TransAm525

Last weekend marked one year that my 1982 Corvette and I have been together. I love my 82, and really enjoy all working on it and taking it out for cruises, but for a long time I have been longing to own a C4 (1990-1996). The car, other than a torn driver's seat, is pretty much mint. I have maintained this vehicle well beyond what even a dealership would, and have every receipt, mileage record, and part number of everything I have replaced in and on this vehicle. The car is also one of 1,980 built with the rare AM/FM cassette and CB option, and also has every option available in 1982 other than the Gymkhana suspension package. What would be a reasonable price to ask for my 82 (I've been thinking $12-14,000)? I still have all the original parts I removed (air flapper door, stock coil, etc). All the numbers match, and the car has 96,4xx original miles on it. Also, what would be the best way about selling the car? And last but not least, what are you opinions on selling my 82? It's going to be very hard to let it go, but I'm hoping the C4 will make me just as happy or happier.

Juliet

It depends on what you want your vette for.... I've got a '70 and an '87. I love them both. I prefer the '87 for everyday, but there's no way ever that I will be without a C3 for cruising, weekend stuff, car shows and just plain fun. The swoops and curves and charisma of the sharks just can't be had in any other vette IMHO. Don't get me wrong, the L98 in the '87 is probably faster than my '70. It gets better mileage. I much easier on long trips and the creature comforts win hands down over the crude / rough / bare bones (even on a loaded one!) '70. But there's that something intangible about the shark. If you really want a C4, you need to assess just WHY that is and just what you want out of it. Or you may end up kicking yourself. You can also do what I did.... sold my Rustang daily driver and got my '87 Vette daily driver instead. This way I'm always driving a vette and I have the creature comforts, safety and better mileage for every day use. :seeya

Double Aught

i have owned an 84 and a 90 roadster. I had a 72 and I currently have a 78 Pace. To me, the shark styling can't be beat. I prefer the
C3 over the C4. My next Vette will be a C5. I am done with the C4. Keep you CE. You obviously love the car, considering the
maintaining you have done to it. I regreted trading my 72 for the 90. That is why I bought another C3. You may regret it too. :yesnod:

TransAm525

I do love my 82 very much, but everytime I drive a C4 at work (I'm a mechanic until I finish college in April) I'm immediately hooked by the way the car is built around the driver. The instrument display, seats, handling, and power of the C4 is awesome, and when complimented with a Greenwood body kit, the outside is equally as nice. I also have a thing for the clam shell hood, it's just too cool. The only part I worry about is if I will regret letting my C3 go, and that's where your ideas and opinions come into great play in helping me decide. The 82 has been a great machine, and it has never let me down, but with an automatic transmission, the Crossfire injection system, and an early 80's computer, I practically have to hack the car apart to make any performance modifications to it, which I just can't bring myself to do. Keep the ideas and opinions coming, they are a great aid to me in making my decision.

Les

There is no wrong answer to your question- they both have their merits & I think you'll be happy either way. To me, it really depends on how attached you are to your 82. I can't imagine selling my Vette...or my other toy. I chose them carefully & knew I was in it for the long run. Your situation may be different- you're obviously young & will have alot of opportunity in the future to get back into a C3 if you decide to sell. Go where your passion leads you.

Marks69BB

IMO, The only C4 I would want would be a ZR1 (highest HP of any vette until the new Z06 comes out) which would be hard to find. Otherwise, I would either keep the '82 or, if you are craving performance, get a '75 or earlier that needs an engine and add a BB, so you can mod it all you want without worrying about emissions or computer stuff.

My .02

Paul L

A fellow in the local club (or his Wife, she seems to drive it more) has what I believe is a 1993. It is Arctic white with a gorgeous white interior. I am not partial to the C4s but that car is just downright beautiful. :yesnod:

Astro7

Can't you have both? I've been looking around for a good used C4. I don't plan on letting my 82 go. I agree with Juliet about the C3 being the best example of a Vette there is. I had a 79 a few years ago and was stupid to get rid of it just so I could get a new car. I regretted letting it go about 2 months after i did it. After that every time I saw a C3 on the road I would feel like crap. My advise for you is to keep the 82 and add a C4 to your stable when you can. :chevy

Rolling Thunder

The cars have totally different personalities, but then again, I'm a little bit scitzo :crazy: myself. When I'm in the mood for it, I hop in the 95Ragtop and go. The rest of the time I work on my 71 Rolling Thunder project. :lol:

Do what you want, but either way you'll always wish for the other.

Dave

Fastguy

I have to agree with Juliet here. I just sold my 89 Reatta to buy a C4 for a daily driver. I have had it for 9 days and already racked up almost 800 miles.
The '88 gets 22.5 average, 30 on the highway, has killer AC, and stops and handles better than the 75. The 75 however, gives a completely different feel when driving it, more visceral and raw. The 88 makes you forget sometimes that you are in a Vette, the C3 never lets you forget that. I get a lot of comments on the 88, but they are usually limited to "nice Vette". The 75 elicits a much stronger response with a barrage of questions followed by lots of stories. My C3 sounds a little more severe for a daliy driver than your 82 so its hard to say, but I would imagine if you are in the car a lot for work or commuting, you would dig the C4. I couldn't part with my 75 so I bought the best L98 I could afford. If I sold my 75, I could have gotten a better C4 but I'm happy with my decision.

Alwyn678

Do u have another car besides the c-3??? if so sell that.....I had a Saab turbo conv....sold it and just got a sweet c-4 convertible with a 6 speed....and I love it..so do what I did...Keep ur c-3 and maybe buy another one later :cheers: :p:

rmadlem

When I see a C4 on the street, it's like "Oh, there's a nice Corvette" When I (or anybody else for that matter) sees a nice C3, it's more like "Oh My God, look at that cool Corvette!!!
I've never owned anything other than a C3, but in my opinion, there's no match for the styling of the C3. :seeya

VetteChick73

:eek: I think you'll be sorry to see your C3 go.

I agree with some of the other posts....keep the C3 and add the C4 to your collection! :yesnod: :yesnod:

I would like a C4 myself :D

Dalannex

"Boys, bring in the straight jacket". :lol:

Dustin, you're gonna be just fine. We're here to help you. :hat

Brutal64

If that is what you think you want I say go for it. If you decide later on that you liked the C3 better then come on back. There are always nice vettes for sale and no matter how much I like the car I have now I'm already thinking about the next vette that I would like to own.

TransAm525

There is no doubt I will miss my 82 very much. I receive so many comments and talk to so many people about it that it amazes me how many people like the car and wish they had one themselves. I do drive my 82 every day, and put about 18 miles a day on the odometer. It's very comfortable, but like I said before, the handling and design of the C4 is just amazing.

As far as my other cars go, I own a 1977 Trans Am, a 1960 Ford F-100 pickup, and a 1982 Volvo. I've been restoring/modifying the Trans Am since I was 17, but I have put the project on hold while I have been off at college, so the car sits in storage and the half-built engine and custom suspension, frame etc. parts are stored at my parents' house in California. The 1960 Ford F-100 I can't sell. It's my great grandfather's truck, which I inherited a month before buying the Corvette. I have too many memories in that truck, plus my family would kill me if I ever let it go. The Volvo is something I just bought from a friend to turn around and sell for a profit, and I will be selling it when I return from vacation in September (it's the ugliest car I have ever seen :U).

This is a very tough decision, and I would like to have both, but with me in my last year of college, and moving into a new apartment with my girlfriend (the love of my life), it's just not possible right now, and it won't be for another 2 years at least when I finish my flight training with the Air Force and move into a house.

What makes this even harder is the fact that I was the mechanic on the 82 for three years before I bought it, and the owner was a supervisor and very good friend of mine, who I still talk to once in a while. The 82 is nice, but I think for the modifications I would like to do, a 1980 L-82 4-speed would be a better start. It looks like I have a lot of thinking to do. Thanks for your input everyone.