So i've been thinking, I want to save for the 89 6 speed I want and get it as soon as possible, but at 18 years old (I'll be atleast 19 when I buy it) is it really worth buying? I want to take good care of the car, like I do everything I own, but I don't want this car sitting outside, I don't even like the truck sitting outside.

Making the money I do make working full time at my age, isn't very much. So my question is, if I can't treat the car the way i'd like to (no it wouldn't be a garage queen or show car, just a well taken care of car that doesn't sit outside) should I even get it? I mean I want it, but it's tough to weigh my options, it's just another bill but it's a fun car that i'll enjoy having, pretty much all of you guys here are older then me so i'm asking for some advice, thanks

 

From what you are saying I would hold off. Why spend the money and then have the vette sit outside. I know I would want it sitting inside and if it was not that would go from being a fun car to a possible cause for worry. A lot can change quickly in your young life like getting with someone-moving into an apartment-kids etc.

I would hold off until you are stabalized with a residence that has a garage and the funds to have a car like a C4 vette. Just my 2 cents but you are already saying you would want it parked inside so that tells me you are not going to love having it sit out in the elements everyday etc.

 

Thank you, i agree, just looking to see what others think

 

We were all in your shoes once. The sensible thing to tell you is to buy a Honda or some other economy car. This car is 27+ years old and it will have problems. All 27+ cars will. I would suggest the above as you don't have a lot of pocket money, tools, or maybe even a place to work on it or the skills necessary to wrench on it yourself. Basically as you are just starting out. This is the best honest advice I can offer you.

Further I suggest you join the military, get yourself squared away, Physically, Mentally and Financially. Save your money and buy the best corvette you can afford. Look into the education benefit provided to Soldiers, Sailors and Marines get your college degree etc.

However YOLO If it feels right do it.

GC

 

Nobody knows your situation, your finances and your ability better than you do. These are 30 year old cars and they take a lot of work. Everything breaks and vette parts are expansive.

You should go buy a Honda civic, but frankly we all should. There's no reason for Corvettes to even exist, except that practical is boring. We're finite beings and we're only here a short time, so we want to have a little fun before we go. It's very human and corvettes are good for the soul.

You know what you can do and what you can and can't afford. The one thing we know for sure is: If you decide you are getting into a corvette for cheap? It's gonna be a C4.

If you don't have a garage and tools, it is going to be much harder. Simple jobs in an equipped shop become absolute nightmares in your driveway. But I see guys do it every day and they are happy to! This is a question you already have the answer to. No one else can answer it for you.

I've spent a fortune on my car, but I have friends who spend a fortune on their hobbies too.

One thing I would suggest is: If you decide to do it, make it strictly a second vehicle. So it can sit, guilt free, till time and money allow you to work on it.

Good luck. I followed your other thread, BTW. I liked your project.

 

Thank you the corvette would be my second vehicle as I have a daily driver that I trust, and it's a truck that I won't sell as it was my grandfathers, so that changes some things. I do almost any work on my vehicles that I can, to the best of my abilitys.

I think i'll stay away from another corvette for a while as I'm not even happy with the truck sitting outside, I'd prefer my vehicles in a garage, but I do want a car to tinker with...so this is where things get complicated, i'll be spending money either way, so buy a cheap beater to learn on and drive manual (mine was an auto) or save up and buy the vette however long that takes?

I'll be honest, I consider myself pretty patient for my age compared to others, but I don't think I can push back having something to have fun with for atleast a few years, if not even longer then that. I'm trying to have fun before I have too much responsibility, meaning housing wise, space wise, family wise, and financially wise.

 

Now i'm not sure if you guys saw my post about the red geo metro that I wanted to buy in the off topic forum about a month or so ago, now I know it would be frowned upon but i'm definitely drawn to these cars, just find them unique.

I was thinking something like this to tinker around with and get 3x better gas mileage then the truck, I could register it as a classic and put classic plates on, this car would cost me pretty much nothing... the biggest worry about THIS one specifically is the hole in the frame, considering to go look at it. Geo metro's are pretty well broken down at this point and in my area, very badly rusted, this is one of the nicer ones for sale on craigslist in my area. He seems to have another metro in the background of the picture.

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/5809099868.html

 

I agree with the advice to join the military. BUT do not let the recruiter push you into some low level job. If your scores are OK and you have a fairly clean record then have them train you for a medical job.
If you choose something like a Radiographer (Xray) then you can usually work at an off-base clinic part time to bring in some more cash.
Ask about any military school where they will give you a signing bonus and pay you E-5 pay during the training. Then when you finish your time on active duty you can join a Reserve or Guard unit and pull down 4 days pay for each weekend you serve. It is a sweet deal
PM me if you decide to go this route. I spent time as a draftee but then joined the Reserves where they sent me to a school where I learned my life-long career. I also spent time as a reenlistment NCO where I had access and contact with the local recruiters. Don't let these "used car salesmen" screw you over.
By the way - 80% of the military never sees combat as they are service support troops. You can end up overseas but the good times eventually make up for the bad.

 

It's a nearly 30 year old chevy, I wouldn't lose sleep about keeping it outside. Odds are it's been out there before.

 

The deadly circle of adulthood:

Can't get a good job w/o a decent degree
Can't get a decent degree w/o a good job! FML right lol

I was in your situation a few years ago. You'll be all right even if you use a C4 as a second vehicle or hell even a third. Why? Total upfront monetary cost

Truck: free to you I'm guessing, just gotta maintain it
Well-maintained C4: $7-9 k, say $12k after taxes, registration, maybe new tires, weatherstripping, maybe 1-2k in work you can't do yourself
Cheap but Reliable econobox: $6-10k

Max upfront cost = 0 + 12 + 6 or 10 = 18-22k

18/19 year olds can afford $18-22k in total costs/amount financed. They do it all the time bc that's about the price of a first new car after taxes, fees, interest etc Now, I do not recommend a brand new car or 3 cars for someone who can't make much above min wage, also not saying its for full time students (if you decide to go to school) I'm just saying that its affordable, its doable if you spread out the pmts enough and dont blow money on girls and useless crap.

Will you have the time to work on fixing smaller problems? Honestly, you will unless you become an entrepreneur/start your own biz or do work & school full time. If there's somethin you can't fix yourself, its a great idea to at least diagnose so mechanics don't try to rip you off.

I'm actually in a situation pretty similar to yours but more short on time than money. It wasn't the best time for a Vette but I love the car. I can barely find the time to give it a proper detail but I squeeze in the TLC when I can. I also sometimes don't drive it for a couple weeks but when I do, I soak up the nice drive.

Most important thing right now tho' is to decide on what you want to do: reg school, trade school, military, just work, move out of parents or not, etc. THEN decide on the Vette. Can't even think about a Vette and garage-situation before deciding on that. Oh.. Don't get a Geo bro lol If you need an econobox, get a tried and true econobox ie Civic, Corolla, etc Oh and don't have a kid anytime soon! I'm still kid-free haha

 

See what it costs to store it somewhere inside. If I were you, I'd do it. But I'm 21, and that's probably not the best advice.

 

haha at least you're straightforward!

 

Military is not a bad choice at all. Traveling on the rich uncle is a great way to see the world too.

The sensible thing, don't buy a Vette at your age. Save up, stay at home and do nothing.

Now, real world here....

You only live once. As far as I know. I am a banker by trade and I think I have seen every single financial situation one can dream up. I have seen very intelligent people get themselves so far over their heads, it would blow your mind.

So regardless of what you decide, make sure you have enough reserves saved up to afford the car. Plan on their being repairs and problems with the car.

I have two Vettes, so take the rest with a grain of salt. I bought my first vette 1986 when I was 25. That was 20+ years ago. At the time, it was a struggle to keep it along with my truck. But I went home and saw that sucker sitting at my place and was inspired every single day. Thats the mark of being infected with the car virus btw. No cure, just understand you may have it!!

There are so many worse things to dump or blow your money on IMO. Having a Corvette hobby can get ahead of you, but it can also be a great way to reward yourself and have a great deal of fun.

Some of the best people I have ever met in my life (47 btw) have been car guys and Corvette guys. So most of us understand. I am betting that there are a lot of us on here who have spent more than they planned or more than they should on their hot rod. But having a passion that drives you can also be a total positive. Which it has been to me in my life.

That being said, keep it in perspective at all times. When I had my girls, these cars became expendable if needed. My race car became a garage queen for a few years. Never let these cars run you out of house and home. Ive seen that with a few of my race buddies and its not pretty. Remember that your future, your future family and long term goals for your life are more important.

If you can fit a corvette in there responsibly, then do it. If you can't or your unsure, you are probably not ready to take the plunge. Thats ok. I was once told by my father when I was 16 and dying to buy a car that I couldnt afford, "There is always another car..."

No matter how cool it is or how rare it seems, there is always another one somewhere.

Good luck

 

Thanks for the advice guy's I appreciate it

 

Step back from the keyboard and get off craigslist. A 20 year old Geo is not the way to go. I will differ from most here and say go for it. Life has a habit of getting in the way, next thing you know you are 40 and wondering WTF happened. Sitting outside will not kill the Vette, heck my 89 Vert and 68 Caprice both do. If the C4 is a little two expensive right now look into other cars. I just bought a 86 Fiero 2M6 and love it. 4spd, V6 enough power to have fun with and handling that is fun on just about every turn. You could probably bag a decent one under $5k. If you are living check to check the last thing you need is a project car, but if you do have some extra cash just do it.

 

If he could spend $5k on a Fiero he could easily get into a stick shift C4... But I agree with him overall, life is too short to drive boring cars. You could be dead in 3 weeks. Plan for the future, but enjoy today.

 

Very true, but I think dollar for dollar you could get a cleaner Fiero or something similar. The best one in the world can't be worth more than $10-12k, while a $5k C4 will probably have issues.

 

Life is too short. If you look at the numbers another way, like potential loss, if you had to sell an unmodified C4 for any reason you'd lose like 1-2k tops if you bought a good one for 7-9k. The depreciation has been all absorbed by all the previous owners. One of the main reasons I said *uck it and got mine

 

Corvette is pure indulgence. There is zero practicality in owning a gas swilling hot rod on public roads, even with the current (temporary) bargain at the pump.

Most of us here are older than you for a reason. We waited until the time was right to indulge our fantasy. I've wanted a Corvette since I first laid eyes on one in 1966, but I bought mine last year. I've got 40 years on you.

This is going to come off harsh, so I apologize in advance. You haven't the skills or the money, or you would still be driving your first Corvette. Buyers remorse over the automatic was just an excuse, IMO.

I suggest buying yourself a 1/10th scale R/C Corvette and keep driving your grandpa's truck.

 

There's a REASON so many Corvette drivers have gray hair!! Most of us had to resolve the other priorities of life before we could indulge our passions.

Well, with that said, at your age, I bought what I could afford, and I can tell ya that hot-rodding that ol chevy was the begging of my acquaintance with the many aspects of maintaining my (future dream) Corvette, and assembling the tools to work on it. Priceless experience!

Also, the military option might be a very good option for many reasons, besides learning a valuable skill that will launch your career for the working part of your life; home, wife, kids..."life"! But, did I mention that most military bases also have garages with lifts and tools and plenty of car nuts around to help and advise...all for FREE? Just a thought.

If you don't have a garage, then spend a few bucks for a good car cover; waterproof, if possible (many are NOT).

It's always good advise to buy the newest car you can possibly afford. Not that a C4 would not make a fine learning experience (and a LOT of fun to drive), but a C5, or C6 would have readily available parts at reasonable prices. Just a thought.

Good luck w/ your life. Welcome to the hobby!!