Saw an '88 for sale. It needs weatherstripping on the doors and rear glass, digital dash is dim, headlights are held up with bungee cords, top isn't painted on the outside but inside looks like it's been sprayed with something black or it's missing the headliner. Car fired right up and shifted good from park to reverse to drive. I didn't drive it. Hood on passenger side also can be lifted but stops like it's latched.

How much trouble would it be to fix those problems? Car has 92,000 miles.

 

The weatherstripping tends to be more expensive than most folks expect, but you can check price easily at Corvette America. The dim lights sounds like you need to replace the bulbs in the display. Not a particularly bad job but does take some time to learn how to take out the dash. Also, the bulbs can range up to about $9 ea depending on where you get them. There are threads on the forum as to a couple of ways to do it depending on whether you need to replace the sockets, too. I replaced just my bulbs recently and it only took an hour or so since I knew how to take the dash out. You will want to replace all of the bulbs while you are in there and may also want to go ahead and replace the ones in the DIC (they are cheaper). Not sure what the headlight issue is, probably the motor but again, there are threads on the Forum about how to fix the lights so they go up and down properly. This would be more time consuming and probably a good bit more expensive. Finally, if the hood on the passenger side needs to be released, there is a relatively cheap tool (I think also available from CA) that can be used to release it. Sounds like either the cable is broken or needs to be adjusted. You can add a short cable up near the windshield wipers to release it once you get the hood up. A lot of folks on the forum have installed these as a backup.

None of these are particularly major and all are pretty typical. They are commonly mentioned here on the forum and described with good pics. If you go ahead and get the car, I would highly recommend getting a FSM asap, either a paper copy or a CD (much cheaper). Good luck!

 

The hood comes up without any problems. I meant that after you close it, you can pull up the passenger side about an inch before it stops. I'm guessing it needs adjusting to keep it down instead of lifting like that.

 

I don't have any experience working on these cars so this might be more trouble than i want to tackle?

 

It sounds like a pretty good sized project. Unless you have discount access to parts, or really like working on cars for fun, you are normally ahead to buy one someone else has already fixed up. If you buy this one you will lose money on it.

 

I had a feeling it would be that way. Plus i am seeing other C4's in better shape for the same money.

 

thank you for not buying that...'before'...you asked questions.

 

I happen to enjoy working on my cars I find it relaxing and to be part of the hobby...

BUT if you can find other C4's selling for the same price as this one I would RUN away from it... Weatherstripping is expensive...and lets face it does go bad... BUT headlights that need a bungee cord to hold them in place and a Hood that can be lifted up an inch just tells me this car was not maintained very well..

Gotta wonder if the oil was last changed...

Bob G.

 

 

Also, interior and paint are EXPENSIVE. Personally, I would stay away from any Vette that needs paint unless it was otherwise nearly perfect and REALLY cheap. Paint jobs are typically several thousand and up. Based on your description of things, I imagine it might need completely redoing interior, too.

 

The headlight bungee cord fix is a nice touch.

 

Yeah, the drivers seat is very bad.

 

Watched "I Robot" again last night, will give you the same advice Spooner got: "RUN".

 

 

How much are they asking?

 

Kerry, the place to find a deal on a C4 is right on CF. Ive seen some damn good deals on the C4s for sale forum.

 

$5500.

 

That's a change.

 

Taken care of, those cars (80's C4's) can go 30 years and over 200k miles. Some are worn out and shot before 23 years and 92k miles. Out wes, that would be a $2000 car, and a money pit at that, even if you build them for a living.