Tight Lines

Hi guys...I'm new to the site and corvettes for that matter but this winter I plan on buying my first vette with my wifes blessings My budget is about 25-28,000 so I'm thinking that should get me something really nice if I look long and hard. Here is a few problems I'm running into,is there a year I should target my search on for my price range? I've seen the 02 for the same price as an 04 so it really doesent make sence to me. Also could you point out the pros and cons of owning a convirtible over a coupe. My wife wants the convirtible but from what I see in pictures you really sacrifice room that we would need for trips? Can you fit two suit casses in the trunk of a convirtible? Well thats enough for now thanks for your help.

jrose7004

Get the newest car you can afford!

steve8

I'm biased as I have a vert. I can't see owning anything else. There is a surprising amount of room for storage in the trunk. All things being equal, you will not see 02's the same price as 04's. You certainly won't find a low mileage 04 vert in your price range, but there are a lot of nice cars both coupe and vert available in that range. Spend some time looking around. You will also be buying at a good time of year. Best of luck.

Blue Lion

As stated earlier, buy the newest you can afford, all other factors like mileage and options being equal.

GrayC5

Sure. As steve8 mentioned above, there is quite a bit of space in the C5 vert trunk. We have two 22" American Tourister roller type suit cases that will lay end-to-end in the rear of the tunk. We also have a large garmet bag that will lay flat underneath, where the top stows. We can pack all this with some smaller items and the wifes pillow (between the suit cases and top) and still get the top down. (The wife doesn't travel anywhere without her pillow.) With the top up, we can add a small (6 can) ice chest to all this and have some room to spare.

FLACHUSNRET

I have an '02 vert 6 speed and have previously owned a '96 coupe Lt1/automatic. Definitely go for a vert if it is to be used for pleasure and you have a garage. I would never consider a coupe again unless I was planning to use it as a DD or it had to sit outside. Verts have an amazing amount of luggage space with the top up. Let's face it, it is not likely that you will want to cruise all day on the interstate at 75mph with the top down ( I did that exact thing the day after we bought the vert up near Philly,Pa. and it was fun but it was July and we got sunburned.) I have driven my vert from Mobile, Al. to Branson, Mo. for a five day trip with my wife (she doesn't travel lite). While staying there we had our luggage in our motel and were able to go "topless" anytime we wanted for local cruising. Last January, we spent a week on the road driving the Vette up through North Georgia, Tenn., Kentucky and back home to south Alabama. We had a ball cruising in the Vette for about 1500 miles with the top up as it was January and freezing cold.
In review, get a coupe only if you just have to have a Corvette and want to race or autocross it, or you can't afford to use it for pleasure only, or you do not have a garage. If you fit into any of those three groups you may not want a vert.

FLACHUSNRET

Oh, a couple of things I forgot to mention.

I would steer clear of any '01, as that is the year they upped the HP from 345 to 350 and some of those engines had severe oil burning problems. Many were re-ringed under warranty but few of the '01's would remain under even an extended warranty as they are now 5 to 6 years old.

In the price range you mentioned you should be able to find a "garage queen" 2000 in perfect condition with extremely low mileage.

Based on what you have stated, I think that would be your best bet.

Good luck in your search and enjoy the search as that was alot of the fun when I was searching for my vert.

Oldad

Its a buyers market but you need to list what your looking for. That will help narrow your searching. Vert, coup or Z06(FRC). Trans and suspension+other options mostly came in packages. Not very many seperate options. Then color. Try and narrow it down as much as possible. Take the wife out and drive both auto and 6 sp, don't rule them out untill you've tryed them. If you get the A4 I feel that the 3:15 rear gear is better. All 6 sp were 3:42 stock. Some may have changed rear gears. As mentioned above the lowest mileage car with all the options you want should be your best buy. Don't worrie about flying to check out a car if its what your looking for as its a great ride home if you buy it.
Good luck.

craig04c5

I would not buy a GM 1st or 2nd year car. Therefore I would stay away from 97 & 98 (97 was the 1st year for the C5).

Tight Lines

Great advice....It's funny when you start looking for a certain car to buy or you just bought one and all of a sudden you start to see them every where well on our little trip to a state park today we saw 4 and two were drop tops and two coupes. She just loves convertibles but with the open top on the coupes it's nice also. Here are a couple concerns I have being my wife will be driveing this car alot also. Would the glass tops be difficult for a women to install and take off on her own? Are they heavey,how much? Also when the tops are off and in the back how much room does that leave you for storage on trips? I'm wondering if the convertible now would offer more storage in this case? I'm reading that the convertible top is manual and was wondering if that would be easy for my wife to put up and down? Thanks again for any help.

craig04c5

I think removing the top is to difficult for a woman. It's not the weight so much as the bulkiness and the reach across the top. I have a coupe and have driven a vert. I would have a vert if I had it to do over. Can't answer about the space.

Yello95

My vert has lots of trunk space...buy the newest one you can afford...theres nothing like a vert...

Yello95

I can put my top up ur down within 60 seconds..and thats taking my time...very easy for anyone to do...

btchn99

I have to say as a first time owner myself--to be perfectly honest---if you are REALLY into the vette it won't matter to you what kind it is. My daughter was left a 76 by her grandfather when he passed away--he used to driver it quite a bit until he parked it in 98. I was NOT a very big fan. I thought that they really didn't handle the road well at all and there is NO trunk space. My husband has an 84 coupe. He takes the top off so I can't answer about the weight or clumbsiness but he thinks I would not have a problem doing it myslef. I have driven his car and it is nice but I am still not a big fan of the handling. I just purchased a 99 coupe (on Friday) and I could not be happier with the performance and handling that it has. I am trying to convince my husband to get rid of his 84 for a C5 and he wants a vert. There is tons of room in the back---even in the 84. We have taken that to Carlisle and packed two suitcases (1 large and 1 meduim) two duffle bags and a cooler---so at least for coups I don't feel that you would have a problem with space. If he convinces me to let him get a vert I'll let you know what the trunk space is like..

The point is that whatever you get---if you have REALLY been dying for a vet---you will not care what it is---you will still love it..

Vetteman Jack

The coupe is going to have the most storage space, but the vert has a lot too. I'm partial to the coupe as I feel it has the best lines to it. Plus I can just remove the top if I want open air driving.

I agree with everyone on getting the newest car with the lowest mileage that you can afford. Good luck with your purchase.

Yello95

BOOHISS

side note...I always looked up to you until you made the statement that "the coupe had the best lines to it"....man ..I'm a bad judge of character

Sully C5

Our Vette belongs to my wife. She is a 4'11" grandmother and easily handles putting the top up & down. She also drives her 600 HP baby very well too.

The C5 vert is a great car!

btchn99

I love it when women can handle themselves and their cars. We seem to be an understated group that can handle more than we are given credit for.

Lori

DeeGee

I think all the points I'd have made have been said.

Some 01s had oil burning issues so an 02 is a good start. Buy the newest you can afford.

I had 2 suitcases, a fold down bag and a laptop case in the trunk of the Vert with the roof down on a recent road trip. Once you've had the joy of a Vert theres no going back.

Whatever you choose you'll love it.

JCGRCYA

I can easily fit 2 golf bags in my trunk so space shouldn't be too much of an issue. I've got an '01 and haven't had oil burning issues but if you can swing an '02 that's what I would recommend also.