Hello all! New here and this is what I posted in the Intro Forum.

Lets see, I live in McAlester, Ok, originally from Indiana, work for the gov't, ammunition guy, and no, I dont own a vette YET.

The reason I looked for a corvette forum is that the weekend before New Years, I was approached by a friend of a friend who is a major gear head. I have a 2000 Monte Carlo SS and he mentioned that he might be interested in trading me his 84 vette for my car. Both have around 90k miles on them and both are red. He drove it maybe 3 times last year, always garage kept. I looked the vette over and the only problems I can find are minor paint blemishes that are not even that noticable. If I was to accept the deal I would have it repainted anyway, so the paint problems dont bother me. I don't really have that much more info on it cause I didnt look it over to hard. If he gives me a call and still is interested, then I am going to really look it over and take it for a drive.

I have ALWAYS wanted a vette, I would really like to have around a 2000 but on a govt salary and child support, going to be awhile before that happens. My fear is that I am going to let my need for a vette, over shawdow good judgment.

Given what I have told you all, what would you say? Any advice?

 

Why not swap cars for a couple of weeks and see if you like it?

The 84 is a bit of an odd man out in the Corvette world. If you were looking to spend $6K(kbb price for a 2000 MC) on a Corvette many would tell you to pass on the 84 and look for an 85 or 86. But this guy willing to swap has an 84 so that's not an option unless you were to sell your car and then go shopping.

 

You're asking a pretty loaded question. I love my Vette but it's a secondary car.

With the Vette, it's hard to take a date and your kid out for the day. Also look at the insurance rates for both your car and the Vette (your age will have a lot to say about the rates).

I love my '95 but it would be the first car I'd let go if I suddenly had to lose a car - the two-seater and lack of storage space are the determining factors there.

As it is, the Vette and Mustang are sitting in the garage for winter. The AWD Subaru Baja is dealing with the snow and ice covered roads.

I hope that you soon will join the Corvette family. If the car you have now is a primary trarnsportation, then you may be able to swing getting a nice C4 - decent ones can be had for less than 10 grand.

For peace in the family, I had to give up my Harley because a friend of the family got killed riding his this past August. The wife abolutely forbid me from riding anymore. She made the deal for selling the Harley by telling me I could add one more car to the stable in exchange.

So if you have a bike or a boat that you aren't using much - you can sell that and have the money for either a down payment or buy a C4 straight-out.

Hope to see you waving at us soon.

 

I have been thinking about swaping. I know he would probably be ok with that.

Yea, I can't go out and spend $6k on one, this is really the only route I could go now. I could wait, but it will be years before I can afford the one I want. I just wonder if I was to do this, completely fix it up, could I get say 6k back out of it in 5 or 6 years? But, on the other hand, I probably would have to keep it.

 

Well, the wife gave me the ok on the trade. I have one daughter that is graduating this year and the other will next year. We also have a 2002 X-terra. Your right, the vette wouldnt be my primary car. I could find one around here for less than a grand for every day use to go to work.

I guess that "need" for one is still out weighing my good judgement...

 

::blinks eyes::
::shakes head::

Dude, I know C4 prices are soft but if you find a Vette that is in running condition and not stolen, let me know where it's at. I can always use the parts for my '95...

 

Aw crap, I wrote that wrong. No, I didnt mean find a vette for a grand or less, I meant find another car just for everyday use, to go back and forth to work. Use the vette once a week or so. Sorry about that.

 

 

First thing you need to know is that these cars cost money to keep up.If you are good enough to do all the work yourself then that will be a huge saving on labour costs as most parts are reasonable.If you are sure the cars is in a good mechanical state and you keep it that way I don't see it depreciating that much,in fact it may be close to the bottom.You can't say that about your MC which is losing you money every day.Good paint jobs on vettes are VERY expensive so that may be another consideration.Another one maybe where you live.If it will be your only car then good luck in the snow.On an upnote if you go for it you can spend the rest of your life on the forum with us guy's

 

Thanks for the words! I worked around cars for a couple years and consider myself to be able to fix something as long as I have the part and a Chilton manual or something close. I also have a friend who is good around cars, so I think I can handle that part. I figured a good paint job will cost me, but it is something I am prepared to do. This one is red and I LOVE corvette yellow. Another question since you brought up deprecation, would this car ever start to increase? Maybe once it hits classic/antique status?

 

No. As long as that 84 runs and isn't trashed, it will never be worth less than it is now. Ask someone in the C3 forum about prices in the mid to late 90's They hit their low and cars that could be had all day long for 5K are now double and tripple that.

 

AH! If I knew the answer to that I'd be buying everyone I could find,or maybe not! I don't think most C4's are going to go through the roof but nice ones are fetching some good money.And even if it doesn't go up the operative thing to consider is how fast will it go down and I think looking at prices the earlier ones are holding well, obviously taking condition into account.The best part is that you will always be able to get the spares for it,it's a great car to enjoy and have fun with and compared to buying something SENSIBLE which will depreciate 10,15,20% a year it can add up to some cheap motoring.Maybe not free motoring,that's asking too much,but maybe if you get your money back or something close five years down the road I'd say that was pretty good.Just don't fall in the trap that a lot of us have.I've probably got around $25000 in a $15000 car but that's my problem.

 

Theres nothing wrong with the 84s,there alot more reliable than some of the newer C4s.There are some things that will fail,the paint will fall off,the window regs will fail,the steering rack will fail and other parts I cant think of.Ive got one Ive had for 21 years and other than the trans replacement at 100,000 Ive had no serious problems.

 

I paid 6k for my 84 w/no regrets. it's the car and condition that count. You wanna make an 84 perform talk to the folks who've done it , not the naysayers who have never owned one. Either way, a nice vette, is a vette-good luck w/your decision.

 

ODD Man out? Really? I look at mine as being a lot of fun.....AND very significant in regards to Corvette History.

 

 

 

Oh I have no doubt that it is a fine car. I lusted after the '84 as a teen when in '83 GM released the posters. I kept one in my room for a long time.

Odd wasn't meant to be a put down. But you know better than I can retell the story just how many things make the '84 a unique year.

 

I had to argue that point in the CFOT yesterday in a thread that eventually got locked it got so out of hand....
All Corvettes are great and 84's are unique and revolutionized the Corvette forever

 

Thats it right there,people that have never touched an 84 Corvette feel the need to fan the fire,over time it just snowballed into this urban myth.It got old a long time ago.One things for sure,the OptiSpark never went out in my car,nor the VATS,injectors,intake gaskets,on,on on.