Potential First C4 Corvette Purchase - Opinions/Feedback?
11-09-2017, 12:52 PM
#1
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Potential First C4 Corvette Purchase - Opinions/Feedback?
Hi all,
I've had a strong love for Corvettes my whole life and am finally looking to purchase one, specifically one of the earlier era C4s. I've only owned Mustangs throughout my driving life so I was hoping to get some input/opinions/feedback on what to expect and what to look for as well as some general advice on how big a factor things like mileage, etc. can be when shopping for one. Would it also be realistic for me to use this as a daily driver or would it be more reliable as a weekend warrior? In reality, I don't drive all that much aside from to the gym, as I work from home, so will probably be putting on less than 5 miles a day if that.
It's pretty difficult for me to find any in acceptable condition around me, but I did come across this listing on CL and would love to hear some of your thoughts on it (fair price? mileage decent? condition ok?) :
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto...309475753.html
Thanks ahead of time for any help! Very much appreciated.
I've had a strong love for Corvettes my whole life and am finally looking to purchase one, specifically one of the earlier era C4s. I've only owned Mustangs throughout my driving life so I was hoping to get some input/opinions/feedback on what to expect and what to look for as well as some general advice on how big a factor things like mileage, etc. can be when shopping for one. Would it also be realistic for me to use this as a daily driver or would it be more reliable as a weekend warrior? In reality, I don't drive all that much aside from to the gym, as I work from home, so will probably be putting on less than 5 miles a day if that.
It's pretty difficult for me to find any in acceptable condition around me, but I did come across this listing on CL and would love to hear some of your thoughts on it (fair price? mileage decent? condition ok?) :
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto...309475753.html
Thanks ahead of time for any help! Very much appreciated.
11-09-2017, 01:17 PM
#2
Budget?
There are c4 corvettes and there are c4 ZR1 Corvettes, and Grand sports.
ZR1 and GS matter, the rest are drivers IMO.
You can get either of those for 15K and up for a decent start.
A basic c4 iis going for junk up to 12K depending on years, and condition.
There are c4 corvettes and there are c4 ZR1 Corvettes, and Grand sports.
ZR1 and GS matter, the rest are drivers IMO.
You can get either of those for 15K and up for a decent start.
A basic c4 iis going for junk up to 12K depending on years, and condition.
Last edited by pologreen1; 11-09-2017 at 01:18 PM.
11-09-2017, 01:18 PM
#3
You have asked some pretty subjective questions so I will do my best to answer with my opinion so take it for what it's worth.
I used to be a big Mustang guy myself. The C4 Corvette it a completely different animal. It will do much more then go in a straight line. I do not regret getting rid of my Mustang and getting my 86 C4 at all. I am having way more fun in the Vette.
The short answer to driving the C4 is Yes. I drive my 86 with 146K miles on it every day unless there is show on the ground. I firmly believe that these cars are made to drive. With that said these cars are all approaching 32 years old so they will break. If you can do the repair work yourself then they are reasonably cheap and easy to fix. If you are paying someone to do it then it can get expensive and as long as you are prepared for that then you will be fine. I do all of my own work so fixing up my car was no problem and I had a higher tolerance of condition vs price. For me OK condition and screaming cheap price was what I wanted. I paid 3K for mine. It had a nice interior a cheap Maco crap paint job and ran sort of OK. I spent some $$ to go through it and fix all of the little mechanical issues and caught up on maintenance and it runs like a top and is extremely reliable. Other people's results may vary. I recommend buying the best car you can afford. I would not be afraid of the L98 (the TPI cars are L98 like the one in your example ad) cars that have over 100K miles on them as long as they are in good repair overall. The L98 is known for running forever. The later LT1 engines are almost as reliable as the L98 except for the opti spark that can be a PITA. Like I said my L98 has 146K miles on it and I have only had to change the injectors and timing chain and do regular tune up stuff. I beat mine mercilessly with high RPM on the autoX track every chance I get in addition to driving it daily.
The car you listed in your question looks very nice and may be a good one to start with. Pictures can look real nice on the web and it can be a real POS in person so make sure you give it a thorough assessment in person. The cosmetics on that car appear to be in order so don't let a nice looking car get you emotionally blind and have it be a mechanical turd. Don't be afraid to pass on a car that just has a little nagging feeling in your gut. There are plenty of real nice C4's out there for good prices. As for the price in your example it seems OK. That is about what nice examples are going for out here in Colorado. I would think that you could get it for a bit cheaper standing in front of the guy with a handful of Hondo's. There will be people that will point out that they can buy them in better shape for 3K in their neck of the woods but that comes with it's own risk. You end up buying sight unseen and then pay big shipping fees to find out that the great deal wasn't really so great after all. Be patient and find a car within a comfortable distance from you that you can go and personally assess the car.
And if all else fails... This Forum is full of great people that will be happy to help you through any issues that may come up along the way.
Best of luck on your search.
I used to be a big Mustang guy myself. The C4 Corvette it a completely different animal. It will do much more then go in a straight line. I do not regret getting rid of my Mustang and getting my 86 C4 at all. I am having way more fun in the Vette.
The short answer to driving the C4 is Yes. I drive my 86 with 146K miles on it every day unless there is show on the ground. I firmly believe that these cars are made to drive. With that said these cars are all approaching 32 years old so they will break. If you can do the repair work yourself then they are reasonably cheap and easy to fix. If you are paying someone to do it then it can get expensive and as long as you are prepared for that then you will be fine. I do all of my own work so fixing up my car was no problem and I had a higher tolerance of condition vs price. For me OK condition and screaming cheap price was what I wanted. I paid 3K for mine. It had a nice interior a cheap Maco crap paint job and ran sort of OK. I spent some $$ to go through it and fix all of the little mechanical issues and caught up on maintenance and it runs like a top and is extremely reliable. Other people's results may vary. I recommend buying the best car you can afford. I would not be afraid of the L98 (the TPI cars are L98 like the one in your example ad) cars that have over 100K miles on them as long as they are in good repair overall. The L98 is known for running forever. The later LT1 engines are almost as reliable as the L98 except for the opti spark that can be a PITA. Like I said my L98 has 146K miles on it and I have only had to change the injectors and timing chain and do regular tune up stuff. I beat mine mercilessly with high RPM on the autoX track every chance I get in addition to driving it daily.
The car you listed in your question looks very nice and may be a good one to start with. Pictures can look real nice on the web and it can be a real POS in person so make sure you give it a thorough assessment in person. The cosmetics on that car appear to be in order so don't let a nice looking car get you emotionally blind and have it be a mechanical turd. Don't be afraid to pass on a car that just has a little nagging feeling in your gut. There are plenty of real nice C4's out there for good prices. As for the price in your example it seems OK. That is about what nice examples are going for out here in Colorado. I would think that you could get it for a bit cheaper standing in front of the guy with a handful of Hondo's. There will be people that will point out that they can buy them in better shape for 3K in their neck of the woods but that comes with it's own risk. You end up buying sight unseen and then pay big shipping fees to find out that the great deal wasn't really so great after all. Be patient and find a car within a comfortable distance from you that you can go and personally assess the car.
And if all else fails... This Forum is full of great people that will be happy to help you through any issues that may come up along the way.
Best of luck on your search.
11-09-2017, 01:19 PM
#4
Melting Slicks
Hi all,
I've had a strong love for Corvettes my whole life and am finally looking to purchase one, specifically one of the earlier era C4s. I've only owned Mustangs throughout my driving life so I was hoping to get some input/opinions/feedback on what to expect and what to look for as well as some general advice on how big a factor things like mileage, etc. can be when shopping for one. Would it also be realistic for me to use this as a daily driver or would it be more reliable as a weekend warrior? In reality, I don't drive all that much aside from to the gym, as I work from home, so will probably be putting on less than 5 miles a day if that.
It's pretty difficult for me to find any in acceptable condition around me, but I did come across this listing on CL and would love to hear some of your thoughts on it (fair price? mileage decent? condition ok?) :
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto...309475753.html
Thanks ahead of time for any help! Very much appreciated.
I've had a strong love for Corvettes my whole life and am finally looking to purchase one, specifically one of the earlier era C4s. I've only owned Mustangs throughout my driving life so I was hoping to get some input/opinions/feedback on what to expect and what to look for as well as some general advice on how big a factor things like mileage, etc. can be when shopping for one. Would it also be realistic for me to use this as a daily driver or would it be more reliable as a weekend warrior? In reality, I don't drive all that much aside from to the gym, as I work from home, so will probably be putting on less than 5 miles a day if that.
It's pretty difficult for me to find any in acceptable condition around me, but I did come across this listing on CL and would love to hear some of your thoughts on it (fair price? mileage decent? condition ok?) :
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto...309475753.html
Thanks ahead of time for any help! Very much appreciated.
Looks like it has a lot of desirable options. Z51 is very desirable if the system is working well. I love the polished rims too. It having a clean carfax and maintenance records is a plus too. If you don't live close maybe you can get a forum member to check it out for you? Good find.
11-09-2017, 04:16 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
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C4 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
While I am a LT1 guy not a L98 guy; here is what I like about the example that you listed:
Looks like the seller is the Original Owner.
He has all maintenance receipts since new (this is a very good sign. I've got all my maintenance receipts in a thick folder for the past 100K)
He has the two volume factory service manuals.
The interior does look nice.
In my view this is a car worth looking at. For the way it is described it's a very fair price.
If you are new to C4 corvettes I urge you to drive 4 or 5 of them prior to purchasing. That way you know how a well maintained one drives and feels vs those that have not been maintained. I will pay more $$ to a private owner with maintenance receipts that to one on a used car lot
Looks like the seller is the Original Owner.
He has all maintenance receipts since new (this is a very good sign. I've got all my maintenance receipts in a thick folder for the past 100K)
He has the two volume factory service manuals.
The interior does look nice.
In my view this is a car worth looking at. For the way it is described it's a very fair price.
If you are new to C4 corvettes I urge you to drive 4 or 5 of them prior to purchasing. That way you know how a well maintained one drives and feels vs those that have not been maintained. I will pay more $$ to a private owner with maintenance receipts that to one on a used car lot
11-09-2017, 07:10 PM
#7
Melting Slicks
Looks like a clean car, i'd jump on it at that price to be honest, if you can get it any cheaper than that even better! If you go and look at the car and anything makes you think twice, take a picture and show us, we're all happy to help!
11-09-2017, 08:20 PM
#8
Race Director
That car looks like a creampuff. Like the sort of car the first person to see it in.person pays full asking rice clean. Both tops, stick shift, fantastic paint, good price... why haven't you bought it yet?
11-09-2017, 08:41 PM
#9
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St. Jude Donor '05
Lot of $ for an 88 and not a low miler BUT it certainly looks the part of a well cared for and maintained C4. in the long run youre ahead of the game paying more now for a nice example than a cheap fixer. Not that many in that good of shape. Someone took care of that one.
11-09-2017, 10:25 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
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That looks like a good find. If it were me, Id make an appointment to see and drive it..... If the condition is comparable to what the owners description is, that looks like a decent deal to me. Feel out the owner and make sure he/she is not F.O.S. and an honest person... IMO, that has some bearing on my decision to buy or not. 
11-10-2017, 07:57 AM
#11
Le Mans Master
As everyone else has mention that's a nice looking C4 you found on CF. As for a DD, I prefer weekend warrior, insurance will be cheaper if you stay under a certain yearly mileage (at least with my insurance company) and it just seems more enjoyable to go out for a drive when you're not driving it everyday, plus the car will last longer.
11-10-2017, 09:32 AM
#13
Melting Slicks
The pictures look good, but look at pictures critically. I also want to know when the pictures were taken. Your in CA so you should be able to tell if the registration stickers are the current color.
Issues I see:
PCV hose appears to be just off the roll hose not the factory preformed hose.
Didn't bother to take part number sticker off the radiator hose. (My OCD is showing).
Just wonder how you spend $8K on maintenance and cheap out 10 bucks on a hose.
Last thought is know how a 4+3 should work and test it completely. There not the easiest thing to fix or get part for. I know some here love them, but I didn't even look at anything with that transmission.
One bonus is the manual HVAC control. Less to break there.
Hey, someone had to be the cynic.
Issues I see:
PCV hose appears to be just off the roll hose not the factory preformed hose.
Didn't bother to take part number sticker off the radiator hose. (My OCD is showing).
Just wonder how you spend $8K on maintenance and cheap out 10 bucks on a hose.
Last thought is know how a 4+3 should work and test it completely. There not the easiest thing to fix or get part for. I know some here love them, but I didn't even look at anything with that transmission.
One bonus is the manual HVAC control. Less to break there.
Hey, someone had to be the cynic.
11-10-2017, 12:22 PM
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Thanks for all responses and input guys! Some very helpful stuff here, appreciate it all.
I got into contact w/the seller and here's a little more info on the car:
-Current seller is the 3rd owner of the car
-Stated the only issues are the antenna mast needs to be installed (which he has) and the electronic overdrive switch for the button on the shifter needs to be replaced (Claims parts/labor would run ~$300 but they never did it bc O.D. still works, just "can't be controlled manually - kicks in and out of O.D. like a passing gear"
Now the antenna mast doesn't seem that big of a deal to me as the issue with the O.D. - I know belairbrian up there stated that they may not be the easiest hiccup to handle so if anyone could shed a little more light on how major or minor this particular problem may be, that'd be great. I'm planning to take a thorough look at the car this weekend but am keeping my options open!
Thanks again for the help everyone
I got into contact w/the seller and here's a little more info on the car:
-Current seller is the 3rd owner of the car
-Stated the only issues are the antenna mast needs to be installed (which he has) and the electronic overdrive switch for the button on the shifter needs to be replaced (Claims parts/labor would run ~$300 but they never did it bc O.D. still works, just "can't be controlled manually - kicks in and out of O.D. like a passing gear"
Now the antenna mast doesn't seem that big of a deal to me as the issue with the O.D. - I know belairbrian up there stated that they may not be the easiest hiccup to handle so if anyone could shed a little more light on how major or minor this particular problem may be, that'd be great. I'm planning to take a thorough look at the car this weekend but am keeping my options open!
Thanks again for the help everyone
11-10-2017, 12:30 PM
#15
Le Mans Master
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Thanks for all responses and input guys! Some very helpful stuff here, appreciate it all.
I got into contact w/the seller and here's a little more info on the car:
-Current seller is the 3rd owner of the car
-Stated the only issues are the antenna mast needs to be installed (which he has) and the electronic overdrive switch for the button on the shifter needs to be replaced (Claims parts/labor would run ~$300 but they never did it bc O.D. still works, just "can't be controlled manually - kicks in and out of O.D. like a passing gear"
Now the antenna mast doesn't seem that big of a deal to me as the issue with the O.D. - I know belairbrian up there stated that they may not be the easiest hiccup to handle so if anyone could shed a little more light on how major or minor this particular problem may be, that'd be great. I'm planning to take a thorough look at the car this weekend but am keeping my options open!
Thanks again for the help everyone
I got into contact w/the seller and here's a little more info on the car:
-Current seller is the 3rd owner of the car
-Stated the only issues are the antenna mast needs to be installed (which he has) and the electronic overdrive switch for the button on the shifter needs to be replaced (Claims parts/labor would run ~$300 but they never did it bc O.D. still works, just "can't be controlled manually - kicks in and out of O.D. like a passing gear"
Now the antenna mast doesn't seem that big of a deal to me as the issue with the O.D. - I know belairbrian up there stated that they may not be the easiest hiccup to handle so if anyone could shed a little more light on how major or minor this particular problem may be, that'd be great. I'm planning to take a thorough look at the car this weekend but am keeping my options open!
Thanks again for the help everyone
11-10-2017, 12:37 PM
#16
Melting Slicks
11-10-2017, 01:04 PM
#17
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11-10-2017, 08:03 PM
#19
Race Director
Those wouldn't worry me. If in just spent 8 grand on necessary upkeep, a 300 dollar switch I don't use wouldn't be at the top of my priorities either.
11-10-2017, 08:43 PM
#20
Le Mans Master
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At least he didnt say "what.... I didnt know my 4 speed had a filter" 
I think the general consensus is every 10k for the filter and fluid... Best bet is to drive it.
Also, I agree with FAUEE... I spent about $8k on my car... lil more than that plus refresh on a few things, but my tape player doesnt work and my antenna sometimes stops about 2" from full close position.... some of my seat controls for the bolsters are inop.... none of those things say my car is a POS or not been maintained....
My best advice is to drive it if you can and at the very least, if you like how it runs and drives, get it to a garage and have a look underneath the car. Look for leaks and any damage.
If its all good, use the OD switch and the fact that you will need a transmission service as a bargaining chip and offer $7500. and call it a day.....
I think the general consensus is every 10k for the filter and fluid... Best bet is to drive it.Also, I agree with FAUEE... I spent about $8k on my car... lil more than that plus refresh on a few things, but my tape player doesnt work and my antenna sometimes stops about 2" from full close position.... some of my seat controls for the bolsters are inop.... none of those things say my car is a POS or not been maintained....
My best advice is to drive it if you can and at the very least, if you like how it runs and drives, get it to a garage and have a look underneath the car. Look for leaks and any damage.
If its all good, use the OD switch and the fact that you will need a transmission service as a bargaining chip and offer $7500. and call it a day.....