nateman66c

Hi guys!

First post here... I've done some searches already, but haven't come up with much... A friend of the family has a 93, it's in dire need of attention and will more than likely need alot of work... It's been sitting for a couple years under a cover, and before the cover it looks like it leaked alot of water inside... It really smells and you can see obvious signs of mice... The seats would need recovered along with new carpet and whatever else that you couldn't get the stink out of... My main concern would be wiring/dash cluster problems caused by mice and water... He said last time it ran it needed some shocks and rear brakes, i'm sure the list is longer - he's not real handy... He was asking 5k for it, but said he wouldn't be insulted if I made an offer - do you think this would be a wise choice? What is a fair price?

I absolutely love the car, it's teal with tan leather and has the 40th badges on it... It's an auto, which i'm not crazy about... I've been looking for a C4 and this is as close as i'll get to owning one for a while... Obviously it's a project car and i'm very proficient at working on cars so it's not scary to me - I think...

Any advice is very much appreciated!!!

pmihaltian

How many miles are on the car? See if you can get the car running before you make an offer. If not, its just a parts car with bad wiring, suspension and drive train.

geogolf

you are going to have 2/3k to put it back in shape, i would not offer more than 2500 even that might be to much

nateman66c

It's got 114k on it...

I'll definitely take a battery over and play with it... How much would an interior run me? I'm using expenses to talk him down...

Randy93

Seats will be 1100-1400
Good carpet 400-500
If mice were in there, you can bet your bottom dollar they chewed into the wiring.
You are going to have to replace all the fluids and then wait for the leaks to start.
Buy it and part it out, then take that money and put it down on a well taken care of vette.
I would offer 1500-2000 for the car.

toptechx6

Randy nailed it, 2K tops with the mileage and condition.

Garret

If I were you I would just walk away and get a car that runs. You just have no idea what you could run into and a car with that kind of mileage...who knows what could go wrong.

nateman66c

I was thinking about walking away, but i'm stubborn... Dunno yet, I suppose i'll see how low he's willing to go....

Thanks for the input guys... How much are stock replacement parts? Shocks, brakes, master cylinder.... etc Pretty reasonable?

pmihaltian

Nope

nateman66c

I'm a Volkswagen Enthusiast so I guess reasonable is relative...

94 Red Vette

Keep looking...unless you can pick it up for 25K. Just another opinion.

94 Red Vette

oops...I meant 2500

Gary96

If you need prices on parts, here are a few Corvette parts and accessories websites:

http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette-3.html

http://www.keenparts.com

http://www.ecklers.com

http://www.corvetteamerica.com/

nateman66c

Hmmm, not to bad.... Thanks alot guys!!!

corvetteronw

Run Forest - run. Budget 3 times the money and 4 times the amount of time you think it will take to get it on the road and looking decent.
Have the guy contact www.vette2vette.com so they can buy it for a parts car.
If you buy it - you will hate the day you ever first layed eyes on it. Don't be a fool.

kdf1986

You should look around at some other vettes, at least to get an idea of what the comparative pricing would be. You may be surprised at how much more vette you get for an extra $3000. And by seeing some other vettes in the area , you can make a better decision about the one that you are looking at. Personally for $5k, I would pass on this one. Too much work for the difference between a vette already running.

kdf

American Raven

I'm relatively new to the Vette Family but you're being given very sound advice. Vette parts aren't cheap and learning the why's and how's of a C4 is a pretty steep curve. My Vette was in OK shape when I got it. I love it and wouldn't get rid of it easily, but in retrospect, I wish I had looked around, paid a couple of thousand more for a car in better shape.

These cars are relatively inexpensive for sports cars - particuarly the C4 model line. Be patient, look around and buy something that's not quite a serious fixer-upper. What you described is classified as "A Money Pit".

As it is with mine, I'm saving the money to get a good paint job and replace all the weather stripping in a couple of years. If you haven't priced weather stripping for a C4, be sure that you're sitting down when you get the quote for the product alone...

nateman66c

This is what I was waiting for.... Thank you... I have the same thoughts trust me, i've been going back and forth on it... What if he took 2k for it? Even then?

Greg0u812

As long as it's NOT going to be a daily driver, for 2k......I MIGHT consider it. You have to understand though that there truly is a "corvette tax" on these things. Most parts are a whole lot more expensive to buy than buying for a "normal" car. I have been floating back and forth about going to look at a mid '80's that is sitting under a pile of parts. Am scared the price will be just right to make the purchase though. I know it would take quite a few thousand to get it back into shape. Just remember........the purchase price of that '93 is only the beginning. The "real price" of the car will (most likely) be several thousand dollars more to bring it back up to shape. As long as you are handy and don't mind doing a large amount of work on it......this may be exactly what you are looking for. If I had a garage to put it in.......I would go make an offer on the one I've been thinking about. Would be a fun and personally rewarding experience to get it back into shape. In a situation like that.......it really is a labor of love. You will not recoup the money you sink into it.

Good luck with the decision.

Weav's Vet

Leave it alone!!!!! Unless you're just looking for some kind of self satisfaction for yourself. You've already admitted you're not wild about the auto tranny. Say you buy it for 2-3k. It's going to be at least triple that to get it back in shape at that mileage and the mice. If it's not broke now it will be soon. These cars can be an electronic nightmare without mice! Seals dry out and things just happen to cars that sit for a long time. If it wasn't even covered up good by the guy chances are the rest of it wasn't taken very good care of either when it was running. Do you even know why it was parked in the first place? Could have been the opti. That's a grand to start with right off the bat even if you do the work yourself because of the rest of the things you'll want to change out when you've torn the front apart so much.

Times are getting tough money wise and people get rid on things they don't need when it's this way. Save some money if you can and shop around. I bet you can find a decent vette that runs good and looks ok in the 8-10K range if look for it. And it will probably require a lot less work!!! And no mice chit to clean up..... Good luck!