Should I buy a C4 or a C5?
 

I am looking to buy my first corvette. I have been looking around for a couple of months now. I am not looking for a show car, but something to drive. Not a daily driver, but something fun to drive on the weekends, and an occasional trip with my wife. I have narrowed my search to a 1991 corvette with a 6 speed manual transmission and z07 suspension package. It has 45,000 miles. It is incredibly clean and has been well maintained. The other choice is a 1998, also a 6 speed & 85,000 miles. The C5 is about $3000 more. My question is should I opt for the car that has more horsepower? The 1991 has the L98 engine, which is about 245 horsepower, but I hear is a very reliable engine. I posted this question in the C5 forum, & predictably got most of the responses in favor of the 1998. Thought I should give equal air time to the C4 guys. I'm interested to hear your opinion.

I have a 91 ZR1 and a 04 Z06. I love both cars for different reasons. If I had to choose it would be difficult as they are just so different. Please don't get into a technical discussion of the engineering merits. Any Corvette is an emotional decision. We all discuss technology to justify our passion and make ourselves sound more...adult.

The C5 is like a sophisticated older woman who brings you a fine glass of wine, with soft music in the back ground. The C4 is the perky, drunk sorority girl with a shot of tequila blasting The Gap Band. The evening both ends with the same result but the experience of getting there is wildly different. So, what is your mood?

I say drive them both and let your inner "fun meter" take over. It will be easy after that.

You asked so I guess I will give it to you. I just never warmed up to the C5 of all the Corvettes. I was looking for another Corvette around May of this year. I have always wanted a C3 { 68-72} cause that's what I grew up wanting as a kid. My first Corvette was a 96 LT1 Coupe, second a 91 ZR1, and car number three a 91 ZR1. I did consider a couple Z06 , C5's this time around. But found myself looking at either LT4's or the ZR1's again. It wasn't money that was driving me so much as getting what I wanted the most. To me in the C5's the fixed roof coupe of the Z06 looks best to me. I like the LS1 and the LS6's just fine with the later being my first choice. I have driven several C5's and even liked the way they drove. But in the end I just came back to what I know and that's C4's. I drove both the ZR1 and the LT1 to Bowling Green, Ky. on more than one occasion and they were comfortable and reliable enough without any trouble. If you can drive the cars and see which one you like better. The C5 will have more power than the L98 and it will be easier to get in and out of because of the C4's high sill beams. I do like the analog gauges of the C5 over the digital speedo of the C4. But not enough to buy one just because. In the end you might just find the extra one hundred ponies the thing that you just can't pass up on. Whatever you do don't settle on the first car you see in either category. The market is flooded with lots of Corvettes . Some really nice and some that need a little work. Remember these cars aren't new either model you have spoke of. But you can find some really nice ones.

As someone who has owned both (93 LT1/ZF6, '00 FRC 6spd head cam car, '01 Z06 6 speed very modded), given the quirks of both I would take a '91 over a '98 but I would take an '01-'04 over the '91 for a part time daily. If it is strictly a weekend streetcar for cruising and mountain runs, I love the way a C4 handles, slightly tail happy under braking. I've been tempted to build up a '91 but I have enough projects. My current Corvette is a C5 Z06 which I plan to put on track in HPDEs. The aftermarket support is just so massive for C5s, it is hard to go against it when you look at track support modifications (brakes, oil coolers, shocks etc etc). So it does depend on what you like and want.

The L98 in the '91 is easier to work on than the LT1 cars (thus the statement above on the '91 L98, no optispark or optispark spark plug/wire changes and better looking later bumpers) with some mods you can get the power. If you want it to rev a bit more like a LT1 car, a TPIS mini ram and mild cam goes a long way.

I am not fond of the '97-98 cars, computers changed over the years and under the skin the C5 kind of had 3 sub generations 97-98, 99-00, and 01-04 thanks to ebcm and ecu changes. Pre '01 EBCMs are not available new or re manufactured and repair is very limited. I would and did spend the extra $$$ on a '01-04 car even if it means more miles. Torque tubes in manual C5s especially the 97-00 10mm version tend to need a rebuild between 80k-100k miles. I replaced mine in the '00 around that time with a later '01 to '04 12mm version which is a bolt in.

C5s are actually relative easy to work on, and yes I have done clutch swaps, torque tube rebuilds, and even engine swaps. What really sold me on a C5 when I moved from the '93 to the '00 was helping a friend install headers on a 96 LT4 which was a multi weekend project, and then doing headers in a C5 on a Saturday. My plan was to do engine mods and the C4 was just more time consuming. On the flip side, I like the 90-93 Corvette seats better than the C5 seats.

Gosh I went through a very similar dilemma 14 years ago when I was ready to buy my first Corvette. Now I own both a 95-C4 and a 04-C5. Put over 100K on my C4 and 50K on the C5.
Guess what …. I would not buy either of the cars that you are considering. My view is that whatever generation you want …. buy one of the last years of production.

These cars are highly engineered for their time and often due to business and marketing pressures the cars get released before all of the bugs have been ironed out. Additionally over the years of production of a given generation significant additional improvements are made. If you decide you like the C4 go for a 95 or a 96. If you decide that you like the C5 most definitely get yourself an 02, 03 or 04.

To get a better perspective consider investing $20.00 and get yourself a copy of Mike Antonick’s Corvette Black Book. It has 2-3 pages for each year of production and it becomes easy to see how a given generation is improved from year to year. It’s also easy to see how many of the early year “options” become standard equipment in the later years. This is particularly true of the C4 generation.

The C5 is more sophisticated and outperforms the C4 in every area. When I can drive either car each day I most often choose the C4 because it’s simply way more fun to drive.

Don’t rush; take the time to drive as many examples of each generation as you can … I mean like 4 or 5 cars of each generation. Then you’ll be in a better position to make your decision.:thumbs:

I own both a low mileage 1994 LT1 and an 2003 Z06 and I love both cars for various reasons. I wasn't a fan of regular C5s for a long time and frankly only recently warmed up to the C5 FRC body style. Both cars have distinct looks but my wife and a few coworkers have commented their general preference for the look of my C4 (both cars are subtly modded) which totally surprised me, the point is, looks have a lot to do with the purchase as well. The C4 maintenance will be cheaper/easier IMHO but the the C5 will outperform the C4 in many categories. Some are scared of the C5 electronics/modules (aka technology), much like the C3 generation once looked at the C4s like electronic nightmares, so if you're handy and capable then neither should be of a concern; however, if you're not mechanically inclined any old (sports) car can turn into a headache.

No matter which car you buy, both cars will get old/older and will be outperformed if unmodded by more and more cars each year, so buy the car that grows on you in the looks/comfort department then mod it if you're concerned with speed. I find I drive both cars about the same (2 times a week), if I'm in a speedster mood the C5Z gets the nod but for normal cruising my C4 is preferred.

I previously had an 87 (owned for 13 years) so I will say that IF you pick a C4, you should go up to a 92-96 Vette for the extra power in the LT1 and updated interior/exterior.

Small world... I bought my 91 ZR1 from the original owner who worked in the legal department at the GoodYear plant in Akron.

Ever see this one:
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...c635f23bc0.jpg

It's a tough call. I really prefer the C4 style over the C5, both interior and exterior. If it was an LT1/LT4 car it would make this choice a little easier. With these two cars I still would lean towards the C4 because of the z07. I have a 96 z51 and the suspension is what I expect out of a corvette. It's pretty harsh and unforgiving. I love it. I've driven a base C5 and it drove like a Cadillac. Completely uninspiring, and it didn't help that it was an auto either. My LT4 would blow the doors off the thing. The C4 is a lot more raw than the C5. If you are really care about speed the C5 is going to be a lot quicker compared to an L98. The 96 LT4 is pretty close to a manual LS1 and I would recommend the LT4 if you want the C4 and quicker acceleration. The ZR1 is going to be a level above that but comes with a very significant price increase.

I had 2 C5s and 2 C4s – (2 95s and 2 99s)The C5 just did EVERYTHING better. It was a major improvement in ride quality, it didn’t shake with the roof panel off, and the roof took a few minutes to remove and replace. The aftermarket support is non-existent for a C4 as compared to the C5.Just drive each car for about 20 minutes….
(But I do think the C4 is better looking)

When I read this thread in the C5 section, I didn't figure that the C5 crowd would mention it. But here? How is it possible that no one has brought up the enormous rear end on the C5? The C5 would be banned at a drive-in for blocking the movie. Big rig drivers can't see around that rear. We're talking huge.

That Kardashian ass on botox is the deal killer.

C5 is too squishy looking and the arse is too big...I still remember in 1997 the day GM constantly bragged how the C5 could hold 2 golf bags was the day I realized GM didn't consider the C5 a sports car first. But not to go OT...my recommendation, look at C5 and look at C4 which one would you prefer to drive? One's gut is usually right most of the time.

I've driven C5's, felt like I was in a passenger car, but C4 always feels like I'm climbing into a fighter jet!

C5, for 1 reason, LS instead of LT.

I think a c5 is superior. The electronics scare me. The car itself is great for having fun and going fast and not having it rattle like crazy when hitting the roads. If you mod cars C5 is the one for sure.

Drive both. A c4 can be raw feeling, a base c4 with race suspension etc, is very raw. An early C4z51 with newer parts will be very fun to some. A c4 can feel fast, a C5 can be fast.

Depends what you are looking for.

I was very fortunate with my 96, had it for 7 years and put over 30,000 miles on it with no major mechanical issues just regular maintenance and tires. If you can get that with any car you are doing good and it makes it all the more enjoyable. I am not a fan of the C5 so I would pick the C4 all day long as far as style, looks and the feel of the ride. But in reality the C5 is the better car all the way around, take your time, drive many and see what you like most. Good time of year to buy as well., good luck.

I prefer LT over LS when the "5" is attached - smoother, higher revving, more power potential (if naturally aspirated), and certainly more beautiful. Sure you can make really big power with an LS if supercharged or turbocharged, but there always seem to be durability problems with those modifications.

sorority girl
 

I just have the C-4 college chick