I'm looking at purchasing an earlier model C-4 (1984-1989) and need some pointers on what to look for before buying. Any advice on what years are lemons or what engine to avoid or anything that would be helpful?
Thanks, Kirk in Florida.

 

Stay away from the 84 the cross fire FI is Junk. 87 is usually the prefered 80's model. Be warned EVERYTHING is expensive for this car. so have a mechanic check it and run a scan it usualy cost around 50-75.00 for them to do it. But a bad sensor will drive you nuts. Have then check the Fuel Pressure & volume.

That being said a 20 something year old car will have problems But man they are fun and handle great! I love my 85 I have around 6 grand (including buying the car) in it and i have done
New..
Window struts
Painted Interor plastic
seats (after market)
glove box lid
digital dash
carpet
fuel pump,
fuel filter
air filter
plugs
wires
Dist cap
rotor button
valve cover gasket
thermostat
performance chip
TPS sensor
Ignition controll mod
IAC Valve
O2 sensor
Rebuilt the transmission

If you do the work your self its not bad but can add up pretty fast. I love my 85 but i am having a mystery problem that has taken 2 weeks to figure out (could be another bad fuel pump)

 

I like the '89. The '89 is a few pounds lighter and has fewer complications in my book. Like any used car you don't want to buy a wrecked car....check that pannel gaps are relatively even all around and that there are no cracks in the frame beam where it rises from the rear quarter pannels. Check to ensure that all electrical motors work properly mirrors, headlights, antenna door locks, hatch releases and windows.....these things can be big $ to fix and a real pain in the a$$ to troubleshoot. Most important....drive the car and listen for squeeks, clicks and creeks....and watch those gages(assuming the dash works...that's huge bucks too). Engine and tranny....well you should check that on any car.

Good Luck!

 

Unless you like tinkering, the 84 isn't for you. While the crossfire is simpler and easier to work on than TPI, it suffers many problems, not the least of which is the intake that has tiny runners and is prone to vacuum leaks. An Offy can cure that and will easily outflow the TPI stuff with it's single throttle body.

If you are just looking for something to drive and you can afford to pay a mechanic, TPI is definitely the better choice. It works fine on cavaliers, hyundais and kias too.

Full disclosure: I enjoy working on my 84 and prefer to not work on TPI.

 

84's are a unique year because they are the only C4 with crossfire injection. Some people love the crossfire, but generally speaking, there is less horsepower potential with this setup. They are also the oldest C4s and the first year of the generation, so an 84 may be more problematic. Having said that, they are available for giveaway prices, so if you aren't looking for lots of power and don't mind tinkering, an 84 can be a deal.

85-87 all had tuned port injection motors, these are a step up in quality and power from the crossfire. These cars are about the same with 16" wheels with each year getting some improvements like antilock brakes, aluminum heads and better power windows.

88-90 still had the tuned port motor but went to 17" wheels and different suspension geometry for a better ride. Again each year was slightly different, with 89 I believe having the 6speed instead of the 4+3 and 90 having the "newer" style dash with analog gages.

91 was a year by itself with the tuned port motor but the newer dash and the newer bumpers and sawblade wheels.

92-96 all have the LT1 motor. This is called the second generation small block and has one disadvantage in the ignition system. The distributor is called an optispark and works great but is located in between the waterpump and the engine. The distributor is not bulletproof and can be easily damaged by a leaking waterpump. Not the end of the world to replace, but a sore spot with the LT1 reputation. In every other respect, the LT1 is better. Not everyone will agree with that of course, but I have had one of each and the LT1 is an extra 50hp and just runs nicer. They are both great motors, but the LT1 has better fuel injection, a better intake and the benefits of reverse cooling. Again, there are small differences between the years, but basically the same car. Also, for 96, the manual shift cars are the LT4. These have different heads and intake and cam than the LT1 and are rated at an extra 30hp but many say the difference is even greater.

That is my summary of the C4, I have left out many details. Some like the older simpler cars, but generally speaking, newer is better. The flip side of that however is that for a given amount of money, newer is more worn out. So it depends on how much you want to spend, if you are on a budget, a nice condition 85 is a better bet than a high mileage LT1 car

 

Thanks guys I appreciate it
Kirk

 

Buy a C3 or a C5. I wish I did.

-- Joe

 

I've got a '91 and would never buy another C4. Had a '68 some years back and loved it, but the C4 is a bear to get in and out of and the foot room SUCKS! Generally just very uncomfortable. If I was to do it again I'd get a late model C3. Affordable and comfortable. My two cents.

 

After owning my C4 for some time I looked at a few C3s.. Boy did I make a mistake.

I can never sell it though. I'd lose my shirt.

-- Joe

 

Having had Vettes for years, I can never understand how anyone could prefer the ride, handling, or comfort of a C3 over anything but a C1 (unless you are bulimic, masochistic, or have never driven a C4 (JMO). C4's are especially prone to the newer the better syndrome, so I'd concentrate on the 90 (pretty much the same price as an 89) down. I've had 84's and enjoyed them (as with all the other years). The most expensive items to fix are.....
A. the paint
B. the interior
C. the mechanical
So plan accordingly along with an honest assement of YOU'RE capabilities. Assume that you are going to have problems with a 20 year old car. On the 861/2 up, be aware that they do tend to blow head gaskets over 100k miles (the heating and cooling of the aluminum head on an iron block causes "scrubbing" of the head gasket). Manual transmissions are problematic and expensive to fix on all years.

 

Go with a 1989 if stick. If auto 1988 or 1989. These have 113 heads, MAF,
digital dash, good seats. The newer the better. Even though I have a great 1989, if I had it to do over, I would start with a 1995 or 1996 Lt1.
JMO

 

Get the "89". The newer the Vette the better.

Make sure the "89" Vette has RPO codes J55-13" front brake rotors and G92 or G44-3:07 Performance rear gear ratio. Also, look underneath the vehicle near the oil pan for an oil drip which usually indicates a leaking rear intake manifold (Very Common problem on the L98 engine).