Hey everyone,
Ive been doing some thinking and im looking at my options now and need some help deciding. This is not so much a serious thought yet but it can be very easily. The thought of selling the car to get a newer vette has been crossing my mind.

First off... i want to say i LOVE my car dearly and cant believe im even thinking about this but if i can afford move up... why not is what ive been thinking?

I have a 96 CE LT4 6-spd with 87,xxx miles on her. Runs like a raped ape! lol

Performance Mods:
-LT4 Hotcam (.525/.525 lift)
-1.6 rockers
-CC Lifters
-CC Valve Springs
-Meziere electric water pump
-SLP Triple claw CAI
-Ported Mass air
-Holley 52mm TB (ported to 53mm)
-SVO 30# injectors
-Holley AFPR
-EM Coated long tubes
-Magnaflow O/R X-pipe
-B&B Tri-flo 3" Catback
-PCM4LESS tuned by Brian Herter
-Fans tuned to turn on early
-160* stat
-MSD 6AL
-MSD Distributor
-MSD Vented opti-spark
-MSD Wires
-Denso plugs
-Hurst/B&M short throw shifters (Have both, gonna install one and sell the other)
-ETC...

I prob forgot a couple things... No problems what so ever. I have a whole folder of reciepts (Mods/parts) and maintenance records since day one. No corners were cut on this car! It has the absolute best of everything quality wise and has been my baby for awhile now. I bought the car from a friend who was the short time second owner of the car after buying it from his friend, the original owner since 96 who babied this car and maintained it religously. Only reason the 2nd owner didnt keep it is because he got handed a GOOD deal on a C6 and gave me first dibs at buying this C4 from him which i did. It came with extra tires (335's), new CE 2 tone seats (that i installed and still have the original solid grey ones), stock parts (intake, valve springs, owners manual, folder of records and much more at a bargain price! Hes a good friend...

Ive been considering selling it though to get a C5 or maybe a C6 if i can find a sweet deal like my buddy did. Most likely, if i get a C5, it will be a z06 (uncertain about losing the targa top option i love though) and if its a C6, the Z51 package.

If i keep the C4, plans will be to add 4.10's in the rear, install the short throw (Hurst or B&M... whichever i decide), lower the car with the MAM kit, 18x11 and 18x10 Fikse FM-5's with the black face and polished lip, Alpine IVA D310 indash screen (already have it), new mids/highs and possibly buy the complete custom rear enclosure and subs/amps from Rukwar off here.

What do you guys think? Keep the C4 and build it to the top and drive it as a proud C4 owner or sell it to buy a newer vette?

Thanks guys!

EDIT*** UPLOADED PICS TO PHOTOBUCKET!!

 

I'm been thinking of the C6 myself, but I'm a couple years away from doing it. Just so happens the C7 will be right around the corner by then, and maybe I too will get a good deal on a C6.
By the way, you will be making a good decision either way.

 

Thanks man! Yeah, im actually still in school myself right now. If it were a couple years down the road, id keep it and get a C6 anyway but its going to be a little while before i will be able to do that. For right now, i have to choose one and go with it.

 

I would not sell it to get a C5 and start over. You have a sweet ride and the C4 looks like no other car made in the world. The C5&C6 look too European IMHO.

 

Have you driven a C5 or C6? I went from a 93 LT1 to an 01 Z06. I test drove a base C5 coupe and it seemed slower than my LT1. My LT1 was an auto and the C5 coupe was a stick. When I test drove the Z06, that was all she wrote. Fell in love with it immediately. I knew it would take a lot of work to have my 93 be equal to the Z06. So, I traded in my 93 on the Z06. Now, my 93 had 178,000 miles on it (although it looked like it might have had 40,000...took very good care of it) and was going to need $ 4,000 in maintenance repairs over the next year. My wife helped me make the decision to go with the Z06 as well, as I wanted something faster. Now, there were a number of things that I missed on my 93. Main things were the seats and the dash. I also missed the sports car feel of the 93 versus the Z06. Would I do it again, in a heartbeat. Recently, I picked up an 86 coupe that I plan on keeping for a very long time. Hence, the reason I am going to drop $ 20k into it to have a Vette that will out accelerate a new Z06 (shooting for low 10's in the quarter). I am using the C4 platform, as to get a C5 or C6 into the same range would cost about the same amount. But, I picked up my 86 for $ 3800 and have another $ 3500 in interior parts into the car. With the C5's starting at $ 17k+, it was better for me to go with the C4, as it is going to be a purpose car (drag racing mostly) anyway.
My biggest suggestion is to test drive them and see what you think.

 

Yeah, i really love the lines of the C4 myself. Its a pain to get in and out of but once your in, its a way tighter cockpit style feel than the more modern C5 and C6 style. It really is probably my favorite bodystyle vette made but the C6 sure is purdy! The head up display, auto lock/unlock within radius, push button start and touch sensitive door handles sure are nice though! Its a big step forward in technology but the LT4 still holds its own even with the LSx motors out there today.

Considering the price difference though... almost double, I cant decide if it really worth it to me or not to make that move...

 

Like we were talking earlier, how many nice C4's do you see these days, and especially how many CE's? Almost zilch on both counts.

C5's and C6's are a dime a dozen

But your car is crap until you buy my stereo.

 

I have never personally driven a C5 but i rode in my friends 02 z06. If i went C5, i would have to go z06 as i am already used to having a minimum of that much power as it is. I drove my buddies C6 and i really liked it alot! Some things about the C4 i preferred but after his callaway blower install along with intake and exhaust with the plug and play tune, he only pulled 1 length on my C4 4 runs in a row. I was shocked at the outcome myself. I though he would run harder than that. His car dynoed 455RWHP and 440TQ with the plug and play at that time on 6 lbs of boost. After a custom dynotune but still on the stock pulley he made 496RWHP still on 6 lbs of boost. Im sure he would have pulled quite a bit harder then but still, for my C4 to hang with his car like it did even on the plug and play, its something worth being proud of! Once he gets the pulley and bumps the boost up to 8-10 lbs which is the limit on those motors because of the already high compression, he would walk me HARD!!

 

Yeah i know man! Thats a big deciding factor as well. Id love to have the newer car but at the came time, your expected to see C5 and C6 vettes out there. Its odd you see a CE C4 let alone one with the LT4. I have never actually seen another C4 CE LT4 in person other than mine or here online in some other state. I have only seen 1 other CE in person period but it was an LT1 auto car with an older guy driving it.

And trust me dude, i really want the bump in the trunk! lol

 

FWIW- 2 weeks ago I saw a CE at a local dealer with 57k. They wanted $16,900 . I am sure it didn't have nearly the mods that your car does.

Sometimes, you simply have to scratch that itch. If you think about it more than 2x a day, get the C5 Z06.

Me, I would keep the CE. You have a really nice car-and you know the history. Best of luck whatever you decide.

 

Your going to find most guys here only have enough money to buy a c4, So a lot will tell you to step it up.

It is a hard decision. Once you get a c5, then u want a c6. Then u want to mod. Its always a step up.

I say enjoy the LT-4 ! Whats your times with thoose mods ?

 

Well,

Unless you really want to give up all hope and mortgage your soul and obsess over the religious experience, DO NOT DRIVE A C5 Z06.

I drove my accountant's stock+exhaust-only '04 Z06... I decided to launch from a dead stop. I thought, "I'll just take it easy on his tires and wait until I'm up and rolling before I nail the throttle." I got up to about 30-40, nailed the throttle, and lit 'em up! Whoa, wheeee haaaaa ha hahaaa!!!! Yeah!! WHOOOO! Whoa... Oh, uhm, yeah, well, it was nice. Let's just say it was nice... Anyhow, yeah... whoo. That was about a year ago. Thanks for reminding me.

BTW, the clutch pedal effort was Honda-esque (quite light).

 

I wonder if it was an LT4 car? Thats actually pretty good if so. Ive seen them sell for more than that.

I think im just gonna kick the itch though! I think about it only when i see a really nice C5 Z06 or really nice C6 on the road (modded with nice wheels and stuff). Stock form, they just look like every other newer vette out there that alot of people have. There is always something bigger/better and newer out there to buy for more money if you want to spend it but i do love my car. I just need to be happy with what i have and finish it like i planned to.

Thanks for the compliment and the words man! Im actually glad i got the replies i did. I think i would regret selling the car. It really only needs a few more things to be completely finished the way i want it done.

 

i will use your own words
Keep the C4 and build it to the top and drive it as a proud C4 owner
.............just keep it..and if you really really want the C5...work your *** off and save for it.-
Sincerely.-
C.-

 

Oh that quote is soo true!!! I love them all but all I could afford was the 2 C4s that I have now and my 97 C5. Some day C6 maybe some day!

 

Yeah, i hear ya. I dont have all the money in the world to spend especially while im still in school but i can afford a newer vette if i really feel it necessary. Im just trying to decide if its worth the extra loot to step up to a newer one right now or not but after seeing the replies here, im thinking i should just keep it. I dont want to make a decision ill regret. Maybe after im out of school, ill go ahead and get a brand new vette then.

I actually havent got a chance to get some good tires on it and take it to the track to make a good full potential pass with it yet.

The first owner ran it a long time ago and only made 1 pass himself and went 12.50 spinning on the same Sumotumo's that are on it now. He was an experienced driver with this car obviously owning it since day 1. The tires were brand new at that time too. That pass was before the tune and a couple of the other mods he said though and these are junk for drag race tires.

I ran it a few weeks ago for my first and only time so far on these now bald sumitumos. The rear tires are just about slicks in the middles! lol Track conditions werent the greatest. Lots of people had traction issues that night and i was on the worst tires possible to top it all off. I only ran 1 pass cause i would have been wasting my time to run anymore after that. I even feathered it out and spun so bad it was rediculous! A combo of poor tires and first time to race the car didnt bring very good results....

I ran a 13.0 with a 2.62 60/ft at 117 mph. Shifting to 2nd, i began to slide sideways so I let off to steer away from the wall and then got back into the throttle again to finish the pass. I wasnt interested in risking my car anymore after that.

A local shop over here thinks it should be in the 11's on good tires if i can get it out of the hole with a 1.8 or better 60ft. I ran a heads/cam full bolt on 01 SS camaro the other night from a 25mph roll and smoked him BAD twice. He sprayed 100 shot on me the 3rd and final time and we were door to door. We got it on video! This was closed course racing on a private road of course.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. Im trying to reply to everyone but before i know it, im writing a book! lol

I am just going to keep it afterall! Its a car i would actually like to keep forever since i know 100% of the history on it. Ill just wait until i finish school, work my *** off and save up for the newer vette i want and pay cash when im ready. Financing is cool and all but its so much better without a monthly payment if i can actually wait that long! Im trying the best i can to get out of financing my things. I used to just swipe it and finance everything i wanted but im finally to the point that i am almost unnecessary payment free!

 

I agree, C4s are the shizzle

 

Pics posted. Not the best... just a bunch of pics i took one of the times i cleaned it. Just wanted you guys to see the car.

FYI, before anyone asks, I do have the corvette engine covers. lol! They were just off in the pics from cleaning.

 

I just went through the same thing. I would love to have an '01 or '02 Z06. I can't have two cars right now (living in a condo with no garage) and when I tried to sell my CE what I found is the C4 market is in the tank. Dealers all want to give you low wholesale for your car and get high retail for theirs and condition doesn't matter, all they look at is year and mileage. Private buyers just don't seem interested. I had the car listed on the forum (still is but buried somewhere) and got no response. Eight weeks in the AutoTrader and got one phone call from a guy with a ridiculously lowball offer. Took the car to numerous car shows with a for sale sign, no serious offers.

You have a great car and I know you won't want to give it away. I hope you have better luck than I did. I'm going to put a little more money into mine and continue to enjoy driving the heck out of it!