CHEVROLET CORVETTE
1996-2004
Here’s the wonderful C5 Chevrolet Corvette, which fetched up on our shores officially in 1998. Yes, the steering wheel is obviously on the less convenient side, but it’s still easy enough to live with. Owners will tell you exactly how easy it is to keep and costeffective to maintain. It’s a proper working-class supercar that’s incredibly reliable and easy to fix.
The vast majority of those on sale are automatic, which suits the 5.7-litre V8 perfectly. As well as the UK cars, there are also a good number of direct US imports that may be six-speed manuals but might actually prove a bit tiresome on our tiny roads.
The Targa roof was an option; otherwise, most electrical features are standard.
Look out for damage to the plastic bodywork, which would need an expert to repair. The key to a healthy Corvette remains a topped-up and charged holding battery. Most issues can be traced back to that, so a trickle charger is your best investment. The great UK Corvette Club are most helpful. Sorting out a scruffy example might not cost a fortune, thanks to cheap(ish) mechanical parts.