C4 General Discussion General C4 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech

Advise needed please

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 07:33 PM
  #1  
Sic-Rod's Avatar
Sic-Rod
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: New York
Default Advise needed please

I am buying a 87 c4 from a family friend for 12k it has 36 k original miles 2nd owner. I see there is a 96 for sale local for $11,800 obo with 84k miles but I do not know the cars history. The 87 has been owned for the last 13 years by the second owner no accidents and was just repainted. Which is a better value a newer vette with 84 k miles or an 87 with 36 k with a known history. Any help or comments would be great, this is my first vette. Thanks,Paul
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 07:39 PM
  #2  
delphipgmr's Avatar
delphipgmr
Instructor
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
From: Port St Lucie FL
Default

That seems like an aweful lot. i have an 87 convertible, 90K, and im into it for maybe $6K.

having that low of miles on a 23 year old car is not always a good thing, sometimes not driving a car is worse than driving it all the time.
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 07:54 PM
  #3  
pkazsr's Avatar
pkazsr
Le Mans Master
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,356
Likes: 2
From: No HOA, New Hampshire
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
Default

Originally Posted by Sic-Rod
I am buying a 87 c4 from a family friend for 12k it has 36 k original miles 2nd owner. ..... The 87 has been owned for the last 13 years by the second owner no accidents and was just repainted. Which is a better value a newer vette with 84 k miles or an 87 with 36 k with a known history. Any help or comments would be great, this is my first vette. Thanks,Paul
I would wonder why it needs paint with only 36k miles. If these are the only Vettes you are interested in I would pick the newer one. The 87 has been neglected. IMHO
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 07:54 PM
  #4  
Sic-Rod's Avatar
Sic-Rod
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: New York
Default

Good point! The other vette I am looking at is the Silver one in the forum classifieds. Anyone else?
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 07:55 PM
  #5  
c92vette's Avatar
c92vette
Instructor
25 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 117
Likes: 1
From: Acworth Ga
Default

both asking prices seem high given the age of the vettes. If you were to pick one though take the lower mileage over newer. The reason is you know the car better. For a comparison I paid $18k for my '92 with 60k miles in 1997. I think the value for both cars today would be no more than $9k today. Good luck with your purchase.
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 07:56 PM
  #6  
Sic-Rod's Avatar
Sic-Rod
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: New York
Default

He had a guy buff the car spent $400 on that and he burned the clearcoat off on the front of the car it turned kind of white after. The car is babied I do know that.
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 07:59 PM
  #7  
Jon Hekking's Avatar
Jon Hekking
Race Director
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 15,116
Likes: 283
From: Salt Lake City Utah
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (stock)
Default

Sorry, too much money for me, wouldn't be interested..............
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 08:01 PM
  #8  
Sic-Rod's Avatar
Sic-Rod
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: New York
Default

I am willing to pay the premium price for the 87 just because I know the owner and how he has kept the vette since he owned it. I do like the inside of the newer 96 vettes though. The 87 has the greenwood ground effects and a newly installed magna flow exhaust and k/n filter other than that it is stock. It has a targa glass roof.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-7

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-8

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 08:57 PM
  #9  
FOURSPEEDVETTE's Avatar
FOURSPEEDVETTE
Safety Car
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,426
Likes: 229
From: Pennsylvania
Default

Go for the 87. You will get all kinds of opinions on pricing here. Mostly,"that's way too high" no matter HOW much you say the price is. If you really like the car and have no problems with the price, buy it. Having a known documented history on a car can be priceless. Only be concerned about buying one with a very low price. That just speaks volumes about the car.
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 09:04 PM
  #10  
nypearson's Avatar
nypearson
Burning Brakes
15 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,022
Likes: 6
From: hyde park ny
Default

Originally Posted by Sic-Rod
I am buying a 87 c4 from a family friend for 12k it has 36 k original miles 2nd owner. I see there is a 96 for sale local for $11,800 obo with 84k miles but I do not know the cars history. The 87 has been owned for the last 13 years by the second owner no accidents and was just repainted. Which is a better value a newer vette with 84 k miles or an 87 with 36 k with a known history. Any help or comments would be great, this is my first vette. Thanks,Paul
Go for the 96 It's 9 years newer and cheaper, plus I would only offer him 10k. Now if you like the 87 that's another story....
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 09:37 PM
  #11  
Sic-Rod's Avatar
Sic-Rod
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: New York
Default

Originally Posted by FOURSPEEDVETTE
Go for the 87. You will get all kinds of opinions on pricing here. Mostly,"that's way too high" no matter HOW much you say the price is. If you really like the car and have no problems with the price, buy it. Having a known documented history on a car can be priceless. Only be concerned about buying one with a very low price. That just speaks volumes about the car.
I agree thanks.
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 09:39 PM
  #12  
Sic-Rod's Avatar
Sic-Rod
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: New York
Default

Originally Posted by nypearson
Go for the 96 It's 9 years newer and cheaper, plus I would only offer him 10k. Now if you like the 87 that's another story....
At $9,500 I would grab the 96.
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 09:41 PM
  #13  
Sic-Rod's Avatar
Sic-Rod
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: New York
Default

Originally Posted by nypearson
Go for the 96 It's 9 years newer and cheaper, plus I would only offer him 10k. Now if you like the 87 that's another story....
Oh, And I am just up the road from you in Lagrange NY.
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 09:43 PM
  #14  
delphipgmr's Avatar
delphipgmr
Instructor
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
From: Port St Lucie FL
Default

Originally Posted by FOURSPEEDVETTE
Go for the 87. You will get all kinds of opinions on pricing here. Mostly,"that's way too high" no matter HOW much you say the price is. If you really like the car and have no problems with the price, buy it. Having a known documented history on a car can be priceless. Only be concerned about buying one with a very low price. That just speaks volumes about the car.

I have to agree with that too.

I have an 87 convertible, and if someone stole it, and held it for ransom, i would pay $10K to get it back, even though i'm only into it for 5-6K....

I'm sure we can all agree, we don't own our vettes for their value, we own them because its our passion.
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 09:47 PM
  #15  
Jon Hekking's Avatar
Jon Hekking
Race Director
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 15,116
Likes: 283
From: Salt Lake City Utah
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (stock)
Default

Originally Posted by FOURSPEEDVETTE
Go for the 87. You will get all kinds of opinions on pricing here. Mostly,"that's way too high" no matter HOW much you say the price is. If you really like the car and have no problems with the price, buy it. Having a known documented history on a car can be priceless. Only be concerned about buying one with a very low price. That just speaks volumes about the car.
Understand what you're saying, but here's my point. I would pay a premium for a car with a known history, but not that much just because of the low mileage. It's 23 years old and will have all the issues that a 23 year old car has. In addition, put some miles on it and your premium is lost.

Again, I would pay more, but not close to twice what an average example of the car is worth. JMHO..........
Reply
Old Sep 5, 2010 | 10:29 PM
  #16  
Muffin's Avatar
Muffin
Race Director
Supporting Lifetime Gold
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 14,924
Likes: 9
From: Merritt Ils Fl
Default

I think the consensus is if you like it, buy it. I agree with most who say it is too many $. Its your money do what makes you feel good.
Reply
Old Sep 6, 2010 | 07:19 AM
  #17  
Sic-Rod's Avatar
Sic-Rod
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: New York
Default

Kind of funny but I thought any vette would cost alot, I am surprised I could grab one for 6 k. Seems the c4 vette does not hold its value like the older ones or the newer ones . Why? Also what engine would be in the 87 coupe a l98 ? Stupid questions so please excuse me in advance. So many questions,
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Advise needed please

Old Sep 6, 2010 | 07:54 AM
  #18  
zr1fred's Avatar
zr1fred
Race Director
15 Year Member
Veteran: Marine Corps
All Eyes On Me
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,691
Likes: 71
From: Phoenix Arizona
Default

Drive them both. My guess is you would buy the 96. The C4 is approaching the bottom of the depreciation cycle, which is a natural thing. There was a time you could buy 56 Vettes for $600 and 66 big blocks for $1000. Both cars would seem a little high, but unless you're worried about resale in the next few years, get the car you want and enjoy it. You would pay more than that on taxes if you bought a new one (and you know how much you'd get back on those). The 87 has appox 240hp tuned port L98, and the 96 has a 300hp LT1, and yeah, you can tell the difference.
Reply
Old Sep 6, 2010 | 08:10 AM
  #19  
Sic-Rod's Avatar
Sic-Rod
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: New York
Default

Originally Posted by zr1fred
Drive them both. My guess is you would buy the 96. The C4 is approaching the bottom of the depreciation cycle, which is a natural thing. There was a time you could buy 56 Vettes for $600 and 66 big blocks for $1000. Both cars would seem a little high, but unless you're worried about resale in the next few years, get the car you want and enjoy it. You would pay more than that on taxes if you bought a new one (and you know how much you'd get back on those). The 87 has appox 240hp tuned port L98, and the 96 has a 300hp LT1, and yeah, you can tell the difference.
Thanks for the insight, so I have a L98 motor and it is approx 60 hp diffference than the 96 Lt1 engine. What do you mean by the bottom of the depreciation cycle? Also is there anyone on this site that can run a VIN to get a buils sheet ? My SSR forum had someone who did this. Thanks,Paul
Reply
Old Sep 6, 2010 | 08:31 AM
  #20  
tonyt4870's Avatar
tonyt4870
Advanced
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Tuscaloosa Alabama
Default

I personally think the 87 is overpriced. I would take the 12k and shop around, in this economy you possibly could find a C5 in that price range.
Reply



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:52 AM.

story-0
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-2
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-9
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE