C4 for a daily driver . . . .
 

I'm thinking about buying a 1994-1996, M6 Corvette. This would be my only car. I plan to buy one with less than 60k miles that is in mint condition for about $12-$14k. I'd buy one that was stock(or maybe a few bolt ons) and I'd plan to keep it realitively stock, maybe a catback and new shocks. I'd drive it for the next year or two, and put at most 40,000 miles on it.

How reliable would this car be??? Will it nickel and dime me to death??? Please be brutally honest. I don't have a lot of money to go towards repairs, but I could afford the $700 occiasonal clutch bill, tire bill, optispark, etc.

I know all about the optispark being a total pos, but are there any other specific Corvette problems I should know about??? I'm not new to GM V8 muscle(current car is a 1999 Z28 Camaro, auto), but I do know that the LT1's are more trouble prone than LS1's. My Z28 has been as reliable as the tides for the past 4 years, but I'm ready to move onto something different.

Also, I looked at a 1995 Vette that had the glass roof panel. It seemed to be checking, and looked like crap. The salesman said that I could go to a glass shop and they could refinish it for less than $300. He also said the car didn't have the metal top(which I prefer), and that they were optional. Is this guy full of **** or telling the truth???

I bought a '95 coupe with 160k miles as a sotra daily driver. I do have another car just in case the 'Vette is being worked on.

So far I had to change the coolant temp sensor, the rear sway bar bushing and the brakes. I changed the rotors and put on drilled and slotted rotors, then replaced the wheels and tire with ZR-1 style and Kuhomo rubber.

After poking around some, I can see this car has been taken care of very well, and completely rebuilt, but I have no documentation on that.

I am enjoying the heck out of driving this car every day, and it runs absolutely perfect. The leather seats are in pretty bad shape so I went with Iggee seat covers until I can afford to do the seats right.

Go for it. You won't regret it. These cars are easier than I thought o work on, and not as expensive to work on either, but you will have to tinker and keep her up.

I love my car, selling an S class Mercedes Benz to buy it. I paid $6,000 and have put another $2,000 into it, including tires and wheels, but then I sold the stock wheels for $300 to another forum member.

Others here are more of experts on long term stuff, but I would not hesitate to use a C-4 as a daily driver.

Have fun and go for it! :thumbs:

I own a '91 coupe ZF6 model. I have a company car but drive the vette to work every now and then. It's always a blast to drive but it being a stick is a real pain in stop and go freeway traffic. In spite of that I would still love it as a daily driver except for the wear and tear. Other people just dont get it how we love and cherish our cars. I had one lady smack her door into my passengar door and when I pointed that out to her she says "Whats your problem, its just a car". I never swear at ladies or call them names but I was very tempted.

My '84 is a daily driver and gets drag raced , auto-x'd, and anything else I can think of. Just drove it on a 3500 mile trip. These cars are great!

I just did a 1000+ mile road trip/vacation in mine and it was a dream the whole time. Well the shredded right rear tire from hitting a low stone wall in the mountains sorta sucked but that was my fault not the vettes. Here some pics of that cruise if anyone likes the beautiful northern calif coastline.

Big Sur vacation pics

Thanks, cool pics!:thumbs:

my 85 is my DD (spring-summer-fall) - overall, very, very reliable!!! 10.5 years and 72K miles so far (total on the clock - 105K). it has shared duties with my 69 coupe, my Y2K C5 coupe, and presently with my 04Z06. i'm averaging around 7K per year on the C4 and 5K on the others for the 8 or 9 month driving season - :cheers:

I bought my '95 in '99 and it's been my daily driver ever since.

Been to Bowling Green for Cruise In six times in that one(once in the other vette), been to FLA countless times in it, all over the northeast with it, plus drag race it twice a week, numerous visits to Skyline Drive for some left and right action. Burnouts everyday, powershifting and wide open throttle every chance I get.

Yes I blew it up finally last April, but considering how hard I drive, that's pretty good.

These cars can drive in any weather and last along time as long as you keep up with maintainance.

I have a 1996 daily driver with 126000 miles...purchased it with 66000 miles. With 50 miles a day/7 days a week, it is very reliable.

As far as "nickle dime you to death", only if you let it by not doing anything yourself and going to a dealership everytime something needs to be done. Buy a FSM (factory service manual) and learn how to use it. It will save you thousands of dollars.

The "Opti being a POS". It is engineered very well and the only problem with the opti is, it is in a terrible place...under the water pump.
When the water pump craps out, so does your opt. The gen-2 Opti is vented which tends to stay drier and hang around alot longer. Mine has 126000 miles on it.

All that being said, its a great car, with great value (cost vs horsepower) and very dependable. I plan on driving this thing to over 200000 miles.

No daily driver for me. Wife's 85 has 83,000 on it and is in pristine conditon.

Mine's a seasonal driver, but it's only flatbedded me once in six years of ownership and that was due to a dead coil and ICM. I've got more than 110,000 miles on it.

My first 'Vette has been a very reliable and pleasurable experience.

These cars are the best used car value out there....I mean think about it...."the most "race car suspension and drivetrain year for year", good looks, comfort with the leather, sound and conveniences and way better gas mileage than anything on the road with anything close to the above....GO FOR IT>>>THEY"RE GOOD CARS.:cheers:

168,000 miles on my 91. Drive it to and from work 5 days a week, and wife drives it all weekend :) its an auto, so no worries in stop and go traffic. Runs great ( has small oil leak now ), but ice cold air, great looks, and 20+mpg :cheers:

1990 purchased last June, been my daily driver ever since.

Now has 145K miles on the clock. Once I fixed the VATS (disabled) - I've had zero problems with it. Amazing car.

As others have said, they're great cars. Why drive an ordinary car everyday when you can drive a Corvette? However, they're not Toyotas or Hondas in terms of reliability. It's usually nothing major, just little stuff you have to keep up with. Even a '96 is an eleven year old car now. On my '92, I seemed to have a lot of problems right around the 100,000 mile mark. Now with 130,000+, it's been pretty good lately.

I'm kind of hung up between getting a LS1 Trans Am or a C4 vette. Both would run me about the same amount of money, but it seems like I can't find a decent Trans Am for under 14k that hasn't had the piss wrung out of it.

About the only reason I can justify the Trans Am is the LS1, and maybe the back seat(I'll use it maybe 4 times in a year:lol:

Corvette, Z28, you're there. Not much difference.
If your good with a Z you'll fit right into a C.

Don't buy a green one.......

1991 DD. I replaced the ignition module and the fuel filter so far, and she's been running great ever since.

Mine has been a daily driver for over 5 years now. I love it. I put on about 120 miles a day due to a temporary commute issue. It has been incredibly reliable. Now since it is at 175,000 miles it has had some issues. LT1's run hot, so new radiator, new opti, new water pump, and right rear bearing. And I think after 14 years, the A/C needs a recharge. But for how I drive it, it is rock solid and reliable. I will only own Corvettes! :cheers:

If you want a 96 MN6 that means you'll get the LT4. However, to find a mint one with under 60K, you might have to spend a few thousand more...