I have both, and they drive like two totally different vehicles.
Thinking about getting a c4
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 399
Likes: 37
From: Kansas City Metro Area, Missouri
Thinking about getting a c4
I originally wanted a C5 corvette with the LS1 engine. I prefer the body style and like the fact that it has the extra 50 horses. However I have the opportunity to get a '94 in amazing shape in red with 90k miles. The offer is to trade my current car for it flat out. How much work would I have to put into it to get it on part or past a stock C5 and are there any reasons to spend the extra 4-5k to get the LS1 C5?
Located in Kansas City mo
Located in Kansas City mo
Last edited by Alejandro Guerrero; Jul 12, 2019 at 09:15 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,706
Likes: 485
From: Everett WA
C4 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
You don't say where you live so I cannot make any local recommendations but what you need to do is to go to some used car dealerships and drive several examples of a late model C4 (like the 94) as well as several examples of various years of C5 and then decide for YOURSELF if it's worth the money to you. Depending on where you like you can also check into several corvette clubs and see if members will give you some rides in their cars.
The thing is this; the C5 will generally outperform the C4 in all categories of measured performance (stock to stock). However in the "fun-to-drive" category .... a late model C4 wins hands down over the C5.
Eh you're probably too young to remember the 1961 hit by the Miracles "Shop Around". I suggest that you google it and listen to the song. All to many people don't heed the advice of the song ... and they fall in love with the very first one.
The thing is this; the C5 will generally outperform the C4 in all categories of measured performance (stock to stock). However in the "fun-to-drive" category .... a late model C4 wins hands down over the C5.
Eh you're probably too young to remember the 1961 hit by the Miracles "Shop Around". I suggest that you google it and listen to the song. All to many people don't heed the advice of the song ... and they fall in love with the very first one.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,274
Likes: 399
From: Tacoma WA
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I agree totally with Mr. Peabody. C5s and newer are amazing cars to drive however the C4 feels like a gocart on steroids. If you like to truly feel everything the car is doing with no interference from computer systems the C4 is the only way to go. And that extra $5k will buy you heads, cam and headers for the C4 with money left over for a tune.
Test drive a few to determine what you like, but late model C4s have the best dollar to putting a grin on your face ratio that there is right now.
Test drive a few to determine what you like, but late model C4s have the best dollar to putting a grin on your face ratio that there is right now.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
FYI, my prior '88 was building just 300chp and would bury any truly stock LT1 or LS1 (C5).
I agree to "try out" a C5 & C4 before buying. Have you driven the one of current interest?
To get some idea of current pricing check out similar cars on CarGuru, it's where I recently found my 'new' '89 for a pretty good price.
Good luck in your quest and make it fun.
I agree to "try out" a C5 & C4 before buying. Have you driven the one of current interest?
To get some idea of current pricing check out similar cars on CarGuru, it's where I recently found my 'new' '89 for a pretty good price.
Good luck in your quest and make it fun.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,354
Likes: 2,279
From: Central Maryland
Are you looking for a car to take to the track, or a street cruiser? If you're only interested in straight-line acceleration, the '94 will pretty much keep up with a stock LS1 C5. In a 1/4 mile drag race the C5 will win by a few tenths, but do those few tenths really matter to you? Swap out the gears in the diff of that C4 and it'll pull even harder, with no need for 50 HP worth of engine mods. I think you would be pleasantly surprised by how lively a good LT1 C4 is. Mine's about as much fun as I can have with my clothes on.
Live well,
SJW
Live well,
SJW
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
C5: Camry driving experience, Camry stereo and Camry seats & interior. Camry
C4: GoKart, F15 fighter jet, honest experience. FUN.
Buy the car that you LIKE....not the one that's a "good deal"...or whatever. Get the car that you're going to love, then love it, and drive the wee out of it.
.
C4: GoKart, F15 fighter jet, honest experience. FUN.
Buy the car that you LIKE....not the one that's a "good deal"...or whatever. Get the car that you're going to love, then love it, and drive the wee out of it.
.
Last edited by Tom400CFI; Jul 12, 2019 at 11:00 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,348
Likes: 233
From: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
Having driven both, the C5 will be a little faster/quicker and a lot easier to live with on a day-to-day basis than an LT1 C4.
The C5 is a better car.
The C4 will be cheaper to buy (but not cheaper to maintain), and is a little more the raw Corvette experience.
Depends on what you're after, I suppose.
The C5 is a better car.
The C4 will be cheaper to buy (but not cheaper to maintain), and is a little more the raw Corvette experience.
Depends on what you're after, I suppose.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 4,455
Likes: 916
From: South East
C5: Camry driving experience, Camry stereo and Camry seats & interior. Camry
C4: GoKart, F15 fighter jet, honest experience. FUN.
Buy the car that you LIKE....not the one that's a "good deal"...or whatever. Get the car that you're going to love, then love it, and drive the wee out of it.
.
C4: GoKart, F15 fighter jet, honest experience. FUN.
Buy the car that you LIKE....not the one that's a "good deal"...or whatever. Get the car that you're going to love, then love it, and drive the wee out of it.
.
C4 seat angle is more F16 than F15; been in both, 8 years Air Force.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Have you been inside a C5? Have you been inside a later model Camry? It's actually a compliment to the C5, sad as that is to say.
Whatever. The point was "fighter jet"
Whatever. The point was "fighter jet"
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 139
Likes: 1
Just MHO, but get the C5. It's a better car in every way and the LS motors are a big leap from the L98 and old LT1. The LS1 can run DEEP into the 11's with a mild cam and bolt ons, it's more efficient, more power potential, more reliable. and easier to work on.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 4,455
Likes: 916
From: South East
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Hey thanks, but you've got the "***" covered, just fine. And, in only two posts! Well done. I'm going to take your response as a "NO" you have no experience in either car.
There are PLENTY of people on this forum who share the "Camry" opinion with me about the C5. Thanks for the worthless advice, and worthless interjection into this thread, but I'm doing fine. Now, I invite you crawl on back to the C8 and OT sections...let the OP drive and decide for himself. If he doesn't agree with my comments, I'd be happy to hear about it from him.
.
There are PLENTY of people on this forum who share the "Camry" opinion with me about the C5. Thanks for the worthless advice, and worthless interjection into this thread, but I'm doing fine. Now, I invite you crawl on back to the C8 and OT sections...let the OP drive and decide for himself. If he doesn't agree with my comments, I'd be happy to hear about it from him.
.
Last edited by Tom400CFI; Jul 14, 2019 at 12:19 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 6,941
Likes: 1,490
From: New Jersey
C4: last traditional sports car. Will literally try to kill you every chance it has when you **** up.
C5: Modern sports car. Can fit 2 golf golf bags. Rides like a luxury sedan.
Two very different vehicles. C5 is more capable of a platform. Early C5s have non existent modules that when (not if) they go bad you're basically foobar. You want to look at the second half of the C5 run. Having driven a C4 through C7 the C5 and C6 were a lot more luxury sports car than sports car. Turn in changing lanes is numb steering rack is soft... it literally targeted an older demographic. Very capable vehicles though it's just they went for ride quality and comfort first... not a bad thing but it shows how the car was evolving. C7 has some of that rawness back.
TLDR: if it were to be my daily, C5. If it were to be my fun car, C4. The clutch feel in the C5 is light enough where you don't want to shoot yourself if you get stuck in traffic... my 84 for whatever reason is really heavy compared to most manual cars I've driven, even solid linkage ones from the 50s... Drive a ton and get the car that you like.
C5: Modern sports car. Can fit 2 golf golf bags. Rides like a luxury sedan.
Two very different vehicles. C5 is more capable of a platform. Early C5s have non existent modules that when (not if) they go bad you're basically foobar. You want to look at the second half of the C5 run. Having driven a C4 through C7 the C5 and C6 were a lot more luxury sports car than sports car. Turn in changing lanes is numb steering rack is soft... it literally targeted an older demographic. Very capable vehicles though it's just they went for ride quality and comfort first... not a bad thing but it shows how the car was evolving. C7 has some of that rawness back.
TLDR: if it were to be my daily, C5. If it were to be my fun car, C4. The clutch feel in the C5 is light enough where you don't want to shoot yourself if you get stuck in traffic... my 84 for whatever reason is really heavy compared to most manual cars I've driven, even solid linkage ones from the 50s... Drive a ton and get the car that you like.