TMan

OK...OK I know your going to say it not a fair fight but...I have had my GS430 since August 2000 (first one in Orlando) millienium silver, ML/Nav, spoiler, 17's...We just got a 2001 C5, convertible, black, auto.

I have been trying to convince my wife to drive one and race but she wouldn't go for it...So my brother was in from out of town this weekend, and we lined up on our favorite street (actually it's the entrance to Orange County National golf course...Side by side and nailed em both for about 1/4 mile...I was in the vette, he was in my GS430...the vette had the GS by at least 10-12 car lengths at about a 1/4 mile...

Both are great rides, however for about the same price the GS is alot more car...world class performce from the vette though, and we got it for the convertable...

Shogun

Tough comparison because they are two very different cars!

I had a '98 6-speed with a Borla exhaust and a ProFlow Cold Air intake and the car screamed - literally. Ultimately I had to sell because of my baby girl. The GS400 was the only 4 door car in my budget that afforded size and speed.

Yes, both are nice cars but the C5 is as close to a true sports car as you will get for $40-$50K. The torque grunt, lightweight, and suspension will far outpace just about any GS at the track or on a winding rode.

The GS, while fast, does not deliver that "visceral" push in the back - at least in stock trim.

BUT, the GS does not have a plastikee interior that seems to rattle more and more as the miles pile on. Needless to say, those rattles don't make a huge difference at full throttle when you have that huge grin on your face.

At the end of day, for an ALL PURPOSE automobile the GS is very difficult to beat for all the things it provides, does well and stays together over the years.

Enjoy your C5 - the mods are cheap and numerous. I wish it was that way for the GS4.

Take Care,
Eric

hleo1

Well said, Eric, I totally agree. Both are completely different cars and needless to say, different purpose and target...

gs400tx

I don't think an auto convert vette is a second faster than a GS430 in a 1/4 mile. Certainly not from a roll. I have driven both.

A c5 should be about 4 or 5 cars ahead of a C4 vette and i have been dead even (actually ahead) with a C4 convert from 30 to 115.

dipstick

The car mags have the 1/4 mile difference at about a second or about 150 ft. I have a 99 C5 Convertible now (getting ready to sell and buy a GS 430) and I drove an 85 Vette coupe till 95. I have driven a new stock GS 430 hard up to about 80, and my guess is that the 1 second diff is about right. My C4 could get from stop to about 50 as quickly as the C5, but from there to redline - no comparison - the C5 power just doesn't quit. and the 2001 C5 has more power and more torque. Mine will be 3 years old in May, 29k miles, to work every day, and honestly, it is as tight and rattle-free as it was new. Mechanically it has been perfect. Only problem has been electronics. Not much point trying to compare apples and oranges, anyway. IMHO both cars are outstanding for their intended use and cost. And who worries about how expensive the plastic is at .92g and 350
lb-ft.

alexus

iTrader: (1)

um.. what's C5?

Percy

C5 stands for Corvette, 5th generation. You can't really go wrong with 345 hp and a $&@@-load of torque. Z06 performance package (385hp?) will really climb like crazy.

Percy

biggie27

the new z06 has 405hp and more than a s#@t load of torque!!!!

alexus

iTrader: (1)

ahh, okay

thanks for clearing that up)

gs400tx

but I think thats about .2second max. Funny how your average lightning is only slightly quicker than a GS (https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=38360 ) but is 8+ car lengths behind a vette.

Myself, i have trouble telling anything more than about 5carlengths at 100+ mph.. especially in the mirror.

Maybe its my old eyes. 150feet is a long way!

I guess I will have to get by en-laws c5 hrd-top and do some testing.

edit
One other little tidbit. I have a sim called performance pro. You put in vehicle parameters (weight/hp and cd) and it tells u performance. The C5 comes out 13.2 at 105 (never seen a auto C5 do that in a mag test - best i have seen is 13.8@103 for a 98). The GS4 comes out with 14.3 at 100. Sounds reasonable....

But, time to speed.. it says the GS is 14.3 to 100 (maybe a little fast.. 14.5-14.8sec avg) and the Vette runs 11.8.

But.. thats real fast for the auto.. manuals are in the 11second range.. autos are closer to 12.2-12.5. and we won't even factor in the convert top.

Percy

What engine is Lightning using? I know it's supercharged but is it a multivalve also? Wonder how it does on a 30 to 50 and 50 to 70 mph top gear acceleration. WRX is poor on this.

Anybody had a WRX race?

Percy

gs400tx

it is rated at 260hp without the SC. And topgear accelleration is very good. It has a 3.50gear in the 99s and a 3.73 in the 00-01s.

TMan

The 2001 C5 that I have has the performance axil, which is a 3.15 ratio...according to the car mags this makes it comparable to the 6 speed in 0-60 and 1/4 mile times...The 2001 has 350 hp versus 345 for the earlier C5's...

All I know is what happened...we both were standing on it..for the distance which by the way was slightly shorter than 1/4 mile (went back today and clocked it)...All I know is that the vette smoked my GS...from right off of the line it was never a contest...But as I stated earlier the GS430 is alot more car for the money...the vette however is a world class performance car with a convertible top, (my first choice was the CLK430, but there is a 6-8 month wait in Orlando for a new one, I'm not a used car guy). So the vette was the only option that was a convertable for around $50k that didn't look like a girls car (boxter, TT)...and SC430's are going in the mid $60's down here.

GS400_PUSHER

Like most guys on this forum knows I post here last year about the race I had with my twin brother. He was driving my dads C5 and ofcourse I had my GS400. The race happen down in NC on a back road its exactly a 1/4 mile. He did smoke me buy like 3 or maybe 4 cars.....but 10...hell no! Also it was the 6 speed not auto. I think you guys should have traded cars and ran again.......