What am I better off with for driving 10 to 15k a year?
1980 C3 or 1995/96 C4. What would be the best.

I asked this in the C4 GEN. section also, but thought the
responses maybe bias.

Thanks for your suggestions !

 

Depends on your physiology things like seating, your height, wheel placement.... I happen to be 6'5" and my '87 vette seat was way too narrow for my arthritic hips....so tried to mod the seat, but no go...this back in the early 90's by '95 I got my much more comfy to ME, '72 vette and proceeded to mod the car to my liking....

dropped the seat 2" in the rear, 1/2 inch in front, recovered the seat with the OEM foam removed the seat belt cover, and some metal in the seating....put in a late shark TT wheel, and some years later cut the floorboards up to the steering column and bent forward/glassed in about 3" and cut/bent/welded the brake/gas to push forward a similar amount, and let the knees be off the steering wheel.....

 

For a DD 1996 Collectors Edition.

 

Well, I might be just as bias also.... as I have both a C3 & C4. My 82 is my "dd" for the last 39 months and counting. I drive over 22.000 miles per year back and forth to work. It has left me on the side of the road twice, getting towed home. And they were simple things, one was a combo battery, alternator problem, and the other was a broken coil wire under the coil cap.
That being said, the 82 is a pure joy to drive, easy to maintain if everything is in good shape, and still gets decent gas mileage if that is a concern for you. Then again two of the first items I changed when purchased were the water pump and the heater core when I removed the dash. And that was just PM (Preventative Maintenance) on my part as not to get stranded with anti-freeze related problems.

The C4 is also a joy to drive and is just as capable and reliable to use as a "dd" as long as everything once again is in good shape. You may find the C4 has a little more comfort level when driving, but then again, either vehicle would depend on the choice and condition of the suspension, tires, etc......In fact when my 82 was down due to replacing the Trailing Arms, the C4 was put in use as my "driver" until the 82 was finished.

Although I would, could, and have used both, there is just something about a C3 going down the road everyday, can't really explain it, you just have to experience it.

In the end it is your choice, check them out, drive then both and make your decision. Whichever one you choose, I'm sure you will be happy.

One other thing, IMO the C3 is "easier" and less complicated to work on (if doing the work yourself) than the C4, and that would be mostly to less electronics on the C3. And also the ease of changing out components....but again...JMO Good luck........Tom

 

I have used a 66 an 81 a 69 a 86 all as daily drivers,
In general it really depends what a person wants and will deal with and how nice the car is to start with, a nice condition car will be a better dd than a crappy one, a c4 will not be a better dd only because its a newer model.
FWIW I couldn't sell the c4 fast enough, I know people like them but not for me, I would take a crappy c3 over a nice c4 any day.
A c3 is a classic a c4...just another used car....

 

I loved my 92. I didn't dd it but I did use it a fair amount. They have their drawbacks like any car, but I always felt the C4 was dependable. For an older car.
The C3 can be a dd. Simpler, less parts, and for the most part less expensive parts. The LT 1 in the C4 was only built for 5 yrs, so parts for that engine may become scarce. It seems the gen 1 small block will live forever.
I wouldn't dd any corvette, that's what my camaro is for.
Like others say, find a solid good running car, in whatever model you choose.

 

From 1999 to 2014 I had 2 C4's and 2 C5's. I got sick and tired of all the many electrical failures that can and will leave you stranded with no warning. I'll take my old C3 anytime!

 

Thank you all for your information, the 80 with less computer was what I was thinking, but wa need to ask.

Thank you !!!

 

Probably not biased. My sweetie's daily driver is her 96. She has a stronger attachment to her 71, but it isn't used on a daily basis.

 

Having owned Vettes of every generation, my opinion is that anything C4 and up make far better daily drivers than C3 and older Vettes. As much as I love the older Vettes, they are really fair weather driving toys. The newer Vettes are more reliable (even though they are more complex), more fuel efficient and more comfortable.

 

Have a '69 L46. Don't use it as a DD, but have done my 2 hr a day commute in it a handful of times. Comfortable as a bug in a rug - I could drive it every day. Don't because I want to keep if for a very long time and don't want to put the miles on it. Never owned a C4.

 

You can't go wrong with either one. The C4 would be more reliable and more fuel efficient but the C3 would be more fun. I've used a 1995 Convertible as daily driver for a couple of years and the car was problem free. The only major expense was tires. Went through sets of rear tires every 10000 miles and I didn't even do a lot of burnouts... The C3 tires are cheaper (on stock size rims) and last longer. You would be spending more on fuel for the C3 but save money on tires. If you go for coolness, go with the C3.. If you want maximum reliability and good gas mileage, go with the C4.. You can't go wrong either way. Great cars!

 

I got back into Corvette ownership after my first 2 kids moved out and left us with 2 boys around 92. I had sold a C2 when I got orders for Vietnam in 68 and never could afford another one until 20+ years later.
My oldest son and I looked at many Corvettes and finally ended up at a Corvette dealer. We narrowed it down to a yellow 77 and a metallic gray 86. We took the 77 for a test drive and then the 86. What a difference! The 86 had more power, rode better and had more of the modern conveniences such as power seats, rear window defrost, electric mirrors, cruise, a 1-piece targa roof and a modern stereo. It handled and stopped better and we knew it would get great gas mileage due to the overdrive 700R4.
Now, having said that I ended up with an 81 a few years later after selling the 86. The reason I bought the 81 was because it had been professionally made into a convertible which upped the "cool" factor. Thank goodness that pizz-poor low powered engine spun a bearing a couple years later and allowed me to rebuild it into something more powerful.
I would take the C4 as the dd. Sure they have some quirks but there are guys and gals in the C4 section who have lived with theirs for years and can advise you on fixing them. There are a lot of used parts out there too. I like www.vette2vette in Streator, IL but there are several other C4 recyclers out there who can fix you up with good used parts along with a lot of places like Corvette Central who can assist you with new parts.
I have now have owned 4 C4s with a red 96 LT4 vert being my favorite!
I just sold my last C4 as I am clearing out my toys to move from Michigan to Arizona. Don't know which car I will buy for my next project but since I am now retired I don't really need to drive it that much. My need for speed and power has also decreased as I age. Might consider a nice 82 with its overdrive tranny and later model conveniences. Might even buy a rust free Chevy C10 as there are a lot of them for sale out there.

 

I love my C3's, but without question, the C4 is the better daily driver. I've thad the C4 as a daily driver (summers only) for the last 16 years, and the fuel mileage is double what the C3's get, smoother more comfortable ride, ac works, and it always starts and needs almost nothing in the way of maintenance. plus you can hear the bose system above the motor, which is also a plus!

 

I have an 80 C3, a 92 C4, and an 01 C5 vert.

I am 6'4" and 290lbs. The C3 is harder to drive because the door presses against my upper arm and it has less leg room than the C4 or C5. It is fun to drive, but I think the C4 is more comfortable. C4s are fall in and climb out cars, but good while driving. The C4 is way faster and handles better than the 80 C3. But it all depends on what you like, and what you think.

 

I have a 1980 C3 and a 1984 C4. The C4 is my daily driver. I love to drive the C3, but the C4 is a little bit more "civilized" with a TH700R4 transmission vs. the TH350... Also in my case the C4's air conditioning works (recently new compressor and switched to R134A) and it has a nicer stereo than the C3...

 

Lots of the feedback is based on personal tastes and if the condition of the c3 in question is poorly kept that is unfair and biased.
So my personal tastes,
My 81 had cold ac, loud tunes, power everything, hopped up.
my c3's are just as comfy to me,
I admit I liked driving my 66 no ac hard top only, 4 speed power nothing over my c4,
Here real soon my 69 will be up to dd and I wouldn't take the sweetest c4 over it....bottom line, get the car you like better in DD condition and maintain it.

 

It's all a matter of personal preference. As for my opinion, I agree with Bats, It's what makes you feel good. I've been driving my '75 4-speed convertible daily for over 35 years, mostly with the top down.

 

Definitely the C4

 

A well maintained '95 or '96 should be super reliable and fuel efficient.. The late C4's didn't have all the bugs and electrical problems of the earlier C4's.. I used to own both, a '95 Convertible and a '68 Convertible that were both in good shape and I chose to use the '95 as a daily driver. Never had ANY issues in 2 years of driving it to and from work. After the '95, I had a C5 convertible as daily driver..