Hi, I'm new to the Corvette world, and as I approach senility I'm going to take the plunge. I'll be looking at a '92 in a couple weeks. What are the particular quirks with this year (if any)? What possible mechanical problems should I be looking out for? Do you recommend a pre-purchase inspection at a dealer? If so, what should get special attention? Thanks for any help, larry

 

What part of the world do you live in? Maybe someone nearby could go look at it for you.
Friendly tip: Fill out your profile so we can look at your avatar and see where you are from.
Meanwhile, here is a buyer's guide that is specific to the 1996 Grand Sport but can also be used for other C4s.
http://www.grandsportregistry.com/GSBuyersGuide.pdf

 

92-96 have the LT1 or LT4 (96 only) motors with the optispark distributor. If you buy one of these do NOT, repeat NOT, wash the motor. Use cleaners and rags only. Good luck on your search.

 

I know what you mean by not washing the motor! But Mine died when the throttle body coolant line popped, and sprayed the opti with green. I sucked......Cost a lot more than just the little hose that day!

 

Unless you really know what you're looking at and have access to a lift, a pre-purchase inspection by a Corvette specialist is highly recommended (and don't assume that you'll find a competent one at a Chevy dealer, as many of them don't have one on staff).

It will cost you more to fix up a flawed Corvette than it will to buy one that needs little or nothing.

If your budget will accommodate it, I'd recommend either a '95 or '96 six-speed with low miles and in great condition.

Here is a list I generated when I was shopping for my first C4 (it does not include anything related to the ZR1, because I wasn’t in the market for a ZR1). It includes the items that I considered to be notable changes as the C4 evolved following its debut with the Crossfire (Throttle Body) Injected engine in 1984:

C4 Corvette Evolutionary Highlights:

1985: L98 introduced as new engine (thru 1991), rear axle on manual trans cars became Dana 44 (thru 1996)

1986: Convertible re-introduced (all were Pace Car replicas), ABS became standard, VATS (Vehicle Anti-Theft System) introduced, all convertibles and late coupes had aluminum heads

1987: Roller lifters added

1988: Improved flow-thru ventilation in coupes, new dual-piston front brakes, E-brake used discs rather than separate small drums, 35th anniversary edition offered (coupe only), white with black roof bow & white leather seats (2050 units sold)

1989: ZF six-speed was new manual transmission

1990: Improvements to ABS and yaw control, radiator improved, instrument panel returned to analog except speedometer and fuel gauge, driver’s side airbag and glovebox added

1991: Rear exterior, nose, gill vent panels restyled, power steering cooler became standard

1992: LT1 introduced as standard engine (300 HP), traction control became standard, weatherstrips improved, insulation added to doors and transmission tunnel to reduce road noise

1993: Changes made to LT1 to cut engine noise (torque increased slightly), PKE introduced, 40th anniversary edition option for coupes and convertibles (all were ruby red exterior and interior)

1994: Sequential fuel injection and more powerful ignition introduced, passenger’s airbag added (glovebox deleted), all seats were leather and were redesigned with significant changes to side bolsters, run-flat tires optional, convertible rear window became glass with built-in defogger, A/C used R134A, electronic controls added to automatic transmissions, PCM used flash memory rather than EPROM.

1995: Indy Pace Car replica was convertible only with dark purple metallic and white (527 units sold), stronger French stitching used on sport seats, drip tube added to A-pillar weatherstrip to improve water sealing, fuel injectors revised to cut dripping after shutdown, connecting rods changed to powdered metal for strength and weight uniformity, larger J55 brakes used on earlier Z07 and ZR1 became standard, wiper arms changed to improve performance, newest ABS and ASR standard, gill vent panels restyled, actively-vented Optispark distributor on LT1 was an improvement over previous passively-vented units.

1996: LT4 engine used (only) on all 6-speed cars, LT1 was used with automatics, automatic transmissions were improved (clutches, bands, torque converter), Grand Sport option offered (admiral blue paint with stripes, LT4), Collector Edition available (silver paint only), new On Board Diagnostics (OBD-2), LT1 and LT4 had new throttle body

Hope this helps.

Be well,

SJW

 

Add the PKE (yes, 93 also) but the passanger airbag and the 134A, plus easier seats, a little more torque (stock) and the OBD II connection.

I looked at a bunch of 92-96, but in the end, wanted that passenger airbag.

 

Do you recommend a pre-purchase inspection at a dealer? YES
There are a couple of factory options that you don't want to have to fix - and some owners repair them by removing the warning lights from the info panel. The tractions system and/or the fx3 can take some serious money to fix, as well as the low tire pressure warning system. If I found one of these disabled I would think twice about the car because the previous owners philosophy was to ignore the problem rather than try to fix it, IMHO.

 

We get this same question twice a week.
Every week.
Twelve months a year.

Even if the Search isn't working, I thought we had a sticky that answered this?????


Larry
code5coupe

__________
I ain't easily impressed....

 

Personally, I would go with the 96, CE or standard. If not that year 95 or 94. You can get good deals on these cars. An older model is fine if it was maintained and has the records to prove it. Whatever you get, Im sure you will enjoy the ride.