Hello everyone
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4th Gear
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 4
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Hello everyone
New user here and first post, I don’t own a Corvette yet at the moment but I see myself as a future owner to what many people refer to as the C4 corvette generation but I don’t know which year to buy exactly, how much I should pay for one, and how much I should pay for the condition that the vehicle is in.
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I’m going to move this over to C4 General where the members there can share some advice on the C4 generation. My advice is to get the newest, lowest mileage C4 that your budget allows. I had an ‘84, ‘89, ‘94 and a ‘95 and enjoyed the LT-1 motor in the latter years of the C4 run. Of course, then there was the LT-4 motor in the ‘96 (one year only offering) that was underrated in terms of power.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,808
Likes: 580
From: Mays Landing, NJ
Welcome to the community as a whole and the great decision you are making to wanting a C4. Great group here so feel free to ask and gain knowledge on any aspects of the C4.s that will help you make an informed decision.
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Oct 2021
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- Are their any common issues I should be looking out for when driving an c4? If so are they a potential deal breaker?
- Are there any model years that you recommend over the other?
- How much should the price of a “acceptable” c4 model be going for and where should I look for them? I live in Georgia (US) and the prices don’t seem reasonable for their condition Online, I think my only realistic option is shipping from another state as a last resort
- Are they relatively “easy” to repair/maintain, or modify? I see myself in the future doing simple bolt-ons and maybe eventually forced induction.
- How much of a gas hog is the 5.7? My plans for the vehicle is daily driving and looking good while doing It
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
I’m going to move this over to C4 General where the members there can share some advice on the C4 generation. My advice is to get the newest, lowest mileage C4 that your budget allows. I had an ‘84, ‘89, ‘94 and a ‘95 and enjoyed the LT-1 motor in the latter years of the C4 run. Of course, then there was the LT-4 motor in the ‘96 (one year only offering) that was underrated in terms of power.
Last edited by Ididitfordarock; Oct 25, 2021 at 11:22 PM. Reason: Typos
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,808
Likes: 580
From: Mays Landing, NJ
I found the L98 in the 91 I had to be a great motor, but I'm unaware of any widespread head gasket failures. For the two years I had it the only repairs I had to make were a few sensors. Always started immediately both summer and winter. Also ran strong and smooth throughout the RPM range. The 95 I currently have has the LT1 which is 300hp as opposed to 245 of the L98. the 92 through 96 has the optispark which if you do a search will find lots of info on. The later year Opti cars have an improved (vented) opti. When you are looking to buy a car that is 26 and more years old you are bound to find plenty of things to spend your money.
My advise is to take your time to find the best example at the lowest price and reach out to the members here with any questions that may pop up along the way of your search.
My advise is to take your time to find the best example at the lowest price and reach out to the members here with any questions that may pop up along the way of your search.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1,315
Likes: 385
From: Northern California
Look for a car that's well cared for. I feel that a well-cared-for 1989 (like mine) is probably a safer bet than a '95 that has poor maintenance and run in salt road / brine conditions where the car has been beaten near death with corrosion. Like many things in life; It Depends. See what you find, consider condition, consider your ability to either repair problems yourself or pay for mechanics to do it instead, and then choose the car when you think you've found the right one For You.
Any C4 is going to be a lot of potential work and/or little irritating problems that can be fixed. But they are awesome cars to drive and they have some things that are really well setup for maintenance (like a fully opening clam shell hood which gives you easy access to everything up front). But the right car at the right price is a joy dude.....
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 942
Likes: 243
From: Fruita CO
Welcome to the forum! It is the best place for Corvette info on the net. As already stated, buy the best car you can afford. Do you have tools, ability and a dry garage to make necessary repairs and improvements? Great if you do, but if you will have to take the car to a mechanic and pay upwards of $100 per hour to get it repaired, its going to get expensive.A lot of the C4s I see on the different internet sale sites are in Florida. Good luck with your search!
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Central Pennsylvannia
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Depending on your budget, 84 cars are reasonable, but the cross fire injection motors can be problematic. the 84 car was the most produced.
85 to 88 cars are all similair with minor changes the big one is the L98 tuned port injection engine, very good engine, un-touched they put out about 235 to 240 HP
89 to 96 cars had the ZF 6spd which was less problematic than the previous years Doug Nash 4+3, 4 speed but there are plenty of them that were AOK
92-96 got the LT1 engine, producing 300 HP, newer interior and dash upgrades,
For the most bang for your buck probably the best produced cars for the C4 generation were 94-96 alot of the gremlins had been worked out of the car by then.
this list doesn't include the upper end of the C4 cars the ZR1 car, LT5 engine, Grand sport with the LT4 engine, mostly these cars are collector cars, and can get costly.
This is by no means a total overview of any of these cars, they all have some type of issue, pick your car and have fun
85 to 88 cars are all similair with minor changes the big one is the L98 tuned port injection engine, very good engine, un-touched they put out about 235 to 240 HP
89 to 96 cars had the ZF 6spd which was less problematic than the previous years Doug Nash 4+3, 4 speed but there are plenty of them that were AOK
92-96 got the LT1 engine, producing 300 HP, newer interior and dash upgrades,
For the most bang for your buck probably the best produced cars for the C4 generation were 94-96 alot of the gremlins had been worked out of the car by then.
this list doesn't include the upper end of the C4 cars the ZR1 car, LT5 engine, Grand sport with the LT4 engine, mostly these cars are collector cars, and can get costly.
This is by no means a total overview of any of these cars, they all have some type of issue, pick your car and have fun
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 26
Likes: 3
From: Rio Verde, Arizona
I currently own an 89. The L98 is a good strong motor. As far as your question about the L98 being a gas hog, it gets better gas mileage than my 2019 Tacoma and gets close to what my wife's Mazda 6 gets on the highway.....It's the truth....It's also more fun to drive. The 89 is also the last year that had the digi-dash. For me, that is one of the things I love about it. As far as value, that is up to the buyer and what they feel is within their budget and expectations. I have not heard of head gasket problems on the L98. They heads are aluminum, so I could see how people may not understand the importance of making sure the vehicle does not overheat. Maybe the people stating the head problems didn't maintain their vehicle. Not sure. One thing you should be aware of is the standard operating temp is higher than most vehicles. On average, even with the factory booster fan, the fan does not operate till it reaches 220 degrees. This is normal....On the highway it is running at 202 degrees at 65 MPH....dont freak out if you test drive one and the temp reaches 200-210 when driving and 210-220 when at a standstill. Just my 2 cents....Good luck in your hunt!
