tomracer69

gonna check out 1990 6 speed with 34,000 miles on wed 9,500 firm . from pics the car looks as advrtise very clean etc.. what should i be looking at besides the obvious? i have to have 6 speed so i hope thses trannys hold up over time..i can spend a little more$$ but the color & mileage has me motivated .also it seems thses cars r bulletproof & easy for a few minor mods ... my other thought is waiting for a 93 but do not see low mileage cars in the 10 to 12 grand range any thoughts ....thanks tommy nyc ........ps is 9,500 right on price?

CorvetteMike2024

1990 is L98. Later years have better motors for generating more HP. I have a 89 L98. I like it. For my horsepower fix I get out my 69 SS396 el camino.

Putter

I bought my '90 six speed in 2000. It had 26,000 miles on it. It now has 43,000 miles on it. I can keep up with anyone through first gear, then it does not matter to me. That is a good price, but look close at a few items. Check for oil leaks, listen to the radio (Bose). Each speaker has its own amplifier, so you should listen to each speaker carefully. Check to see if it has been tuned up (replaced plugs, fuel filter air filter. That is just a future expense. Make sure all guages, switches and power operated items work. Check the condition of the tires, they may have plenty of tread, but may be dry rotted. If it has a c/d player, you may have to have it rebuilt (first year for c/d player in a Corvette and they were pretty junky) Good news, if you have it rebuilt, it can be upgraded to play c/d s that you burn yourself.

Don't be concerned with all the hoopla about after market items that guarantee high horsepower. I added a K&N filter, cat back exhaust and new tires. It has a nice sound and will get you into all the trouble your wallet and insurance can handle.

bogus

www.c4guru.com - A C4 Buyers Guide

trulytex

Just for a benchmark - I paid $8,000 in March of 2006 (18 mos. ago) for my 1990 Vert with Auto Trans, 73,000 miles, Aux hardtop, in good condition. It just neededd some freshening up (new emblems, etc).

Tommy T-Bone

Each car will pretty much develop it's own special set of problems. I take care of any problems as they present themselves. Bought my 90 over 5 years ago and the tranny and clutch have presented no problems outside of a leaky clutch slave cylinder. Other common 90 problems is the infl rest and seat belt light staying on due to lost contact between the air bag sensors and the frame. A bad EGR valve tripped the service engine soon light. Bushings in the headlight motors can be an issue causing erratic operation. Pretty much everything has been routine maintenance. Tires, seat covers, battery, bulbs, carpets, wiper blades, shift ****, radiator flush, freon recharge, door sills. You getting what I'm saying here? Ka-ching $$$. If the car needs nothing I think it would be worth the money, as long as you don't have any gremlins living there.

RandyJ75

Tommy is right about the clutch hydrulics, make sure the car shifts OK, if it does not, it is not the tranny, but the hydrulics that push the clutch in and out. The other thing is, that you will need to replace the fuel injectors, as they are known for going bad, not if, but when. It's an easy job, just ask, there is a great writeup on how to do it.
Other than that, good luck, and post some pic's when you buy.

BTW, if the radio has a problem, buy the car anyway, bad radio is a stupid reason not to buy a car, JMHO. We also have a great Audio section, go there and read the C4's FAQ's, if the radio is bad, you can always replace everything w/ new stuff, thats what I did.

tomracer69

you guys have been real helpful . hope i get to check this car out on wed . if it does not pan out i will still be lookin .. agin thanks for all the help ..tommy nyc

capevettes

That is a real good price for that car if it's in nice shape. As stated earlier the oil leaks are common on these. Aside from the obvious mechanicial woes I would be sure it doesn't need a paint job. Very expensive to re-paint these cars. You may spend what you paid for it to paint it. Good luck

Sam Lam

Tom: Just a few obvious suggestions to you:
1. Look at the car in sunlight.....not in a garage. Doing this will allow you look down the sides of the car and see if it has been in a wreck.
2. Note how the doors close and the spacing around the doors. Make sure the door close correctly. Do the same for the hood.
3. Remove the dipstick on the engine and see if there is rust above the oil level. If you find rust, this suggests a water leak into the engine oil.
4. This car came with Multec injectors which have a high failure rate. The cost to replace injectors (you doing the work) will be about $250. Here is a photo of the Multec injectors for your reference:



5. Attempt to put the car on a lift and look under the car for leaks, body damage, etc.

I think the price is a good buy assuming the car is a "cherry"

PS: Please complete your profile when you have time. If you have questions on this, please advise.

H P Bushrod

BADDUCK

The price is fine if in good condition. Clutch/master/slave cylinders, main seal leaks, check fuel delivery system carefully. Insist on a thorough test drive and check ALL electrical systems..

AORoads

This is good info esp. ck in daylight and put on lift. Depending on how much you personally know, either give the car a full ck out, or get someone who is Corvette-savvy (as in a technician) to ck it out for you.

finally, how about a CarFax or Auto Check by Experian, just to see where the car's been?

Mtnvettes

No one has mentioned the tire pressure warning system. It came out in 1989. If the car did not come with it, then you are home free. If it did come with it, ask the seller if he had any problems with it. Ask if he has a build sheet or reproduction window sticker that will list the TPS if they came with the car. The DIC has a warning light if a sensor is bad, illuminating LTPWS or Low Flat Tire. Some people just remove the bulb from the DIC when the sensors go bad, others remove the fuse (Cruise Control fuse) to disable the light. Others replace the sensors. The sensors do not have batteries, but do fail and are expensive to replace. You probably can expect the water pump to fail if it hasn't already. Also check the weatherstripping, it's expensive also. One piece of weatherstripping that gets worn is the horizontal piece along the outside window edge, driver's side. It's a bear to replace. Good luck on your purchase. Let us know how it works out.

tomracer69

went & look at the 90 6 speed car today , not as nice as i expected . not bad but not a 9,500 car in my & corvette guru friend . not willing to go much lower so i will pass. i figured its worth about 8,500 . my search will continue. thanks for all the facts . great site i will be asking more in the near future . again thank you !! tommy nyc