I recently purchased a 90 Vert with approximately 65 k on it. I have already determined that it is going to need a replacement of the ZF6 and replacement of the ABS pump. I have tracked down a decent tranny and pump and the labour is going to be expensive but it is what it is. I guess my question is, is this going to be an ongoing battle? I know I shouldn't go by this site as most people visit because they are having problems but it seems like there is always something with these cars. I had a Fiat Spider for 20 years and had very little trouble with it and it was so easy to work on I did a lot of the work myself. I recently had to give up the Fiat and lost my garage and tools due to a divorce. It is also difficult to find any local mechanics to work on a Vette and the garages that specialize in them are swamped. Are there any Vette owners on here that go long periods of time without requiring repairs to their cars or is that just the reality of owning a C4. I absolutely love driving it and realize it's ten time the car the Spider was but I'm hoping I can afford to keep it!

 

It’s a 30 year old car. There will always be something. But once big items are done, it is usually just small items that need care. But based upon your spelling it looks like you are not in the states, so yea, it will be a special kind of a pain in the *** servicing and getting parts.

 

Good eye on the spelling, I should have left the u out of labour I guess. Parts will not be an issue as I am quite close to Toronto and we have a few on lines that handle vette parts, and the prices are fairly reasonable. The labour on the other hand is an issue as going rate is more than 100 an hour and difficult to get in as they are so busy. I've had a lot of muscle cars in the past and always wanted a Vette, guess I'll just have to hope for the best.

 

I agree with Chump. Once you get the car sorted out, it more than likely won’t be a money pit. Good luck

 

Surprised to hear, I got my 95 with 13k miles, and have about 140k now. I daily drove it for years, and have never had any major issues, none with the drive train, and the XF6 is as good as it has ever been.

How do you know it is bad? What was it doing?

 

Good to hear you have had such good luck with yours, hopefully mine will be the same once I get it sorted out. After talking to Bill at ZF doc it appears I have a linkage problem and an internal problem with reverse as it will just barely go in and requires quite a tug. Fixing the existing tranny would be cost prohibitive especially with shipping so i found a good used black label one.

 

Once you get the drive train (and suspension too) sorted, you should be in good shape! I've driven my 90 on several road trips - put 40k on 'er since I bought it. Never for a moment feared of breaking down (knock on wood!). But, "getting it sorted" is the key. You need a Factory Service Manual (i.e., "FSM"), a quality volt/ohm meter and a basic metric socket set w/ extensions - all in your travel bag (don't for get the WD-40 and duct tape!*) and you should be good to go!

*universal repair kit: If it doesn't move, but should: use the WD-40. If it moves, but shouldn't: use the duct tape! (kidding of course)

 

What was wrong with the transmission? Frequently the transmission is blamed for hydraulic issues. Perhaps you have already gone through the diagnosis and it is the trans. It can happen that a ZF is bad, but it generally is a very strong transmission that lasts.

I have had 7 C4's. 1 auto (88), 2 4+3's (85,87), 4 ZF's (94,94,95,96). Combined I have driven them several 100k miles including many over 1k mile days and a some of them as daily drivers. They have been very reliable for me and I have not had any major repairs needed.

The biggest thing was a new clutch but that was due to the previous owner messing up on installing a flywheel and clutch that was bad. Other than that I have had very minor repairs like replacing the front lower air dam, replacing the bushing?/buttons? in the headlamp rotating assy, radio antenna that wouldn't go all the way down, and a few other similar items most of which were under $20.

Most of what I have done is modifications that were not needed, but I enjoy working on it and making it the way I want it. Things like exhaust, wheels/tires, better brakes, heavier shocks, bigger sway bars, additional tops so I have solid and glass, etc.

If you have issues with yours, I also agree that a factory service manual is the best source (paper costs more, but on a CD is only about $20). There is a lot of info on this forum and people that are willing to share info to help out, so ask if you have questions.

Good luck

 

Check the car over thoroughly, or have that done by somebody who knows what they're looking at if you don't. Make a list of everything that truly needs to have money thrown at it, then total up those costs. Make a second list of everything that you could throw money at, but wouldn't need to do in order to be satisfied with continuing to own and enjoy the car, then total up those costs. Budget some extra funds for things that aren't apparent now, but might require attention over the course of the next year or two, and add those to the two previous sub-totals. After you've done this analysis, decide whether you care about being upside-down in terms of having more cash tied up in the car than you could retrieve by selling it, and if so, what your threshold for pain is in that regard. When you've done these things, you'll have your answer.

Nobody should buy any Corvette with the expectation that they'll break even or come out ahead when total cost of ownership is calculated. A few might, but the vast majority will not. Anybody who will feel pain if they spend more on a Corvette than they'll ever recover shouldn't even consider buying one. These toys shouldn't be regarded as investments in anything other than pleasure, and that will from time to time be offset my the displeasure of dealing with problems when they develop. It's all part of the terrain, and if that isn't the sort of landscape that appeals to you, find greener pastures elsewhere.

Live well,

SJW

 

Well I definitely don' t plan on making money off of it as I will own it for a long time. I got the colour combination I was looking for as well as the convertible I wanted. Because of this I am willing to invest some money into it.

 

Okay then. Sounds as though your head is in the right place about this. Check the car over thoroughly, sum the anticipated costs, and make your decision whether to stick with what you have or cut and run. Should be pretty easy, since you're clearly not worried about being upside-down, and have found the car you were looking for. Unless you're staring down costs that are getting into the scary-high realm, fix 'er up and enjoy the ride. Sounds as though it has the potential to be a very nice car.

Best of luck with it.

Live well,

SJW

 

Hey guys thanks for all the input. Around here there are very few c4's available so when I found one I really liked that was certified/safety checked I made an offer and got it. I get that there will be issues with a 30 year old car with this level of technology. I just get nervous when I read about all the problems people have on here but that's what the site is all about.