danny99

Ok guys, I have a bone stock red c5 I got it three years ago and haven't done a damn thing to it.

I was thinking
-legally tinted windows
-black wheels - pls provide me specific suggestions and vendors/websites?
-exhaust - which is the best that will give me a nice sound without the dreaded "highway drone" that I've read about?

I want to keep it simple. I think those three should be good?

Oh and.. my c5 always looked a little off to me, and it absolutely has to do with the fact the rear has never been lowered. Should I have it lowered a few inches? I see a lot of them on the road and they just look more aggressive/sports-like when they are lowered..

DDaaryl

So if you tint the windows, no one will see inside and how cool you look after making your exhaust loud. Black wheels remind me of the sixties when someone stole my hub caps. Lowering your car looks great at shows and in the garage but if you plan to drive it they may call you "Sparky" whenever it bottoms out.

Wade Wilbur

So true. My 2002 is bone stock and there are several streets in my neighborhood that I have to be careful on or I'll bottom out. I have to play my way back from the grocery store!

yetman

You will receive plenty of suggestions from this forum regarding MODS to your car. This is where I came to and read about mods that others have done and shared their experiences. It helped me to figure out, what I wanted. I started with performance oriented modifications like - Long Tube Headers, X-Pipe, CAI then went with a CAM upgrade and rear gear swap to 4.10 and of course a dyno tune. Then I went with visual like - rear spoiler, wheels, side skirts, etc.

With that said, are you more interested in MODs that will increase the performance of the car, or visual MODS?

What's your budget?

YetMan

slvr bulit

Tint is a good start, then a axle back exhaust from Corsa.

jackthelad

Strange. I live in rural Berkely County WV, my C5 is lowered and I have yet to bottom out anywhere. And some of the roads are should be say, not well maintained. Must be the F45 doing it's job.....

Evil-Twin

You have aesthetic mods and performance mods.. Mods, no matter what type will increase your enjoyment of this 20 year old car. If you plan to keep it for a while.. spread those mods out over time so a new mod will make your car seem newer again.. You wont become bored with it. People have done so much to this platform, its hard to single out all that can be done... Of course budget for modifications is an important element of selecting a mod . Your personal vision for your car is another element. There are pros and cons to every modifications and also there are trade offs in selecting some.

On the performance side, the most popular initial mods are, cold air intake, cat back exhaust system, shifter.
On the aesthetic side, the most popular initial mods are , lowering on stock bolts, wheels, seat skins, head unit conversion.
Good luck and choose your selection with some sort of plan in mind.
Bill aka ET

danny99

I dont race or track so it's all visual. I do want it to sound nice though on the highway when I give it some gas

knewblewkorvette

Tinted window look great in my opinion.
Black rims look great on a red Corvette IMO. Here is my 98 with black rims. As far as Vendors, too many to list. Personally, I want CCW rims.


Exhaust, again way too many to list but avoid B&B Bullets, they drone as they are super aggressive in sound.
Definetly lower it. Make it look way better for absolutely no cost, just lower on stock bolts like I did. Your front air dam might scrap now and then but it's made for it. Here is my 02 lowered on stock bolts.

Vetteman Jack

Phanni

Make the it the car you enjoy, not one that will simply impress someone else.
Update the headlights, Put in a new radio that includes GPS and backup camera. wheels of your choice, install a stiffer sway bar and shocks (C-6 Z06 shocks and sways are a cheap major improvement) Better brakes, etc...have fun.

FrankLP

Bill (aka Evil-Twin) offers some very good and reasonable advice.

That said, it sounds like you're on the right track... starting with some of the more simple and/or cost effective mods (tint and lowering) first.

Depending on brand names, wheels can get pricey in a hurry. The same goes for exhaust; especially if you're talking headers/x-pipe/cat-back... but you can always pick things up used here on the forum. If money isn't an issue than have at it!

I especially like Bill's suggestion about pacing yourself. If you plan on owning the car for a while, it's nice to do a mod or two each year (maybe in the "off season") so that you get a "new car" experience more often. That actually has worked well for me.

Good luck and enjoy the ride (figuratively and literally).

0Tampa Tuning

I dont know if they make them anymore, but I loved the sound of my GHL exhaust when I had my C5.

Add a Vararam intake and GHL exhaust, and you wont need a tune.

grampi50

No, don't do black wheels...go chrome or polished aluminum...

Wade Wilbur

I have only had problems on Charles Town city streets. I'm no speed demon, there are just some pretty big dips in the road.

Mr. Black

Please stay away from spray paint cans and covers that go over covers that go over even more covers.

threejsjm

I have a 2004 coupe and have owned it since new. I lowered mine and had a pretty expensive bottoming out on the highway in pennsylvania. the highway had a depression and my car bottomed out and tore the inner wheel well out and cracked the fender. So, do not lower your corvette. Black wheels look great on white or black, not Red. Highly polished or chrome wheels look best on Red.

grantv

Chrome? Yikes. It's all about each owners taste. He obviously likes black. IMO with red it's either polished or black. Any other color.... polished or black. (or bronze actually)

Mr. Black

Don't listen to the haters OP. There's nothing wrong with black wheels even on a red car. It's your car do what you'd like.

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