I am disillusioned,not shocked, but pretty close.
There are kids just out of High school buying early C4 vettes for cheap.
like $2500 and $3500.
I guess it's nothing new, but I would have thought that with insurance, and the cost of the car, and the needy parts condition of the car at $3500, it would be a stretch for them to maintain an aging corvette.
(maybe they aren't maintaining it)
I guess that with all the time and effort I have spent keeping mine on the road, and the parts, and insurance costs, that ownership might be for a more financially established individual.
Enter mom n dad? Would you trust a 19 year old kid with a corvette?
I know there are a few good kids out there that would take care of one, and such, but it takes a bit of driving experience, coupled with getting familiar with the car to keep from breaking the rear loose at the wrong time, spinning out on a corner, tempering speed with the brakes' ability to stop the car in a reasonable mount of time, and just plain going too fast.
I was ninteen, My car was pretty quick, but that was then.......
sigh scratch all this,
I remember going bumper to bumper around and around bouncing off of the center median and the curb in a residential
part of town at 92 miles an hour with a posted speed limit of 35 mph.
Luckily, all I did was bend three wheels and an axle and break off a rear spring perch. Didn't even blow a tire.
I guess that's how a kid learns respect for the machine he built.
I guess I just expected it to be in a beat up toyota instead of a corvette.
um, my respect learner was a 63 nova SS with a 350 and a 4 speed.

 

I guess I just expected it to be in a beat up toyota instead of a corvette.
um, my respect learner was a 63 nova SS with a 350 and a 4 speed.

Are you kidding? That would cost even more than a C4 nowadays,especially one in good shape,Imagine what the older folks thought about you back then. But I can feel for you brother. I think the same about kids today also,but,My Evil doing was in a 70 Chevelle SS W\396 auto.I don't even remember paying insurance.

 

I have a lot to add on the subject since I fall into that category:

-- Search for the "how old are you" thread. There are a lot of us youngsters around in the c4 section.

-- C4's are very cheap to insure. It is cheaper for me to insure my vette than a 90 camaro, 85 blazer, 88 tbird, 99 malibu and a bunch of other cars I got quotes for.

--Not all c4s are parts hungry. Not counting regular maintenance (oil, filter, coolant, pads, etc.) I have not had to put any money into my car or replace anything.

--300hp is nothing compared to todays cars. There are little japanese 6 cylinders (all engine), and 4 cylinders (with boost) putting out more than that.

--Depreciation and inflation. What was once a $50k dream for me became a $15,500 reality. I used to cut all the neighbors yards and stuff every summer starting at like 12 or 13 years old up until I graduated high school. I was easily making a few grand a year. It may not sound like a lot but keep in mind I had no bills and did it for over 5 years. Since the car is completely paid for all I need to pay is gas and insurance which isn't a big deal.

--I bought a camaro at 17. I bought my vette at 18. I still have both. I'll be 22 in November. There is not a single mark on either car that wasn't there when I bought it. No tickets. No accidents. I've never owned anything but chevy v8s. In my opinion they are simple and easy to work on. I've never driven anything other than rear wheel drive in the snow up until last winter when I drove my moms car. She couldn't get it out of the drive way so I had to move it for her.

--My parents didn't have much say in my car choices. They knew I was 18 and it was my money. Legally I could do as I pleased. The only thing I get constantly told is not to have any holes in my body I wasn't born with (piercings). Other than that I'm pretty much on my own and they trust me. I'm sure it helped that my dads first car was a 69 mustang with a 355 in it. He didn't wreck it but he did wax the paint off it. seriously. no joke. He actually waxed it so much the paint came off .

--In my opinion it seems more practical for someone my age to own one. What better time to own a two seater with no trunk than when you are single and without kids?

--I would rather walk than drive a Toyota .

 

Insurance wise it is a cheaper car to insure partially because of the age and partially because the audience is traditionally an older crowd for the 'vette. Personally I couldn't imagine a vette as one of my first couple of cars because I was strapped for cash and could barely afford the 4 cylinder economy cars that I was driving. I've never owned a vehicle (other then the vette) that would qualify as low miles but both my old honda and my mazda have been low maintenance vehicles.

There are a few young guys on here who have worked hard for their vettes, because of that extra work they've had to put in I'm sure they have a bit more respect for them. I also imagine there are quite a few young guys driving vettes who have over indulgent parents too. There are all types and there will always be spoiled kids, fortunately for the most part a lot of the spoiled kids don't necessarily appreciate or want the vettes, they think they're old man cars. Which is fine by me.

 

Hi- I got my first Vette, a 1964 coupe, when I was 17. That was in 1972. I wish I still had that car!

 

Im 18 and on my 4th car, first car was 66 chevy caprice sold because I wanted something newer, then got a 84 vette for 3,000 rand good, then sold because parents said the insurance company would not let me own a corvette because its too dangerous. then bought a 98 Stang GT because they would not let me have a vette, or camaro only mustang atleast it was a GT, but sold it recently because I missed my vette, so my dad switched insurance companys and now I can have a vette, so I bought my 93 vette in january and very happy to have a vette again

 

As an old guy let me shoot a flare for the young guys. I suggest that a younger Corvette owner both knows and respects what he has and understands how it should be treated. I have seen a few really trashed out Corvettes but not one that was owned by someone less than 25.

 

I bought my 87 Vert at 18. I was looking at several different types of cars, but due to the cheapness to maintain a C4, I bought one. I was looking at r129 SLs, w140 S-Classes, BMW 7-Series, Porsche 928s and other various rides. The cost of buying into the others wasn't the issue, it was the price of staying in them.

I paid a lot more than $3500(close to 10k), but I didn't want a beat up piece of s***. I wanted low miles(it had 45k), and I wanted a car that seemed to be loved and I got that. The former owner spent a lot in the last couple years actively fixing up and maintaining the car.

I bought a C4 because they are so cheap to maintain(350SBC), it's body can't rust(just watch the subframe), the insurance is cheap, it gets good gas mileage and it's a true sports car. There's more stuff, but that's what I think of right now.

 

I appreciate it, that's actually how I got mine, my father bought the '85 new and at some point he just stopped maintaining it. In working on it I've pulled the factory wires, the factory plugs, the factory fuel filter, the original serpentine belt and a bunch of other things that just hadn't been maintained.

That and it looked like this when I towed it away.


Not a ton better yet but it is finally being taken care of again.

 

I think its cool younger guys are getting into Early C4s.
Mybe the tuner market will start making some Tuner parts and dress up items, its a plus.
I bought mine for $9,000 in 2002 and if i would have waited til now i would be able to get a better car and a newer one for cheaper.
Im in my 30's so im no kid but i no a deal when i see one.
Heck look what happened to the f-bodies they where great before gm
pulled the plug on them cause of lack of sells, they where basicly corvettes, with a corvette engine swoopy body and tons off upgrades that could make them Viper killers, i think they are part of the reason the C4 corvettes have gotten so cheap.
Im not complaining im having fun with my cheap 86 vette.
o yeah to the guy that talks about v6 and 4 cylinders having 300hp
stock, try to find new for under $20,000 is going to be pretty dam hard.

 

My first amazing car was at age 17. I bought an '84 Buick Grand National, the first of that short lived lineage. It was 3 years old and unbelievably cool. I remember feeling like I was a God cuz I smoked a mid '70's Vette at an intersection in downtown Flint Michigan. No super great accomplishment by today's standards, but to a 17 y/o dude with a girl in the passenger seat, enough said. That guy chased me all the way up Court St. and I continued to smoke him at every intersection. He was FURIOUS. Those cars ruled the road there for a short part of automotive history.
I have alot of respect for todays "young guys" and the interesting things they bring to the table at car shows. The draw of the HP of Vettes has no age restrictions.

DD

 

I think by the beginning statement you definitely stepped barefoot right onto an ant hill. Im 20 and got my 94 at 19. Since then I have added exhaust and a computer and bolt ons and plan to keep it that way. I keep it washed and waxed regularly, do not speed any more than most of the older folks on the forums and I keep the car running good. My first car was a 1989 trans am that to a 16 year old might as well of been a ferrari. I did speed a little more then than now but still have never received a ticket, never been in a wreck (knock on wood to both of those) and have paid for gas, insurance, fixes and half of both of the full car payments. (I got 3 years of college for free so mom and dad rewarded me a bit) I love my vette, probably too much, and am very careful with it. I think its all but natural us younger guys are picking these up, they are one of the most under appreciated sports cars in history and are cheap to pick up and look awesome why not? haha just my .02

 

You gotta love younger guys that are responsible enough to earn the money to buy and take care of any vette. There are much worse things to be doing in life.

Kudos to the younger posters in this thread. And, I agree, a two seater is a great car for the young/single!

If the OP is mostly disallusioned because of the selling prices, I gotta agree with that. I haven't seen any of the $2,500 vettes but I always thought all vette would stay above $5-6K unless they were a beat up POS.

gp

 

 

Dude thats way

 

 

Wow, these are some really cool kids.

 

I got my 93 corvette at 17 last october. You may not believe it but my insurance is only $60 more a year than a 2001 4 door Ford Explorer. As the maintence I have only had to replace the starter and may have to replace the battery if it keeps acting up.

 

That way they can only get in half as much trouble.

 

Wow I'm thinkin' I paid way too much (don't tell my "financial advisor")
I bought my 89 convertable in Dec of 1997 Paid $13 grand for it. I guess the good part is it still runs and looks great, a real "chick magnet"
(Don't tell my financial advisor I said that)
lol