Currently planning on purchasing a '93 corvette, but I need some advice on what problems to look for during the test drive and what parts to keep an eye on in order to ensure longevity of my corvette. Currently, I'm in active duty military and my job doesn't leave me with a lot of wiggle room for large problems in my personal life. Just trying to get ahead of the curve. If anybody has helpful tips on what to look out for and what to replace, let me know. Thanks!

- Your average devil dog

 

The usual used car stuff, should start run stop nicely, same with shifiting
Make sure the electronics work well, leave the ac on for a minute. Bose radios are known to have issues. Check for irregluar tire wear
If this is your first dont buy a fixer cause its cheap you WILL regret it.

 

Thanks man, will do. Any extra crazy things that can happen to this model and year? Or any advice on what to start upgrading/replacing first? The one I'm looking at is one of the "garage queens" so it's in excellent condition.

 

AAA card seriously just in case lol. Garage queens that are maintained...nice. Dust collectors that need work nope.

 

Find a reliable mechanic in your area, preferable one who has some Vette work on his plate.

Find a clean Vette in around the 40-50k mileage range.

Then test drive on highway, up/down hills and around town to verify no overheating nor tranny issues.

Have fun with the search.

 

A couple things to know about 93 C4s; read the owners manual about the parking brake and the PKE remote fob system (if the car comes with a fob) before you drive.

 

Just Beware that you are entering the "OPTI Zone".... Has the car had it's original OPTI replaced or is it still using the original?

If your knowledge of Corvettes is lacking then you need to find somebody who knows the years you are looking at. A pre-purchase inspection by a Corvette shop or even a good mechanic will save you from a lot of hassles and MONEY. Find a local Corvette Club or NCRS outfit for help in doing the pre-purchase inspection.

The Corvette Bug Bites HARD and prospective owners frequently miss a lot of the details. It is way to easy to oversee the items that need to be noticed. My First Corvette a 1968 C3 had a broken exhaust manifold and I was so excited to fix it and get it on the road that I removed the wrong side exhaust manifold. I then had to re-install the good one and replace the broken one. Newbies can do strange things...

I personally love Corvettes like most of folks here do. Having purchased 2 of them I am aware of the "Corvette Bug" and missed things on both Corvettes before I bought them. By the second purchase I was way more careful and bought a nice 1988 C4.

One thing about old Corvettes is either you need a good working knowledge of Engine systems or expect to pay dearly for that lack of experience. Most of us here probably do our own work to maintain these beautiful Corvettes. I could not afford this hobby if I had to pay for all the work they need. The C4's are full of little things to keep you busy, I have a earlier C4 and it has the older L98 engine. I am glad it came with the L98 as it is a good long term engine for these Corvettes. The LT1 C4's are great performers and a blast to drive. They are far more modern than my 1988 is that is for sure. To really work on these Corvettes you will need a scanner or software on a PC that can do it for you. The electrical systems on the 1993 will still be OBD1 which is very "limiting" in the OBD world. Finding equipment to work on a C4 could be expensive. I have an older SNAP ON MT2500 which is thirty year old technology. You can buy a cable from MOATES and then download a copy of Tuner Pro which will let you see the parts in action.

The Factory Service Manual is another item you will NEED to have as is a Fuel Pressure Gauge.

The only thing I worry about is people buying these LT1's is issues with the OPTI Ignition systems. There are replacements available but no new ones have been manufactured in many years. All they can do is continue to fix the older units and sell those. The OPTI was a great idea but poorly implemented and built, (IMHO). I think it was only used from 1992-1996 on the LT1 engines.

If you are buying a Corvette to go fast you might look at the C5's and C6's as their prices are dropping into the affordable range. The C4 can't touch the LS engine Corvettes for power and speed. Of course with enough Money you can make anything fast, even a Pinto. My 1988 C4 can be outrun by many Honda's today. I just remember who is driving a Corvette and who has the Civic and I always feel better. I can go out and cruise at 60 mph and break into the 30 mpg range with my automatic transmission. In our house the C3 is for Scary Speed and the C4 is my Sunday "go to church" Corvette.

 

One more thing, McCloskey mentioned the Optispark; they actually work great unless they get moisture inside. Don't power wash the engine.If you want to clean near the Optispark use a rag and something like Simple Green.