C4 weaknesses
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 2,830
Likes: 20
From: Las Vegas Nevada
Fiberglass car + stiff suspension + lots of plastic interior parts = squeaky car. No way around that it's the nature of the beast. I have a friend who has a Porsche 996 (turbo 911) convertible. The car is as quiet as a church mouse. It was also something like $80,000 back in the mid 90's. I don't really like the feel or way it drives, I prefer a good V8 and a low, wide stance myself. Sports cars can be had that are fast, handle well, and are quiet but you pay a price for it. Seems the only people who complain about squeaks and rattles are people who don't like/would not like the Corvette even if it was quiet as a Lexus. Aside from squeaks and rattles there is little left to fault on the car when compared to it's rivals, especially at the price it sells for. Seems us real Corvette enthusiasts don't mind the minor annoyance.
Also, someone mentioned above that 20 minutes with a screw driver checking the interior screws can do a world of good if your car is particularly squeaky. You could also put some thin adhesive backed foam on any part where plastic meets plastic. That would help quite a bit as well.
Also, someone mentioned above that 20 minutes with a screw driver checking the interior screws can do a world of good if your car is particularly squeaky. You could also put some thin adhesive backed foam on any part where plastic meets plastic. That would help quite a bit as well.
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 57,805
Likes: 23
From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
CI-II Burnout & Drag Champ
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
I think Brad is still living in the '70's
My mom, being Japanese absolutely refused to buy or even drive in a Japanese car back then. It wasn't till the mid '80's when my family bought our first Toyota. A beautiful Cressida with all the bells and whistles.
I think since most Japanese cars are now being built here, the quality of the sheetmetal has got better.
Not too many older Japanese cars that don't have rust on them.
I could have bought a mid '80's Toyota pickup for $800. It was in great running shape, but the body was barely there.
My dad's '85 Civic was a good car, still ran great even after my brother wrecked it. Sold it for $30 and the car still runs today.
My mom, being Japanese absolutely refused to buy or even drive in a Japanese car back then. It wasn't till the mid '80's when my family bought our first Toyota. A beautiful Cressida with all the bells and whistles.
I think since most Japanese cars are now being built here, the quality of the sheetmetal has got better.
Not too many older Japanese cars that don't have rust on them.
I could have bought a mid '80's Toyota pickup for $800. It was in great running shape, but the body was barely there.
My dad's '85 Civic was a good car, still ran great even after my brother wrecked it. Sold it for $30 and the car still runs today.
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,554
Likes: 13
From: Romeoville IL
Yeah I had a few squeeks and rattles, one I have et to fix, the others were mostly fixed when I tore apart the console for the stereo and just tightened down the screws.
Which is an advatage we have. You look at newer cars and all the push clips, when those go and panels start to make noise, you have to pull it apart and replace them. We get to turn a screw driver and tighten it up.
Unfortunately the previous owners of mine or who ever did his work, got a little happy with a couple screws and there are a couple cracked parts, but nothing major.
You can also get some foam weather stripping from a parts store or even stuff for house windows and stick they in some strategic oplaces to clean up some rattles.
Which is an advatage we have. You look at newer cars and all the push clips, when those go and panels start to make noise, you have to pull it apart and replace them. We get to turn a screw driver and tighten it up.
Unfortunately the previous owners of mine or who ever did his work, got a little happy with a couple screws and there are a couple cracked parts, but nothing major.
You can also get some foam weather stripping from a parts store or even stuff for house windows and stick they in some strategic oplaces to clean up some rattles.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,263
Likes: 0
From: CV ca
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13
Mine seems to be pretty tight. No squeeks or rattles that I can think of(I try and stay on them as they happen). I can't think of any right now. Now it's got me wondering
, Looks like I have to go out and take a drive now to check it out
. If there are some they couldn't be that bad for me not to notice. Not bad for an 89.
, Looks like I have to go out and take a drive now to check it out . If there are some they couldn't be that bad for me not to notice. Not bad for an 89.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,385
Likes: 534
one weakness of the C4 to me might be some of the fragile small parts used in operating certain assemblies or levers. Take the door assembly which has the small plastic snap on pieces that you have to really baby to get out. No matter how gentle you are, you still have to apply enough force to free these plastic fasteners. And that's when you break them. Never fails but I guess that's 20+ years of age on a plastic part for you.
Unusual parts that you find on the car that make you say "Why didn't they just use a normal screw/bolt/nut that I can easily replace or find? Why did they use a plastic fastener with bunny ears on it to hold this in place?"
Torx bolts!
If you've got three that need to be loosened never fails that last torx bolt will strip out even if you breathe on it. Hate em'!
I guess the C4 started to blur the line of Corvettes that you can work on by yourself and not have to ship off to have serviced. The C4 has a snakepit of wires behind the dash and even in the doors. There's so many you start to think some are just there just to make the loom look bigger and more complex and impressive.
Unusual parts that you find on the car that make you say "Why didn't they just use a normal screw/bolt/nut that I can easily replace or find? Why did they use a plastic fastener with bunny ears on it to hold this in place?"
Torx bolts!
If you've got three that need to be loosened never fails that last torx bolt will strip out even if you breathe on it. Hate em'! I guess the C4 started to blur the line of Corvettes that you can work on by yourself and not have to ship off to have serviced. The C4 has a snakepit of wires behind the dash and even in the doors. There's so many you start to think some are just there just to make the loom look bigger and more complex and impressive.
Last edited by 1985 Corvette; Dec 17, 2006 at 05:15 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
I think Brad is still living in the '70's
My mom, being Japanese absolutely refused to buy or even drive in a Japanese car back then. It wasn't till the mid '80's when my family bought our first Toyota. A beautiful Cressida with all the bells and whistles.
I think since most Japanese cars are now being built here, the quality of the sheetmetal has got better.
Not too many older Japanese cars that don't have rust on them.
I could have bought a mid '80's Toyota pickup for $800. It was in great running shape, but the body was barely there.
My dad's '85 Civic was a good car, still ran great even after my brother wrecked it. Sold it for $30 and the car still runs today.
My mom, being Japanese absolutely refused to buy or even drive in a Japanese car back then. It wasn't till the mid '80's when my family bought our first Toyota. A beautiful Cressida with all the bells and whistles.
I think since most Japanese cars are now being built here, the quality of the sheetmetal has got better.
Not too many older Japanese cars that don't have rust on them.
I could have bought a mid '80's Toyota pickup for $800. It was in great running shape, but the body was barely there.
My dad's '85 Civic was a good car, still ran great even after my brother wrecked it. Sold it for $30 and the car still runs today.
Without that, we would still have rusting hulks.
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: houston texas
My '96 doesn't have any squeaks or rattles just a little creaking when pulling out of the driveway with the smoked glass top only. My brothers '85 is a different story he bought new and only has 28k and its mint compared to my 56k on the clock seems they improved alot from '85 to '96 .........
.........
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: houston texas
The '96 LT4 I think is the best C4 ever IMHO for the money.....The very nice low mile Lt4's are dwindling and will be 1 of the most sought after C4's some day. Stock turning high 12's is unreal and i wonder how many low mileage in pefect shape are left or will be in another 10 years rated at 390 HP by the old HP standards..........Last and best c4 ever produced..........Unreal a stock Lt4 at least mine blows the stock LS1's.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,179
Likes: 673
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 405
Likes: 1
From: Twinsburg OH
Mine makes a clunk when I hit a fair size bump, the rear sway bar bushing is shot but will be replaced very soon. and a slight tink noise under and behind the pasanger seat outside the car sounds almost like taping a spoon on the side of a glass, this one I still have to track down. Other than these its tight as a drum just like I like it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,642
Likes: 5
From: One day you're a Comet...the next day you're dust... Arkansas
I put some pieces of stick on velcroe on all the contact points on my Targa top, also tightened fasteners. Now it CREAKS only when you turn into a driveway at an angle.
