one.
 

JetJock

CCCUK Member
Thanks 5Red.
I normally get up at 0400, whereupon on the good days I'll be heading out into the sunrise in "Fast Red" (my son's 97 Volvo is "Big Red") but I won't be driving in any traffic - lucky me!
Defo a manual I'm set on.
Sadly, the 08 was sold 6 months ago.
 

JetJock

CCCUK Member
Has anybody ever experienced a 120 mph speed limiter on a Japanese import? I only just learned about this issue. I may do the occasional track day and don't want to get a nasty shock just as I'm redlining into, what, 4th?
Considering parts - I imagine the parts will be mostly the same as the UK, as the cars were built in the USA. So, apart from different entertainment and some safety items (fog lamps, etc), then the basic stuff I'm interested in (horses, anchors, cogs, etc) should be the same? Or, not...?
 
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Fishy Dave

CCCUK Member
A Tech 2 should be able to remove the speed limiter. I'd offer to help, but the Candi module has broken, again.
Yes, all those main parts will be identical. :)
 

teamzr1

Supporting vendor
All nameplates within their engine and auto tranny calibrations
set a maximum MPH and RPMs
Depends on what tires, the nameplate used for a vehicle prevents the MPH being set higher than
the rating by the tire maker. Other factors is what rear end gear ratio was used and auto tranny gear ratios

That includes Corvettes, Caddy, Camaro, etc and I change those values when tuning those 2 controllers
If GM put like a Z rated tire on, then MPH could be set for 185 MPH

One issue people have is driving up steep hills as an example and want to gain speed before going uphill as
vehicle would lose too much speed and be too slow near top of hill but cannot due to MPH or RPM limits set in calibrations
When buying a vehicle, look at what the tire rating is to know about what the nameplate set the max MPH to be

In the USA blame Ford and the japs who bought up tire makers like Firestone Ford used on their Explorers and were rolling over
Started all type of crap with the feds making laws about tires, max speeds, age, etc

Example looking into 1 GM vehicle's calibration

mph.jpg
 
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