I have been tossing the idea around of getting a C5 Z06 (02-04) model. Anyone have any experience with them and what to look out for? their weak areas etc... any help would be greatly appreciated.
I have checked the corvette forums and such but would like to hear from any personal experience a 6speeder has had....

 

I have an 03 Z06. Absolutely enjoyable car. Great handling & brakes, subtle good looks, and easy to mod. The LSx powerplants are a joy to live with as they are very robust and respond well to mods. Gas mileage is good, insurance ain't too bad. Interior leaves room for improvement, especially when compared to european interior quality. The seats could use upgrading as well.

Let me know if you have any specific questions I might be able to help with.

 

Dave, are those the ACI side skirts? Your vette looks awesome.

 

Caravaggio side splitters my brutha. Thank you. Here's a better shot of the splitters for perspective.

 

Dave thanks for the feedback... i have seen your car on numerous boards and it looks awesome... i mostly am interested in the weak points of the car so i know what areas are most common in terms of breaking... i know about the various electronic issues such as the gas gauge, the HUD, the blinkers, and now i recently have read that 02-04 models experience some valve issues?

 

Thanks Slavik, figured I'd add the pics in to help persuade ya! LOL

Weak points: Seats suck, headlights suck, headlight gears will strip eventually, clutch is best replaced at around 500HP, some years came with faulty valvesprings (forget which years), fuel injector harness can chafe on the rear of the intake which can cause a P0300 code, ummmmmm that's all I can think of right now.

 

From what i have read...the valvesprings are on late 02-early 03's mostly.... but there have been some early 02's, late 03's and some 04's with the problem...

 

All of the valvespring issues can be easily fixed via a cam install with new valvesprings

And Dave has pretty much answered most of the problems with these vehicles. Your best bet would be to find an 04, least amount of issues. There really aren't a whole lot of faults with the cars and you would be very pleased owning one. Interior does lack quality, but I don't believe the seats are as bad as everyone makes them out to be.

Good luck with your search and purchase

 

the C5z was one of my fav cars. did everything for me. drove very well. great mpg. great hp/modded easy/plenty of room. just did everything. I only sold it to get a C6Z

 

Same for me, but I loved my C5z. Check the carpet near the passenger floor, during torrential downpours there is a flaw in the window molding that can allow water to pool. Just check that its dry and doesn't have an odor. Also, just drive slowly in 1st and cut left and right making turns while listening for popping sounds. Sometimes its the old axle needing grease, sometimes its something much more serious. Also the steering column lock is an issue occassionally, research if its been fixed. I ran my C5z hard, and never had an issue, you wont regret buying one.

 

Just saw this thread. I saw that you replied to the Edgewater thread as well. I'm in North Jersey so if you are ever down in Edgewater we can meet up.

I've had my 03' Z for 4 years now. So far its been a great car. Everyone pretty much hit the biggies on here. Personally, I'd stick to an 03-04 car but thats just cause they are getting older and you'll start to see typical small GM wear and tear depending on the car and mileage.

My car had 13k on it when I bought it, and now has 62K. Its a daily driver in Jersey traffic. Mechanically the car has been great. However, the only things I've had pop up are below.

Set of tires - standard - due for another this month
Brakes - standard
HVAC screen doesn't work - tap on it...works fine
Driver side window doesn't work occasionally - open the door and shake the tube connecting the chasis to the door solved.
Roof Leaks - tried all sorts of stuff
Diff pops - swapped fluid...still does it

Basically stupid crap goes wrong with them.

I'd say if you can snag one for a good deal pick it up. Definitely an awsome car and I love that you never seen them around.

 

I like up until 03,..only because I mod alot of the Y bodies(corvette-xlr platform) and I don't like how the 04 and up models require dropping the fuel tank to replace the fuel pump. Not a big deal but, after you swap out a pump on an 03 or older,...you'd see why the 04 and up is a pain in the ***. Clutch swaps, can be expensive if you don't do the work yourself. The first two I did were a pain in the ***, everyone i've done after that has been gravey to me. Dave hit the majority of the issues on the head, all of which are easily fixed weather you replace them with stock replacement parts, or if you buy aftermarket versions.

All in all, I have owned two vettes, driven probably every platform, the C5 is a unique machine, and I love it to death. I don't think I will ever sell my C5,..as I feel it's timeless....especially the FRC/Z06 design/roofline. They do get more loose then a C6 vette,.... for example launching,..hard. The C6 seems easier to pilot out of the hole,...as the C5 seems to require more pilot skills, especially once you get to bigger HP numbers.

 

thanks for the feedback guys... i ended up picking up a low mileage 02 Millenium Yellow z06....

 

Post pics when you get a chance.