Hello all, in the beginning stages (selling a house first) of looking for my first Corvette. My limit will be $12,000 for now. Prefere automatic so my wife can enjoy driving it too. What years were the best overall as well as the worst to avoid. Really like the polo green convertible cars as well as the 40th. anniversary ruby red cars. Any advice, articles or books to read. Maybe attend a club meeting, or not? Thanks in advance for your input!
Drew C from SC

 

Buy as late a C4 as you can. The later C4's benefited from enhancements and improvements over the earlier ones. Then again it all depends on what you intend to do with the car. Since you mentioned it needed to be an automatic I am guess you do not intend to go and hammer it on the auto-x and/or road courses. For handling the earlier cars actually are better at the limit than later cars. Later cars have superior power, transmissions, ride quality, interior improvements, squeak and rattle improvements, etc...some of this is subjective, like interior...some guys like the later analog gauges versus some like the digital early ones.

12K will get you a very nice C4. In fact watch the classified ads here and I am willing to bet you may find a nice later C4 for less than 10K.
Craigslist is ok too. In general, these C4's are 26 to 14 years old, so keep in mind ANY car that age may have some issues. In general, however, if they have been kept up in maintenance, repair, and appearance, they are reliable fun cars.

Look at them like any other used car you would buy. Try to keep the emotional side of it out, so you make a good choice.

Good Luck and once you have one...well...your hooked.

 

I've kinda forgotten now, but it used to be 93 or 94 (and up) for me. That's when they got traction control and air bags. The former is necessary if you want to try driving in snow. The later is just good safety for a car that sits knee-high to a jack rabbit!

The only reason I got an '89 was the mileage vs price I found. The damn thing was almost new after 10 yrs!

 

The 1991 models and later were updated to resemble the ZR1 models that came out in 1990. The rear and tail lights are different and the entire body has a somewhat smoother look to it.

The 1991 models also had a change in the instrument panel, away from the complete electronics to gauges and only a digital speedometer.

The 1992 models saw an increase in horsepower from 250 to 300. The 1996 model, the last of the C4's saw an increase in horsepower as well.

Personally I drive a Polo Green 1991 Coupe, and I love the car.

 

Buy the Latest year Vette in the Best maintained condition.

There are a lot of neglected C4 Vette's out there so, take your time and be patient. 1991 was the last year with the Tuned Port Injected L98 engine and the 1992 was the First year with the LT1 engine.

The L98 is a lot easier too maintain and service and has a standard Distributor.

The LT1-LT4 engines are more difficult to service spark plugs and wires, and has the Opti-Spark Distributor mounted under the water pump which is very expensive too replace if it ever fails.

 

You ought to be able to get yourself a very nice 95 A4 for $12K. Verts are always going to be more expensive than a coupe. Don't let anyone tell you that an auto is not as much fun to drive as a 6 sp

Good luck on your search ... remember not to fall in love with the first one that you find. Try to drive a half dozen and you will notice a difference between those that have been well maintained as those that have not.

 

Make sure owner will go with you to a corvette repair shop and have the vehicle checked out. If you plan on adding modifications to motor or exaust system ,check out prices as these will vary somewhat year to year. For instance my 96 ,because of the computer, must be reprogrammed. Earlier years can be "rechipped". Order free catalogs from different Corvette suppliers (Google searches for Corvette parts) to get an idea of how much necessary replacement parts will run. I really like the engineering of the 96, but I am sure other years have good points that their owners really like.Keep checking the forum and read all you can so you can make an informed decision and not regret your choice. GOOD LUCK AND BE PATIENT. Money and knowledge are on your side

 

Unlike most cars you can't go to NADA/Kelly/Edmunds to get a value.

It is all about desirability, mileage, and condition. For 12K you should be able to get an excelent non-collectible C4 with reasonable miles and no stories.

It should be well maintained, worn seat leather replaced, weather stripping replaced. Wheels with little to no curb rash. Engine clean. Mechanically everything working.

94-96 had the vented optispark. 92-93 had a nonvented opti (distributer) and if it got wet it died. PITA and $$$ to replace, but odds are by now it has been replaced by the previous owner, so ask. It's not a deal breaker. My 92 crapped out at 73K after a water hose burst.

Your looking for an auto, fine. However if you consider a manual trans the later german built ZF6 (92-96) is an outstanding bullet proof tranny. The early 4+3 manual / auto not so much. More of an experiment if you ask me.

Now, what about mods? Some people don't want to buy a modded car. But corvettes are begging to be modded. Don't run away from a modded C4. Gather all you can learn and come back here and ask. The trick with mods are longevity and/or reputation of the tuner. Many of us modified or cars ourselves and know what we are doing. My engine mods were done 8 years ago by myself. If they were going to fail it would of happened by now.

New paint can be a good thing or a bad thing. Depends on how good of a job was done. Look for overspray. If you find it, it is highly likely it is a cheap paint job that will last long enough for the car to be sold and not come back. A good paint job should be in the $5-$10K range. I know as I just went through it. Cost me $3000 plus 100 hours of my own labor doing the prep/primer work. I figure my paint was about a $7000 paintjob. It is better than factory and will last 20 years if taken care of.

To correct an earlier post, my 92 has traction control, driver airbag, and ABS.

 

Interesting obervation on our significant others. The wife wanted a Corvette but she wanted an automatic "so she could drive it". I said fine, if she neede an automatic, we'd get a car with an automatic. But it wouldn't be a Corvette. Finally found a 96 with a six speed. I suspected the "Grand Sport" emblem on the engine meant something (it means LT4). But I digress.

For the first year the missus was an enthusiastic passenger. But drive ? No way. I think she was intimidated by the car. Over the course of time I quietly explained that a Corvette with a stick is really easy to drive ( and with all that torque and a heavy flywheel, they are easy to drive). Finally, I was able to coax her into the driver's seat. We went for a drive on an uncrowded stretch of freeway. Once on a freeway, driving a stick is just like driving an auto. Great confidence builder.

The long story short, guess who's the passenger now. And the missus keeps talking about "popping wheelies". I wonder what she means by that ?

To answer your specific question; an 89 through 91, they have updated styling, the good ZF six speed, and are the last of the conventional V8's, which are cheaper to maintain.

If you want a 92 or later, be forewarned, LT engines had a run of only 5 years. They are excellent engines and while they share many parts with earlier V8s, anything LT specific will carry a significant premium .

Then there's the 96 LT4. Awesome car; One year engine (basically a LT1 built by the factory with a ton of improvements and upgrades). Most powerful Chevy smallblock ever offered up till then. All came stock with the six speed, big brake (J55) package, and heavy duty differential (Dana 44 versus Dana 36). Plus the 96's (whether LT4 or the more common LT1) had all the incremental upgrades and improvements from the whole thirteen year production run.

In any case, manual or auto, early or late, Corvettes are great cars. Women love being seen in Corvettes. Women love driving Corvettes. Take it from one who knows: happy wife, happy life .

 

With what your willing to pay you should not settle for anything unless it has very low milage in perfect condition. Watch this market and dont over pay for a car in need of work. The buyer is king right now.

 

Look at them like any other used car you would buy. Try to keep the emotional side of it out, so you make a good choice.

Good Luck and once you have one...well...your hooked. [/QUOTE]

Thank you super information you gave me!
Drew C

 

WOW! Talk about quick respones to a question! And none negative! Use to own a 409 Belair and learned alot about clubs, boards, etc. or so I thoguht! Thank you all for your information. I have emailed it to myself for future using. Dont want to take up a lot of space for individual relpies but thank you all! I thought my wife will be intimdated by the car but we will see. Might just look at a stick shift car as well and let her ride in both to decide for herself.
Drew C

 

I do not necessarily believe you should buy the newest C4 as the only factor.I would suggest driving the earlier versions along with the newer ones. Your personal preferences need to be determined because it will be your C4. There are many fine examples of all years of C4's looking for new homes. The newer ones are more refined of course. But the older ones possess the seat of the pants driving feel that you may or may not desire. Take your time and do NOT buy the first one you find is my advice.

Concerning $12K, you may want to look for one at $10K and have a $2K reserve for those inevitable issues that most, if not all, C4's will need. It is very rare that one purchases a perfect C4 that requires no attention. To feel comfortable, one should have the C4 checked out by an expert or a mechanic in advance of purchase. All fluids will most likely need changed in many cases. I always put on new tires to get the most enjoyable driving experience from my new acquisition. Unless of course the tires on the purchased car are new or like new which is not common. Those factors can easily add up to $2K. Warning: Even a spotless C4 can be a money pit in hiding.

Enjoy the search. Do your research. Be patient. Talk with other C4 owners in person if possible. Have a mechanic inspect it in advance. Have fun!

Best of luck.

 

One point. The instrument panel and interior was redesigned in 90 not 91.

My wife won't drive mine. Don't know why, I think it intimidates her. The rule is to always buy the newest one you can afford. But you may like the Atari style dash so I would at least give them a look as well. There are low mileage 84 to 89s out there as well.

The power difference in the LT1 vs the L98 isn't that great for a typical drive. Most will never notice it until you take it to the track. 0 to 60 times is a half second to a little less. But each car is different, some are faster and some are slower. A half a second is nothing on the highway but a lifetime on the track so that depends on what you want.

As was stated, be prepared to spend some money on these things because if it doesn't need anything today it WILL tomorrow.

The 84 has the crossfire injection and I personally would stay away from them, but then there are others who love them so that's a personal choice. But they come with a lot less power than a 89 to 96 as well.

Just my 2 cents. Things to check

Tire condition

injector replacement

intake seal

Exhuast

Stereo

And then all the normal things one would look for

Opti replacement for the LT1

 

god, I hate these threads.

 

The later C4's are definitely more "refined" than the early ones. Maybe a little too refined if you ask someone, like me, who prefers the seat of your pants type feel that the early one gives. The earlier C4 also still has the muscle car feel inside that I think gets lost with all the refinements the later ones have. All C4's are great no matter which one you choose. Just make sure you test drive both for your personal choice. That much cash will get you a nice 96 but don't rule out buying a clean early C4 and you'll still have some cash on hand for things you want to change or replace. The Corvette "car fund" is something we all wish we had more of.

 

Aim your browser here:

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

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.

As a beginning guide, 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 during its life cycle.

C4 Corvette Evolutionary Highlights:

1983: C4 was deemed not ready for delivery. No 1983 model year Corvettes sold to the public.

1984: C4 sales begin. It is a completely redesigned car, but used the Crossfire (throttle-body) Injected engine that appeared in 1982.

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.

Happy hunting!

Live well,

SJW

 

Thank you all for your input. SJW thanks for the print off sheet as well.

 

When I did my searching a couple of months ago automatics were everywhere. I used www.cars.com and if you're willing to travel you should be able to find the car you want.

12k and auto, should get you a later model with under 40k miles.

 

look at an 87-save some $$$$$-coupe has more room-fun to drive......good luck with your search-oh, and black w/gray interior is a must!