What the best year for the C4??

Hello all,
I'm looking at buying a C4 for a toy. Possibly a rag top. Is any year better than another? Engine type, horsepower,ride,etc. I knew that way back the 88's were a huge improvement for that time. Also, what to look for when purchasing one of these babies. I'm no novice. Rebuilt a 71 Riviera, and 71 Monte Carlo from the ground up to be show winners. I'm just looking to buy something nice and drive for pleasure. Thanks for your help in advance.

P.S. What is a L-4? and why would I want one???

well, in 85 they changed to the TPI...
86 was the first ragtop since the 75 model..
87 had the Twin turbo callaway model debut, which ran until 1991
88 had the anniversary edition..but only 2000 or so were made..
90 was the first ZR-1..
1991 had a minor change in appearance
92 had a bump in power


by L-4 did you mean LT-4? LT-4 was an engine option in 1996 which was the base engine for the Grand Sport...and could be ordered in non GS models, but only with a 6 speed. it made 330hp

Hello,

I have owned a '90 L98 245hp - Great Car and Good Power (can still smoke MANY new cars on the road today), but I suggest a '92 - '96 LT1 car (300hp). Great Cars with Excellent Power and Rock Solid Transmissions. These were $40,000+ new cars, that now by the power of depreciation are about 12-$18,000 for an awesome car.

Don't let a previous owner pass these problems on to you. A properly maintained car will be 100% operable.

What to look for on these cars:

- Head Light Operation - A MUST CHECK. Look for a lazy or non working headlight. A gear replacement is inexpensive. Motor Replacement - Rediculous!

- Radio and Antenae Operation. If an antenae is stuck in the upright position, it could just need a mast replacement (low cost fix) or a full replacement (not pleasant). Radio and/or Bose speakers not working, big bucks.

- Air Bag light on the warning cluster. 1 New airbag sensor, $xxx.00 installed.

- Big Oil Leaks.

- Power Seats. Make sure the driver and passenger power controls work.

I'm sure everybody can add to this checklist. I owned my C4 for 10 years and loved every mile driven in it!

I own a 96 LT-4 with the 6 speed and I would strongly recommend it if you want a lot of bang for your buck. Lt-4`s were rated at 330 hp but in reality the horse power range is between 345 to 390 hp. This info was gotten from a site called LT-4.com The horse power was measured on a dyno by mechanics who have tested hundreds of bone stock LT-4 motors. As some added info, with the LT-4 option a 96 Vette with the 6 speed ( the only trans you could get ) is worth $6500.00 to $7000.00 more then a regular 96Vette. There were approximate 6300 LT-4 motors made, 1000 went into the Grand Sport Corvette. You could also get the LT-4 in a regular Corvette if you knew the code for that option. You could also get the LT-4 with the 6spd in the collector edition Vette. 300 LT-4`s were put into SS Camaros and Firebird Firehawks.

I own a 1994 convertible black with a saddle ragtop black and saddle interior LT-1 .68,000k Awesome car added yokohama tires 58mm throttle body K&N triple take air filters. Just changed the shocks the car is so much fun! I love it Looking to do more mods in the near future. I can't get enough of this car!!

I like the '89 model. Last year for disco or atari dash , first year for 6 speed , standard 17 inch wheels, still had round tail lights which i like better than post 90 tail.

By far the best year is 96. The LT4 was the 335 HP version of the Lt1. It was the last and best version of the old, pre -LS cast iron block V8s, goingback to the 50s. But it was good: ported and polished heads and rated at 335 HP. Supposedly polishing $$$ don't last as the engine ages, but I think the LT4 is the only way to go. There were versions with 11 inch wide rear wheels and 315 sectin rear tires. I have a lot of other pretty good machiney (02 ZO6 with a C%R 427 that makes 635 HP, new zprosche Carrera, son has a 408 cubic inch 98 Camaro that does the quater in the low tens) but I have been looking for a good 96 convertible.

i like my 95 it is pretty fast and it handles good. but i was thinking about selling it to get a newer one. if your interested send me a message.

I have a 94. The 92-96 were great years. Very fast and well build. Like one person said they were $42,000 plus cars which can be had for around $13-18,000. Just my 2 cents !!

The later years (95-96) are the best. However, the C4s offer lots of choices and prices. In used performance cars one of the best values around. The ZR-1 is a C4. It is a great engine. Just looking at it is fun. However, the are costly.
SkipS

In my opinion i would choose the 1995 or 1996 vette. They are 2 vettes that hold there value very well. If you got a 1995 vette get the ZR-1 it was the last year they made the ZR-1 but in 1996 they came out with the grand sport and those are nice cars. So i would chose a 1995 or 1996 vette

I just bought a 94 and love it. I got it for $8700 at the auction in Atlanta

Damn man thats a good deal for 8700 dollars is there anything wrong with that car. I would of bought it for 8700 dollars. I think you got a good deal on that car man.

When looking at these cars don't forget the problems with the Opti-Spark on 92 to 94 LT-1's. If it wasn't replaced at some point it will have to be.

thats so true i had to replace mine 3 months ago it wasnt that bad only a $800 repair but it runs so much better that it did

I would say,any C4 is a great car.There have been a lot of improvements over its life span,but any well-maintained C4 will give you a lot of bang for the buck.I'm partial to the '96 since I own one and love it,but they're all great cars.Good luck in your search.

The best year is... what you like and how the car is maintained! I have a 86 with 82k miles on it. that's my favorite body style. Good luck finding your Vette.

Cya

I have a 90 roadster and even though like alot of C4's it needs TLC you'll find that C4's are the most affordable vette to start out in. It will give you a fever that there is no cure for. Every repair, upgarde, or addition you make to it only brings a bigger smile in the end. Shop around, dont't accept anything that your not willing try, and end up with something you'll enjoy. CATCH THE FEVER. Good luck...

86 vette. Pop some shiny rims a system and a exaust and the chicks come flying lol. No seriously dude any vette is good as long as its taken care of. Check all major componets. The best thing you can do to prevent a lemon is a CARFAX!!! Do NOT buy a car that has been wrecked. I dont care what anyone says, once its been wrecked its never the same. Make sure all electronics work and have a mechanic YOU trust check it out before you buy it. If the seller says no then dont buy it because chances are its a lemon and they dont want you to know it. Good luck.

Not much talk about the 91.... It seems like there's lots of info up till 89 and then the 92-96 models get a lot of attention. What's the deal with the 90-91 - why are they different?

I had a 90 when I first got my license **two years ago** it was dirt cheap because it was a family friend and a BIG fixer upper. The only difference is the dash. Its curved and theres alot more leather in there than my 86. Kind of old lookn inside. Everything was orange. And it did not have a Bose system and it had the tape player.....Its not that its bad its just apparently not many people have them. I liked it fine but it got totaled 8 months after due to a man running a red light so I would still have it today but not anymore. Basically its what you can afford and/or preference. Id take my 86 over the 90. Its just different in a way. I like the body style and the mods I have done to it so far so.....w/e vette it is its a
V-E-T-T-E!!! Thats all that needs to be said. All the ricers and wanna be dominators are gunna see are after our tires smoke passes thru our four taillights going down the road. Nothing compares to a vette.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Black86vette

86 vette. Pop some shiny rims a system and a exaust and the chicks come flying lol. No seriously dude any vette is good as long as its taken care of. Check all major componets. The best thing you can do to prevent a lemon is a CARFAX!!! Do NOT buy a car that has been wrecked. I dont care what anyone says, once its been wrecked its never the same. Make sure all electronics work and have a mechanic YOU trust check it out before you buy it. If the seller says no then dont buy it because chances are its a lemon and they dont want you to know it. Good luck.

Great, great post. I wholeheartedly concur.

Of course, the 'vettes that each and everyone of us have are the car(s) we prefer. The 'vette experience is not only about horsepower, but much more. It is aesthetics, history, handling, mechanic-friendly (which is defined by each persons ability to work on a vehicle), availability of parts, horsepower / torque and pride of ownership. The Corvette is one of (if not the oldest) oldest continuous production sports cars of all time - in any country.

I have a '92 convertible and I love it. It would be nice to have an LT-4, but with a few mods, the LT-1 can perform just as well. The L98 was a great engine, but the LT-1 torque curve is amazingly flat. 90% of all the torque (made) is available from just over idle to redline. The engine "feels" more powerful than it is. For me, it is not just about the raw power of the vehicle, but the way it feels and handles. People still look at nice 'vettes and stare or say "nice Corvette"!

CG

I HAVE A 92 WITH 108,000 ON IT BUT IT RUNS AND DRIVES LIKE NEW. I LOVE IT! IT S A VERY GOOD CAR BUT YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND....AND HAPPY HUNTING...

Any vehicle you buy that is over 10 years old will need work to keep it on the road. If the previous owner drove the car, and did not fix anything, you might get a great deal if you have the ability to do the repairs yourself. If you can not do the repairs your self, the going hourly rate is $50-135 and hour. Repair bills add up really quick if your paying someone to to fix it.

I do all the repairs my self, but since I do not have an alignment rack or an engine analyzer I must have work done at the shop as well. A tranny rebuild on a 1984-1988 manual transmission run about $2500-4000 (installed).  New parts are hard to find when your in a hurry, but usually I seem to find everything I need on the internet.

Bottom line with vette ownership is they are expensive drive. A new vette costs about $1200+ a month to drive (payment, interest, depreciation, general maintenance, tire replacement every 10,000 mile, cracked windshields, and the minor road scratches that need repaired) over a 6 year period.

From my experience a C4 will cost you about $1 a mile (in general repairs) once it is in good shape. It may take $10,000 to get a $4,000 vette in good shape.