Corvette C4 Forum 1984 through 1996

C4 Daily Driver: Bad Idea?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 3, 2017 | 12:02 PM
  #1  
Longitudinal's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4
From: Columbus, Ohio
Default C4 Daily Driver: Bad Idea?

I know that a Corvette is not necessarily the best choice for a daily driver on a 100 mile round trip commute, but I am exploring the possibility. Before I proceed further, let me say the following:

1) I am in the Midwest, so snow tires are a foregone conclusion.
2) Yes, it's a RWD sports car, but at the end of the day it's just a RWD car, so I figure it can't be worse in the snow than a RWD truck given appropriate tires.
3) Gas mileage is not ideal for long drives. I get it.
4) I would purchase a foul weather beater ASAP, but would conscript the Corvette for one winter, maybe two.
5) This post is not for the collector types who will say that it is criminal to put a Corvette into high mileage four season daily driver duty.
6) Not even remotely considering a convertible.

My main concerns to assess are:

1) How good is the 6 speed manual transmission? I assume it is a T56.
2) What common failure/consumable/wear parts are NLA or notably expensive?
3) What are the common electrical problems that surface on C4s, especially late C4s? (say 1993-7)
4) Given that the rubber is in decent condition, does the cabin seal well enough to keep ice melt from finding its way inside?
 
Old Oct 4, 2017 | 11:51 AM
  #2  
73shark's Avatar
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,212
From: KC, MO area
Default

Welcome to the forum.

FWIW, I drove my '73 daily for about 20 years on a 16 mile round trip. Never used snow tires in the KCMO area. Went thru up to six inches a couple of times. Usually the only problem was other drivers that didn't know how to drive in slick conditions.
 
Old Jan 4, 2019 | 01:36 PM
  #3  
mikemaifeld66's Avatar
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 1
Default

Hi,I am new to the forum, I just got a 1991 corvette convertible after it had been sitting for around 9 years being driven just a little off and on. I drove it from Bowling Green Ky to Vallejo Ca. The only problem was a old water hose that started leaking. Thanks to some help from some good o'l boys in Oklahoma I got to a dealer to have it fixed properly. Then was stopped by a snow storm in New Mexico on I40. Thanks to the wife and rancher that run the Visitor Center just across the Texas border into New Mexico, they gave us a ride to Russels truck stop really nice place, to wait out the storm. They may have saved me from freezing to death sleeping in the car. The corvette's tires were not good in the snow nor was the car. But with proper maintenance and no really bad weather it would be a daily driver in my opinion.
 
Old Jan 5, 2019 | 09:48 AM
  #4  
73shark's Avatar
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,212
From: KC, MO area
Default

Welcome to the forum.
 
Old Aug 9, 2019 | 02:43 PM
  #5  
65Z01's Avatar
Junior Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 6
From: SE NY
Default

I find my C4s very comfortable on long drives, and will/can poll North of 30mpg.
Though I'm not sure about driving one year around in snow and really bad weather.

Now that I'm retired with only short drives I have two Vettes as daily-drivers, though I usually just "sit out" a bad snow storm for a few days.
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
b777_uk_2000
Corvette C5 Forum
6
Dec 12, 2015 08:50 AM
jamesp81
Corvette C4 Forum
15
Dec 25, 2007 03:29 PM
lknox21
Corvette C6 Forum
2
Aug 17, 2007 09:59 PM
1989 BLOWNCONV VETTE
Corvette C4 Forum
35
Mar 23, 2007 11:04 AM
TopSpeed
Corvette C4 Forum
0
Sep 14, 2006 03:00 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:08 PM.