I'd normally use KBB or NADA for this, but I'm in a pickle and thought I'd get your opinion.

I own a CLEAN 1988 Z52 standard tranny with the 4+3 OD. 82,000 miles, 2 owners. Paint, interior and performance are very good. New pads/rotors, clutch, fuel pump & filter, slave/master cylinder, headlight motors and lights, flowmasters and 4 week old '08 ZO6 gunmetal grey wheels.

Problem: Instrument Cluster just died. It only displays the turn signals and high beams in the cluster. Everything else is dark as night. You can sort of see the liquid in the LCD in the day, but at night it’s impossible.

I've read that I might just need to have the instrument cluster ground repaired. Sounds easy, but being it’s a Vette, I doubt it’s that easy. I've also heard and read that repair shops might not want to tackle taking apart the entire dash and soldering wires. Also heard that it could be from $500-$1,200 or more to fix if the shop takes on that burden.

Question: What do you think would be the current market value for a CLEAN 1988 with out a working instrument cluster?

I really want to keep the Vette, but I don't think I can afford the repair now or in the near future. I really am torn and don't want to sell her. I don't know if I'll ever be able to say I own America's best sports car if I let her go. F'ing instrument cluster!

Also, I work like a mad man and have very poor electrical experience on cars. Doing it myself is out of the question considering lack of tools and knowledge...

 

A buyer is going to beat you up price wise for the cluster. Values are in the crapper anyway and then taking another grand or more off for the cluster you'll probably be lucky to get over $4000. I think you'll get less. If I'm buying I would figure if the seller couldn't afford to fix that one problem who knows how the car was maintained in general? You're better off getting the cluster repaired.

 

If the only issue with the car is the cluster, then the buyer is going to want a decent deal b/c he is going to have to dump that money into the car.

Wasn't someone on here talking about somewhere to send these clusters not too long ago that wasn't too hard on the wallet? May be worth a search.

If it were mine, and I absolutely didn't have to have cash right now, I'd sit on it until I could address the cluster.

Good luck.

 

Anybody who sells ANY corvette right now, unlwess of course they have to for priority sake, is going to take a brutal beating ($$).

I'll make an exception....a truly rare and correct older vette will bring stupid money even in this market, but for the average Joe's vette....its THE worst time to sell.

and if it needs work....youre going to get offers that will probably do nothing but **** you off.

 

To sell in this market is foolish unless you have to. We would all take a beating. Send the cluster in for repair it might not be as expensive as you think. At least get a price. GOOD LUCK.

 

For $250.00 you can have it rebuilt they are not hard to pull out. Might just be the power supply. Check E - Bay.
Check this site for removeal instructions
http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/repair.htm

 

J and D Corvette, Bellflower, Ca. has an exchange deal on those dashes. I got mine there. Think it was less than 400 bucks. They have a website.

 

Thanks for the responses. I had a feeling that it might not be wise to sell considering the market right now and that the Vette is "tainted" without a working instrument cluster.

As far as repairs. What should I ask a repair facility regarding the "ground". Should I ask them to repair a bad ground that is connected to the instrument cluster? Would that make sense to them? Should I tell them specifically which wire it is. Any help would be apreciated!

 

I've seen guys online who refurbish those things.. Ive seen it advertised as low as 150 on Ebay.. Definitly worth it since it will save you from someone trying to get your vette down a grand! =)

 

Rebuilt dash clusters are avaialble on ebay for 299 or so.

 

My fear is that I send in the instrument cluster and its rebuilt, is there a chance the cluster won't work when reinstalled because of old/bad grounds or wiring in the dash?

I've read that you should check the ground first, then the solder joints and if that doesn't do it then take it to be rebuilt. If the grounds are shot, shouldn't I tackle that first?

Regardless, sounds like I have to take the entire dash apart which is a biotch!!!

 

They aren't that difficult to remove. I've had mine out several times for different reasons. Most times its just a simple fix. If you haven't tried already try here. List the problems and maybe someone can help. Definety check out batee's site. I had a power supply replaced on one of mine and it was only $150 bucks. You really don't have to be a electronics expert to fix these just some patience.

 

Here are a couple of sites. In this economy it is worth it to gain some knowledge and go for it. I have had the dash out and reinstalled in my previously owned 87. I only had to replace some bulbs and they worked fine. If a ham handed old fart like me can do it then so can you. You certainly can't make it any worse than it already is. The sense of accomplishment will make you jump and holler.
http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/index.shtml
http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/r...den/index.html
By the way, I found this on www.corvette-guru.com which is run by an old time Forum member and good guy, Andy Bogus.
Let us know how it turns out and DON'T FRIGGEN SELL THAT C4!!!!!!

 

Thanks guys for the encouragement. Question, do I have to remove the instrument cluster or the entire dash to check and see if the firewall connector and the frame ground are working(D1)? I haven't read where you have to remove either the cluster itself or the dash to check if the grounds are working. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

First thing I would do is remove the dash. D1 and I think its D5 are your grounds. Using a DVM you can check the continuity between these two. Put the DVM on the OHM scale. Place one probe on each ground it it zero's out then those are good. Next would be to check the grounds inside the dash.
Now if you have to take the dash apart be sure to place it on a flat surface with plenty of light so you can see. Face down take it apart carefully. Once you have it apart there are a set of pins that connect the two boards together. I think its the pin on the outside thats the ground. I had one that that pin was burnt so I had to clean it.
If you need wiring schamtics they are on batee's site.
Check your bulbs first though. There are 882 bulbs and be bought at all the auto stores.
Just take your time you'll get it.

 

Don't despair. I bought my 88 coupe two years ago with a dark display. In order to pass MD state inspection, it had to be repaired. At first I was contemplating swapping out for a working replacement or sending off to be repaired. However, after reading up on the subject, I determined that the bulbs had burned out. I cound still see the panel functioning by daylight, as you can, so I took the vette to a local experienced Corvette mechanic for repair. Sure enough, he put in 4 new bulbs and everything was fine from then on. Cost me about 150 for the job but then again, it was a dealer who did the work as no local independent wanted to tackle it. Has worked perfectly ever since.

 

The turn signal lights and high beam mean it's the ground problem and it is INSIDE the cluster. As mentioned above it's the connection between the two boards or the power transister. A rebuilt cluster should solve your problems for about $300 and an hour of your time.

 

Cool, thanks guys. Last year, I already took the face off the instrument cluster and replaced all four 882 bulbs without actually unplugging the entire cluster and removing it out of the dash. It worked to perfection and was a breeze.

I think my logic must be backwards. From what you all are saying, it sounds like I have to get the cluster removed, have it rebuilt and simply reinstall it. I still think that if there is a bad ground to the frame of the car, a repaired cluster won't even matter because the D1 ground to the frame of the car is dislogged or not working.

From what Batee is saying you have to check the grounds first, but they never mention if that requires you to take apart the entire dash or remove the instrument cluster.

I just want to be sure to illiminate any bad grounds to the frame of the car before I have the instrument cluster sent in to be repaired.

 

A person who does not know corvettes will be scared off by the famous digi dash problem, they only know it used to be real expensive, and still is if you have someone else tear the dash apart. These things are worthless rightnow, hopefully after the smoke clears they will be like collecters, or something, but to me the c4 is what it is and it just does not have the nostalgia of like the early ones, and the new ones, I will be surprised if the c5-c6 will evr be a big deal, since there are so many, and the corvette culture has sort of been lost among the newer owners.