Sold my daily driver C6 last year for a hybrid. Now, I need a toy car and was thinking about a C4. However, I've heard a lot of grumbling about build quality, rattles, squeaks, frame flex, fit and finish, etc.

What's the truth? How expensive to restore a high-mileage car? What are the problem areas?

Thanks,

Jim

 

There's the early C4 and the late C4. They're different enough that it matters.
84-91 has the L98. Roughly 240 HP. Not much in the way of problem areas, beyond that of normal used cars. Paint, cosmetics and weatherstripping are expensive. These cars have "character", (meaning they're creaky).
92-96 got better each year. LT1 motor, 300HP. In 96, you could get a manual LT4, 330HP. Problem areas are the same as early C4s, but I add the optispark. It's an optical distributor mounted on the front of the motor under the water pump. They improved it in 95-96, but when they fail, it's not cheap, nor easy. By not cheap I mean over $400 if you do it yourself with good parts. I'm just going by what I've read, I don't own an LT1 car, I have an L98. I think the LT1 with the more power is worth it, even with the opti.

The coupes tend to rattle and flex with the targa off. The verts are better, but have very little space for stuff like golf clubs.

The later C4s have a different interior, they're quieter, and ride a little smoother. If I wanted a C4, I'd by a 96, LT1 or LT4. It's cheaper to buy a good one than to buy a cheaper needy car and fix it.

 

1984 = L83 CFI
1985 - 1991 = L98 TPI
1984 - 1989 Digi Dash
1990 + new style dash

 

dang Jim, you're quite the man to admit that

I have a Sweet 90 , that has 62k on it. I don't notice any rattles or flexing on mine like I've heard others complain about. But I try to be realistic also. I expect some noise from an older car. I also don't cruise around with the top off much either. It's a clear top so I don't see the need to take it off myself although I do on occassion.

The problem areas on the L98 are Intake gaskets, water pumps, Bose system, injectors and that's about it I think. The sport suspension, I've heard is expensive to repair if it needs attention but I don't have it on mine.

In my part of the country you can probably rebuild the C4 for about 10K to include paint. That's a guess but I'ld say it's close and that would be a total rebuild. Suspension, engine and paint. The interior would be extra.

 

Many people on this forum have said the same thing and it's great advice....buy the cleanest best-maintained car you can and although this usually means a later model thats not always the case. Restoring/fixing up these cars can get very expensive in a big hurry especially if you're not as mechanically inclined as some of the CF guys are. If you do decide for a later one I'd say the 95 or 96 is the way to go...redesigned optispark that's "vented", and the 96 also has the LT4 engine that has a lil more "fun factor" although I have quite the good time in my 94 LT1.

There was a gorgeous looking yellow LT4 car in the C4's For Sale section. Had I not bought mine last year and was still in the market I'd be driving that home right now

astepup said that

 

Much cheaper to buy one in good condition than to try and "restore" one. Trust me, I know.

 

I have a friend selling a white 86 with new paint and interior PM me for more details. They are not selling it cheap I will tell you that upfront.

 

Putting up with C4 abuse in CFOT

 

...what?....I couldn't resist.

 

Oh Hell Yeah!!

 

Much good advice given here already. I'll echo the recommendations to buy the best car you can find that you can afford. Far cheaper than fixing up a beater. I own a '94 ragtop LT1 six-speed car, and a '96 coupe LT4 six-speed car. They're both fine cars. If I had to choose only one C4 to own, it'd be a '96 LT4, either coupe or ragtop. After 14 years in production (including 1983, when C4s were built but not sold to the public), the '96 was one of the most refined, best-sorted-out Corvettes ever built.

All C4s are good cars. But my personal bias is toward the late-C4 body style ('91 thru '96), analog gauges, LTx engine, six speed gearbox, and the '94 thru '96 seats.

1991 Corvette was the last year equipped with the L98 engine. These are good, solid, durable engines, and they make good torque in the lower RPM range. The TPI induction, in stock form, runs out of breath around 4500 RPM. If you want the L98, but like the late-C4 body style, the 1991 is the car for you.

The LT1 was used in all Corvettes from 1992 through 1995 (except ZR-1). The LT1 was a step forward in performance. It will spin to higher RPM (redline is around 5700 RPM), and it will pull hard all the way to redline. The LT1 uses reverse-flow cooling, and significantly more advanced engine controls. This was made possible by advances in the computer management of fuel/spark, and part of that package was the much-loved/hated Optispark distributor.

The Optispark works extremely well when it's functioning properly, but is a headache when it fails, because it is bolted to the front of the timing cover, behind the water pump. Servicing it is a pain, but it should not scare you away from one of these fine cars.

The 1995 and 1996 Corvette came with a revised, improved Optispark distributor. The new unit was actively-vented (used manifold vacuum to draw filtered air through the unit), which greatly improved the reliability of the Opti.

There are aftermarket solutions for the first-generation Opti problems, so don't be scared away from the 1992 - 1994 cars because of the Opti.

In 1996, the Corvettes that had automatic transmission also came with the LT1 engine. The manual trans cars came with the LT4, which generated 30 more HP than the LT1, and will rev to 6200 RPM. The LT4 is a very nice Corvette, but if you only want an auto trans, it's irrelevant to you.

Each year of C4 brought continuous improvements. I'd suggest you shop for the best specimen you can find within your price range, and go for the latest model year you can find in great condition that also fits your wallet's restrictions, unless you simply prefer the earlier C4s.

If you end up looking at convertibles, I'd recommend you shop for a '94 - '96, as the ragtops in those years came with a glass rear window with built-in defogger. Plastic rear windows truly suck.

Have a person who's very knowledgeable about Corvettes check the car out for you before you part with your cash.

Here is a list I generated when I was shopping for a C4 (it does not include anything related to the ZR1, because I wasn’t in the market for a ZR1). It includes the items that I considered to be notable changes as the C4 evolved following its debut with the Crossfire (Throttle Body) Injected engine in 1984:

C4 Corvette Evolutionary Highlights:

1985: L98 introduced as new engine (thru 1991), rear axle on manual trans cars became Dana 44 (thru 1996)

1986: Convertible re-introduced (all were Pace Car replicas), ABS became standard, VATS (Vehicle Anti-Theft System) introduced, all convertibles and late coupes had aluminum heads

1987: Roller lifters added

1988: Improved flow-thru ventilation in coupes, new dual-piston front brakes, E-brake used discs rather than separate small drums, 35th anniversary edition offered (coupe only), white with black roof bow & white leather seats (2050 units sold)

1989: ZF six-speed was new manual transmission

1990: Improvements to ABS and yaw control, radiator improved, instrument panel returned to analog except speedometer and fuel gauge, driver’s side airbag and glovebox added

1991: Rear exterior, nose, gill vent panels restyled, power steering cooler became standard

1992: LT1 introduced as standard engine (300 HP), traction control became standard, weatherstrips improved, insulation added to doors and transmission tunnel to reduce road noise

1993: Changes made to LT1 to cut engine noise (torque increased slightly), PKE introduced, 40th anniversary edition option for coupes and convertibles (all were ruby red exterior and interior)

1994: Sequential fuel injection and more powerful ignition introduced, passenger’s airbag added (glovebox deleted), all seats were leather and were redesigned with significant changes to side bolsters, run-flat tires optional, convertible rear window became glass with built-in defogger, A/C used R134A, electronic controls added to automatic transmissions, PCM used flash memory rather than EPROM.

1995: Indy Pace Car replica was convertible only with dark purple metallic and white (527 units sold), stronger French stitching used on sport seats, drip tube added to A-pillar weatherstrip to improve water sealing, fuel injectors revised to cut dripping after shutdown, connecting rods changed to powdered metal for strength and weight uniformity, larger J55 brakes used on earlier Z07 and ZR1 became standard, wiper arms changed to improve performance, newest ABS and ASR standard, gill vent panels restyled, actively-vented Optispark distributor on LT1 was an improvement over previous passively-vented units.

1996: LT4 engine used (only) on all 6-speed cars, LT1 was used with automatics, automatic transmissions were improved (clutches, bands, torque converter), Grand Sport option offered (admiral blue paint with stripes, LT4), Collector Edition available (silver paint only), new On Board Diagnostics (OBD-2), LT1 and LT4 had new throttle body



Finally, aim your browser here:

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/tech/buyform.html

Good luck with the search.

Be well,

SJW

 

Good info
I chose the 91 because I like the later body style but wanted the L98 because it is easy to mod.

If I were not modding I would go with a LT4.

 

I think that if you're gun shy of a C-4, drop your $$ on a restored chrome bumper C-3, or go ahead and buy a brandy new C-6. Then you can't irk about all the quirks these old 'toys' have. God I hate when peeps refer to them in that manner too. Whatever your decision, doc....welcome to the jungle.
Mike

 

If you're worried about frame flex, you may just want to go ahead and get a C5, as supposedly, that was an all new platform that tied the various frame-body components together more solidly than the C4. I only notice the frame flex on twisty rough roads at speed and then it is surprising how much steering column shake you get out of a late C4. Other than that, it is a great ride.

The C4 IMHO, is the last of the 'fighter pilot' Corvettes, with the minimal leg room that you'd expect in a sports car. The sill is high and the foot wells are deep, making getting out of a C4 not unlike getting out of a jet fighter. It is also the last of the Corvettes that had the gas tank cap in the center of the rear deck, as it has been for many decades, so filling up is a little easier as it doesn't matter what side of the pump you're on.

You've owned a C6, so don't expect the late C4 to perform like a C6, but do expect a fun car that is a blast to drive and still feels like a 'sports car'. Finally, the Bose Stereo's in these cars are fifteen years old, plus. The CD player will skip on the bumps and railroad crossings. But for what it is, it sounds great and Ecklers Corvette does offer repairs on all the speakers and the stereo unit itself.

Get a low mileage car if you can. 70K miles is typical for the late C4's and they can go for a long time. Get it in the best condition possible. I got mine from a fellow C4 forum member, who was the original owner and took awesome care of it (Thanks Doug!). Totally pleased with this car.