PS - for any Year, you might want to pony up a few Bucks for an Alldata Subscription (or similar) so that you can get the Service Bulletins and Recalls. The '86 had 4 recalls and several key Bulletins including: a False 32 - faulty right hand intake manifold gasket; the everpresent 33 - replace the MAF Relay; and Cracked hoods from it slamming into the front of the Intake Plenum which was revised. Granted, a lot have long since been repaired, but they can save you time when something comes along.

 

I noticed in your signature that you have the ultra rare bone-original color.... teal ...

 

I think the post was stared ok myself and I would agree to a point. Has building the engine on my c4 for performance made it less reliable, no. On the other hand, the nasty 650hp engine that sits in my 79 made it somewhat less reliable as a DD, but as you all know, that's part of the deal and I expected that. As long as there is some restraint these cars do not loose much reliability when modified. Once you start installing true race car parts, you tend to get the whole race car experience of working on it as much as you run it! It's worth it to some of us, others it's not. It's all about the owner.

 

Yeah, All2Kool, you opened a real can of worms intentionally or not! You might have well have said "C4s are best, all others suck" to the general Corvette population! In MY opinion, C4s are best suited for modification due to their position on the Corvette value ladder. But I've voiced this before and I'm sure everyone's sick of hearing it. Probably the best axiom is "to each their own" as many have stated. One's not necessarily better than the other, just more suited to the owners tastes/wishes/purpose. As to the color of your Vette, who cares?, your point was reliability not originality. I have no idea if that color is "bone stock" for that year (tho' most others seem to know!), but again, that wasn't your main point. Gotta be careful how you phrase things on this forum, there is a LOT of Corvette knowledge (and wisdom) hanging out here.

 

Corvettes are one of the most tinkered-with cars on the planet. After 20 years of tinkering, any car is subject to reliability problems, stock or not.

 

Car was originally the Maroon Red for that model year, the previous owner painted it its' current color (which I would have never chosen. I didn't like it at first, but it's growing on me). Previous owner told me it was Seafoam Green for '91, although I have yet to find this color on anything other than a Geo Metro. One day, it will be repainted, but for now its driveable and the paint is still quite new.

 

My 88 is far more reliable now that I done a lot of mods. Just because something is stock doesn't mean it's better. Think of all the technological advances since 88. I have better heads, intake, exhaust, TB, pullys, radiator, tranny upgrades, tires and a bunch of other stuff. Cars built in the 80s were very unreliable. That why I upgraded my Vette. I was tired of running around in a 245hp car that was always breaking down because of old parts.

 

I bought my 92 Vette in 1994 and drove it bone stock for 10 years. Not a problem except for the usual maintenance stuff. Then one day a BMW M3 blew my doors off and I mean blew. I thought that's it.. I am going to start modding my car.

So with help from this forum, I installed a heads and cam package, long tube headers, etc.. Nothing but problems ever since. I've been through 2 optisparks, blown sensors, broken wires, you name it. I have been stranded numerous times. My car even caught fire once!

But you know what...I dont' regret it because it has been a blast. I have learned a lot about my car and it is a great hobby. I am continuing to mod it. It is now a 396 stroker with 4.10 gears and it pulls like a ****. I am finally working out all the bugs and the check engine light has not come on in some time. The car is finally starting to get stock reliability. But the best part is M3's no longer blow my doors off.

 

I never liked the statement "its yours do what you want", or "to each their own" when it comes to threads like this because that is a lame, weak cop-out.

one might as well not even post, its barely even an opinion.

making a stance one way or the other is what's interesting and thats where you learn about one another. tell the truth as to what you think, don't do the pasty PC thing which is says nothing. feelings aside, opinions are opinions and they differ and we all deal with it.

that's the real world.

 

maybe the poor guy should have asked who makes the biggest airplane wing,who has the loudest mufflers,how can i fit a 50,000 watt stereo in the dash,and who makes the best ricer wheels. i guess that woulnt have offended you oldtimers, and your groupies. .....all he did was ask an interestng question!

 

Seems the people with modified cars are the ones who like to race and don't want to 'have their doors blown off' by the rice-boy cars. With that I say, grow up and do as I do - drive 'em slow and keep 'em guessing. Can't lose a race you don't start.

 

My 84 was good to me for about 18 months. When emissions rolled around, I failed hydrocarbons miserably. In checking around I found 90psi on 5 cylinders that jumped to 150+ with oil squirted in. After seeing the inside of the motor it's a wonder that car didn't strand me. I loved the car as a stocker, but now it's 383 time. I see no reason why, with all the modern cams, heads, and other performance parts, a higher performing motor cannot be built with a greater reliability than stock.

 

I agree with the original post. It also depends on the mods that are being done and the age of the vehicle.

 

Not to change the subject, but I had a M3 with dealer tags try to jump on me the other day. I wish I'd realized he was trying before he did a ricer fly by...I would have chewed his a$$ up fo sho. I think

 

wow look at all the panties that are in a bunch

I still stand by my statement of "to each their own"
My modded car is very reliable. It BECAME more reliable from the mods because the stock car was not reliable anymore. That doesn't seem to fall in line with the original topic does it. I also like a powerful car, so I chose to upgrade each time a stock part finally went bad. Now I have a powerful car that is WAY more reliable than it was before, and it still gets 30mph on the highway

Also, I notice many (not all, but many) of you "my car is bone stock with no problems" people have low miles. Try driving your car once in a while. Try driving it DAILY to work and back, 40 miles a day for several years. Then see how your stock car's reliability holds up. Try driving it in the rain or rush hour traffic each day and see how the parts hold up.

Cars WILL wear out, and there is nothing you can do about it. Preventitive maintenance only goes so far. Once parts start breaking, you have to replace them. At that point, you aren't stock anymore since you don't have all the original working parts. Guess what, now your "reliable" car is now reliable because its been "modded".

we can't make you like our modded cars, and you can't make us like your stock cars. To each his own. Don't hate, we certainly don't care if you like your cars stock, and you guys shouldn't care if we like to mod the he11 out of our cars. To each his own.

Just remember, when you cars start becoming unreliable after age and milage, who do you think answers most of the questions in regards to fixing them? It's the guys that have modded them.



This topic sounds like it was started by a Purist

 

Ya'll think if ALL2kool had an original LT1 with an ORIGINAL OPTI he'd be singin the same song?
The whole notion of hot rodding, or modding is to IMPROVE on what you have. If modding is done PROPERLY, and you start with a good vehicle (ie, electrical sys in good shape) you should be rewarded with years of trouble free operation.
Just my .02, and thats about all its worth!!
PS, nice post GIJOE

 

Excluding ZR1s and GS's, I don't think an "all stock" C4 would interest me too much. I'll take the risks

 

I must inquire since you say your car is all stock, that green was a factory color?