C4 vs C5 for the Ride
08-12-2012, 06:00 AM
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C4 vs C5 for the Ride
I have a C4 and I'm considering getting a C5 to replace it. If anyone has or has had both I'd like to hear some opinions on which is preferrable when it comes to the ride and handling. My C4 handles great but the ride is quite stiff which I've been told is normal for the C4. Also, which is better the early C5's or the later ones? Thanks in advance guys!
08-12-2012, 09:22 AM
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08-12-2012, 09:24 AM
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08-12-2012, 09:46 AM
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Safety Car
Before you buy a C5, be sure you take it on a long drive. You may feel it gets a little boring compared to your C4. I had the opportunity to drive a C5 for the day a few months ago while my buddy was out of town. Yes, he gave me the OK. 
I liked the car but thought it was more like a Monte Carlo SS instead of a drive by the seat of your pants Vette. Some do like that style, but not yet for me. I'm not old enough yet!
I liked the car but thought it was more like a Monte Carlo SS instead of a drive by the seat of your pants Vette. Some do like that style, but not yet for me. I'm not old enough yet!
08-12-2012, 10:07 AM
#8
Melting Slicks
08-12-2012, 10:55 AM
#9
Melting Slicks
I've had both, the ride (and entry/exit) is definately better in the C5. Cornering is better in the C5, but unless you are flat out on a course you probably won't push the car far enough to see the difference. I think my 95 LT1 A4 would beat my 98 LS1 M6 in the quarter if I were driving both. Probably not with a professional shifting though.
Early C5s and later C5s both have their issues. You cannot buy replacement ECBM modules for the early C5, there is only one company I know of that offers a rebuild service. Some later C5s have a fuel leakage problem due to a design issue. Connections can come lose at the tank and cost several thousand to repair.
Early C5s and later C5s both have their issues. You cannot buy replacement ECBM modules for the early C5, there is only one company I know of that offers a rebuild service. Some later C5s have a fuel leakage problem due to a design issue. Connections can come lose at the tank and cost several thousand to repair.
Last edited by markKlein; 08-12-2012 at 12:51 PM.
08-12-2012, 11:20 AM
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Test drives are free, go take a couple for a ride and decide for yourself. Not trying to be wise here, but what i consider a comfortable ride, you may not. With that being said, the later the model year, usually equals most of the bugs being worked out. Good Luck with your search.
08-12-2012, 11:24 AM
#11
Drifting
I had an 84 sold it and bought a 98. As stated in the comment above, the C5 is definitely easier on entry/exit. The ride is much better in the C5 than the C4. I think the C5 does handle better, but only slightly better than a C4, this is my opinion only. The seats are much better in the C4 than the C5. If you want a C5 drive one and see how you like it and compare the two, in the end it's you that makes the final decision. On the other hand if I have a chance to purchase another C4 and am able to keep both, I would purchase one in a heartbeat..
08-12-2012, 12:30 PM
#12
I've had my '95 coupe for over six years and 25k+ miles, so that's the one I'm most familiar with.
When my '95 was having a minor issue with the cruise control, a friend of mine loaned me his '99 Vert to drive to Bowling Green for the 2008 Anniversary Celebration. The trip from home to BG is about 10 hours, so over the course of four days, I had close to 30 hours of seat time. I've also done some minor work on his car, so I've had seat time on other occasions.
I also had a chance to drive an '07 Coupe over a ten day period, and I put 1100 miles on it, so I have some seat time in the C6 as well.
All cars are six speed manual. The C4 has base suspension, the C5 has the adjustable suspension, and the C6 was a Z51 car.
Entry/Exit: C5 and C6 are clear winners here. The C5 has the memory package, and it takes a bit of getting used to, given that the seats move all the way back when you shut down, and then move back to their memory position when you enter the car. It isn't bad - just mildly disconcerting the first few times! When I first got my C4 in 2006, my knees and back were in much better shape, so I'm finding that each Spring I seem to have just a bit more trouble with the entry/exit dance.
Ride - Short Duration: The C5 with the suspension set to "Tour" is the softest ride going to work, when you want to concentrate more on 'what's my day going to be' than 'Oh crap! Better dodge that pothole!'. The C4 also announces that you're in a more elemental environment if you live in an area with rough roads. Both the C5 and C6 have more refined (or boring, depending on your viewpoint) interiors.
Ride - Long Duration: I didn't drive the C6 any long distance - just drove it a good while every day, so I never had hours of continuous driving like I did the other two. If I had to pick either the C5 or C4 to drive from here to BG, I think I'd pick the C4. Once you actually get IN the car, I find it much more comfortable and easier to drive than the C5 when on long trips. On good highways, the C4 seats begin to shine, and good roads eliminate a lot of the squeaks and rattles that are more prevalent when I'm driving to work. The C4 seats are much better than the C5 or C6 seats. All cars are equipped with sport seats. The C5 and C6 side bolsters both managed to make my mid back/ribcage hurt - no matter how I adjusted them. That may not be a problem for you - I'm built kind of like a stump (relatively wide for my height).
Handling: All three of them are more capable than I am. The C5 seems to be the vaguest one of the three, but all of them are good.
Overall: The C4 provides the most untamed experience, but it's a pretty docile highway cruiser - roll up the windows, turn on the climate control, and let the miles pass in comfort, and get there refreshed. When I drive it for fun, I put in the hatch vent, roll down the windows, and listen to the engine scream. BOTH C5 and C6 factory exhausts are BORING and way too QUIET. When I get on it, I want to hear the exhaust, not the intake, and on both of the new ones, I heard more intake noise than anything else. At cruise in the C4, I can hear the engine rumble in the background, and it makes me happy. At cruise in the C5 or C6, I could be driving my Malibu for all the engine noise I hear.
Steven
When my '95 was having a minor issue with the cruise control, a friend of mine loaned me his '99 Vert to drive to Bowling Green for the 2008 Anniversary Celebration. The trip from home to BG is about 10 hours, so over the course of four days, I had close to 30 hours of seat time. I've also done some minor work on his car, so I've had seat time on other occasions.
I also had a chance to drive an '07 Coupe over a ten day period, and I put 1100 miles on it, so I have some seat time in the C6 as well.
All cars are six speed manual. The C4 has base suspension, the C5 has the adjustable suspension, and the C6 was a Z51 car.
Entry/Exit: C5 and C6 are clear winners here. The C5 has the memory package, and it takes a bit of getting used to, given that the seats move all the way back when you shut down, and then move back to their memory position when you enter the car. It isn't bad - just mildly disconcerting the first few times! When I first got my C4 in 2006, my knees and back were in much better shape, so I'm finding that each Spring I seem to have just a bit more trouble with the entry/exit dance.
Ride - Short Duration: The C5 with the suspension set to "Tour" is the softest ride going to work, when you want to concentrate more on 'what's my day going to be' than 'Oh crap! Better dodge that pothole!'. The C4 also announces that you're in a more elemental environment if you live in an area with rough roads. Both the C5 and C6 have more refined (or boring, depending on your viewpoint) interiors.
Ride - Long Duration: I didn't drive the C6 any long distance - just drove it a good while every day, so I never had hours of continuous driving like I did the other two. If I had to pick either the C5 or C4 to drive from here to BG, I think I'd pick the C4. Once you actually get IN the car, I find it much more comfortable and easier to drive than the C5 when on long trips. On good highways, the C4 seats begin to shine, and good roads eliminate a lot of the squeaks and rattles that are more prevalent when I'm driving to work. The C4 seats are much better than the C5 or C6 seats. All cars are equipped with sport seats. The C5 and C6 side bolsters both managed to make my mid back/ribcage hurt - no matter how I adjusted them. That may not be a problem for you - I'm built kind of like a stump (relatively wide for my height).
Handling: All three of them are more capable than I am. The C5 seems to be the vaguest one of the three, but all of them are good.
Overall: The C4 provides the most untamed experience, but it's a pretty docile highway cruiser - roll up the windows, turn on the climate control, and let the miles pass in comfort, and get there refreshed. When I drive it for fun, I put in the hatch vent, roll down the windows, and listen to the engine scream. BOTH C5 and C6 factory exhausts are BORING and way too QUIET. When I get on it, I want to hear the exhaust, not the intake, and on both of the new ones, I heard more intake noise than anything else. At cruise in the C4, I can hear the engine rumble in the background, and it makes me happy. At cruise in the C5 or C6, I could be driving my Malibu for all the engine noise I hear.
Steven
Last edited by OldCorvetteFan; 08-12-2012 at 12:34 PM.
08-12-2012, 12:43 PM
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On an open highway and/or a good road there isn't much difference in the ride between the two. On a rough road or going over things like RR tracks the difference is night and day. The C5 rides over the bumps like they aren't there while we all know what happens to the C4.
The C4 handles extremely well in turns and grips the road perfectly, the C5 is through the turn before you realize it's there.
The C4 holds you in the car like velcro while you struggle to stay in your seat in the C5. The seats kinda suck, IMO, in the C5. So you have to use your dead pedal for extra stability.
If you could take the interior of the later C4's and put it in a C5 you would have the ultimate vette. I personally never had much trouble getting in and out of the C4 myself, but in reality it is a tad easier to get and out of the C5 simply because you don't have the tall sill to deal with.
As far as which is better, the early or late, C5's. The later ones are always better as with any car. They update things and perfect other things they find needs tweaking. The later C5's, 01 and after IIRC, all have the LS6 intake and some other changes that give it 5 more ponies, which you can notice on a dyno.
My C5 has the Z51 suspension so that's the only experience I have. Many people claim the C5 doesn't ride like a vette but everyone who has riden in mine, that has other vette experiences, seems to think it does.
The C4 handles extremely well in turns and grips the road perfectly, the C5 is through the turn before you realize it's there.
The C4 holds you in the car like velcro while you struggle to stay in your seat in the C5. The seats kinda suck, IMO, in the C5. So you have to use your dead pedal for extra stability.
If you could take the interior of the later C4's and put it in a C5 you would have the ultimate vette. I personally never had much trouble getting in and out of the C4 myself, but in reality it is a tad easier to get and out of the C5 simply because you don't have the tall sill to deal with.
As far as which is better, the early or late, C5's. The later ones are always better as with any car. They update things and perfect other things they find needs tweaking. The later C5's, 01 and after IIRC, all have the LS6 intake and some other changes that give it 5 more ponies, which you can notice on a dyno.
My C5 has the Z51 suspension so that's the only experience I have. Many people claim the C5 doesn't ride like a vette but everyone who has riden in mine, that has other vette experiences, seems to think it does.
Last edited by RetiredSFC 97; 08-12-2012 at 12:51 PM.
08-12-2012, 01:16 PM
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If you are considering to upgrade go the Z06 route. The LS6 and LS7 are great engines and yes the C5 handles better than a stock C4.
If you are considering to upgrade go the Z06 route. The LS6 and LS7 are great engines and yes the C5 handles better than a stock C4.
08-12-2012, 01:55 PM
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I've had my '95 coupe for over six years and 25k+ miles, so that's the one I'm most familiar with.
When my '95 was having a minor issue with the cruise control, a friend of mine loaned me his '99 Vert to drive to Bowling Green for the 2008 Anniversary Celebration. The trip from home to BG is about 10 hours, so over the course of four days, I had close to 30 hours of seat time. I've also done some minor work on his car, so I've had seat time on other occasions.
I also had a chance to drive an '07 Coupe over a ten day period, and I put 1100 miles on it, so I have some seat time in the C6 as well.
All cars are six speed manual. The C4 has base suspension, the C5 has the adjustable suspension, and the C6 was a Z51 car.
Entry/Exit: C5 and C6 are clear winners here. The C5 has the memory package, and it takes a bit of getting used to, given that the seats move all the way back when you shut down, and then move back to their memory position when you enter the car. It isn't bad - just mildly disconcerting the first few times! When I first got my C4 in 2006, my knees and back were in much better shape, so I'm finding that each Spring I seem to have just a bit more trouble with the entry/exit dance.
Ride - Short Duration: The C5 with the suspension set to "Tour" is the softest ride going to work, when you want to concentrate more on 'what's my day going to be' than 'Oh crap! Better dodge that pothole!'. The C4 also announces that you're in a more elemental environment if you live in an area with rough roads. Both the C5 and C6 have more refined (or boring, depending on your viewpoint) interiors.
Ride - Long Duration: I didn't drive the C6 any long distance - just drove it a good while every day, so I never had hours of continuous driving like I did the other two. If I had to pick either the C5 or C4 to drive from here to BG, I think I'd pick the C4. Once you actually get IN the car, I find it much more comfortable and easier to drive than the C5 when on long trips. On good highways, the C4 seats begin to shine, and good roads eliminate a lot of the squeaks and rattles that are more prevalent when I'm driving to work. The C4 seats are much better than the C5 or C6 seats. All cars are equipped with sport seats. The C5 and C6 side bolsters both managed to make my mid back/ribcage hurt - no matter how I adjusted them. That may not be a problem for you - I'm built kind of like a stump (relatively wide for my height).
Handling: All three of them are more capable than I am. The C5 seems to be the vaguest one of the three, but all of them are good.
Overall: The C4 provides the most untamed experience, but it's a pretty docile highway cruiser - roll up the windows, turn on the climate control, and let the miles pass in comfort, and get there refreshed. When I drive it for fun, I put in the hatch vent, roll down the windows, and listen to the engine scream. BOTH C5 and C6 factory exhausts are BORING and way too QUIET. When I get on it, I want to hear the exhaust, not the intake, and on both of the new ones, I heard more intake noise than anything else. At cruise in the C4, I can hear the engine rumble in the background, and it makes me happy. At cruise in the C5 or C6, I could be driving my Malibu for all the engine noise I hear.
Steven
When my '95 was having a minor issue with the cruise control, a friend of mine loaned me his '99 Vert to drive to Bowling Green for the 2008 Anniversary Celebration. The trip from home to BG is about 10 hours, so over the course of four days, I had close to 30 hours of seat time. I've also done some minor work on his car, so I've had seat time on other occasions.
I also had a chance to drive an '07 Coupe over a ten day period, and I put 1100 miles on it, so I have some seat time in the C6 as well.
All cars are six speed manual. The C4 has base suspension, the C5 has the adjustable suspension, and the C6 was a Z51 car.
Entry/Exit: C5 and C6 are clear winners here. The C5 has the memory package, and it takes a bit of getting used to, given that the seats move all the way back when you shut down, and then move back to their memory position when you enter the car. It isn't bad - just mildly disconcerting the first few times! When I first got my C4 in 2006, my knees and back were in much better shape, so I'm finding that each Spring I seem to have just a bit more trouble with the entry/exit dance.
Ride - Short Duration: The C5 with the suspension set to "Tour" is the softest ride going to work, when you want to concentrate more on 'what's my day going to be' than 'Oh crap! Better dodge that pothole!'. The C4 also announces that you're in a more elemental environment if you live in an area with rough roads. Both the C5 and C6 have more refined (or boring, depending on your viewpoint) interiors.
Ride - Long Duration: I didn't drive the C6 any long distance - just drove it a good while every day, so I never had hours of continuous driving like I did the other two. If I had to pick either the C5 or C4 to drive from here to BG, I think I'd pick the C4. Once you actually get IN the car, I find it much more comfortable and easier to drive than the C5 when on long trips. On good highways, the C4 seats begin to shine, and good roads eliminate a lot of the squeaks and rattles that are more prevalent when I'm driving to work. The C4 seats are much better than the C5 or C6 seats. All cars are equipped with sport seats. The C5 and C6 side bolsters both managed to make my mid back/ribcage hurt - no matter how I adjusted them. That may not be a problem for you - I'm built kind of like a stump (relatively wide for my height).
Handling: All three of them are more capable than I am. The C5 seems to be the vaguest one of the three, but all of them are good.
Overall: The C4 provides the most untamed experience, but it's a pretty docile highway cruiser - roll up the windows, turn on the climate control, and let the miles pass in comfort, and get there refreshed. When I drive it for fun, I put in the hatch vent, roll down the windows, and listen to the engine scream. BOTH C5 and C6 factory exhausts are BORING and way too QUIET. When I get on it, I want to hear the exhaust, not the intake, and on both of the new ones, I heard more intake noise than anything else. At cruise in the C4, I can hear the engine rumble in the background, and it makes me happy. At cruise in the C5 or C6, I could be driving my Malibu for all the engine noise I hear.
Steven
As you can see I own both and have now put 6,000 miles on the C5 since January. The above is a great write up and pretty much reflects my feelings as well. Every generation of corvettes gets more refined, they are generally quicker, faster and handle better but ........
You often loose some of the road feel and SOTP feel driving each new generation and.........
The late model C4 sport seats are THE most comfortable seats ever put in a corvette
08-12-2012, 02:40 PM
#16
Racer
I drove several vettes a few months ago when I was shopping for mine. Everybody has pretty much covered the pros and cons. The C5 is definitely a step up and a more refined smoother car. The issue seems to be that people who own or are trying to sell C5's over value them and think they are better that what they are. Sure they are better than a C4 but they are not C6's. For me the only way I would get a C5 is if something goes wrong with my C4 and I am not able to get financing or have enough money for a C6 at the time. A C5 for me is not that much better than a C4 to justify the money. I would rather wait and get the C6 the so called "best" vette made to date.
08-12-2012, 02:55 PM
#17
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Before you buy a C5, be sure you take it on a long drive. You may feel it gets a little boring compared to your C4. I had the opportunity to drive a C5 for the day a few months ago while my buddy was out of town. Yes, he gave me the OK. I liked the car but thought it was more like a Monte Carlo SS instead of a drive by the seat of your pants Vette. Some do like that style, but not yet for me. I'm not old enough yet!
I liked the car but thought it was more like a Monte Carlo SS instead of a drive by the seat of your pants Vette. Some do like that style, but not yet for me. I'm not old enough yet!
08-12-2012, 03:00 PM
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WOW!!! I really appreciate all the great feedback and information on this topic. I want to thank everyone. It's a beautiful day today and I took a 3 hour drive and now I'm going back out and enjoying the C4 some more. Thanks to everyone. Some very good advice has been given and like I said I appreciate all of it. Cheers!
08-12-2012, 08:51 PM
#19
Race Director
Most of your responses here will be pro C4. I have both, and nearly everyone outside of a C4 forum will take the C5 hands down. Trashing C4's? No. There's a reason C5's cost a lot more. These are two different cars that share the same name. It's like trying to compare a C3 with a C4 (about 20 years ago it was a very common arguement).
Last edited by zr1fred; 08-12-2012 at 08:57 PM.
