corvettesforevor

So I graduated college about a year ago, got a solid job and have saved up a good amount of money. I've always like corvettes and would like to get my first one.
I have about 8,500$.
I've always loved the c3 body style. I figured I could get a nice 78 corvette for about 7 grand on craigslist.
c3's have always been my favorite but c4s are real cheap. I was browsing craigslist and I saw two 1992 LT1 corvettes for about 8 grand. I'm sure I could talk them down to about 7,500 Or so.
They had about 100k miles but were in good condition, both had good interiors paint, and seemed to be overall good.
So heres my dillema, I love the c3 body style, But for the same price I can get a less cool body but alot more power.
Having 300hp behind the wheel just feels awesome.
But I know late c3s aren't terrible in terms of power, just not as good.
But then I think to myself, How often am I even going to go over 85mph? I mean the more speed the better but I don't see myself drag racing all the time or anything.
Benefits of the c3 would be- Awesome body style, classic, easier to work on.
benefits of c4- more power, more modern parts, more comfortable, less fixing time but harder to fix.

I'm slightly leaning towards the c3 but I do want a daily driver during the summer so the c4 would be better for that but I just love the c3 body style....
Any opinions?

Polo Vert

LT1 cars run fine but are pricier to fix if/when something goes wrong. Since you obviously prefer the C3 style I'd pick up one of those. They're simple enough that making more power isn't much of a problem. This is from a 94 LT1 owner.

Aaron71771

Drive a few of each and see which one speaks to you. C3's have nice lines, but I prefer the C4. I had an 82 collectors edition for a few year - really enjoyed that car. I've enjoyed my C4's a whole lot more.

Hot Rods

Drive both of them and then make a decision. I recently took a 1980 4 speed for a ride because that was my first vette out of high school. I could not wait to get out of it and drive my 92 convertible LT1 with a 6 speed back home. I always loved the body style of the 1980 but it was no comparison in handling,performance or ride. These Vette's just keep getting better and better with todays technology.

1984crossfirefuelie

Get a 1980 vette. Drop a crate engine in it and rear gears! C3's are super cool.

PLRX

Have you considered a C6 Z06?

DTC4VETTE

I was in the same spot as you a few months back. I drove a few c3's then I drove a 94 LT1 6-speed.. I bought the 94 lol. The C4 out did the C3's in every aspect other then looks (in my opinion). The best thing to do would be put a C3 body on a LT C4 chassis!

cv67

get what your heart wants or youll regret it
Waaaaay cheaper and easier to track down and fix problems on the C3.
The LT1 C4s got their issues and they arent for the shallow wallet.

300 is nothing you can do that with a Gen 1 real easy
nothing like a simple HEI and 4 barrel to deal with.
Owned 1 C3 and a few C4s as far as ease of ownership C3 takes it.
Youll tinker with both might as well make it easy

csthews

I was in the same boat a couple of years back. In fact, I actually didn't like the C4 at all. But after driving a couple of late model C3's, the C4's began to start looking a lot better. Some of the things that turned me off to the C3:
80 mph on the speedometer
rattle trap
190 hp V8 that gets about 16mpg (i drive 50 miles each way to work).
no rear hatch
R-12 refrigerant (assuming you could find one with a air compressor that actually worked)
not very comfortable (I was 50 at the time, and somewhat used to at least a semi-comfortable ride)
and as can be expected for 30 y.o. cars, they all rattled.

The more I looked at C4's the more attractive they became to me. I went from not caring about the body style to absolutely loving it. I have to admit, the bread basket on the passenger side of the earlier models was, and still is, a big turn off. As expected, the ride and power of the C4 was far superior to that of the late model C3's that I test drove. The airplane cockpit feel of the C4 driver's seat was also a big plus. I settled on a Polo Green '95. I'm extremely happy with the choice.

If I could change one thing, I would have held out for an LT4. I may not need all the HP all the time, but it feels good knowing it is there when I want/need it.

FAUEE

What it comes down to is, do you want a car to go fast, or a car to look good?

Are you going to have another DD? If your Corvette is out of commission for a month or two, working on it on weekends and maybe after work, is that going to bother you?

Will your Corvette getting roasted by a minivan at a stop light bother you?

Do you like more modern toys like automatic Air Conditioning?

There's a whole lot of difference between the two. A C4 will handle a lot better than a C3, and will be faster, at least stock. A C3 however is cheaper to do an engine swap in, because all its gauges and such are analog, and you don't have computers that need to be dealt with.

So really, it comes down to style, or performance. To me, if it's a show toy, that you drive when you want to, I'd get the C3. If you thought you might track the car, I'd get the C4.

vl5150

The common theme on either is we're talking all old cars here. Bring money--lots of it.

The template for the modern car was set with the C4 though. Overdrive and decent power levels, coupled with nice suspension bits.

Drew

I have a '78 L-82/4 speed car and a '93 LT1 40th (automatic) Coupe. I like them both. I like the simplicity of the '78. It's just a basic car that I can hop in and go and very little to go wrong with it. I have owned the '78 for going on 24 years and it's been a VERY GOOD car. It's had it's share of repairs but most of them I was able to do myself, like I said it's a basic car, no computer or fancy gadgets to give you problems..
The '93 can be a little more problematic as there is more technology involved with it and if you can't fix it yourself repairs can be costly. Every part on the C4 is more expensive to buy than on the C3. I guess if I had to choose between the two I would keep the '78 over the '93, it's just an easier car to live with....Good Luck to you....

vl5150

Good post.

1Asterisk

I started out wanting a 79, my birth year. As I started reading I started checking prices and the prices on a clean later model C4 were close to the later C3's.

Ultimately I decided the C4 was the nicer car for all around driving. I can jump on the interstate and cruise around getting upper 20's in mpg. I found an LT4 car and was hooked.

I still want a C3 one day but am very happy with my 96.

Paul Workman

I have had a base mo. 95 and my wife has a early C3.

The two are worlds apart, far as driving and character goes, but each has its charm and is unique.

Far as performance goes, the 95 C4 was a couple magnitudes above the C3, in just about any way you look at it, and the ZR-1 is a magnitude above the std C4.

But, with getting what your heart wants, or live with regret until you do, methinks... But, that said, either car is "getting long in the tooth", from the perspective of being your only car. Something breaks and you're relegated to running down parts and someone that actually knows anything about them, OR become your own mechanic.

Lemme tell ya... IMO, driving a vintage car on a DD regime can get pretty danged old, i.e., keeping it running. I learned a long time ago there is a difference between basic transportation and a toy.

You see it all the time: someone buys an C4 (&C5s are getting up there too) and has little or no mechanical ability. Next thing is they're hating life (and the car) because it has issues and because they have to depend on others to fix it, and hiring someone is always expensive. It becomes a money pit...and then the bitching begins!

But! If you (I) think of it as just a hobby, tinkering is just part of it, and problems are just an excuse to restore another aspect of the car. No biggie. No stomach acid either!

Just a thought

Tom400CFI

You need to drive both, and see which you prefer. No way that we can answer this question for you.

zr1fred

If you want a car to drive, buy a late C4. If you want a car to look at, buy a C3. (Actually, I prefer the looks of a late C4 over a late C3).

ch@0s

By a Honda

JK I would go with the C4.

BobNJ

My opinion like others have said ---- test C3's and C4's, then and see what you like better. In 2010 I went to a used Corvette dealership, that sells C1-C6's. First, I knew my limit as to how much I wanted to pay for a nice weekend, part time play car, that was going to be a garage queen.

I did road tests with the owner of the dealership in a 1980 (I originally wanted one back in 1980, so I went down memory lane), a 94, then a 2000. The black/black 94 pulled me like a huge magnet. I preferred the looks, ride, seating position (like I'm sitting on the ground), great handling, low mileage - 64K. If I had to do it all over again --- I would choose my 94 again.

Good luck.

Bob

Vetteman Jack

I had two '79s and four C4s (84, 89, 94 and 95) and if it were me I'd go with a late model C4. Better build quality, better ride and handling, better fuel economy and more power. And I like the looks of the later C4s.