You gals and guys have helped me along so far in my decision due to us now raising the grand daughter to change from a newer C5 to a C4 for financial reasons.
Being the pros and the experts I guess the questions I have to clear up in my mind is:

a. What is the "pros and cons" of a C4 Corvette?????
b. I looked at a couple (been studying the C5 for a while) and what strikes me first is the difficulty in entering and exiting one, any suggestions?
c. Next is first look inside is the dash electronics....these things just reek of $$$$$$$$$$$$ repairs to this in-experienced guy, your experience?
d. Ride and comfort?

Sorry to ask so many questions but my desire for a Corvette is 30 odd years long, it has always been something that has messed ownership of one up.

Call it a macho thing I guess, I would love to be a fortunate guy and have a C6-C7 but responsibilities have changed for us but the desire remains, I'd be a lucky man to have anyone of them in my garage.....

We have rethought this and short small trips, cruise ins, car shows, just driving with another group of owners are our goals now...The long drawn out trips are an after thought.

Thanks to you all for your assistance....

November 11 is coming up ------ to all my fellow veterans and especially my fellow Vietnam Veteran brothers (me,1968-1969) let me say "Welcome Home ". Remember our fallen and missing, help the younger veterans, support them more than we were supported, Love and Honor our Country.

 

I would think the c5 would be much easier to get in and out of. The c4 is like sitting into a fighter jet seat while the c5 is more like a normal car.

Basically I read c5 owners fussing about the lack of decent lateral support in the c5 seats. I do love the way the c4 seats wrap around me but honestly they are a royal pain to get out of as you get older.

The c5 should cost less to keep on the road. Its more of a high mileage low maintenance setup in my opinion.

The c4 is a much rawer experience. Which to me translates to fun. But its that harshness that makes it "fun". So for a comfortable vehicle I would go with the c5 over the c4. If I could only own one vehicle and it was going to be a vette and the choice was c4 or c5 I would get a c5. My c4 is a toy. Its driven when I want to go have fun. I have other vehicles for the other things and the c4 for when I want to play.

 

heres my take on it from a guy about your age. Yes they are hard to get in and out of and I sometimes struggle. I do have a bad back though and that adds to it. Once your in it there isn't to many vehicles that are any more confortable for a long drive though. As to the dash I think if you stay with the newer c4s. I think they changed in 90 you will be ok. Ive had two 92s and have never had a problem with the dash electronics unless you count the bose radios. Both of mine had cd players that gave up the ghost. First on had speakers go bad and this one is just starting to show signs of one of the front speakers going bad. Bottom line is I payed 8k for mine with 50k on it and you don't find much of a car with that low of milage for that price let alone a corvette.

 

How long are you expecting to live ??

 

If you want a true sports car feel and experience, go with any C4. Especially an early C4 though. If you have physical problems getting in and out of a car and prefer more of an Impala type feel and ease of access, go for a C5. True C5's are powerful cars, but leave a lot to be desired as far as any type of a sports car feel in my opinion.

 

If youre used to the C5 maybe a 95 or 96 with std seats might give you the ride quality. early C4s could be pretty stiff

Like anything the wiring plastics etc all get old with age. Just get the best maintained one you can find, lots of patched up ragged out stuff out there look past the shiny paint. They made a bazillion of these take your time
Maintained to some is just waxing and tossing goo on the tires, to others its going through the car mechanically..they are out there for pennies on their dollars spent
Just like any gen they all have their issues

 

Having owned and driven both the C5 & C4 well over 400k miles.

The C5 makes a great road car but over time it just does not have the sports car feel of a C4. I drove my 04 C5 from new to over 165k trouble free miles. I sold it and got another C4.

I have also put well over 300k miles on 8 C4s and only been left on the roadside once when a pulley came off the water pump on a 90 ZR-1.
Even after all these miles I still get a thrill when I drive my C4's and can go as far as a tank will take me before I have to stop.

 

Time for a change of attitude. Buy a C4 and embrace the idea of babysitting it for your grandchild. Enjoy its quirks and the pleasurable garage time it gives you. If it develops a problem then educate yourself on how to fix it. The pride you get from repairing that inoperable cruise control will put a smile on your face.
You can also enlist your grand daughter to help with washing and waxing the car and teaching her how to wrench as she gets older. Make sure to pass it along to her in the will. She will treasure the memories forever.
If you have a hard time getting in and out due to aging muscles then get yourself to the gym - many of them have free fitness trainers who can help you strengthen the specific muscles you will need.
I was drafted and spent some of 68 and 69 in Vietnam. I have owned 2 convertible and 2 coupe versions of the C4. Any problems I have had with them have been addressed here on the Forum or with some education from service manuals. The few problems I have had were all fixable and the repair process was educational to me.
Tips on getting in: DO NOT USE THE STEERING WHEEL TO SUPPORT YOURSELF ! Open door, tilt the wheel up, back in and slowly lower your azz into the seat while holding onto the upper windshield frame and rotating your legs into the foot well. Practice in the privacy of your garage until you get it right.
Getting out: Tilt the wheel up, rotate your legs and feet out of the car so your azz is on the door sill and your feet are flat on the ground. Use your right hand to grasp the upper windshield frame and your left hand to push on the door frame as you stand straight up. It may help to lower the driver's window first. Once again: DO NOT USE THE STEERING WHEEL TO ASSIST YOURSELF!
Buying a C4: Find one that has been well maintained and take someone with you to test drive the car. Make sure this person has owned one previously and knows what to look for. L98 (85-91): Find one that has had most of the following things repaired/replaced: headlight bushings, power brake booster, intake manifold gasket, fuel injectors, fuel pump, weather stripping. Insure most of the electronics work. LT-1: All the above plus insure that the Opti Spark and the water pump have been replaced.
It is ok to fly and drive as long as you can get a good inspection and test drive from a knowledgeable Forum member who lives near where the car is located. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance is the key - even with high mileage.
Don't be a bottom feeding pig - pigs get butchered.
I am moving to NW Arizona shortly and really like the prices and condition of the desert cars. If I can help you with a car out there then let me know.
Here is one I have my eye on. It is advertised on the Phoenix Craigslist and here on the Forum. Appears to be a good one. I may not be able to buy one this year though as I have to get a knee replaced first.https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/5269645065.html

 

Probably as any other sane person - as long as possible. Please elaborate how this question relates to the questions he has asked.

 

^ This is pretty much what I would say

Of course the c5 is a performance improvement over the C4. But the C4 feels like a focused sports car (raw) and the C5 feels like a grand touring car (plush). They are both good cars but if you are looking for a good driver's car, I vote for the C4. Of course the C4s are older and just by sheer age will have more things to fix than the C5, all other things being equal.

Whichever way you go, it's a very good idea to spend a little more for a car that has been well cared for. So many people get hooked with Corvette fever and buy a car that looks like a "good deal," only to find they bought someone else's problems. Do lots of research, not only on the different generations and the different features available for each year model, but on the specific cars you end up looking at. Each one has lived a different life and has its own story.

 

[QUOTE=corvetteronw;1590772876]Time for a change of attitude. Buy a C4 and embrace the idea of babysitting it for your grandchild. Enjoy its quirks and the pleasurable garage time it gives you. If it develops a problem then educate yourself on how to fix it. The pride you get from repairing that inoperable cruise control will put a smile on your face.
You can also enlist your grand daughter to help with washing and waxing the car and teaching her how to wrench as she gets older. Make sure to pass it along to her in the will. She will treasure the memories forever.


Thanks for your service and the welcome home (me 1965-1966)
There are some c4's out there with low miles and well maintained. Find one and go for it.

 

C4s = the best driving experience, IMO. As often said, you drive IN a C4 and ON a C5. That pretty much says a lot. I agree w/ others that you feel like part of the car in a C4, but not (nearly) so much in a C5.

C4s are older, so unless you snag one that has been given ample TLC, they are going to have issues. But, that said, that goes for the C5s as well: getting long in the tooth.

Getting in and out of a C4 IS more difficult, because of the high sill. However, after a while one figures out how to minimize the ingress/egress hurdle. And, like I said, once your in there you're now part of the car! Best long-haul car I ever owned!!

Good luck!

 

His own post admits that he has been considering this for approx 30 years. How much longer should he be thinking this over ? Well, the answer would be relative to how long he thinks he's going to live. I can continue to elaborate, but if you don't get the picture yet, then I don't think it will help.

 

Just to add to everything that's already been said, a lot of the comparison depends on whether you mean to keep the car exactly stock or not. For example, a C4 can ride any way you want it to: Cadillac plush to race-car harsh. It just depends on the spring/shocks/bushings you install. The softest stock ones were base 1996 cars, I think, and the 84s were criticized for being very harsh. But my 96 is stiffer than any stock Vette by a good bit, because it has aftermarket springs.

Regarding speed comparisons, again it depends on whether you intend to mod it or not. A 1984 C4 is not a fast car stock, while a 1996 LT4 is probably pretty similar to an LS1 C5. But you can have any level of power you want in either car, if you are willing to pay for it or build it. And I would say the same for handling: you can make either generation handle however you want. There is no big reason that C4 can't run with a C5 with certain modifications.

It kind of sounds like you'd want to avoid mods and harshness, as well as the electronic dashes. I'd say go for the latest-year C4 you can find in good condition. If you want an automatic you'll get the LT1, if you are willing to drive a stick you can hold out for the LT4 in a 96. You'll get a plush ride, good power, and mostly analog gauges. Use corvetteronw's advice for ingress/egress. Go try out a few! And good luck with your search.

 

Nobody's business how long he chooses to think it over. We are all in the same position. Expectations of longevity have no bearing on one's anticipated pleasures.

 

When he is soliciting other peoples opinions then it another persons business. If he waits another 30 years he should be buying a c7 or c8, but Ill keep your comment in mind the next time someone tells me they have waited 50% of their entire driving lifetime to make a yes or no decision about buying a particular type of car.

 

Hey, let's go easy here, guys! This is getting out of hand. I think the post was intended to be a note of encouragement! I read it to say: We only get one chance on this Merry-Go-Round, so it's best to enjoy the ride!!
Enjoy!!

 

Yes .... The OP should pick one he likes and buy it .... He's not going to live forever, and that's good advice regardless of what anyone else tells him.

 

I can tell you I wanted a Vette for almost 60 years so though 30 is long it's not as long as I waited. It was family, medical issues and everything else that always got in the way of getting a Vette. Several times I made an offer on one but they always fell through. Well 2 years ago it didn't fall through. I'm having a ball with it, love driving my C4 and wish it has happen years earlier. I've driven vehicles back from Los Angeles to Minnesota, the Vette I drove back from New Mexico and I can drive the Vette further than the others. Ride is good and even the wife didn't complain much. Normally it's every 100 miles or so she says she has to get out and stretch (medical issues) yet in the Vette we averaged 250-350 miles before she said she had to stretch.
It's not the easiest to get in or out of, but it gives me a chance to open the door and help her in and out. For me, I grab the back of the door jam to exit the car.

 

I own both, a 92 vert and a 99 FRC. Completely different cars. I take the 92 to car shows and drive it on nice days. Handles and rides better only because of the after market suspension. The 99 has more power and more interior room. Both of mine are hard to get in and out of because they have both been lowered. Sit in both, drive both and buy what feels right to you. Both are great cars