Just wanted to know what can I get for around 6-8k? looking for 90+ cars as I don’t like the dash on the pre 90s model. So basically what kind of car will 6-8k buy. I know the C5 and C6 are the talk of the town, however with a newborn and 2 other cars I can’t swing the big bucks for the newer cars.

I’m coming from a 98 LS1 Z28 so I know I’m taking a performance hit with the L98 or LT1 however the vette handling etc will make up for the power loss. 6 speed is the only requirement color etc I’m not too picky as long as it not hot pink.

are the early 90s cars going to nickle and dime me to death with seals, sensor, relays, ecus etc going out?

 

Just my opinion and what I saw when looking, I'd say for that kind of money you can forget about an LT1 car unless you're looking for a project. You may be able to find a '85-'87 in good candition, but if you find one I'd jump on it quick. Naturally the older the car the more likely you are to have maintainence expenses. Do a search here for common problems and try to find one that has already had those addressed. Good luck in your search.

 

... yall have to spend 10-12+k for a decent car with your requirments unless you want a project that is ..

 

Go to Autotrader.com or Cars.com advanced search. Select your high price You will see what you can expect to pay. Good luck Tim

 

Paid $6,500 for my '85, had a little over 70k miles on it, mechanically checked out excellent. Changed all the fluids, put Iggee seat covers on it, new tires, installed XM radio, and I've been good to go. Yes, it has a few chips in the paint, the carpet is faded a little, but for what I paid, it was a bargain IMO. All accessories, including the Star Wars dash are in great operating condition. Would buy it again in a heartbeat!

 

I will be hard to find a decent 90-91 car for under 8K especially with a 6 speed. If you find one it will be high miles or crappy.

 

$6k-$8k will get you a decent 84-89, or a rough 90-91, a rougher 92-93, or a project 94-95.

I paid $7k for an 87 from a dealer. I'm into it for $9.5k now, and just found a new problem. It's a 15-20 year old car, you have to have a cash reserve to fight the problems and shake it out.

Go into it with realistic expectations, you'll be ok. If you think you can just spend $6k get in and drive... well, not a lot of those deals out there. You'll need 20%-40% of the purchase price to get the car where you want it.

 

I pm'd you regarding my possible car for sale.

As far as performance hit. Depends on what your 98 had done. I had a bone stock 98 LS1 M6 Z28 and ran 13.7's in the 1/4 at our local track. Few bolt on's shaved a couple tenths off the mark.

I haven't had the 92 to the track(LT-1 Vette that is), but I've driven plenty of fast F bodies and now Vettes . Present 2007 Z06 included hehe!. Anyway, the 92 is a decently powered vehicle. Will it beat a LS1 Fbody? Depends on car and driver IMO.

What you get in a vette is a mix of different things. Some performance, some emotion. I always wanted a Vette. Was lucky to get to a position in life where I could afford one(2001 Z06 3yrs back). Loved it and was bitten. Sold that in December, and 2 days later drove to NY and bought my current 07 Z06. Afraid to touch that and wanting a project car, I bought this 1992 LT1 ZF6 car with 117k miles on it. Got a decent price on it and put some $$ into it. It's not new, but it's not ragged either.

Now with Vettes there are good and bad points. For one, your really looking to step back in "time". Engineering wise, the C4's are ALOT different than even your 98 LS1 in refinement. I consider those year Fbodies to be quite a bit more refined. Again, I had a few to compare against. What I like about the C4 though is it was a car I drooled over as a teen. It handles and drives well. Is reasonably reliable for a sports car, especially given the competition back then. The electronics on vettes can give you headaches, but find a good example and it should treat you right. Knock on wood! I haven't had a thing go out on my 92. Only have had to address things I knew about going into the purchase. Find an owner you feel you can trust and you feel has disclosed the good and bad points of the car. If you find a higher milage car that is 100% a ok, I'd be very leary. I know if I end up selling mine, I wanna sleep at night. That means disclosing the good and bad points of my car. More I talk about selling it, the more nostalgic I get though lol. Anyway, they are out there. You have to be patient and look hard b/c they won't fall into your lap.
Also, if you plan to mod, search on the "corvette tax". Basically alot of parts cost alot more b/c of markups and probably also the limited population the vendors sell to. Instead of a million fbodies they have 10% of that population to sell too etc...

 

Then..........I guess this one wouldn't do, huh!



Good luck with the search.

 

6 speed for 8k...not unreasonable but it's going to have about 140k miles with the gasket about to leak. My 91 Auto had 113k miles....spent a about $400 on parts and a trip to the shop in the last 6 months of owning, plus I'm going to be spending another $350 on AC service. I might save that for next year though, as it has been a nice cool summer in Northern CA so far. Check this out:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/car/350920311.html

best deal i've seen so far.

 

I perfer the lines of the 91 (and up) rather than the 90...91 has smoother lines....

 

Short answer is Junk. Unless you hit the jackpot on the Forum or elsewhere.
In Pensacola Pete Moore Chevrolet has a C4 with around 234,000 miles for 9K last time I looked. It may still be available. Autotrader or Cars.com will tell.

 

They are out there...you just have to find them. I picked up my 1990 6-speed, with 89K, 2.5 years ago for $6500. It has been my daily driver since and I have not had any major problems with it. Mechanically and cosmetically it is in great condition for being 17 years old. The guy was getting a divorce and had to dump it. So, just keep your eyes open.

 

[QUOTE=Greg0u812;1560648946]Then..........I guess this one wouldn't do, huh!



Not my color but proof that any color looks good on a vette. Elvis might have liked it though!