I agree with lt4obsesses. I specifically chose a C4 *because* it's the opposite of the Caddy. I've had a '76, a '96 LT4, and now a '94 LT1/Auto (soon to have the LT4).

My DD is a turbo Audi. It's a great handling car for taking turns in a consistent and controlled manner. It's very quiet, great in the snow, and it can be somewhat quick if you push it hard enough. It's wonderful to drive - but it's rarely *fun* to drive...

Each one of the 3 Vettes, on the other hand, can be felt through everything they do. You feel the suspension working. You feel everything in the road as the tires channel their way through ruts and uneven areas in the road. In the LT4, I would hear the gears meshing in the manual trans. As I corner, my position in the vehicle sometimes makes me feel as though its' rotational axis is aligned with my hips - adding the the effect when I keep my eyes fixed to the apex of a turn and let everything follow to get me there. And, I swear I can feel any of their frames spring a little when cornering hard over imperfections.

It's this cacaphony, tactile, and inertial feast of the senses that make these cars the last thing the General built, in my opinion, that forces the driver to become part of the machine - to conquer the road. They provide a visceral experience that's affordable and - as I found out when I crashed my '96 - pretty safe. When properly maintained and not abused, they're also pretty reliable.

All this is to say, I think you're barking up the wrong tree with your intended goal. But, you might also be very pleased at the unintended treasure that awaits your C4 purchase!

 

Buy a C5. Decent 2001 Z06s can be had for low to barely mid 20s depending on miles. '97 - '00 C5s can be had in the mid-high teens. Way better ride than a C4, handles better, and the LSx engines are really responsive to mods if you choose to go that route.

 

Well said. I agree the C4 is the best bang for the buck in the sports car world today, if you can wrench that is. But that's part of the experience for many.

 

From the caddy line I personally like the xlr-v.

 

I bought my 91 because it has an edge.. LOL..My occasional date has a Mercedes convertable upgraded by AMG and she loves the C4 and refers to it as a real car with no compromises. It is loud rude gets right in your face it is what it was made to do. It has small seats and if a date's azz does not fit in it they are too big for me as well if they ask why it is so loud. I do better with the biker chicks I think rather than the MBA types..LOL
dave

 

Try one of these

 

Haha....I have a base model 95 (base suspension) and I think its a pretty comfortable car compared to other sporty cars I've owned. The 95 and 96's had the softest suspensions of the breed and handle as well as most people can drive. I have added sound deadening material to the car and am about to add some more. The last time I went to Vero Beach (7 hr drive one way), I took the 95. It was comfortable and reasonably quiet for a car with hollow cats and no mufflers. With a good exhaust, I can't see why it wouldn't be a comfy daily driver. My standards of comfort aren't quite that of Cadillac's, but I do love my C4's.

 

I read all these replies about "bone jarring" and noisy suspensions on C4's. I don't think my 85 has a harsh or noisy ride at all. It handles extremely well and the only noise I hear is the V8 with an exhaust upgrade. Very It's much more comfortable than my daily driver Imapla SS.

 

Elemental Design Liquid Sound Deadener($50) a gallon. I pulled of the rear inner wheel wells. Painted each 4 or 5 times, also painted every friberglass section I could see from rear bottom and the fiberglass floor pans. If you can borrow a hoist , it is so much easier. With 100 feet of rattle trap, Elemental designs sound deadener,all new weather stripping (from Vip Corvette ($379)for 7-piece set, New Continentals all around, car is very quiet and well worth the time and effort

 

Yeah, I have installed the rattletrap in the interior. In my GS I used a liquid called Quietcar and it worked well. I want the 95 quieter than that, so I'll probably go back with another layer of the rattletrap and I'm going to try a kit from a forum vendor that claims over 10 DB reduction. I'll probably add a Corsa exhaust as well. I've already replaced the weatherstripping.

 

 

I think my 92 is a great GT car. I drive it to work every day and pretty much refuse to drive anything else on a long trip. Grand Touring can be a broad spectrum and I am sure that the C4 can fall in there.

I do not think it rides too rough.... but I do tend to know what towns have the bad roads.

Matt

 

You got that right. Car is freakin amazing! Best car I've ever owned, hands DOWN.



He is right. EXCEPT, compared to both he C4 and the V, you will loose a bunch of visceral feel w/the C6. It is boring to drive, by comparison.

I have recently or currently owned a C4, C6, and a V. The V combines the excitement, visceral experience, sound, steering precision, and seat support of the C4, with the sophistication, rigid frame, and poise of the C6. The V adds better shocks, brakes, stereo, interior quality and comfort and a stiffer frame than both the others. It's the best car of all three, by far.

As for making a C4 "act" more like what you're looking for IMO here is the recipe:
*Every frame stiffening product made
*Best shocks you can afford
*most sound deadening you can stuff under the carpet
*All new and the best weather stripping combined with proper install and fitment.
*Best brakes you can afford
*A complete stereo upgrade
*Removal, siliconing, and re-installing of every interior plastic item (for rattles)

 

94 thru 96 with the FE1 softride springs and a quiet tire design. The FX3 adj shocks come with the base FE1 springs and lighter sways on the non ZR-1 cars.

I have monroe shocks on my FE1 sprung car and it is pretty cushy for a vette. Most people are put off by the extra body motions at 90 mph, but it still holds the road. If anything, it tames snap oversteer because the tires are not instantly overloaded. the suspension load up is more gradual.

 

To the OP, have you thought about just getting a CTS-V? Obviously not an '09, but depending on your C4 price range, an '04-05 may not be much more. I've seen several with reasonable miles in the $15k range.

Like Tom400CFI said, they feel sharper, the interior is (IMO) nicer, the brakes are better, the ride is both more controlled and smoother. The overall grip is lower for me vs my C4, but it may be because of the RS-A tires on mine. They have the same power/weight as an LT4 C4, and of course they can carry 4 other people.

Though as other people have said, the later C4's are much more "GT" with the softer suspensions and slightly quieter bodies. The ZR-1 seems to me to be clearly designed as a GT car. It was loaded up with features (for the day), horsepower, and an adjustable suspension.

 

if they weren't so much $$$ I would want one of these for a cruiser.

 

corvettes are race cars.. cadiallacs are cadillacs. if you don't want a race car then buy something else.

 

I like my Lt-4 raw boned with 4:10 gearing. Rough riding, too loud for the radio with the top down and very little storage. It's a 4 wheel motorcycle. Oddly enough the wife likes the same items I just mentioned about the vette. If we are feeling more civil or are going to the city we take her Mercedes. But you have now got me think about the Cad. as the other car.

 

one of my reasons for owning a C4 is that the transmission is in the normal place where I want it to be. forget this transaxle hoopla, I'll get my optimal weight distribution with aluminum and smog-delete.

I chose the C4 because it's still a car that I can work on (sucessfully, that is).

more specifically, I got a '91 because that's the last year for the regular small block (ignoring the center-bolt valve covers...).

and the 91's got the newer body style and the modern dash.

and even with this vintage, you need to be electronically qualified to keep it running. I now know how to datalog and burn chips, by necessity.

with the cars being sold nowadays, good luck with working on them yourself. last time I bought a factory service manual for the old lady's 2004 vehicle, it was like the encyclopedia britannica used to be (before that went the way of the dinosaur). chrissake, the service manual for my 87 Grand National was bad enough.

cars being built nowadays are not meant to be "serviced by owner" anymore. they are nice to drive, good for about 4-5 years, and then replace.

that doesn't describe the guy with the C4. okay, "person" with the C4, no gender-bias.