I got to start my L'il MIss... one last time yesterday and drive her about 20 feet.....
Filled out the paperwork for the dude that bought the black cantankerous teenager beotch last night and he came got her.
I will miss her. January will have made 12 years that I've had her. As he got in the car he had a huge smile on his face.. said "I can't believe I now have a Corvette" .. started her with a loud thunder and when he left the parking lot he dug in with all he had and she laid rubber down all the way out....
I'll miss her... And lo and behold today while I was out cruising in the 'new to me' Corvette.. what so happened to pass right before me.... the '96!!!!! my chest got tight... I followed her gaze all the way from left to right till she was out of sight... damn.

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Like sending your child out into another world.

Steve

some have said that the happiest days in Corvette (and boat) ownership are the day you buy and the day you sell.

However, as these cars became more and more reliable, that became less of a truth.

Your "new" Vette will keep you happy for several years... and maybe one day, the $$ will be there and you can buy this one back and have a mini-collection.

A bittersweet day, indeed!

So now that you've traded from a C4 to C5.... I'm interested in your opinions regarding the differences.

Steve

I say congratulations!

I am jealous of that sweet C5 you picked up

Steve - the differences are indeed there and something that will take me a little work to get used to.
Noises - After you spend 12 years and put 248,000 miles on one car, you get to know every tiny sound it makes and what it means. This one sounds nothing like the C4 and I'm still trying to figure those things out.
Exhaust is also way different. Other one had a Magnaflow and I loved it. Loved the sound, this one sounds totally different. Not sure I like it, we'll see.
Handling - Like the C4 better in grabbing curves. In hard curves the C4 squats and grabs with no body roll. The C5 has slight body roll I"m not used to adn it's a little unnerving to me still.
Speed - The C5 has a cam in it but the stock stall was left. I plan to change that. But when you nail it or when you hit about 85 you'd better be holding on. Like something out of nowhere propels it on. makes you smile. The faster I go in the C5 the 'lighter' it feels. Opposite to the C4.
Sitting in the 96 and starting her up, hearing the sound and 'feeling' it all - kinda like sitting in a 1970s hot rod... sitting in the C5 and starting it and the 'feeling' is more like a Beemer or Lexus or something. Complete different feel and that is the main thing I'll miss. Makes me want to go out and buy and old Chevelle or something.
Comfortability - still messing with all that. I swear I change the seat inflation and position every time I get in it. Right now I miss my C4 seat but I'll get acclimated to this one soon enough. I do like the 'trunk' storage. I can fit all kinds of stuff in there and there's little compartments to hide things.
Ride height - The nose of that don't drag the ground either like I'd have expected even with that Tiger Shark kit on there. I've found I can clear things with the front of the C5 that the C4's air dam would drag on. The fin on the back and rollbar inside pretty much makes a rear view mirror useless though.
I do like the telescoping wheel. I had missed that in the C4. The '87 however, had one. The '96 didn't.
there will be some black touch ups and 'personalization' details forthcoming.
I'm not a fan of cleaning cars either and now this one is such that I have to keep the INSIDE of the rims wiped out. PITA!
The heads up display is still a nuisance also but when I get used to it, I'm sure I'll like it.
This one is also Pewter and seems way easier to look clean as opposed to the black on the other one.
Now - if I could take the things I like about the C4 and C5 and combine them, It would be literally perfect!
Then I guess they'd call that a ZR1?
Overall - I like it. I would have liked to have kept them both.
Trying to decide now on some black accents for the hood and/or sides of the car. Have something in mind for the rear already. And, other friends are tossing ideas my way for vanity plates, not sure if I'll do that or not.

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Thanks

Tough to move on sometimes, but change is not all that bad either. I kinda went through the same thing this past week but only had two years invested in the 90 not your 12 yrs. Overall I think I am becoming a C5 freak......What exhaust set up are you running? The Corsas I have continue to make me smile.

I'm not sure what he has under there but it had to be modified to fit the Tiger Shark backend. Everyone else tells me they like the sound. Just I'm not used to it. Except when I nail it and go reallllllly fast, then I like it. Sounds better with the top out.

12 years and 248,000 miles, wow, not too many Corvette owners can say that. Congratulations!
That is a great explanation of your perceived differences between and feelings about the two cars.

I think I can beat the 12 year deal, Letty.

Nice write up on your impressions.

I do have to take exception on the handling though, but then, I've driven both on the racetrack.

Congrats and I'm sorry. It's kinda like a breakup, you remember the good times and somehow forget the frustration that caused the separation in the first place.

I am not going to condone dual Corvette ownership. That's just two broken cars to keep up. That's right, fixed the fuel pump on blue and now the headlight is out. My garage is like a game of musical Corvette chairs.

I may have you talk to the wifey. That is to convince her I need to KEEP the C4 and buy a 5.

I'll buy you dinner...... ;)

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Too True

Tripple or quadripple ownership is much better.

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If I buy another corvette by wife will make me a quadriplegic....does that count?