hi I’ll going to look at 85 vette black with 68,000 Sunday for $4500 obo, and I found a 95 vette red with 111,000 miles for 7900 frim, there are both about a 1hour way, is there much different between cars? I like the color black on cars better, the 95 I think has better looking interior, don’t like the big box looking thing in the passenger side in the 85, the 95 has little better body style but that’s a toss up , I know the lt1 one is better engine, know the 95 is in better shape, there both auto. trans

help anyone maybe sway me one way or the other?

Sometimes I hate shopping for cars

 

'95, no brainer. Dont buy an '85.

 

Well, I don't agree with" don't buy an 85", but given two cars that are about equal in condition the general rule is buy the newest.

Guess who has an 85?

 

its personal preference, but i passed on a 87 with 52000, and a 91 with73000, i liked the interior better on my 95 even though it has 150000

 

Me lol

Get the 95 or hold out for a better one
they go for cheaper than that
there is a local 96 going for 7k in good condition with 75k miles

 

10 year difference, I'd definitely go newer

 

I've owned a '85 and now have a '93. They're like night and day. I love my '93. Drive both and decide.

 

IMHO I'd go with the '95. Just my 0.02

Jim

 

My Black 85 is real nice I think, but if I had a choice, I would go with the 95. I must say people that don't know corvettes are shocked when I tell them it's an 85, they always think it's alot newer....

 

Condition being equals the 95 hands down over a 85, that said the 85 you’re looking at if its good shape sounds like a nice deal. Remember minor mechanical items are much less money to fix in general then bad paint and a ratted out interior. Just these 2 items alone can cost over 3K to restore the look of your Corvette. You could almost replace every sensor & bit of electronics under the clam shell for a third of that. Good luck in your decision.

 

Since I have two 95's I am absolutely not Bias ! LOL
Likely you will discover defects in both after you buy one unless they are desperate to sell.
A low mileage 85 in excellent condition is worth more as is the 95.
Good deal either way .
I'm partial to the late model setups which for the most part are very reliable and have more power and better gas mileage .

 

After seeing everyone I know suffer with the opti-crap, I would never own one.If I did break my own rule, I would converter the ignition to something reliable.

 

The 95 is more civilized. Will run faster and of course is newer and parts easier to replace.If you are nostalgic the 85 is the way to go. No air bags looking you in the face, rides like the good old ones did and soon will be considered a classic car exempt from most state emissions.

 

ive only had to replace one opti on the 4 different LTX cars ive owned, and that came at 120k miles. its kinda time comsuming the first time you do it, took me about 4 hours to R&R the opti and water pump. After practice, now i can do it in less than 2 hours

the opti isnt really that bad. its a trade off as i see it... ask a TPI guy how long it takes to replace his fuel injectors or lower intake manifold gasket (both of which are probably leaking or close to it on the 85'). i can do both on my LT4 in 15 minutes or less

 

While the 85 and 95 cars look almost the same, they are very much two different cars. First is the ignition and fuel control. The 85 is a TPI with OBD1 computer, the 95 is an LT1 engine with OBD2 computer. This has a huge impact on both horsepower and repair issues. The 85 is fairly easy to repair yourself but the 95 will require more specialized tools. Your also looking at a hp differenace; 300 for the 95 and 265 for the 85.
Don't let the hp gap fool you, the 95 also is heavier by some 300 pounds. The 85 has 16" wheels and the 95 has 17" wheels. The brakes are also bigger on the 95. That is to deal with the extra pounds and extra hp. It also cost more to fix. FYI, the 17" tires are easier to find that the 16" tires.
Chevy also tweeked the suspension over the years. The 85 has a harsher ride than the 95. The 95 has ABS brakes the 85 does not. Again, simple(85) or more expensive (95). Then there are air bags. None in the 85 but the 95 has them. The interior looks different in both cars.
I've got the 85 and like it just fine. Mine has 152,000 miles on it and it runs great. I do most of my own work and find the car easy to work on. I can check the computer with a paper clip! Hp and brakes are just fine for every day driving.
It's really your choice and what you want in a Corvette. If you want ABS, air bags and keyless entry, go with the 95. If you want simple and easy to work on, go with the 85. They are both a lot of fun to drive.

 

'95. Sounds like you need to do some homework though. These cars are vastly different in many ways.

 

no brainer low milage 85.

The older c4's are starting to become more popular. Of course the newer the better and faster. I like the looks of the older c4 and not so much the "90's" vettes. Get the one that adds up to be the better vette for you.

i love my 85

 

95 is a crossover year for OBD1 & 2. some cars had 1, others had 2. personally, id rather have OBD2 if the car is going to be modded down the road. instead of doind a tailpipe emmissions test (they do this on any non-OBD2 car), they just hook up a scan tool to the OBD2 car... and if your showing no codes (which can easily be programmed out of the computer), you pass!

also, while GM did rate the LT1 at 300hp, no L98 was ever rated beyond 250hp by them. the 85 was listed at 230hp

 

You need to drive both for at least 30-45 minutes and then decide. Give the owners 15 bucks for gas. Let them come with you and drive them both. I love the guys here that say 95 are so much faster then 85's. To all of them: Please come test drive my 86 and then tell me that.

 

Irregardless, you may feel the need to defend it, but not me.
I am the guy they (the friends and neighbors) run to,
to swap the opti out.
Op asked for opinion, and I offered mine.

Based on my experiences, you were lucky.
Carry on gents