As is customary here I'm starting my build thread before I bring the car home (on Saturday). Here's a little teaser:
As is customary here I'm starting my build thread before I bring the car home (on Saturday). Here's a little teaser:
ONE OF US.
He's trolling.
Actual car:
Those NB don't have enough white for it to be older than a C6
In reply to TheWraith :
Oh how wrong you are...
So the back story goes like this: my wife has just told me she wants to go back and get her Masters degree and my oldest is now a junior in high school, so I may end up with 2 folks in college at once.
I had the 2008 Mustang GT which I liked, but the last time I drove it I knew it was time to move it along to the next guy. I listed it at a pretty strong price and had 20 guys tell me I was crazy. Then I had one guy from 90 miles away contact me and ask all of the right questions. We messaged then spoke on the phone. He made me a good offer which I accepted. The following week he showed up at my house with an envelope full of 100s, we did the paperwork and he drove away!
My plan was to bank most of the sale price and buy a cheaper toy with the remaining cash.
I've been sadly looking at the open spot in garage contemplating what to replace it with. I looked at all manor of things, then I got warm on Corvettes.
Then I zoomed in on one of the lesser loved editions...the C4. Personally I've always thought them to be really pretty cars, and I knew that given the right circumstances I could likely buy one cheap.
I read everything I could, watched all the videos from credible sources I could find, and I got warmer. I focused on 94-96 cars (LT1 with less troublesome Duraspark that is ventilated).
I contacted a few sellers and it seemed the kind of car I was seeking was still going to cost me $9000+ for a decent one.
Then an ad caught my attention. There were only a few pictures and a very brief description. I contacted the seller and he was very forthright with info. I was given the VIN to run a Carfax and was able to validate what I had been told. I made an appointment and went to see it.
The fellow I was speaking with is the son, the actual seller is a gentleman in his later 70s. He is the second owner and bought it in 2008. It's been garaged since new, never in an accident, and serviced at the local Chevrolet dealer since he got it.
It's a 1989. Auto trans. 66k miles. Few options. No Z51. It does have the squared 17x9.5 wheel fitment that I happen to really like, although the wheels have lost their clear and look bad currently. The tires are at least 15 years old (therefore will be replaced). No selectable suspension. Doesn't even have CD. However he shared a stack of receipts for work done in the last few thousand miles: new pads and rotors all around, new fuel injectors, headlight motors repaired, fluids, battery, etc.
The body is very nice with shiny paint, poor touch ups on a few scratches on the nose but otherwise really pretty. It's clear it's been garaged. The weatherstrips which commonly shrink on these are in pretty good shape. The glass roof is perfect. The ac blows cold and every power accessory works as intended. The steering column is tight. The engine runs smoothly and pulls as hard as 240hp of American muscle can.
I drove it and was surprised to find little in the way of squeaks and rattles. It goes down the road well, goes straight, and brakes straight. The brakes aren't impressive but they work.
The drivers seat is worn and will need at least new coverings. The remainder of the interior is fiddly 80s GM plastic, nuf said. I will likely throw a new carpet in when I repair the seat.
He was originally asking $10k and had zero interested parties in a year on the market so he had dropped his price down to $7k. I offered him $5500 and we shook hands.
I find it hard to believe any Corvette that isn't a crossfire-injected version that runs and drives must be worth at least $5k. I happen to love the color combo and it just fits me. It's a cheap toy to play with until my wife graduates and she can buy me a C8 haha.
I think with another $2000 to play with I can spruce up the appearance quite a bit and get some new shoes on her. I'm genuinely excited to get er licensed and to start driving it regularly, but gently (at first). I know some issues will pop up and I'm prepared for that, but lots of common failure points have been addressed and the TPI small block / 700r4 combo seems quite reliable if not exciting!
The irony is that I bought those New Balances a few weeks back as they are comfortable for my feet/knees/back. I guess I should have known when I ordered them what was coming next.
I'm shopping for jorts right now.
I love that color combo! At first I thought you'd snagged a 96 for $5500 which would've been a song but that's still a sweet score.
Very nice. The C4 has a timeless shape, and it's the perfect car to enjoy for a few years and move on from without losing anything.
In reply to dculberson :
It was a bit of a long and winding story which I'm sure was hard to follow. A 96 for $5500 would be a robbery for sure.
In reply to Loweguy5 :
Mind sharing how you approach making an offer like that? I've looked at cars that are priced too high in my opinion but don't feel comfortable making offers if what I feel the car is worth is much lower than asking price. I do better buying cars that are sweet deals by just being the first to see it.
Cocaine white paint - check
Red interior - check
Sawblades - check
That is THE C4 Corvette! Great looking car!
Can't wait to see the leather jack and 1 of XX very specific model spec boomer board 
In reply to Blunder :
I showed up with a checklist that I showed the seller before I started. I asked his permission to examine it above and below. Each item i looked at, I reported my findings good or bad: "the fluids look great, you've clearly stayed up on maintenance", "did you notice that moisture on the bottom of the oil pan?" Etc. I always tell the seller that I will make my observations respectfully and I understand that it can be easy to get emotional about a car. I tell them I want to offer a "fair" price that takes into consideration all of the potential repairs and where I see the math landing me in the way of an offer.
In reply to RacetruckRon :
Oh it's 1 of 12 with 2.59 rear end gears and the cassette only (no cd) Bose sound system that also came with floor mats and splash guards. "I know what I've got!".
One doesn't shop for Jorts. Take your most comfortable jeans with blown out knees cut just above the knee. Now this it the important part, you are not a tailor so the cut will be crooked. Keep cutting until you get them straight, (hint, take them off this time). At this point they will be just a bit too short and a bit creepy with the pockets hanging out. Perfection, and with the money you saved by not shopping at Banana Republic or American Eagle you can afford the duster for the car shows.
This looks like a lot of fun for the money, and I agree you should be able to enjoy it for a spell then not loose a dime when you put it up for sale here.
You stole that thing!
I've been thinking about picking up a C4. As a kid, the Corvette was the pinnacle of cool and I somehow never got around to getting one. I waffle between a C3 & C4, but the C4 tends to win out in terms of versatility. Logically, 94-96 is the way to go, but for whatever reason I really dig the looks of the TPI top end and don't like the look of the LT1.
I happen to think that 89 is the sweet spot for C4's, for a number of reasons. Excellent purchase.
In reply to SEADave :
I really enjoy C&S Corvettes videos on YouTube and they identify the 89 and 94-96 as the best years of C4 to buy. I had lined up a 2 owner 2001 C5 with 100k to look at too (also auto and also with an excellent service history) but once I spent time with this car I knew it was the one and stayed closer to my "save some car money for school expenses" plan.
I tend to buy things with wheels for two reasons: how they make me feel when I spend time with them, and the previous owners. I'm a sucker for a long ownership history filled with love and service work. I added insurance to it today, reserved a Uhaul to pick it up tomorrow. I'm positively giddy about it.
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