FastMover

Well it’s been just over three years and 29K miles since I took delivery of my C6 Vert From a forum dealer. I was on a waiting list for a year and paid $1500 under msrp, not Bad considering some local dealers wanted 5k+ over msrp. Well the vert production was slow to get started and mine was the 122nd built in Jan of 2005.
I remember all the warnings not to buy a first model year car, nothing but trouble I was Told, wait a year or two or you’ll be sorry!!!!! But would I listen, nope I just had to have The latest and greatest Corvette and guess what, this car has been the most trouble free car I have ever purchased in 40 over years. We all know what a great car the C6 turned Out to be and mine is no exception, it’s a blast to drive and since there is basically no major changes to date or expected in the near future its like having a new car year after year, most non Vett heads usually think it’s the current MY. I sure am glad I didn’t
listen to all the naysayer. Just for the record here is a list of all the things I needed fix by the dealer, 1: noisy brakes (Z51) replaced under SB, 2: def gas cap and 3: def gas door latch. Not bad for a first model year car. Incase your wondering it’s a 2005 Vert Z51
6 speed built Jan 2005 122 vert.

Well what do you think? Is my car the norm or was I just lucky, I am thinking that Here on the forum you are more likely to hear about problems then success stories. Lets hear from some other 2005 car owners……..

BlackMark

Same here-'05 model delivered in 6/05. Problems zero. Driving pleasure maximum!

VET4LES

Mine was procuced 3/14/05 and the only problem has been the fuel gauge and it was taken care of on a TSB.

Maui

No problems here with 18k on the clock. I'm sure those ZR-1's are going to be crap, I'd stay away for the first year.

Fast Mover

Hey, there's two of us Fastmovers! I think you had your name first,anyhoo,My 05 has been good so far(11k miles) only went thru 2 batteries thats it.

RADRB8

No problems with my '05........

Mike V.

I glad I got one when I did, I had a heck of time locating the exact options, 3LT (or whatever they called in '05 3SB?), triple black, Z51, 6MN, w/ power top, and when I tried to order those options production was on hold or backorder for those combined options. Although have had some minor problems I have been very pleased w/ the vehicle. The only things I wish I had was the strength of the new rear diff. & the 5 yr/100K warrenty.

cranky

right on! my 05 z51 vert has had no major problems. build date 5/3/05. had to replace the nav unit and hvac control unit in the dash. enjoying it every day, especially since i got a chuck cow tune in it. the car has come ALIVE.

Hoonose

I'm quite happy with my early '05. But don't forget all the '05 manual tranny related troubles. And flying tops, which also went with '06' and some early '07's. Here's my list, but it took 2 years of squashing many teething bugs to arrive at perfection:

Early '05 Z51 MN6 VIN 4997
16,000 miles, daily driver.

Rocker panel and underside damage per dealer PDI right off the bat, fixed by dealer with my prodding! Earlier C6's tend to have more of this due to dealer inexperience. Check your rocker panels!

DBS X 3 or 4, but none in well over a year since getting the reflash at 2 years. Very little of this by '06. DBS has been cured by the BCM reflash.

Clutch 'sticking to the floor' problem several times at high RPM, fixed by me with 50 cent bracket to reduce clutch throw. No more problem in over 2 years. There is a TSB for early '05's on this:
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...ht+Engine+RPMs

Replaced squealing brake pads under warranty at 12 months. Also took care of excessive brake dust.

A/C freon removal fix at 12 months. Early '05 problem with too much freon from factory. A/C would cycle on and off at high outside temps.

Repaired stuck outside rear hatch button ala Pipedreams DIY.

Paint chip damage to the front edge of both rear 1/4 panels due to poor door alignment fixed and painted.(at my expense) Home made rubber bumpers installed by me. No more chips. Now GM provides for their own bumpers. Check your rear 1/4 panels!

Did the fluid exchange for noisy rear end at 2 years. Seems to have worked, so far.

Replaced clutch slave fluid numerous times with significant and now
sustained improvement in clutch feel and smoothness.

Very loose rear sway bar bolts found when inspecting underside.
Also loose passenger side rear axle bolt.

Roof finally foamed at 3 years. No delamination. Roof had slightly mismatched original DSOM paint (not uncommon with DSOM), and repainted under warranty with much better match. But they forgot to foam the roof the first time I brought it in! So it had to go back! Also to fix the tire sensors which were somehow rendered inoperative! Of course also the battery was dead when I picked it up, despite leaving the reverse warning tag on the shifter! I had to bring it back X3 to fix the tire sensors! Roof also still creaks alot. maybe less than before.

Driver seat rocking fixed. Had that fixed twice with my C5.

Shifter had been rattling at mid RPMs especially when cold (<60 degrees) at 2 years. Dealer fixed that, and it seems fine now this cold season. They also replaced the console that they scratched the first time they tried to fix the shifter rattle!

I still enjoy the car, but I would never recommend an '05 without a warranty. At least finally this car has been trouble free the last 6 months or so, and it's now a reliable dream car and a keeper!

Wayne O

I say it frequently...my 2005 MN6 has been extremely reliable and trouble free. My car has been great in all respects. What few problems I've had have been minor.

Quite some time ago after reading so many comments about not buying a first year model, I did a 2005 owner reliability and satisfaction poll. The over-whelming majority (over 90%) of 2005 C6 owners considered their cars to be reliable and were quite satisfied.

Certainly there are exceptions but the way I look at it is design changes are made with each model year and problems happen with any model year car. You can find owners of any model year C6 (or any model year car for that matter) that have had nightmare experiences. Sadly it happens. I feel these problem prone cars are the exception rather than the rule.

I've modded my car and I still have modifications I want to make. It's driven on the street and it's driven hard on the track. My 2005 runs great with virtually no problems whatsoever...it's just a great car!

jabez

Lets see...

Had one bad tire sensor...45 minute fix at dealer under warranty
roof recall
battery died after 40 months-replaced that myself
one blinker light went out last month-replaced that myself.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

BetterMostC6

C5 never had a "first model year" The Cadillac XLR did however in 2004. This is why you seem to have a more trouble free 2005.

keyplyr

Not one problem that I didn't affectively cause due to modifying

Hoonose

Lucky you with a good dealer.
My top took 3 separate multi-day visits to the shop(s) and a tire sensor (caused by the dealer, caused by querky '05 MN6 'leave it in reverse' technology) also 3 visits. And both of those problems were follow up to other biyearly visits to tackle my 'to do' lists.

danl72

Well glad to hear that there are no major problems with the 2005's. That is a good sign for GM. See we all know they can do it.

It'sHerVette!

Only a couple of minor issues. Trunk button, DBS (new battery and reflash fixed it) and cracked leather on the steering wheel (twice) that no one seems to be able to explain.

We put a leather cover on the third steering wheel and we won't need to replace wheel again.

Otherwise, a great car with nearly 20k miles.

Hoonose

The COMMON major problems with the '05's include the flying tops, most of which have been fixed by now. (We will see again this year as this seasons warmer weather comes on.) This engineering defect has affected anywhere from 10-30% of forum '05's, very much dependent on build date. And DBS, another engineering defect, most all cured by now with a dealer reflash of the BCM. This affected roughly 1/3 of all forum members with MN6.

The remaining major problem with no good solution is the querky shut down required with the MN6 trannys. I don't have numbers on that, but it is hard to go a year without dead battery screw up or few there, mostly by friends and spouses, dealers, repair and technician people.
And that is what we inherit by buying first year.

DJackman

My 05 had the Roof Delam recall, few DBSes, and New ECM all before 18K miles and all warranty items. Built Dec 04. Not bad...

LiquidDI

Not a problem with my 05.

bchenier535

No major issues in 3 years and 33000 miles of ownership. I still grin every time I get in it.