One of the many positives about being a Corvette enthusiast is that, if you wait long enough, the perfect car will come along. Perfect for some may mean the correct engine and transmission options. Others wait around for the perfect color. Yet, if you broadened your view to include perfect in regards to condition, you would be hard-pressed to locate another example like this 1999 Corvette convertible for sale on Craigslist in sunny Orlando, Florida. The perfects just add up with this car. It is painted in a subtlety attractive color, it has a load of desirable options, and it is a convertible. If that isn’t enough, this showroom car has a legitimate 9,369 miles displayed on its odometer. Do you think this heaping helping of perfection is worth the $19,500 asking price? Thanks again to Rocco B. for locating this beautiful car for all of us to enjoy!
As nearly everyone knows by now, Corvettes are categorized by their generations. The car you see in the ad is a third-year example of the fifth generation of Corvettes. Known simply as a C5 Corvette, this car’s back story is quite eventful. With the C4 slowly losing steam in the sales department, an all-new car was under development in the early nineties. The problem was that the development cycle was beset by interruptions due to the parent company’s financial troubles. Originally set to debut in 1993 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Corvette, the new car was placed on the back burner. Many times in Corvette history faithful designers, engineers, and managers have risked their careers to keep the car alive. The difference this time was that the Corvette came very close to being discontinued, and would have if not for the dedication of a select few. If you haven’t read the unofficial biography of the C5 Corvette, James Schefter’s “All Corvettes are Red,” then you are missing out on one of the great stories in automotive history.
When the C5 finally made it to the showroom floor it was a radical departure from the previous generation’s car (which itself was a technological tour de force when it debuted). Perhaps the greatest innovation is one that is not readily visible. The car was one of the first to feature a hydroformed frame, which significantly improved the car’s structural rigidity. From there, the newly renovated “LS” version of the small block Chevrolet V-8 was nestled low in the front of the car and a new rear-mounted transaxle assembly helped to give the car roughly 50-50 weight distribution. In 1999, that engine put out a respectable 345 horsepower and could be had with either a four-speed automatic transmission or a new six-speed manual made by Borg-Warner. This generation of Corvettes had a very wide appeal in the market. From hard-core racers to those looking for a luxury car with muscle, the car that GM almost canceled sold well and made the company a lot of money up to its last model year in 2004.
As we have come to expect from Craigslist ads, the amount of written information provided by the seller of this pristine 1999 Corvette convertible is lacking. We are told that the car has an original 9,300 miles (9,369 miles to be exact) and is in excellent condition. It is a one-owner car with an automatic transmission. Everything is said to work perfectly and it has a clear title. Adding to that, we can make out that the car has an AM/FM cassette stereo, leather interior, dual-zone climate control, and what looks to be a set of Weathertech floor mats. The multitude of pictures provided in the ad shows a car that has been pampered for 25 years. There is no mark, scratch, or blemish showing anywhere. Of course, a thorough inspection before buying any Corvette is highly advised.
For $19,500, you can get a convertible sports car with over 300 horsepower, strong aftermarket support, a reputation for extreme reliability, and less than 10,000 miles on the odometer. If you check out new car prices for this year, there are just a handful of vehicles that sell for less than this. We can debate the merits of this car being a “classic” at this point, you cannot deny that the price and condition make it a strong candidate as a fantastic used car. The seller states that they “must sell.” It may be sacrilegious to drive the wheels off of a cream-puff Corvette such as this, but these cars are meant to be driven.
What do you think? Would it be wrong to stack up miles on this car? What would you do with it? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Always liked this particular body style on the Corvettes. Good looking example here.
Just a quick note on the 6 speed gearbox mentioned in Jeff’s write up. The transmission was designed by Borg Warner for the early Vipers, but the gearbox in the Vette is a Tremec using the BW design.
Corvettes are one of those cars that are either impeccably maintained and looked after, or they are trashed and hammered. The C-5 and especially the one pictured here, looks very nice. About the only nit with this generation of Vettes, is GM saw fit to install a stereo that was used in just about every other GM make and model of the time, unlike other Vette generations that have their own sound units. I ought to know, I used to repair these!
The down side to the C5 is that it still has pop-up head lights
Florida = storm flood potential. Due diligence.
I’ve owned a C3, C4, and now a C5. The C5 is head and shoulders above the C3. It does all the things a C4 can do, just with a lot less drama. The C5 lets me do absolutely stupid stuff with ease. I just got back from a 70 to 100 MPH blast up a hill, but I don’t recommend it, LOL! Mine is the same color as this, but it’s a coupe, not a convertible.
CT Dave
Clicks all the boxes for me! Of course a little lower price would be nice!
It works for me! Look around and see what you can buy for 20 grand, that has a higher fun factor than this car.
Well boys and girls, now we are talking! When I first saw this ad, I was sold on this car. Perfect color combination on one of the prettiest Corvettes ever produced. (Admittedly, I am ultra biased as I have owned a 2000 FRC for 24 years and I still absolutely love the car.) With the exception of maybe the ’67 Stingray, I don’t believe that Chevrolet has ever produced a prettier car These things are the total package, fast enough to get your heart rate up and reasonably comfortable while still reminding you that they are sports car. This particular one only gets two negative marks from me. First, I didn’t know that the standard sound system was a Delco with a cassette player, as mine came equipped with a Bose system and a CD player as standard equipment. The second one, and this one is big, is the automatic. I’ve said this before, if Mother Nature intended for a Corvette to be an automatic, she would have named them a Chevette. I think it is the ultimate insult to a Vette, (with the notable exception of the later models) Because of that, I think that it is overpriced, not terribly, but still overpriced. Still a hell of a nice car.
So people who can’t physically drive a stick don’t deserve Corvettes. Got it.
This body style is my favorite of all of the “newer” Corvettes and the C5 is the best you can have. A winner in my book, just a bit pricey!!
Whoever buys this will think it’s worth every penny. Nice to hear from so many who have actual experience with Corvettes and not second hand opinions. Styling is a matter of taste – the C4 had taut, sinewy lines; C5s are almost classically Reubensesque; C6s are trimmer, but almost too chopped off.
As much as I loved my C4 the entry/exit experience is one I do not miss – Fall in without hurting yourself then try to extricate your body on the way out. C5s are blessedly easier on that count, as are the C6s.
I had a customer with a C5 who had it tuned and breathed on by a Corvette guru. A week after he got it back some old lady t-boned him. He then bought a C6 and declared it to be far superior. That convinced me to get a C6. A C7 driver will say the same about the difference between generations. Corvettes just keep getting better.
And more expensive.
As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
For TimS: Deserves got nothing to do with it. If someone wants to drive an automatic Vette, that is their business, and they should do as they please. My opinion has absolutely zero to do with what car someone else drives. It is MY opinion, get it.
Totally agree with you Rodder. That odd Chevette comment is getting old. Let it go dude! I have a C3 with a built 350 turbo transmission and it’s a blast to drive paired to the .373 gearing. The ZZ4 engine is not stock and when it decides to shift to 2nd gear it doesn’t bark, but actually turns the rear wheels a round, pins you to the seat for a few hundred feet then “barks” 3rd. Just have to be sure to have it pointed straight when that is attempted!
Pictured is the C3 beside my 2023 Stingray with track pkg. And yes, it’s an auto also. Zero to sixty in 2.9 seconds! You can elect to paddle shift but not even your fingers can keep up with that much launch power.
It looks very good, but a little pricey IMO. One other issue is Chevy has the habit of discontinuing parts, so it’s not uncommon to have to track down replica or used parts when something is needed.