I'll throw in my experience with both. My C5's seats were much less comfortable than my C4. But if you're tall, the C4 will be cramped. My C5 also had electrical gremlins that bothered me.

 

Good choice. A couple of advantages of the '96 over the '95 is OBDII and, of course, the LT4. If you get the LT4, it is going to have the 6-spd manual transmission.

 

They are a cheap way into a sports car
For the money hard to find something that does what these do. Hope they stay cheap. Sure they got ther problems but even new cars do to.

 

That is a pretty accurate description for a C4. These cars are like bumpy cars, and we are seating in a hole that feels like glove which make us part of the car.

 

The C4 is a great value today compared to it's contemporaries from the day. A Porsche 911 is 2.5X more expensive than a C4 which can almost be bought with pocket change. Compared to other Vettes, the C4 is much more advanced than the C3, but much less refined than a C5. If it's a sports car you're after, the C4 is it. Smaller, raw, and with less compromises.

 

I have been looking at C5's on the market right now, just thinking, researching, in case I want to switch. From what I've seen I would take a $10,000 95/96 C4 over a $10,000 C5 everytime, just based upon apparent condition. Turnkey C5's needing nothing more than minor repair and maitainence items are still in the $12-$20K range.

 

A C4, even a low mileage C4 in mint condition is a money pit. I'm an Investor by trade and it's hard for me to dump money in to a Car. I also own a Hummer H3 Alpha, and if I had to pick the H3 or C4, I would sell the C4 and keep my H3. Because I am much safer in my H3 and I drive on the beach. I just feel safer being high up looking down. My C4 I have to look up at people. Back in the 80s and 90s low vehicles were common, but today they are uncommon. Imagine being hit in a C4 - side impact from a Dump Truck? Immediate death.

 

1. I am a long haul driver. Anything I hit broadside is finished. 80,000 pounds just doesn't stop.
2. I bought a 1986 piece of crap C-4. Cost me $2,300. Bought some speed equipment. Not sorry I bought it and smile like crazy when the wife drives it. Drove a 61 fuelie in highschool, a 66 after Vietnam and a 72. The c-4 is by far the "funest" C-car I have driven. I wouldn't mind having a C-5 but without giving up my C-4. Smile factors..C-4 wins everytime.

 

And what's the difference with a C5? You're on the wrong forum.

 

Anyone that gets hit by a Dump Truck is pretty well screwed.

And an H3? That's a really sorry investment.

 

...




I have owned several C3, C4,C5, & C6 vettes. I now have a 1992 and a 2008 C6Z06, my two favorite generations of the corvette. I love both the cars for very different reasons.

As many have stated already, The C4 corvette gives you a true feel of a real sports car. When I get in my C4 I feel like It was meant to be driven and driven fast. The car Holds me in the seat and has the feel that none of my other cars have had. Sure there are some rattles, some issues to fix but thats part of the fun of owning a C4. The interior, for me, is second to none between all the generations of the corvette.

The C5 is the faster, easier to modify car. I imagine you could give it the C4 interior feel if you bought some nice Ricaro seats that wrapped around you. The problem for me with the c5 and c6 is they just dont have that raw feel of the C4. My C6z is a extremely fast car but if I get into my c4 it feels more like a muscle car. Even in the C6z, the seats and interior suck when it comes to a true sports car feel in my opinion.

I also think that with the 10k limit you have set for a car, You are going to be way better off getting into a nice, low milage c4 that was well taken car of. Any C5 on the market for 10k is almost guaranteed to be a problem child. Just my .02

 

I have to agree with "wearing" a C4. That's what I missed the most when I drove other Corvettes. The C5 is a great car but if you love performance driving you have to drive a C4 to appriciate the cockpit. You just don't get the same feeling driving a C5. The later C4s are better riding and faster but the early cars are simpler to work on and more raw. Yes the early cars ride hard and are not whisper quite but a performance exhaust and some modern rubber makes them a ton of fun to frive for a fairly moderate buy in. Even the newest C4 is old so they will all need repairs at some point. Some sooner than later. I don't think you can drive any Corvette (or any sports car for that matter) without having to pay for the ride. If that's not something you are willing to do why drive any of these cars in the 1st place?

 

I MADE money by buying the C4. I'm an investor too. I had cash on-hand and budgeted $50K for a new truck and $40,000 for a sports car. I bought a $10,000 C4 and a used 2500 GMC 4x4 truck for the same amount. I took the $70,000 I saved and made an additional $40,000 ROI. By not blowing all of my money on the latest and greatest, both of my cars were essentially "free". I probably dumped a few more grand in the C4 to get it how I wanted so I'm still ahead of the game compared to the C6Z I could have bought at the time.

I also worked in the car business. The worst investment is actually buying any new car as the depreciation curve is very steep once driving off the lot.

As far as safety, the comment applies to any sports car. I used to ride motorcycles and that's really instant death so it's relative. At least a car gives you a fighting chance. At any rate, I think most of the C4 owners are using the cars for pleasure or for a play toy so the miles driven (and chance of accident) are greatly diminished.

I do agree that if a C4 is bought in poor condition, it's throwing good money after bad on a restoration from a financial point of view. Still if people have time and labor to do the work themselves, this can be mitigated to a certain extent.

 

Hi All,

Thank you for your insights and experience. As I've been perusing C4 and C5 want-ads, it's clear you guys are accurate at the $10K price point. The C4's have, on average half the mileage of the C5's and, in many cases, 1/3 the mileage of the C5's.

I also agree the C4 offers a more visceral driving experience. Lapping the FIRM raceway in Starke, FL, in my friends Z06 C5, it felt more like a drive in the park than a raceway. Besides its near flawless road holding ability, with the Traction Control on, it was almost impossible to spin out or... just spin the rear wheels. The car's owner (a seasoned track driver) and I both agreed the car was laughing off our efforts to "flog" it! Regardless our shenanigans, the ride was never uncomfortable. Now, for a race car, that's a good thing. For a "fun" car on the street, I can see where the C5 may disappoint.

So, based upon your recommendations and assuming I've decided on a C4, my next question is Automatic or Stick Shift?

In my day, the GM Turbo Hydramitic 400 was the Mac Daddy automatic. Having run an AAMCO Transmission store in the mid-70's, I can tell you a Muncie 4-Speed was much more reliable! But, how about into the 90's? If I get a 6-Speed, I will look for a '96 LT4. However, there are so many clean, low mileage automatics out there I'm wondering if the LT4/6-Speed is really worth it.

What's your experience with reliability and sportability of the '95 - '96 Corvette automatic transmissions?

MANY THANKS in advance of your continued insights!

Regards,

John G.
St. Petersburg, FL

"If you think you're in control... you're not going fast enough!" Mario Andretti

 

My 89 has 144,000 on it's automatic and it's still smooth as any transmission I've ever felt.

Worst case, you can always convert it over to a manual. (if mine ever goes that's probably the direction I'm going with mine)

 

That really is a question you need to answer for your self. Personally, I believe an automatic transmission in a corvette is a waste of a corvette. I prefer manuals in all my sport cars. Thats where the fun factor is afterall.

As far as reliability, the 700r4 and the 4l60e are great transmissions but the zf6 is more reliable and again, more fun to drive. If I was going to buy another c4 and had the chance to get a clean lt4/6 speed or a auto car, I wouldnt think twice.

 

I am biased to manual trans owning an Grand Sport, I would never buy a corvette with an auto it' s sacralige to me. The driving experience can't be compared between the two.

 

No offense to the auto crowd, but I've always believed that a proper sports car should be equipped with a manual transmission. Once the ZF 6 speed became available in 1989, the C4 had a world class manual transmission available.

The ZF needs the Hurst shifter right off the bat to improve feel though. The C4/ZF clutch action is "normal", unlike my Dad's 2012 Camaro which has a horrible clutch action thanks to a badly designed spring on the clutch pedal arm.

Plenty of positive feedback here on the auto as well, so it would come down to personal preference.

 

Craigslist investor?? :p

 

There is nothing wrong with the 4L60E or 700R4, but I to believe that having an auto Vette is like banging a supermodel with your cloths on, what the point! The only place an auto belongs is in a drag car, but then again, you can get into the 9's with a ZF/T56, if you can drive.