may change mind..

[glenroth108]

so the other day while getting gas, a'98 c5 pulls up.i ask if i can pick the owners brain as im interested in buying a c5.he says the car is "over-engineered".too many sensors,etc.etc.he goes on to say that the battery went dead and put the car into stolen mode.had to go to the dealerand spent $400 to fix.then the ignition switch shorted out.he says a sensor in the gas tank failed,and the car would not run.another $1,500. he says why put a low air pressure sensor in a run-flat tire?he also mentioned,plastic guides going bad on cables in tranny,plastic seat inserts tearing,dual zone a/c malfunctioning, and on and on.he did say it has awesome power,and gas mileage.the car has 75000 miles on it.everything was fine untilafter 50,000 miles.i dont know what to do.should i change my mind and look at mustangs.any info would be appreciated.thanks, signed,what to do?.

[timfitz63]

Well, sounds more to me like he had some bad luck... Or got a 'problem child' (you find 'em with all makes and models)...

Regarding the charge of 'over-engineering' (too many sensors, etc.), that's just a fact of automotive life now. Any modern vehicle from any manufacturer (including a Ford Mustang) will be 'over-engineered' in a similar way.

I'm thinking his reference to 'stolen mode' is in connection to the radio head, which can be programmed with a user code that causes the radio head to become disabled in the event it's removed from the vehicle. The down side is if the battery goes dead, the radio 'thinks' it was removed from the vehicle, and if a code had been programmed, it won't work until the code is re-entered (or the dealer resets the radio head). There are a few threads floating around this forum that detail how the radio head can be reset.

The tire pressure sensors are in run flat tires to alert you that the tire has, indeed, lost air pressure -- which you might not otherwise realize because the tire is designed to function for a short period (not indefinitely) without air pressure. Again, many modern vehicles use run-flat tires, and most of those will have tire pressure sensors. The sensors on the C5 have a finite lifetime (due to the batteries powering the transmitter), and will need to be replaced (on average, about every 5 years).

With regard to the other problems this guy mentions, it's not my impression they're all that common. But like any other vehicle, parts on the C5 wear out from usage, age, neglect, poor design, or any number of other reasons. Again, no different than any other modern vehicle...

On the whole, my experience with the C5 is that it's a fantastic value for the money. Like any other mechanical device, it's service life (and those of it's components) is in direct proportion to the care given to it by the owner. I'm not saying the owner to whom you spoke was neglectful, but let's face it: high-performance vehicles are just going to be more temperamental than the typical family sedan due to the design parameters and the comparative service they tend to see.

Ultimately, you will need to decide what's best for you; but I don't think you can go too far wrong with a good, clean, well-kept C5...

[XLR8]

A 98, huh? I'm not surprised any nearly 14 year old car would require a lot of maintenance and repair, especially if not well taken care of. And all the world knows an expensive sports car would have expensive parts. At least, they should. I bought my 98 when it had 25,000 miles on it and now it has 127,000+ miles and I've not experienced all the issues he said he has.

The C5 is a great Corvette and if you're really interested in buying one, I'd recommend lots of reading and researching the C5 forums and the CAC Tech Center so that you can be an informed buyer. If you think you'd be happier with a Mustang, go for it. They're a nice little car, sharp looking and very affordable and you can find one on every street corner.

Welcome to the Corvette Action Center.
Jane Ann

[glenroth108]

yes, i will have to do my research,pros and cons.this is a good place to start.thanks again.i don't really think i want a mustang any way.

[6 Shooter]

2012 Corvette eBrochure

[Yoda]

glenroth108 Welcome to the Corvette Action Center Community

Comparing the 1971 to a 1998

Back when you had your 1971 it was like being the cock of the walk, yes... well that old thing had it's issue's too, but rather than compare the two by pointing out shortfalls, lets take a look at what was "Optional" back in 1971 verse's what was "Optional" in 1998

Back in 1971 Options were plenty everything from leather/cloth to engine size and

Power Windows
Air Conditioning
Power Steering
Power Brakes
Alarm System
AM/FM Radio
AM/FM Radio Stereo
Leather Seats

All the items mentioned above are "Standard" equipment on a 1998 the actual options for a 1998 are there but not near as rudimental. Over the years the Creature Comforts became standard and performance and new technology becomes the Optional equipment.

I will say that the ride between a 1971 and the 1998 or any C5 is like night and day.. Oh it is still a Corvette but more refined, each year the marque gets better and better. I don't notice near as many rattles or air leaks in the C5 and the ride is more comfortable and you be styling in more comfort and speed..

It is all relative to how you like your ride. I prefer to drive my 1981 around town, it really sounds like a Corvette with the Flowmaster 40's and I NEVER get tired of shifting that 4-Speed .. the 2003 is a fantastic cruiser and gets good gas mileage... best of both worlds as far as I am concerned

Enjoy your search and research on the C5, they are amazing automobiles... every generation of Corvette is a winner. I always suggest to new owners to buy the newest year Corvette you can afford. The older ones are nice but need just as much if not more maintenance as the newer ones... and as they age the parts get harder and harder to find

Good Luck Enjoy

Bud

[dougelam]

Sounds to me like someone that could not afford to own one and did not know how or when to perform routine maintenance. ALL cars will suffer when not properly maintained and the corvette is no exception. There is a list of need repairs in the owners manual and sounds like he did not know how to read them and follow them. Mercedes Benz owners are usually not mechanics and they take their cars in for scheduled repairs and they last 200K+ because of that, if you are just a little mechanically inclined we can walk you thru the steps needed to bring your purchase up to speed and keep it there for a long time.

Just a thought
Doug

[Toms01]

Well, I'm not sure that I can add anything that hasn't been said. But I would like to say that routine maintenance is key to keeping these cars running.

The sensor in the gas tank that he speaks off, I'm guessing, is the fault of running cheap gas, and can happen to any GM (probably other MFG too). I have experienced it with two other vehicles as well (both GM) Top tier fuels should be run in these cars (all of them really), but if you can't, do what most Corvette people do, run a bottle of "Techron" through every other tank or so. The additives in the Techron clean those sensors in the tank and the fuel system in general.

The power supply (battery) on these cars is critical to the electronic systems. Even I never realized how important they were until I listened to, our own, Paul Koerner (C4C5 Specialist). VetteTube - Corvette Videos, Corvette Babes, Corvette Pics, Corvette Burnouts, Corvette Mods Lots of things can/will/do happen when the battery isn't up to snuff.

Tire sensors, like was said, are there to let you know when a tire has lost air pressure. I was certainly glad that I had them in during the summer of 2010 when going to CAC Cruisefest. I picked up a nail in my left rear tire. I could not tell when I stopped that there was anything wrong by the looks of the tire. Had I continued on, much further, I would have ruined the tire and instead of a $40 repair it would have cost me a $400 tire. I believe in the tire sensors.....especially with run flats. I replaced mine when I put new tires on.

As for plastic guides and what not, every car is going to have them and they fail due to wear or age. If you read the book "All Corvettes are Red" you will find the many reasons why things were done the way they were in designing and building the Corvette. After reading that book, I truly wanted to buy a C5, and I was a dyed in the wool C4 guy (1984-96) at the time. By the way those are great cars too.

You must maintain these cars, maybe to a higher degree. But they will last 200k+ if you do. Not trying to sell you, but I want you to know that his comments must be tempered, as we/you don't know the full story behind his 98.

[WLS Ruby 93]

so the other day while getting gas, a'98 c5 pulls up.i ask if i can pick the owners brain as im interested in buying a c5.he says the car is "over-engineered".too many sensors,etc.etc.he goes on to say that the battery went dead and put the car into stolen mode.had to go to the dealerand spent $400 to fix.then the ignition switch shorted out.he says a sensor in the gas tank failed,and the car would not run.another $1,500. he says why put a low air pressure sensor in a run-flat tire?he also mentioned,plastic guides going bad on cables in tranny,plastic seat inserts tearing,dual zone a/c malfunctioning, and on and on.he did say it has awesome power,and gas mileage.the car has 75000 miles on it.everything was fine untilafter 50,000 miles.i dont know what to do.should i change my mind and look at mustangs.any info would be appreciated.thanks, signed,what to do?.

Glenroth, welcome to the site. You will find that all of us are willing to help when a fellow C5 owner has a problem or question. I have a '98 with 94,000 on it. Bought it used two years ago this February and it had two previous owners that took care of it. As with all cars there will be some problems to deal with along with the regular maintenance but I believe these cars are a great value for the performance, features and looks that they have.

Go ahead and look around for a C5 there is one out there that has been properly maintained and cared for with your name on it, the trick is to find it and that is most of the fun.

Once you buy one you will fall in love. I use mine every chance I get and keep it hooked up to a Battery Tender Jr. so it's ready to fly at a moments notice, (The Battery is always a full charge). I've won three trophies with this car at Cruise-ins and car shows over the past two years which tells us that more than a few people really like C5s.

Keep reading the posts here and you will know what to look for in a used C5 before you buy it.

Have fun and enjoy ..... and if you buy one don't forget to wave to sister ships when cruising around !!

Keep 'em rollin'

Bill