Watch This Before Buying a C5 Corvette 1997-2004
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- čas přidán 7. 08. 2024
- Hey everyone,
In todays video I break down all the issues that I came across within the C5 Corvette. Non of these issues are deal breakers to own the car, but just things to watch out for.
I personally LOVE the C5 corvette.
Hope this helped you all out figure out whatever symptoms you have been having or helped you with your future purchase. Have a great day!
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Having owned several of these, 1. Get jacking pucks and use them! 2.ebcm are not repairable on 97 to 00 vettes but its no big deal, you just wont have trac control or abs, drive accordingly. 3.replace all fluids at purchase regrdless of age or prior service. 4. Get a non acid battery like optima. 5. Get one with average miles, dont look for lowest mileage. Low miles means it sat and you are askimg for issues. 6. Drive it and enjoy it. No car is without issues but these are about as bulletproof as they come.
What abt 24,000 to 32k miles ?
@@repliys2575 very low miles. All depends on service records and the owner. Check it out well and have an inspection if possible
what is about the range of good mileage for the vettes?
@@kkiwi_ii6159 totally depends on how it is cared for. I had a 98 with 120k when i bought it which was a daily driver that was serviced regularly that gave me no issues. Then i had an 01 with 30k that sat all the time and i had to replace everything rubber, spent over 5k making it reliable. Look at the records and have a pp inspection done.
@@smokinC5 how’s 2002 75k miles for 12k but with 7 owners? Going to go look at it soon
I have had a C5 Vette on my channel for the past year and a half now and have run into many of the problems listed, as well as done most of the tasteful beginner mods most C5 owners do. These are AMAZING cars for the money!
Hey man, thanks for dropping by!
Is it worth the repairs? My buddy was telling me if anything goes bad on a corvette trans or engine, it costs way more to fix and for parts than any other LS vehicle
@@bassglaze3275 depends on what you want with the car. But if this car is one you 100% want then it’s worth the money. If you don’t want to fix most of the problem yourself, then you might not want to buy a 20 year old car
@@AutoMotivate cant you just upgrade it all to make it better?
@@AutoMotivatewould you buy it again?
No car has “zero issues”.
No shit...
Dumb comment
TOYOTA
But there is an engine with zero issues.
Lexus 1UZ-FE V8.
Zero design flaws.
Its usually me having issues with the car
Picking up my 99’ coupe on Friday….navy blue metallic, black interior, 6M, 2 owner with 52k miles. So stoked.
Hows it going man, its been two years, run into any problems? Im looking forward to purchasing an 04’ but i am quite hesitant
Well done. As an owner of 2 C5’s, I can attest to your accuracy. An amazing value!
Too late for me. I bought my ‘04 C5 24hour Lemans Blue Commemorative coupe 6 speed 2 years ago with out issue. Love the “f” out of this car. A thrill to drive every day and tons of thumbs up everywhere I go 👍
Good overview. However these concerns in my perspective are not deal breakers. I have had my 5 Convertible for seven years. Harmonic Balance and the b steering lock were easy and affordable. Did recently replace the clutch and wet parts. Seven years and less than $3500. 00. Not bad averaging $500.00 per year. After owning Porsches and BMW for the previous 30 years, this is a in the bucket.
Best car I’ve owned. Just wish the electrical system was more reliable lol
I’m 18 and I really want one do you think I should
@@zev7973 same should I get one at 18?
I would say no. Mainly because all the power the car has and as a new driver, it takes a while to even get used to more of an average car.
@@AutoMotivate are they good besides the power
They are great! Reliable and somewhat easy to work on ( you’ll have to use a special method to jack up the car, though).
Insurance will be high, especially as a younger driver and it being your first car.
Thank you for sharing this information.
Hopefully you do more like this.
Like everything else in life, there's pros and cons and some trade-off.
The value for money can't really be beat on these cars. I got my C5 for $8,500. There's not a single other 350HP V8 sports car built for racing and cornering that costs that little *BUT* these cars also require a lot of TLC in terms of little issues.
I've never heard of one of these completely blowing up on the side of the road and falling apart but you should expect to do a lot of $20-$100 fixes/tweaks
Dude you did your research and delivered it well!
Wow great job, people are always talking to me about Corvette's (I have had 4 of them) they are always asking me about things and how to replace parts and unfortunately there are too much crap on CZcams
(My corvette life 🤮) but I will start telling people about you, Very good!!
👍👍
The climate control dimming issue can be fixed by resoldering the resistors on the back of the panel
Good video. You may have missed 1. The hazard switch. To get brake light or turn signals. I randomly have to push the hazard switch on and off a few times.
My body shop guy is letting me drive his 97 c5 with cams headers and a new computer while he fixes my car, I am a 10 speed mustang gt owner and it is nothing compared to that (obviously) but this is a really fun damn car ! I respect you guys a lot more now!
a couple of more issues. the module hidden behind the right pop headlight can fail and the head light may not want to go up. My convertible has leak issues in heavy rain and the small rear window can fall out over time. the voltage issues with the alternator can be intermittent as well.
The 05 and up Corvette I still say are one of the better looking Corvettes , then they replaced the round taillights with a bar of lights that killed it for me !
Agreed. The could have definitely modernized the circular headlights while keeping the circular aspect.
Thanks you for the video, very educational.
Great info! Much appreciated it! Subscribed
Thank you friend 🙏
Very informative video.
Watching this before buying a Corvette. Probably 30 years before I can afford it. I think I'm right on time!
Great video. Thanks for the information!
Thank you for watching!
Nice summary!
good tips man, there should be a video like this for very vehicle cuz it doesn't matter what you hear there is no such thing as a "more reliable" car, it's all sales hype, sure there are some real gems but they all have their issues, some never have them said common issue, sometimes they all have it or are at risk as in about to have it.. but every vehicle ever made has ISSUES!!! and they do wear! so maniantance is KEY! as are driving habits like don't ride your brakes, always let the engine warm before moving especially new vehicles! so on so forth..
Exactly, there are so many variables that contribute to how reliable a car is. That is exactly why I started to create these videos, however, I cant only post these videos on my channel. Wish I could because they are helpful and I like educating myself.
I have a 98 Corvette, this video is spot on.
I’ve had 3 Vettes, coupe, convertible and currently an ‘03Z.
The coupe and Vert were ‘02’s.
On the coupe the wiper motor had to be replaced, and on the convertible I had the headlight issue.
Did it myself and would recommend knowing the bracket sequence on rotation of headlight.
On the Z it was the fuel gauge issue.
Fixed it with injector cleaner(lots) and always chevron hi octane.
Is the targa top the one with the weird angled roof?
@@Luminous.Dynamics
Yes! I called it my “Hatchback” Vette.
@@Saltysailor83 I much prefer the look of the hatch! Were the hatchbacks available from 97-04, or only certain years?
Yes, the coupes and convertibles were available all C5 years.
The FRC’s (Fixed Roof Coupe) were added in ‘99-00 years, to be changed to the Z06 platform from ‘01 to ‘04.
Note on the early C5s with old EBCM unit. They actually make a bypass for them that will disable those warning lights. I'm not sure the legality of it when it comes to selling it (or certain state Emission inspections). It's mostly intended for track use.
I have owned a 01 Z06 for 14 years. Have 50k on it and just a callaway honker 2 air kit on it for a mod. The car definitely has a number of electronic issues that's for sure. To many censors on this car too. But!! The car is great for the money. Love it. Definitely recommend . She roars!!!!!
I got my 2000 vette just over a year ago just over 68k miles loving it. It seems to get more looks than some of the newer vets when I go to shows
What did you pay for yours? They seem to keep going up in price! Especially low mileage ones!
Best c 5 vid hands down
Well done brother
Thank you very much for the guide… Seriously looking into a 2003 c5 z06. This should help!
@meefjwfhss I I am just watching AutoTrader, AutoTempest, Cars & Bids. Southern, rust free cars. The usual. If it feels right, go for it. = ]
I just purchased a 2003 BLK Z06. Hell of a car for the money! Got mine for $17.500. very clean 101,000 miles
@meefjwfhss I no repairs. I'm doing preventative maintenance though. I'm doing a coolant flush with thermostat replacement, spark plugs, oil change. I ended up buying the wheel lock bypass as well because I didn't want to be dealing with that if it occurred. I did buy an aftermarket intake ( airaid) and a axle back by Corsa . Other then that, she came in 100% working order. Drove her home 160+ miles she did great! I was patiant tho with the find. Alot of Z06's out there I'm sure are thrashed. Any more questions please feel free to ask.
@meefjwfhss I the overheating issue is because the Corvette is a bottom feeder and debris and such gets clogged in the radiator causing it not to be able to breathe also these engines do run hot by keeping up on the maintenance of the cooling system will be fine and do the trick. Good luck with your search . At 17 years young this will be a lot of car to learn on.
@@chakman1125 I'm looking into Z06's right now also. I've found a couple for $18k for 80k miles. I'm just nervous cause I don't know if that's considered High Mileage for the car. Spending 18k on a car with near 100k miles, seems scary for me. I want it to last me for a couple years. What do you think? :)
That rattling in the engine can also be the oil pickup tube seal has failed and the engine is not getting enough oil on full throttle.
I found a nice 1997 that ive been looking at thats really nice has a loud aftermarket exhaust on it and 95k miles but i think im just going to avoid it because of the EBCM problem
Forgot how when the harmonic balancer goes bad, it starts digging into your oil pan lol these are great cars though!
yes that thing went bad on mine. get a pin kit and an aftermarket balancer such as fluidampr. pin it and forget it. The reason I say that is that i went with an oem replacement first and it lasted about 4 years and got loose again. 2nd time around I was done with it. spent the money on a high quality part and fix with a pin. works great!
Let's not forget the vibration damper on the front of the motor. The rubber deteriorates over time, and it will try to walk off. Either towards the rack and pinion or the front cover of the motor
I don;t know if I would use WD40 on the gaskets. Maybe try a silicone based lube for that? Good video though, I have a C4 but the C5 is a great car too.
You forgot the harmonic balancer. My fuel gauge only works with Shell 93 + nitro.
Loved my LeMans C5 but I had the dreaded steering computer issue that the recall for that didn’t fix. I ended up selling it 😮
Cold solders on the eight diodes in the HVAC module can be repaired, this is much cheaper than replacing the module.
I have a question for you I am looking at an 03C5 and write down where the plastic air dam is underneath the front bumper there's a metal rod or bar on each side of it left and right and there a little banged up is that a problem
i thought that steering wheel situation was taken care of by a mandatory recall? that brake and battery problem would be a concern. are z06s included? overall theyre still great cars and a good value.
i Have a 2003 with 178,0000 hwy miles looks and drives beautiful
I had a 2008 c6 and regret selling it and just get depressed thinking about it but I might get a 50th anniversary Z06 because mine wasn’t a ZR-1 or a Z06
Good info
Why does it sound like a South Park character narrated this video.. LOL J/K. Great informative video
great vid
Thank you 🙏
Hopefully this video will help people out
Just starting getting into cars as an 18 year old girl haha. My grandpa is the original owner of a 62 and a 67 corvette. I called it the boom boom car growing up😁
👌 i love vettes. impalas too.
Don't forget the harmonic balancers fall apart and it's not fun to change.
This is what A REAL Vette looks like. Not that stupid C8 Fake-ari.
I just bought my c5 vette with 130k on it and this video just gave me the list of things to watch for. It’s cammed and it’s nice dm me if you wanna see it
They can develop an oil leak that requires dropping the engine and manual tranny to repair the leakage. Usually, it's hard to find someone who knows how to do it, and I am told it's very expensive to repair if you can find someone. Car throws a lot of annoying codes as discussed. Fun car to drive though when most everything is working. Looks good in your garage, too.
Its been a dream of mine to get one. I got a v6 sierra puckup and am honestly impressed with GM vehicles, aside from replacing the fuel pump every 6-10 years. But hey, if i can get a 5.7l v8 muscle car for 6-12 grand then why would i say no?
I've had good luck keeping my ABS healthy by replacing the brake fluid every 2 years and exercising the ABS/traction in a safe area. It throws ABS codes after sitting without being driven.
The FCR bodies can leak too around the windows and they can all leak from the windshield cowl if you don't clean out the water drains. Far as jacking unless you have yours at factory ride height the jacking pucks are useless even with a low profile jacks. My advice get a low profile long nose jack and use a regular hockey puck under the subframes from the front and the rear jacking up the entire front and back. Use stands on the subframe corners. Working on these cars are fairly easy and parts are very reasonable. However, the window to buy these was best about 8-10 years ago. They're going up in value like everything else. 10 years ago I kid you not you could buy a c6 ZR1 used with 40k miles for about 50k USD. The C5 Z06 was about 20k with low miles now they're climbing over 30k.
My father has one of these. Has had consistent battery problems for years.
Don't forget cleaning the radiator and AC condensor. If you're running hot, that's a common cause.
Harmonic balancer should of been in the list for sure ..
That “sewing machine clattering” on a cold LS Engine IS normal, However,it should Decrease as the Engine warms up. If not,you may have a valve issue/issues. Owner,2002 Convertible, 63,000 almost trouble free miles
Good video 👍🏻
Well I bought a 2001 C 5 6 speed torch red 41k in 2011 from eBay in California 2 owners garaged for 16 k did a complete Tune up including oxygen sensors changed fluids only problem was with one headlight motor otherwise excellent outside and inside drove it home to Seattle area
Only one I ever drove was a 99 in 2002. Most responsive car I ever drove.
Sooo do I trade my 2020 scatpack for a 2002 z06
My most favorite Corvette with the exception of the split window coupe. Anything after the c5 just looks average. Even the newer stingrays. Although the mid engine looks awesome.
@meefjwfhss I C7 looks like a transformer. It looks cool but doesn’t really look like a corvette. Especially the rear end
I'm sorry but in what world does a C7 look average? With the exception of maybe a newer Supra (which came out way after C7) there's nothing that looks even somewhat similar to a C7
I would say the c6 looks good and after that i think they went off track. The split window is my favorite car though.
So the C5 had better rear suspension than the C4?
My friend Billy has one of these Corvettes with the Z 51 people are always trying to buy it from him 😅
I love sharing videos like this to my Facebook because I have a lot of haters on there so it pisses them off just thinking about me getting a better car than They have 🤣😂😅 🏆
Bought a 97 with 37,000 miles on it 3 years ago. Now 51,000 miles. No problems. Didn't do any research, guess I got lucky. Base model, automatic. Simple, but lots of fun.
what rims are those in the thumbnail
I have a 1999 C5 , so far,so good 👍 72,000.
I have a 1997 c5 and I had every single issue in this video 😭
How many miles on it
How many c5 vettes have you owned?
Oh my psi at 130 I should be fine it’s been 5 months
The 97 thu around 2000 have a traction control issue and chevy quit replacing the part. Made me not buy one
I'll say this Make sure that if a dealer changes the oil on the car that they remove the jacking pucks. I had my oil changed at my local dealer and they left the jacking pucks in place. I heard a loud thud then looked back and saw one of the pucks go off in the ditch. Pulled into a store parking lot and two were still under there.
Oh, thats hilarious. Hopefully they didnt damage your ride
@@AutoMotivate Didn’t do any damage far as I can tell. But I haven’t had it back on the lift since they changed the oil. The sound it made scared me to death.
Our 1997 c5 has most of these issues talked about.
You left out VATS security system ,when the resistor in the key wears down ,the Vette will not start. Easy fix. New key or bypass Vats all together .
VATS makes it sound like fallout
You ain't bullshittin!!!
"with that said" who/what/when/where did that become a saying?
forgot torque tube bearing, harmonic balancer shimmy
I bought one before I watched this but heres my tip dont buy the cheapest c5 with 82k miles on it that wasnt maintained and not expect to have issues/get one for 20k with low miles that was regularly serviced its worth the investment
Anyone know where I can get new weather stripping for a targa top
Just Google it. You can find a kit for about $100
Is getting one with 105k miles a good idea, it’s in pretty good condition
i wanna buy one with 194k miles, its that too much? also car was damaged by flood what do you think should i buy it?
I wanna buy one with 356k miles on it. It’s been in a tornado, 3 floods, is irradiated because the 2nd owner crashed into a nuclear power plant. There’s a family of raccoons that live underneath the ragtop convertible that come with the car. Convertible though right?😏😏😏 yeah. Things nice as hell. and for only 17k. People always ask me how I find steals like this. I just boil it down to luck. I guess some people have it and some people don’t.
@@justanormalguy6516 NO!!
What if I bought it two years ago? 😅
What about an 05 vette
the duel a/c sucks ,, gets stuck on heat or stuck in cold ,, hide away headlights get stuck ,, cars are low to ground and you have to watch were your park and drive
Harmonic balancer
What does one these run for?
You could find a higher ish mile Vette around 10k.
Dream car…. Mabye one day
you forgot the harmonic balancer problem, it cam come loose and shred all your belts
I’m still buying one! 🤫
I love you
i owned a beautiful c4 convertible when my friend picked up a mint c5 convertible. just a beautiful car. the interior design, the gauges, the convertible top quality and mechanism, that ls1 motor and its power. i won't lie and say i wasn't a little jealous. before long the issues on his car started cropping up. the faulty fuel gauge, the shifting drivers seat, the stability control, tire sensors,on and on .you guessed it. in one year he offered to make me an even trade ! i told him no thanks.
I just did about 5000 miles in a C5 with an old friend, his car, because he wanted company and like me is sick of commercial flying. He had a flirt with death, medical thing, and really wanted to get another road trip "in the can"(we both grew up in Hollywood) before he crokes. So I flew down to Texas and we were off in his White Corvette.
It was terrific. Comfy, decent ride, didn't sip gas exactly but it wasn't chugging it. I was so pleasantly surprised that I started looking at them seriously.
We have a couple properties out West, 200 miles apart and 90% of that is mountain roads and highway, just maybe 20 miles of Freeway. I'd love to have a fun car, AND COMFORTABLE, for the drive. No stiff back canyon carvers and track day cars. I am too old.
So I started looking and realized I want a Porsche 928. Everything a Corvette never was. A German tank that is fast, über reliable and way more comfortable. I used to have one. Sorry. Never have been a 'Vette Guy...'
Keep your C5 it's going to be worth a lot of money in the future don't let anyone try and buy one cheap these days because they know it's going to be worth a lot of money when this Auto industry goes all electric
WD-40 is not a lubricant, it is a water displacing and solvent formula.
Do not spray on steering linkage or anywhere where you want lubrication !!
A good silicone spray is what you need.
the problems he's talking about in this video come from people not maintaining their Corvette that shouldn't own one in the first place, or they bought one without having it checked out at a Chevrolet dealership.. (not some backyard I know everything about Corvette dude. )
If the guy really wants to sell you that Corvette and there's nothing wrong with it, he will not mind you taking it to a dealership and have them look at it and do an inspection.. good luck
Hey man! Thank you for your input! I am currently removing the WD-40 portion because I know it will dry out the rubber. Not sure what I was thinking when I said that. A silicone lubricant is key.
I wouldn't trust a dealership to give you the best pre-purchase inspection. Not enough Corvette specialists at dealerships, so they can be worse than the "backyard Corvette dude" who's actually done his research about the cars. At minimum, I'd recommend going to a Corvette specialist. They're knowledgeable about these cars and will be able to give you a list of things that should be addressed now, in the future, and maybe even become your regular mechanic. The last dealership I went to, I had to show the guy some things he wasn't aware of. He said "Oh well, we just go by what the book says..."
Water is a lubricant
@@wit2pz
I wouldn't know where to take my car, I have 5 Corvettes started buying them in 71. Have never had a problem with a dealer ever. I work on the cars myself and I do not shy away from another person's opinion. Not one dealer has ever giving me any problems with going through a car I want to buy.
And if you've never dealt with any dealers it's not that hard to research the bad ones
@@CoolHandLuke002
Wasn't referring to spitting in your hand
No No No! The third "other common issues," the dim HVAC control panel readouts, is an easy fix and the fix seems to last forever. The problem is solder joints on the large capacitors. I did mine and the hardest part is getting the friggin' panel out of the car. There are plenty CZcams videos on the subject. If you are selling, fix it. If you are buying, keep your mouth shut, use it as a bargaining tool, then fix it yourself once you have the title to the car. Then, enjoy your Vette!.
Pls don't use WD- 40 is not a lube .
All cars have promblems but it is a vette and they look great
Sounds like research and development engineering wasn't done to a comprehensive degree of quality control?!
A little more time testing and money on parts and development would have resolved these issues from the factory.
Even though I'm a true blue Ford guy,the C5 corvette is my favourite looking modern vetted.
I'd love one with a combo of C6 & C7 int and chassis/ Suspension and running gear .
Awesome.
I have a question, let's say I get one thats in good condition and I am not rough with the car, How often will these issues occour?
it depends what the issue is, sum of these are inevitable and bound to happen sometime, like the headlight motor but if u maintain it well its a very reliable car! steering column is an easy fix and another thing known to go bad that this guy forgot to mention is the harmonic balancer, but u shouldnt have to worry about that until a long time after being replaced. most of these issues are very common but wont appear often
@@AlbertoMartinez-nx7hr Thanks for telling me!
I couldn’t have said it better. Thanks Alberto!
@@wildchild6974 yeah and your very lucky to own that car!