2003 Chevrolet Corvette

First, the 2003 Corvette Anniversery was as good as the seller said it was. Actually, for the price it was better. The newer Corvettes are much more dependable. They ride better. I would take this car anywhere. The gas milage is great for all the power it has. I'd recommend this car to anyone.

I purchased my Red/black 2003 Convertible 6spd. in Feb 2008 from a great ebay seller in FL. I have a '66 triple black roadster that I drive weekends & show and 'Got the Bug' to have a daily driver. I chose the '03 after much research. The ebay '03 was just as described - a well cared for weekend driver with 18,000mi. It was, the exact Vette I had been searching. I had it inspected & it was rated showroom condition except for the mileage. The original owner had added some after market power & cosmetic Z06 upgrades to the engine (400hp+), B&B exhaust, Z06 wheels, Hurst shifter and body grills. Today I feel it was then & now a perfect car and good buy. Today it has 33,000mi and is still the perfect car. No complaints. It is all a Vette should be and I am completely satisfied with all of the rating categories for the '03 model. If you've never owned a convertible or sports car you must be ready for a very different vehicle. 'It ain't ur daddy's 2dr sport coupe!! It's a fast, quick,low slung excitement. Yes, with some road/tire noise. Mine adds exhaust rumble. I love it all, but if your not ready - you won't enjoy all it has to offer. I also enjoy the immediate bond with other Vette owners. Cgfsr, TX.

I have had a '63 Sportster, an '81, a '91, and now the 50th Anniversary edition. All of the Vettes we special in their own rite, but 2003 is spectacular! The ride, the performance, the design of the cockpit are all the result of, and indication that GM designers understand that the Vette is their "flagship". I was waiting years for this car knowing that I couldn't afford a new one, and when I saw it on eBay, spoke with the seller, and discovered a car that had only 9K miles on it, in brand new condition, I was sold... And to seal the deal, an incredible discovery that the Owner's Manual had actually been signed by Elfi Duntov, wife of the "Godfather " of the Corvette Zora Duntov (better than a Picasso in the attic).

Very nice car. Described well . Still awaiting title and license plate but I've been told this may take awhile. Tatum group was always nice dealing with them. Love the car. It is a 2003 corvette convertible. Looks brand new. Someone took great care of it. Neil A Burrell

First of all I must say that I'm a bit biased because I've wanted a Vette since I was a small child,that being said,I do love this car! It has great performance, is easy to drive and believe it or not,it's even practical. It gets good gas mileage, is docile in traffic and has a lot of room in the back for luggage or that trip to the grocery store. The suspension absorbs bumps on the highway without jarring your spine, the handling is top notch and the seats are comfortable even on long trips.
It is however, not for everyone. The cockpit is snug so if you are of a plus size it could some what claustraphobic and a bit of a chore getting in and out of. You also have to keep in mind that it is very low to to ground so getting into and out of driveways can not be taken for granted.
I find the overall workmanship to be better than the usual GM standard, and the looks I get makes me feel like a rock star, well, sort of.
So, to sum it up if you are looking for an affordable sports car that is easy to maintain, remember lots of Chevy dealers around versus Porsche or BMW.Practical, fun to drive,reliable and has great looks then one couldn't go wrong buying a Vette.

2003 is the 50th anniversary of the Corvette, and the 40th anniversary of the Z06. The big news is the LS6 engine, which is a refined LS1 that produces 405 HP. It is further differentiated from the standard Corvette and Coupe by its fixed roof, front grills, side brake vents, wheels, standard heads up display, manual transmission only, and Z06 badges inside and out. It’s also notable for what it does not have - no passenger power seat, no power retractable antenna, no On Star, thinner window glass, and no sound insulation in the trunk area.

The good - the Z06 is both quick and fast, it looks awesome (tons of people watch it roll by), it handles amazingly, yet it is still mild enough at low speed to drive on a day to day basis. City mileage isn’t the best, but you can easily cap 32 MPG at 55 MPH. The handling assistant is not obtrusive to the average driver, and it can really save your skin if you get overzealous. If you want the try to tame all those ponies yourself, you can turn it off. Personally, I like the pop up headlights - it’s a classic Corvette styling cue that dates back to the 60’s. It has tons of instrumentation, the best of which is the Heads Up Display. It projects your speed, tachometer, and fuel level right on the windshield so you don’t have to look down to read those gauges. After driving a Grand Prix GTP with it for 5 years I can hardly imagine having a sporty car without it. These cars can autocross amazingly right out of the box. Oh, and other Corvette drivers wave at you.

The bad - it’s not the quietest ride, but you want to hear the LS6. The interior isn’t Cadillac quality, but it is noticeably nicer than an Impala. No back seat, but it is a serious sports car - who needs a claustrophobic bench in the back? It’s low, which is great for handling and aerodynamics, but C5’s have a notorious problem bouncing their nose off of the concrete. Steep driveways and even tall speed bumps should be avoided. It’s low enough that sometimes people have trouble seeing you. Chevy forces a 1 to 4 shift at low RPM to avoid gas guzzler status, which can be defeated with a simple modification.

The ugly - we call it “the Corvette tax”. These are low production vehicles, so parts tend to be 2 to 4 times that of your standard mass produced Chevrolet. Also, police tend not to have any sympathy for you when you hit 171.

I compared this to several cars, which I decided against for the following reasons…

Ford Mustang Cobra SVT - definitely a beast with tons of potential. That modular motor is amazing and can take much more. I watch Cobras roll by and can appreciate them as good sports cars. But…I don’t enjoying throwing stones at Mustangs, but you can throw any stones without hitting one. You can’t drive a mile without seeing a Mustang. It waters down the purity of the car, and seeing V6 after V6 takes away from the top tier, and dozens of special additions water it down even further. This one came up to be $30/month for me. That says that Cobra drivers don’t have a good reputation for safety.

Infiniti G35 - I like these cars, and they have more refinement than a Corvette. But, it just doesn’t have the grunt and isn’t as exclusive. Still, if I found a great deal on one I’d be writing this review for it.

Saturn Sky - this was a fun little car. The turbo 4 provided a good bit of grunt and it turns heads just as well as a Corvette. However, they just don’t have enough cargo room to be a daily driver.

After one month of ownership I can only make limited evaluation, since reliability is unknown at this point. The convertible top is easily raised or lowered, but really you need to be out of the vehicle to open the covering behind the seats and fold the top into it. Whole process takes 30 seconds. The top fits nicely, minimal wind noise at highway speeds. Heads-up display nice feature, but more of a gimmick than necessity. Instrument visiblity good, seating comfortable for 6'3" driver. Engine noise just right, not oppressive, just know it is there. Surprising amount of "trunk" space for a sports car. The visibilty over the hood much better that the '70s-era corvettes. With autotransmission it is docile enough to be driven daily by anyone. Thumbs up to GM on this one.

Whatever rating the car had was overshadowed by the the misrepresentation of the seller. The car had quite a bit of body damage and the seller blamed it on the carrier. But the seller signed a bill of lading that noted all of the damage before the car was accepted by the carrier. So, buyer beware.

These C5 Corvettes are a bargain right now. Great performance with 25 MPG highway. This car is a blast to drive, the ride control is worth looking for, the touring setting gives it a nice ride for a sports car. Heads up display ( HUD) took a little to get used to, but now I don't like driving with out it. Everybody wants to beat up on GM, but let me tell you they built a great car in the C5 Corvette.
God bless America and GM

This is a classic 50th anniversary Chevrolet Corvette Convertible that is a tribute to the famous Corvette line that has been manufactured since 1953. This vehicle is high tech in all aspects to include magnetic ride control, automatic controlled handling, digital gauges, Bose sound system with multi CD changer, memory controls and a variety of other features too numerous to mention. There is really nothing to dislike about this car because it has everything that a true sports car addict would enjoy. This car is really an investment because it will only appreciate in value as the years go by due to the limited number of production models that were manufactured. If you are a true Corvette aficianado and a lover of fine sports motor cars, this is the ultimate vehicle for you to own.