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For $10K, you can get into a pretty good shape C4. The C5, at this point is going to be fairly rough at that price.
The problem is that, with the C4, many of the parts, especially those exclusive to the car or engine, can be hard to come by. The other part is that finding someone to do the work you cannot or don't want to, is going to be just about as difficult.
The C5, with the LS1 engine, still has quite a bit of support out there, between dealers and aftermarket. So parts are a little easier to get. Many of the features of the car are still fairly relevant, so finding people to work on them is a little easier as well. But for $10K, you're going to have a tough time finding one that doesn't need a lot of work right out of the gate. You'll need another $5-7K to get into a car that doesn't need too much.
These cars, either generation, are very reliable and very durable. They were designed and built to be daily drivers. However, time takes a toll on cars, and as they age, cost of ownership increases. And, I would not sell the Jetta, especially living in the northeast.
So the question is, spend a little now to get a car that will rack up cost as you go, hopefully only a little at a time. Or spend more now, and get a car that will really only need normal, regular care to be enjoyed?
If you are mechanically inclined, I will say, that the C4 is pretty straight forward, thus a little easier to deal with.
See if you can find somebody locally who has some Corvette experience and can spot a car with problems you might not see. Don't be in a hurry look at a lot of cars and drive as many as you can. You will quickly grow tired of a car that costs you a lot of money to own or can't drive and enjoy. In September the prices will start to go down so you can get a better deal.
That's a good advice, my first car was nothing but a piece of crap even though it only had 40k miles on it and three year old. I spent 1k$ on repairs in first two months of ownership, not to mention the amount of time spent fixing it. Never again I will buy a badly maintained vehicle (unless I'm unlucky).
If I had 2.5K extra a month, I would save up until I had enough for a decent C6..If your looking at C5s that cost $10,000 ,they are usually high mile or beater cars ...The prices for early C6s are down to where the C5s were a few years ago..You can get them for mid $20s with 50-60 thousand miles...That would be my choice.......WW
I love C6 and it's a real badass, but c'mon, I will have to save for next 6 months to afford it, and by saying save means no vacation, no restaurants, no new shoes, only work, bills and stop&shopAlready did that when I was saving for my first car...never again
Wait until you are established then worry about a toy car. Your wife has no job and you recently moved here, and sounds like you are new to having spare money laying around.. Stuff happens as the say. Save for 2 years and buy what you want. or waste 2 months of so called extra income on a c4 now and drive it for a couple years while saving.
Funny enough, but in Ukraine I had more extra money than here because I had a decent job and didn't have to rent. Electricity bills of 5$ and heating for 30$ in winter also did their trick. I'm with the same company for past 5 years so I should be pretty safe here unless I act weird and get fired.
If you look hard enough, you can own a pretty sweet C4 from $4k to $7k much sooner and be driving the heck out of it having fun NOW for the rest of the summer, fall, and part of the winter until it snows.
Come on. You know you want to! And then you can save up for that c5-c6 purchase in the long term. As uncertain as life itself is, why wait?
When you say 4-7k for a vette you are not talking about well maintained 96 C4 LT4, right?
Thanks for all your advices, as usual it seems that C5 is a better vehicle overall, but I WANT A VETTE here and now, can you understand that? Everytime I start my jetta I think I wish it was a vette. C4 is definitely older but it's still a vette, it handles well, it has a good engine (I'm looking for LT4). So if I buy a C4 in a good shape with low miles (<50k). Will I enjoy it? Will I be able to sell it later quickly and get a C5?
If you're on a budget, I'd look for an L98 equipped car.
People can say "but it has less power!" all they like, but let's be honest, there's not a C4 made aside from the Callaways and ZR-1s, that are competitive in the power department to a new sports, and performance car bone stock anyway.
You'll be doing the exact same mods, to an L98, as you would an LT1 or LT4 to bring it up to modern hp levels. Might as well start with the cheaper car, and one that's easier imo to service.
When you say 4-7k for a vette you are not talking about well maintained 96 C4 LT4, right?
No. You want one of those with low miles, you gonna pay. But hey, if you can swing it, then great! To be honest my 93 C4 is plenty enough to handle as it is for me. I don't need anything more. But I don't race it... Just a spirited ride on curvy mountain roads every now and then.
Thanks for all your advices, as usual it seems that C5 is a better vehicle overall, but I WANT A VETTE here and now, can you understand that? Everytime I start my jetta I think I wish it was a vette. C4 is definitely older but it's still a vette, it handles well, it has a good engine (I'm looking for LT4). So if I buy a C4 in a good shape with low miles (<50k). Will I enjoy it? Will I be able to sell it later quickly and get a C5?
I think we've all wanted a type of car so badly at one point in our life we rushed into our decision. You've got the fever like we've all had. I'll tell you what I think you should do, but I don't think it's what you want to hear.
Don't buy a Corvette now. Save your money untill you have at least 6 months to a year of living expenses saved for emergencies, plus the amount you want to spend on a vette, plus an additional $3,000 for repairs that you'll probably need to do on the vette. The worst thing you can do is buy a 20+ year old car with your financial priorities out of order.
Next, buying a C4, ,C5 is totally up to what YOU like. They both can be reliable, fun and daily drivers. Learn about the different year's quirks and strengths and decide what you're willing to accept or reject or tolerate.
If you don't do your homework you may end up thinking later on ... Damn, I should have saved my money a little longer and bought THAT model year.. etc.
Use this time while you're saving to learn everything you can about them. Don't worry there will always be good used vetts to buy.
If you read the Tech Nerd section of Corvette Magazine it becomes pretty obvious that there are many with electrical gremlins in the C5. For me that is always a concern when I think about whether I would go to a C5. The C4 has no issues I can't afford to fix.
Give me 8 grand for my 93 40th anniversary.
ZO7
Maintenance records and repairs
78K miles
That is a very good deal you should check it out. Also I would not disregard that LT-4, 130k with records can be a good deal I would do it. I have 130k on my 92 and besides some minor things I needed to repair she is a real runner. Another thing to consider is insurance cost, this is the reason I do not buy a c6 or 7.
My name is Alex and I recently moved to US from Ukraine. Corvettes have been in my mind since my childhood but it was really hard to afford a corvette in my native country (50 grand for used C6 and 100+ for new one, average salary in my county is 200$/month so you can imagine how much time one must save to afford a vette We have nothing older than C6 due to taxation too).
Now I'm in CT and options here are incredibleIt seems like I can buy any car ever produced in the world. I'm now driving a jetta (whoever invented this vehicle must be shot) because I had to buy smth. quickly as soon as I arrive not to spend fortune on rentals, as now I'm more or less settled I started thinking about making my dream come true, but just like any dream there are some limitations in reality. In Ukraine I had acura tsx 2006 2.4 and it was a really nice vehicle from handling and reliability point of view, I'm now selling that car and will have 10k$ in my pocket soon, now here comes my question:
Should I buy C4? Should I buy C5? Should I sell my jetta? Jetta is a piece of crap, but it has 60000 miles on it now and I've already driven 6000 in three month on it and spent 100$ (80$ for oils/filters and 20$ for right mirror turn signal), so it's pretty alive now and I know it will get me from point a to point b.
I've been around this forum for a while and it seems for 10$k I can buy both C4 and C5, I'm not looking for any tuned cars. Some C4 even cost more than C5.
I can do some work on my own and definitely not going to pay 150$ for spark plugs change like people do in other topics. I normally changed oil/filters/bulbs/did minor repairs on my cars on my own, but I hardly doubt I will be able to repair transmission on my own, I don't have a garage in my current condo too. Since this is my first job and my wife is not yet employed I have only 2500$ left in my pocket monthly after paying all my bills + food (i.e. I can spend 2500$ wherever I want, but I'd rather not spend it for new transmission/optispark of my car).
So what do you say? Should I go for C4? Should I go for C5? Should I save more and buy a better C5? Should I sell Jetta and use C5 (as if I sell Jetta C5 will definitely be in my budge) as my dailydriver? (winters are rough here in CT and rains are often guests too).
If your into working on cars, like an edgy driving sports car (aka not pampered but raw feeling) get the c4.
If you want to put gas in a car that has the corvette name on it and want something that rides smooth but still drive well aka touring car aka bmw or lexus but sportier get the c5.
Thats a crude analogy but it kind of sums the two cars up. Im not saying the c5 is a bad car but its more refined than the c4. Some people prefer the fighter jet c4 feeling over the more refined ride of the c5.
It will probably be MUCH cheaper to keep a c5 on the road than the c4. Design and age are in the c5's favor ownership cost wise.
Id much rather have a garage queen C4 LT1/4 than a tired C5. If you buy the C4 right and take care of it you will lose little to no money as the C4's have just about bottomed out pricewise. Get a nice C4, drive it for a while then decide at that point whether you want to keep it or buy something newer
There are plenty of C4's and C5's on used car lots... id suggest test driving both then make your decision...
You live in CT. Winters will be brutal - not fun with a Vette, so I'd keep a winter beater around. With that said, once you feel financially ready, buy the newest car you like/can afford.
06-28-2015, 11:30 AM
...WW
Already did that when I was saving for my first car...never again
We have nothing older than C6 due to taxation too). 
It seems like I can buy any car ever produced in the world. I'm now driving a jetta (whoever invented this vehicle must be shot) because I had to buy smth. quickly as soon as I arrive not to spend fortune on rentals, as now I'm more or less settled I started thinking about making my dream come true, but just like any dream there are some limitations in reality.
In Ukraine I had acura tsx 2006 2.4 and it was a really nice vehicle from handling and reliability point of view, I'm now selling that car and will have 10k$ in my pocket soon, now here comes my question:
