Steves LS6

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ckType=listing

I was looking online in between appointments and I saw this ZR1 for less than 10k. Too good to be true?

TLS_Addict

If you have to ask it usually is.

You might get lucky though. Go for it.

novaks47

Hard to tell with so few pictures. No interior or underhood pics either. Are they lazy with their listings, or is the interior in horrible condition? Looks clean, but who knows? You'll have to look at it in person to get a better idea. I think the low price is due to the higher mileage. Well, higher than your typical for-sale ZR-1 that is, not particularly high for a C4 in general. It's worth a look at least.

ChumpVette

Car was in CL off and on for a long time. Original owner was high expecting close to 20k if I remember correctly. Car did have some issues.

Steves LS6

I don't have the mechanical skills to save a car like this. I hope it goes to a good home.

81c3

Has 160k miles on it.... BUT, if well maintained, its an LT-5... It could last to 250k... Its the rest of the regular C4 stuff that will need attention... if not maintained in the past. Thats a desirable color... and they only made 502 for the entire 92 model year.

cv67

Thats about all its worth in average condition. No "deal". Lotta miles there....

You dont want to buy a high mi fixer upper Z it will bankrupt you. Guys will say "parts are everywhere"..BS Who through their buddy on a forum? Who has been hoarding over the years?
Sure they did it to give deals....cant go into autozone and start ordering engine parts. Or quarter panels...module, ecm, power switch, the list goes on.

Edit: this guys a car dealer and the best he can do is a few pics of a dirty car? You can figure the rest.
In short hes hiding somethign, lazy, a sleazebag or all the above.

Post in your regional or the Z section here have a member go look at in person for you....lots of members in IL believe me. These guys know thier stuff.

RetroGuy

Something is up with that Vette. With its high mileage and no engine pics, I would be very cautious.

95LT1ZF

Sounds about right.

To answer your question though, all these cars are money pits.

81c3

Thats simply inaccurate information.... a POS is a money pit... A well maintained, lower mile, and cared for C4 is not by any means a money pit. Ive had several like that. My 94 6 speed vert needed nothing at all... 40k miles, 92 ZR-1, needed nothing 45k miles, 93 Ruby, 80k miles, just an opti as a precautionary measure....OTOH.... its a different story when we just want to make changes for the fun factor,... that can become a slippery slope.

ZHammer

Who cares! It’s a freakin ZR1! I would jump on that right now. If it needs repair, who cares. You own a ZR1!! Enough said! Best Vette EVER.

RetroGuy

Looks like this Vette is being sold by a used car business. If this guy wants to sell the car, RUN!

Krusty84

Yes.

pologreen1

IMO a C4 can only be a money pit if you have wiring issues or rebuild/ modify it.

If it is a Z and starts and runs, it is a car for sale that is a Z with higher miles. For me... if the engine is good on a Z the rest is gravy stock GM parts for a C4.

pacoW

+2.

Lookup engine rebuild prices LT1 or 4 vs LT5.

81c3

Oh God.... here we go with the LT-5 horse crap again.... Make sure you also ask around in the LT-5 community on how many engine rebuilds are actually needed...... LT-5s are hand assembled engines with very close tolerances. The GM directive was to produce an engine (the LT-5) that would go to 150k miles without needed anything other than regular oil changes... Please educate yourself before buying, commenting or listening to rhetoric about the LT-5....

pacoW

please educate yourself on how not to be a forum troll.

pologreen1

You are right, the LT-5 is a great example of engineering potential out of a cookie cutter factory setting. That being said, when it comes time to take a C4 "1990-1995 zr1 / LT5" in to a shop in 2019+... You better have some real cash. Many can afford to buy one, start paying a shop to deal with something "exotic" once. No way you are getting out at anywhere near the same price as a regualr car, and for that matter how many shops work on old carb cars anymore? and if they do, would they know their way around an LT5? Could they do it? sure. Would you want a skilled back yard mechanic to do it?

A D44 in a C4 is out of the realm for many shops these days, and even if they are willing to do it is pricey.

A Mercedes is an amazing car, and used they can be had cheap... you know the rest of the story.

LT-5 was proven reliable and is reliable, but things can and do happen to any engine.

I see your point, but to pretend that you just can't expect an engine problem on these is a bold statement. Especially for someone looking at a 9k high mileage example.

856SPEED

Sounds like you are a buyer! Jump on it!

81c3

I agree with you... things can happen. Im not pretending they cant at all.... What I do know is that I am on these forums and the ZR1 Net forum and I really cant remember but 1 or 2 engines that needed a full rebuild or any bottom end work at all.... the most recent one was Rons car... and he was aware of a head gasket leak that turned bad... but he races his cars...

And as far a shop costs...again, I agree... you really shouldn't buy an early Z unless you can do your own work... that said, catastrophic failure on an LT-5 is very rare... The common stuff like a plenum pull for injectors, coils starter etc, is very doable by anyone with a fair set of tools and some common sense.

I think the bold statement is that all C4s are money pits... thats ignorant & pure BS... Ive owned 6 C4s.... not one of them needed anything more than the normal stuff.... the worst needed brake work from sitting allot... Like I said in my first response... You can buy a POS... no maintenance, beat on and not well cared for and it can turn into more than one bargained for...

I would say an LT1 or LT4 or L98 at 160,000 miles might need some work...but even those can run just fine up to and past 200,000 plus miles with regular maintenance.

Just because a car has high mileage on it, doesn't necessarily make it a money pit....