Here's some more helpful C4 videos to watch next- C4 ULTIMATE BUYER'S GUIDE- th-cam.com/video/N0BW_TFzKng/w-d-xo.html TOP 5 COMMON C4 PROBLEMS- th-cam.com/video/9nR3rkZd2bQ/w-d-xo.html C4 QUIRKS- th-cam.com/video/X2-06FbEQxA/w-d-xo.html ZR1 VS LT4- th-cam.com/video/Qpj6fSGhfjU/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching!
Let’s please keep the costs down of c4s for a moment so I can purchase it without a super high premium. I’m fine with the 1k~yearly increase 😭 don’t kill me with more
@@michaelgorman4229 There's usually other limitations too, like it needs to have its own covered garage (something I don't have as I live in an apartment complex).
What can I say...it was a very long, hot day, and I just didn't have the time or energy to diagnose the issue and change it out. I was happy to have someone else deal with it!
@@blakerodriguez5999 Not so easy when you live in an apartment with no garage and strict rules on the kinds of work you can and can't do. Trust me, I WISH I had a garage where that would've been possible!
Love this! For me it was a dream come true, but I knew I was going to pore money into my 84 just because it was 37 years old at the time. I bought it. Worth it for me!
Thank you! Enjoy your 1984...And hey, maybe this video gives you context, compared to the average newer car out there, maybe you didn't spend as much as you thought.
Thank you, much appreciated! Do you think you'll be getting another Corvette at some point in the future? I haven't missed my C4 as much as I thought I might, BUT I think that's because I traded it for a C6, so I still have a Vette in my life.
I hope to! Currently focusing on paying the mortgage. I am partial to the C4, but hearing how much you’ve enjoyed your C6 is leading me to consider that as an option instead!
What an awesome finally to an amazing set of C4 videos that will live on and serve the community for a very long time! I recommend your C4 videos to anybody who asks about a C4, and as a C4 owner, I used your videos as guidance. Your series is really well done and I thank you for all the effort and style you put in. Cheers, and may your Corvette journey carry on for a long time!
_Lots of great content here, well thought out, and well researched on one of my favorite generations of Corvette. (Having owned 7 from an almost new '91 Corvette convertible to my last '96 Corvette convertible, and many years in between with some being duplicated: two 1991's, three 1992's, and two 1996's). I think the key for any Corvette purchase is to find one that either has lower mileage with maintenance records, or in the case with your Collector's Edition, low mileage. It's great you made a profit per se on the sale of the car. (As of today, on fourth gens, that's rarely the case unless it's a Grand Sport, or a Collector's Edition, or a '90 to '95 ZR1). With all my years owning C4s, the two I found that were the best for me financially were the 1991's(one convertible almost brand new, and one coupe that was 17 years old), and a super low mileage '96 LT4 I picked up when it was 13 years old. Judging from some of the comments, and your own experiences, things like headlight motors, clutch, wheel bearings, brakes, and shocks were spot on. And yes for many the dreaded Opti-Spark. That's why my favorite would be the 1991 in either coupe or convertible. Here's why: last year for the L98 with a conventional easy to change distributor, new front and rear fascias, last year for non-traction control, interior components that weren't cheapened like the '94 to 96's were, more comfortable interior, lower-end torque, and a few more. To this very day, I'm still looking for a 1991 convertible that is a one or two owner from the southwest or far northwest, with maintenance records of course. All this said, glad you sold your beloved car to someone that will appreciate all your efforts, and also happy you're on a new journey with your C6 coupe._
Thanks so much, appreciate all your thoughts, especially with someone who has owned so many C4s! Interesting to hear that the 1991 was your favorite year, but you make a solid argument.
I have a early C6 Vette. Bought it in 2012 and it currently has 133k on it. I have 2 other cars, but the C6 gets driven the most. Car has been incredibly reliable and the best part is that parts are relatively cheap and most jobs are fairly easy to do yourself. I cannot say the say about my Lexus which has also been incredibly reliable, but similar repairs cost more and are a PITA to do alone. In my experience the oem radiators and water pumps last about 60k miles as i have replaced them twice, but you can replace both for the price of a PS5 and their are plenty of aftermarket options out there. Recently changed out the clutch and the shop did a look over while the transmission was out and the cars looks to be good for another 100k. The engines and transmissions on these cars are rock solid so their is not much on these cars that leave you stranded on the side of the road. In fact, I plan on driving mine on a 300 miles road trip this weekend!
That's great to hear. I think it's a common misconception that parts on retro Vettes cost an arm and a leg. Beyond a few rare trim pieces, mechanical bits are usually easy to find and reasonably priced (something I should've mentioned in this video come to think of it). Have a great road trip! I recently took my C6 on a 1,000 mile trip to Napa Valley with my wife and it was a joy.
Had my early C4 for around three years now. It's just a high mileage driver that's had a rough life. However, I haven't had any substantial problems with it. Fixed a minor radiator leak, did a little work on the fuel sending unit, replaced a fuse or two, put some fresh tires on it. That's about it.
I bought a 1995 c4 corvette 2 years ago at the age of 16. I saw the corvette at a nearby dealer and it looked amazing so I decided to buy it and risk it. One of the best choices I made, although it left me stranded a couple times I just needed to give it more love and attention and it was fine. Bought it at 93,000 miles with aqua metallic paint. It was in great condition it just needed cleaning and some care. I worked so hard to give it amazing modifications while keeping somewhat of the stock look. Gave it torq thrust rims and a better sound system and the car is amazing. Also gave it a good sounding exhaust system with long tube headers, x pipe and exhaust cut outs and it sounds like a beast and I could go silent mode with a push of a button and switch it to my stock mufflers. I plan to give it more modifications in the future giving it a good cam and maybe pro charge it way later in the future. Still have it and still expensive. I always drive it here and there sometimes baby it and sometimes drive it hard, it needs it. Not a good first car for an average teen but an amazing first car for a classic car enthusiast who likes challenges. You learn a lot on the journey with the vette.
You guys are so lucky over the States that someone can buy this gorgeous piece for $22k. Over here in Turkey, a 1996 with an auto with 140k km’s go for $75k - $80k. So jealous of you guys, however i can still enjoy your ownership through your videos and hope to see some similar content with the new C6 (which is my all time dream car)
Thank you...And a great reminder to count our blessings that Corvettes are so "Cheap" here in the USA. I'll be making more C6 content soon, had to get my "final" C4 video out to wrap it up!
I bought my first c4 for $4,000 lol 92,000 miles auto. In western ky lol… thats really all they are worth here in the states. $17k for a c4 is absurd. Even if it does have the doug nash manual transmission…
@@Youngbl33zy That was certainly a steal, lower than market correct price, assuming it was bought recently (they've gone up quite a bit over the past 5 years). I recently did thoroughly exhaustive price research using many sources for my C4 Buyer's Guide (Near the end of the video here), so I have a good idea of what these cars are NORMALLY going for these days... th-cam.com/video/N0BW_TFzKng/w-d-xo.html
I enjoy my retro C5 as well. It's an amazing car and I get excited every time that LS1 comes to life. A Corvette is actually reliable? Yes, especially when driven often just like you said. 😅😊😮 Enjoy your C6 and I will be looking out for future videos.
Great video! I just recently bought a 1993 black on black vette 6 speed manual and I absolutely love it. Keep up the great work on corvette videos and I’ll keep watching. You really are a Rad Dude!
im 20 years old, and my affordable dream car is a c4/c5! I'm still in college but I hope as soon as I graduate ill be able to get one of my own!! its def a very scary concept to me with all you talked about in this video, especially bc I don't have much hands-on experience with doing maintenance on cars... might have to get another car before I get this but I'm not too sure. would love some advice :) love the videos, keep up the amazing work! :D
Thank you! Definitely check out my "first car" C4/C5 video if you haven't already...While I realize this might not be your first car, I think it speaks a lot to anyone starting out owning enthusiast cars on a budget... th-cam.com/video/dyF5eHPf5sw/w-d-xo.html
That was fantastic! Even though I’m not looking to get a Corvette, it was really nice to see how much fun you had with it and what the costs looked like for a good amount of preventative maintenance. Certainly useful to have in your back pocket for my current classic (1986 Land Rover Defender) as well as the ones I’ve had in the past. Looking forward to seeing how the new Corvette treats you!
Oh hey! Great work and love the video! Way more detail than I considered including... the plane flight to get my car would have been fun to add in there, haha. Glad you got some inspiration, I knew that you could take the idea and make it 10x better. Thanks for the shout :)
Thank you! I hope your video gets some more well-deserved traffic, it's short and sweet and certainly worth a watch, and covers all the important stuff people need to know. Have a good one!
I live in Pittsburgh and I have a 1993 C4 red on red Corvette. Love the car love your channel! I'm going to join the sweepstakes that you are promoting.
Picked up a 95 about a year and a half ago. Costs have been pretty low. Needed fuel injectors cleaned, fix return line restriction, FP regulator, fix cruise control, replace brake pads and change coolant. I did all myself, I'm thinking I spent maybe 500 bucks? I've spent more on accessories and detailing products than parts. Gas not too bad because it is a pleasure vehicle. If I had to pay a professional would cost a lot more. It's better to pay more for one in good shape. Weather stripping gets expensive too. Mine is covered so I've gotten away with not replacing it. Anyway it's cool that you documented the costs. I was surprised at the expense, but driving alot and those crazy CA fees and gas prices were a lot of it
Absolutely! Senior owned cars are the best. Thankfully thats easy to find with Corvettes, as the average age of new owners of these was around 60 anyways.
Every part I have replaced on my 6-speed 1995 C4 (e.g., starter, wheel bearing); as well as parts I have priced (e.g., catalytic converter) is LESS expensive than my girlfriend's new Mazda sedan, or my brother's Dodge RAM pickup truck. I do the labor myself thanks to TH-cam and CorvetteForum advice, and save a bundle. The engine bay is low and laid out more conveniently than any Chevy I have ever owned, making my labor much less of a PITA. BONUS: Aluminum chassis and fiberglass body = NO RUST !!! My Nephew just picked up a great shape 1994 6-speed for $5000. The C4 is the best deal for a real monocoque multilink IRS sports car. FYI: 94 & 95 ECM is Windows programmable with TunerCat, 95 has updated Optispark-II, 96 adds full OBD-II (for better or worse, ymmv).
@@mikebolton2388 It's true, rust is still possible, but seems to be less of an issue with these cars. Not only because there's less steel than most, but also because MOST owners dont drive these in the snow (or even the rain).
Awesome! I think a lot of people look at C4's as money pits, and I think our experiences show that they CAN be a cheap fun ride. (Well, 1996's can anyways!)
I bought my 1991 ZR1 with 10k miles on it because of you! My 1st date with my now wife of 37 years her mom had an ‘87 with 4+3 . I proposed next day! haa! top notch vid again! need more!
Thank you! I have plenty of helpful videos on my channel to help you with your C4 search (such as this buyers guide). Good luck! th-cam.com/video/N0BW_TFzKng/w-d-xo.htmlsi=r0gEt-dQPFl-8TJQ
Thank you! Those are my personal three favorite versions of the C4 as well. BTW, feel free to check out my C4 vs C5 vs C6 video if you haven't already, C6 turned out to be my overall fave as well... th-cam.com/video/Y84YiwkQKQ8/w-d-xo.html
Some things I may disagree with. Some cars can sit for years and be just fine. But, different eras. Those are the pre early 70s era cars. I have some cars that cost me nothing, other than insurance (which is tough to itemize since I own a fleet of junk lol). Also mileage is tough to gauge. Driving them more lowers per mile cost but also may lower value. If its a high mileage car, it doesnt matter, but if you snag a low mileage car, thats when it can have some weird effects. I have a few cars that are 40k miles (had I should say) My 73 Continental had 45k, drove it daily up until 59k. If I was to drive it to 150k, it would be worth nothing (its a rough condition car). With low miles, its a reliable car, as if its a new car. Cranks all the time, even after sitting for a few years. (had recent big health issues, and with 12 cars...I cant focus on each as much). Add to that that I live in NY, most my cars are outside cars. So that 73 has value due to its low mileage. But, unless you flip the car, I dont think it matters. You get what you love and learn it, be it driving it, or fixing it or both. But I may do a video like this too, breaking down costs and repairs, because Im OCD with records. Each car I have, has a binder, excel spreadsheets, documentation for every repair, fuel, etc, based off of FAA and AFTO 791 forms. I can say this, without hyperbole, that I have the most well documented cars in the world. No other cars follows the strict documentation process I follow, and that the USAF follows lol. Its cool for cars Ive owned since brand new, where I can show 150k worth of miles, of every single tiny issue, or even fill up. (I only fill up the tank. NO EXCEPTIONS! Yes, even if I fill it with a can, I will fill it up to the Full! lol)
If you do make a video that follows this format, make sure to comment here! I’d love to see it, and it would be “paying it forward” as I was inspired by the other Corvette owners video that you see in this one.
I bought a ‘96 LT4 almost 3 years ago. I was able to replace the brake pads and rotors, the fuel sender assembly, the hatch seals, the hatch struts, and the center console face plate myself. I paid for ALL fluids to be replaced, as some had never been. My next big expense is going to be tires (mine are 8 years old but in good shape) and wheels, as it came with some aftermarkets. Will be getting ZR-1 style wheels with the tires. Down the road it will need reupholstered in the back and I might have to bite the bullet and replace the fritzy OEM radio with something modern, as a previous owner really ruined it.
Our 1989 is a nice looking C4 but it needs suspension help. We put new Continental tires on hoping that would smooth out the ride. The old tires were worn out. The new tires improved the ride, but not enough. Driving over imperfections in the road tosses/pulls the car to the side. You really have to hold on to the steering wheel and correct your direction quickly. I've taken it to a couple different shops to get their opinions and both said the shocks didn't need to be replaced. How did you determine that those new Bilsteins would be the way to go?
I had to go underneath the car and look at the undeside of the shocks to notice they were leaking, noticed some oil seeping out (you can kinda see in the photos in this video). I chose Bilsteins because they were OEM direct replacement. It does sound like your shocks are bad, OR perhaps your leaf spring is cracked somewhere. I'd get the car up in the air and carefully check all of that. It's also possible that everything on your car is working like it should...These cars were rough riding, especially if you have a sports suspension option (check your RPO codes to see). They softened the ride with pretty much each model year because of constant customer complaints. Good luck!
About ten years ago I too was living in SoCal (Temecula area) and found a low miles '96 CE LT4 for sale in SF. I did the same thing, flew up and drove it back. I had zero issues with the car but I didn't care for the seats. They were too flat and hard. I much prefer the sport seats from a couple years earlier. The headlights sucked too. I converted to LED but then would get flashed all the time. I didn't drive it at night often though. I took it to a guy in AZ that did sport shift conversions and that made shifting the ZF trans much nicer. The only maintenance required was oil changes. Over all it was a great car the I think the LT4 engine was under rated. I sold it and moved to a C5 Z06.
Cool! Did your car have the actual sports seats like mine? Or the base seats that aren’t as adjustable? I loved my sports seats on my C4. Way better than my C6 at holding me in.
@@LivingOnCash Ah yes, I see what you mean. They switched to more "broad" seats in 1994 to make sure bigger owners would fit. The old ones really pinned you in tight.
Thank you! What Vette are you thinking about? Love the E39 M5, my buddy had a black one and it's been featured a few times on this channel (Women React To Cars- th-cam.com/video/AMnUuX9oc7Q/w-d-xo.html and BMW Films The Hire th-cam.com/video/0zGnEUrPzBs/w-d-xo.html Hit me up on Instagram (@bradhansenmedia). Do you ever go up the Crest?
True, but as I mention near the end…I think that preventative maintenance ultimately kept the cost down, as there weren’t any major component failures that could’ve easily happened on old fluids (when driving the car as often and as fast as I did).
Incredible video! Exactly what I needed. Been looking at C4s for a couple years, and have narrowed down on a couple cars to look at. One car is one state over. Did you get a one way ticket when traveling to buy the vehicle? Did you meet the owner at the airport or nearby?
Thank you! In all three cases, I went in with confidence that I was 95 percent certain I'd get the car...I had lots of photos and long conversations with the sellers and agreed to a price beforehand (and a Carfax). Because of that, I got one way tickets. My backup plan would've been to buy the next flight home and then perhaps rend a hotel room for the night if one was only available the next day. My one way ticket...I also spent extra for a credit/refund in case somehow the car got sold before my trip. In all cases the sellers were nice enough to meet me at the actual airport. If a seller is motivated enough they should be willing to do that. But you could also take an Uber to go to see them too. You'll be taking up most of the seller's day, so I did try to schedule a day that worked best for them. A good attitude from the seller and prompt communication from them is key for this gambit. Good luck, and glad you enjoyed the video!
Another excellent Retro Cars Forever Video and what an excellent send off to the '96! We have very similar cars and every time you've released a video I deconstruct our similarities in ownership. I have a question about the price increase during your sale. Wasn't this an abnormality in the car market not likely to happen again? Most cars appreciated value in the year 2022. Wouldn't this be a fluke as C4's normally depreciate on an even curve but the strangeness that was the years between 2020 -2023. You imply that the C4 will appreciate but if your friend were to sell your old Vette he would not be selling for more than what he bought it for. Should this abnormality be factored into the REAL cost of owning a C4?
Thank you! As for the sale price, I think half of that $5k increase can be attributed to inflation/apprecation, and half can be attributed towards all the maintenance work I did that he didn't have to bother with (including $1,200 in basically brand new tires). I haven't seen evidence of the C4 depreciating at all since 2019. There was certainly a spike in prices during COVID (along with all other used cars like this), and it's leveled off quite a bit in the past year or two. But I do think good examples of these cars will continue to gradually appreciate, especially desirable engine/manual trans/special edition/stock/low mileage/well maintained combos like this one.
I still remember how great it felt UNTIL I drove your Supra, and then jumping back into the C4 made it feel like it was screwed together by drunk elves by comparison!
Realistically, it only really cost you under $200 to own the car for your time with it. Original purchase price plus maintenance, minus sell price. Well done dude
Thanks! I guess if you look at only maintenance and purchase/selling price, I did REALLY well! But I was curious to see how much the car cost when you included all the expenses.
I've easily doubled that amount by running my 93 on the track and autocross - never ending brake issues, base brakes can't handle the heat generated. Not even counting taxes, insurance and gas I'm at about $1/mile (25k miles in 4 years of ownership) or $5,750/year - including the purchase cost or $3,750 just on regular maintenance and fixing all the stuff that breaks - 2 clutches, 2 sets of spark plug wires, 2 sets of track brake pads, 2 extra sets of wheels and tires, new optispark, etc. Fun isn't cheap. I'm thinking about stepping up to a C5 Z06 in a few years.
Track use is ROUGH on cars so that doesn't surprise me! C5/C6 added brake ducts right from the factory...Just from canyon performance driving I found my C4's brakes would get WAY hotter than my C6's. I do feel like you're still doing well for a track/racing car!
So I did the math on my 85 C4, owned for just shy of 3.5 years and and put right around 35k on it only driving spring, summer and early fall. I spent $6000 on maintenance alone, don’t want to know how much in fuel. Drove the hell out of it and sold it cheap in the end, I just did enough to keep it going because it was far from a clean example. I’d like to get another c4 but a much cleaner and late model one, perhaps a 96 because OBD2.
I think you did pretty well, considering you spent around what I did on maintenance, yet you drove about 3x the miles. You'll love the step up to a newer/cleaner example if you go that route! A 1996 is pretty much a completely different car than a 1985, but still has that fun retro flavor.
Im in the market for an 89, as much as i want thw LT1 Engine i cant give up the rad 1980s design of the early C4s. Its just so hard finding one that hasnt been ran through and has good paint
It's getting harder and harder to find good examples of those 80s C4s! 1989 is a terrific year too. If you haven't already, check out my C4 buyer's guide. And best of luck with your search! th-cam.com/video/N0BW_TFzKng/w-d-xo.html
@@RetroCarsForever will do! at this point im willing to pay a little more for a good example even if it means flying to a different state. Gotta fix my credit first though haha.
Honestly for a performance car that's a little older you didn't do too bad. You really look like you got a lot of fun miles out of the car. Especially living where you do, you had lots of options for fun sports cars that could have cost a small fortune to maintain. The c4 was a great option. Between style, performance and value the c4 is a terrific choice.
My 94 C4 is my most favorite car ive ever owned, from a reliability, performance and sentimental standpoint, yes they're 30 years old now and naturally things will break but once you do all the maintenance theres nothing else out there that can compare to a Corvette, this is coming from someone who's had Mustangs, Camaros, BMWs, Rotary Mazdas, Sentra SE R's and i also own a C6 and an imported Peugeot 306 XSi The C4 has been and forever will be my favorite Corvette generation
That's so cool to hear, especially from someone who seems to have similar taste in cars! (MAN i wish I could find a clean Sentra SE-R to own these days). The late-C4 combo is hard to beat, and after putting this video together, I realized it was actually a decent fiscal decision as well.
Hello, I’ve been watching your videos for a while now and I’m about to buy a corvette for my first car, but before I finalize this decision I wanted to ask you how you feel about the c4 being a first car. I’m 19, 5”11 and love the how the c4 looks and runs. Do you think it will be a good first car for me? Like will I have decent amount of leg room? Please and thank you for answering. (Love your videos)
Hi, I made a whole video on this very subject here! th-cam.com/video/dyF5eHPf5sw/w-d-xo.html As for height issues…you’re about an inch taller than I am, and I never had problems. Height wise it seems anyone under 6 fit 2 has no issues. If you’re a bit wider, go for a later C4, as the seats are more accommodating. And the optional sports seats have more power adjustments to make sure you fit even better. Good luck, and thanks for watching and reaching out!
You’re correct! I considered putting that in here but ultimately it was such an odd “side quest to nowhere” that I didn’t include it, as it was a very atypical waste of money. Had I kept the aftermarket exhaust ON, I would’ve included it. Here was that exhaust snafu- th-cam.com/video/k8t7_XdXGyg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=7SURn652kXdovKVp
Paid 20k in 2019 with 19k on the odometer for my 93Z. Have no clue how much I've dumped into it so far outside of gas, oil changes, and the one headlight motor I replaced. Its been incredibly reliable! I don't ever plan to sell this car and at the end of the day, its the smiles per gallon that matter most. Seeing as I cant take any money with me when I die, I cant think of a better place to waste it. Nothing like getting behind the wheel on a cool weekend morning and taking the scenic route to grab a cup of coffee! She's my little fighter jet for the road! lol
@@RetroCarsForever for real, I watched the prices jump right after during COVID and was glad I was able to grab this car and a house before the market inflated.
I spent an absolute fortune on one of these from 1997 to 2002 and that's back when parts were easily available. I couldn't even imagine what it's like today. Those stupid little abs computers were in short supply even back then. Same with some of the body panels . couldn't even imagine what it's like today
@@RetroCarsForever oh no, the car was only 7 years old when I got it in 1997. To be fair it was not just street driven, lots of drag strip runs, lots of mods so that factors in. One thing I would absolutely do though is change out the radiator. The plastic is brittle at this age and the car really should be running, ideally under 200, not more than 210, the head gaskets on those cars are composite and get in trouble by 230. With a new radiator you would be surprised how much the temps drop. The one nice thing about that car is it's very easy to work on. For example the thermostat you paid for, the only hard part about it in apartments would be draining the coolant because it's a really straightforward process. Same thing with the radiator. It's not high on the ability level but you do have to jack the car up and have a place to drain the coolant. That might be something you do if you can use a buddy's garage and just knock it out on a weekend or something yourself. As you probably already know the c4 is a vacuum cleaner so the radiator sucks up all this dust and dirt and debris over the air and they basically lose efficiency. Having an air compressor with a long air blaster, some kind of long tube that you can blow out all the fins is really helpful, I used to do that every 6 months. In your spare time I would also look for places that either remanufacture the computers and ABS computer or find a wrecking yard that has some just in case you ever need one. They are from my understanding, virtually unavailable at the auto parts store and common sources these days. The other thing you have going on with the 1996 is its absolutely the best year but those components were only made for that year. First year of OBD2 so unlike some of the prior years where multiple years will fit, with you, it's 1996 only on the electronics or at least the majority of them I would imagine. Anyway, for a c4, you do have my favorite one. The ZR1, while having just an amazing motor is even more ridiculous when it comes to sourcing parts of these days. That's a rich man's collector's item. Lastly I think your cost of ownership is pretty good but it's also representative of a totally stock car, just my personal opinion but I would leave it that way. The reliability of the c4 goes down quickly when you start with mods. That car you have is also the most desirable stock and in great condition. Two reasons to leave it alone and just enjoy it 😊
I have a '92 C4, and holy hell, it is expensive for the bigger mods/repairs. The ECM alone for a low mileage one can be over $2000, and the engine maintenance can also be quite expensive. Love it to death though
I didn't mod my car, which probably saved me a pretty penny! I'm shocked that an ECM cost you 2 grand. I thought they were more like $300- $400... www.ecklers.com/1992-1993-corvette-lt1-electronic-control-module-25-111927-1.html
@@RetroCarsForever All of those aftermarket ones are always out of stock at least in my area (im in MI), they stopped making those years ago. The only options are paying for a brand new oem one which is insanely rare to find and would be crazy expensive or an ebay one for 1-2k which likely won't work and wont have a warranty.
Interesting. I haven't done as detailed of an analysis as you have, but my LT4 has cost me substantially more than yours. My purchase price was lower at $10k but six months after I bought it 2 exhaust valve springs broke. That ended up costing $7k when I include the clutch slave cylinder work and an a/c repair. Oh well. What's that saying "the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys?"
@@RetroCarsForever both. It had 91k miles at the time and had had head work in the past. The guy at my local shop builds drag racing engines as a side gig. When he tore into mine he was very impressed with the quality of the work that had been done. He said whoever had done the mods really knew what they were doing. He also said the stiffer valve springs that were in it were more prone to breaking than stock.
Get a good taken care of car thats been driven regularly. I made the mistake getting a 1990 corvette that wasn't driven for 10 years after the original owner died. It needed a lot of maintenance and things would break every month
One of the lessons I talk about near end of this video...I only recommend "needy" or forgotten Corvettes to people who actively WANT a project and enjoy working on the car. Otherwise, financially and time-wise, it just makes more sense to get a well taken care of example that's been driven regularly as you mention. Still, at least you got that 1990 up and going again!
Great wrap-up video. I watched a couple of your C4 videos before purchasing my one-owner, '94 6-speed about 2-1/2 years ago. I had to replace the 20-year-old tires and presumably original shocks on mine, and what a difference that made to the performance and comfort. I had a blast driving the car about 5,000 miles, including a 1k mile trip to Monterey for Car Week last year, as well as several mountain runs with a local Corvette driving group. Like you, however, it was time to move on to another vehicle, and I delivered my Corvette a new owner last weekend, but not without a bunch of last-minute repairs to cure a misfire - including an optispark, which was the eventual culprit. Next up for me is a 2009 Cadillac XLR-V, which I'm inheriting from my father.
Great to hear from you! Shocks and tires are the two most important changes for ride and handling, crazy difference. Love the XLR, way more rare to see than Corvettes of the era. Enjoy the new ride!
Yeah, none of my maintenance/repairs were that surprising, all seemed to be fairly common issues...Which was good in that I could easily find tutorials on how to repair them!
@@RetroCarsForever True, that's the one huge advantage to buying a C4. Well documented Maintenace tips from the modern era. Great video. I just shared it to the guy who bought my C4.
I had a 95 that i absolutely loved. However i after loosing the optispark when the water pump went out, then loosing the rings on my number 7 cylinder i sold her. I miss that car to this day.
Bummer that it failed on you like that! Especially as 1995's are usually pretty stout (did it have high miles?) Says something that you still miss it though.
I realize the chart at 14:04 is a little misleading...I got my car near the end of 2019, so that was like a "half" year. My payments were pretty consistent throughout my ownership. Wonder what happened with yours, that sucks that it went up so much!
or just, you know, don't worry about artificial statistics like cost per mile . . . all I worry about is if I can afford to keep the car in good condition and if I like it!
Good advice...Throughout my ownership of my car, I didn't worry about that stuff one bit! But after I sold it, I figured it would be interesting to do the math for this video.
Not something I ended up dealing with. Typically I just buy completely new control arms with cars (with bushings already installed). Are the bushing worse in the C4 than other cars?
I LOVE those cars, almost bought one a few months ago! The "upgrades" is where you can REALLY spend money...I didn't do any on my C4, and that probably kept my costs down as well.
Owning a car like this without at least access to a family member’s garage is kinda though. I think having a mini shop at the garage is kinda necessary.
Less than 6000 dollars for total repair costs. Not bad. There's people out there who spend more than double in half the time repairing crappy Mercedes AMG cars, or those stereotypical TH-camr Supercar Owners fixing their Lambo or whatever. Lol, such fools. Less than 17K for the grand total for everything, even extras like finer detailing clays and sprays. Very Reasonable and Smart Way to get Sports Enthusiast Level Driving Experience and Fun. Modern Car Owners; TAKE NOTE!!
Anyone who says the later 92-96 models are crap 1,000% absolutely known nothing about them!!! Yeah the 84 was junk but the rest are pretty decent and the 92-96 are LEGIT sports cars!!!
I think most people who dismiss the C4 as "crap" have either only driven early cars or cars in need of repair. Nice, later year C4s are quirky but terrific cars, especially for the money. I've even seen some 1984s that were in good shape that I think were cool.
@RetroCarsForever I only call the 84 junk because of the crossfire!! Other than that it's also very capable car! Just needs a engine and transmission swap. Also I believe that anyone who says something like that has no experience with them whatsoever. I've talked to people who have 84s and they love um! I just personally couldn't handle the no power thing in a corvette. Mid to late C3s included.
So you will rebuild headlight motors but won’t install shocks? That’s crazy…. lol you had sooo many things done by a shop that you could have easily done yourself lol.. and made content while doing it..
As explained in the video, not having a garage (and just an alley behind my apartment) severely limited what I could do when it came to working on the car. We have rules on what is or isn't allowed in our complex. I have swapped shocks in other cars before (for my 2001 Bullitt Mustang), but I had to "borrow" a friend's empty garage to do it, which I wasn't able to do this time around. So it would've been tricky given my situation, and for $400 it just wasn't worth the difficulty. The headlight motors were easy to DIY because most of the work was actually done inside on my work table.
Awesome, way to live the dream! Hello from America...It must be REALLY unique to have a C4 over in the Denmark (assuming that's where you are). Have a great day!
It WOULD have been nice, but not realistic! Keep in mind the Collector Edition/LT4 combo added about 4 grand to the value. If you're curious about modern day C4 values, you can check out the end of my C4 Buyer's Guide here... th-cam.com/video/N0BW_TFzKng/w-d-xo.html
There are some annoying things about the C4, most of which have to do with daily driver, that I go over in the "C4 Negatives" section in my C4 vs C6 vs C6 video here- th-cam.com/video/Y84YiwkQKQ8/w-d-xo.html BUT on the whole, this was an excellent car, especially considering the time it was made and how affordable they are. And most importantly, it was pretty reliable.
Here's some more helpful C4 videos to watch next-
C4 ULTIMATE BUYER'S GUIDE- th-cam.com/video/N0BW_TFzKng/w-d-xo.html
TOP 5 COMMON C4 PROBLEMS- th-cam.com/video/9nR3rkZd2bQ/w-d-xo.html
C4 QUIRKS- th-cam.com/video/X2-06FbEQxA/w-d-xo.html
ZR1 VS LT4- th-cam.com/video/Qpj6fSGhfjU/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for watching!
Let’s please keep the costs down of c4s for a moment so I can purchase it without a super high premium. I’m fine with the 1k~yearly increase 😭 don’t kill me with more
Sorry haha!
To be fair I dont think we'll see typical C4's ever gain more than a grand a year in value. So you have time!
@@RetroCarsForeverThat's fine by me
Classic car insurance is way cheap $300 or less per year of course 5,000 miles limited
@@michaelgorman4229 There's usually other limitations too, like it needs to have its own covered garage (something I don't have as I live in an apartment complex).
$256 for a thermostat change is wild… it’s literally right on top and takes less that 5 min to change on those c4s….
What can I say...it was a very long, hot day, and I just didn't have the time or energy to diagnose the issue and change it out. I was happy to have someone else deal with it!
Literally what I always thinking.. and what like 400 bucks to install shocks… you know how easy it is to do on there cars? Lol😅
@@blakerodriguez5999 Not so easy when you live in an apartment with no garage and strict rules on the kinds of work you can and can't do. Trust me, I WISH I had a garage where that would've been possible!
I paid $96 for my thermostat for a c5
@@PatrickGotHands Assuming you did the job yourself? That sounds about right.
Your buyer's guide video a couple years ago convinced me to buy my first C4 and I've enjoyed it ever since. Great videos man!
That's awesome to hear! I'm touched. Thank you, and enjoy the ride!
Love this! For me it was a dream come true, but I knew I was going to pore money into my 84 just because it was 37 years old at the time. I bought it. Worth it for me!
Thank you! Enjoy your 1984...And hey, maybe this video gives you context, compared to the average newer car out there, maybe you didn't spend as much as you thought.
pour
You do an excellent job editing your videos! Truly production grade! I sold my C4 LT1 a few months ago and this vid is making me miss it already!
Thank you, much appreciated! Do you think you'll be getting another Corvette at some point in the future?
I haven't missed my C4 as much as I thought I might, BUT I think that's because I traded it for a C6, so I still have a Vette in my life.
I hope to! Currently focusing on paying the mortgage. I am partial to the C4, but hearing how much you’ve enjoyed your C6 is leading me to consider that as an option instead!
What an awesome finally to an amazing set of C4 videos that will live on and serve the community for a very long time! I recommend your C4 videos to anybody who asks about a C4, and as a C4 owner, I used your videos as guidance. Your series is really well done and I thank you for all the effort and style you put in. Cheers, and may your Corvette journey carry on for a long time!
Dude, that's the NICEST dang comment! I really appreciate that.
Let’s be honest Brad is probably the best C4 owner out of any c4 owner😂
Heh, thanks, I did my best!
_Lots of great content here, well thought out, and well researched on one of my favorite generations of Corvette. (Having owned 7 from an almost new '91 Corvette convertible to my last '96 Corvette convertible, and many years in between with some being duplicated: two 1991's, three 1992's, and two 1996's). I think the key for any Corvette purchase is to find one that either has lower mileage with maintenance records, or in the case with your Collector's Edition, low mileage. It's great you made a profit per se on the sale of the car. (As of today, on fourth gens, that's rarely the case unless it's a Grand Sport, or a Collector's Edition, or a '90 to '95 ZR1). With all my years owning C4s, the two I found that were the best for me financially were the 1991's(one convertible almost brand new, and one coupe that was 17 years old), and a super low mileage '96 LT4 I picked up when it was 13 years old. Judging from some of the comments, and your own experiences, things like headlight motors, clutch, wheel bearings, brakes, and shocks were spot on. And yes for many the dreaded Opti-Spark. That's why my favorite would be the 1991 in either coupe or convertible. Here's why: last year for the L98 with a conventional easy to change distributor, new front and rear fascias, last year for non-traction control, interior components that weren't cheapened like the '94 to 96's were, more comfortable interior, lower-end torque, and a few more. To this very day, I'm still looking for a 1991 convertible that is a one or two owner from the southwest or far northwest, with maintenance records of course. All this said, glad you sold your beloved car to someone that will appreciate all your efforts, and also happy you're on a new journey with your C6 coupe._
Thanks so much, appreciate all your thoughts, especially with someone who has owned so many C4s! Interesting to hear that the 1991 was your favorite year, but you make a solid argument.
I have a early C6 Vette. Bought it in 2012 and it currently has 133k on it. I have 2 other cars, but the C6 gets driven the most. Car has been incredibly reliable and the best part is that parts are relatively cheap and most jobs are fairly easy to do yourself. I cannot say the say about my Lexus which has also been incredibly reliable, but similar repairs cost more and are a PITA to do alone. In my experience the oem radiators and water pumps last about 60k miles as i have replaced them twice, but you can replace both for the price of a PS5 and their are plenty of aftermarket options out there. Recently changed out the clutch and the shop did a look over while the transmission was out and the cars looks to be good for another 100k. The engines and transmissions on these cars are rock solid so their is not much on these cars that leave you stranded on the side of the road. In fact, I plan on driving mine on a 300 miles road trip this weekend!
That's great to hear. I think it's a common misconception that parts on retro Vettes cost an arm and a leg. Beyond a few rare trim pieces, mechanical bits are usually easy to find and reasonably priced (something I should've mentioned in this video come to think of it).
Have a great road trip! I recently took my C6 on a 1,000 mile trip to Napa Valley with my wife and it was a joy.
Had my early C4 for around three years now. It's just a high mileage driver that's had a rough life. However, I haven't had any substantial problems with it. Fixed a minor radiator leak, did a little work on the fuel sending unit, replaced a fuse or two, put some fresh tires on it. That's about it.
That's great to hear! Enjoy the drive.
It’s like you make videos just for me. It’s why I hit the bell
Thanks so much...And congratulations on being the first comment! Enjoy the video.
I bought a 1995 c4 corvette 2 years ago at the age of 16. I saw the corvette at a nearby dealer and it looked amazing so I decided to buy it and risk it. One of the best choices I made, although it left me stranded a couple times I just needed to give it more love and attention and it was fine. Bought it at 93,000 miles with aqua metallic paint. It was in great condition it just needed cleaning and some care. I worked so hard to give it amazing modifications while keeping somewhat of the stock look. Gave it torq thrust rims and a better sound system and the car is amazing. Also gave it a good sounding exhaust system with long tube headers, x pipe and exhaust cut outs and it sounds like a beast and I could go silent mode with a push of a button and switch it to my stock mufflers. I plan to give it more modifications in the future giving it a good cam and maybe pro charge it way later in the future. Still have it and still expensive. I always drive it here and there sometimes baby it and sometimes drive it hard, it needs it. Not a good first car for an average teen but an amazing first car for a classic car enthusiast who likes challenges. You learn a lot on the journey with the vette.
Awesome to hear! Maybe my favorite C4 color too. Enjoy the ride!
You guys are so lucky over the States that someone can buy this gorgeous piece for $22k. Over here in Turkey, a 1996 with an auto with 140k km’s go for $75k - $80k. So jealous of you guys, however i can still enjoy your ownership through your videos and hope to see some similar content with the new C6 (which is my all time dream car)
Thank you...And a great reminder to count our blessings that Corvettes are so "Cheap" here in the USA.
I'll be making more C6 content soon, had to get my "final" C4 video out to wrap it up!
I bought my first c4 for $4,000 lol 92,000 miles auto. In western ky lol… thats really all they are worth here in the states. $17k for a c4 is absurd. Even if it does have the doug nash manual transmission…
@@Youngbl33zy That was certainly a steal, lower than market correct price, assuming it was bought recently (they've gone up quite a bit over the past 5 years).
I recently did thoroughly exhaustive price research using many sources for my C4 Buyer's Guide (Near the end of the video here), so I have a good idea of what these cars are NORMALLY going for these days...
th-cam.com/video/N0BW_TFzKng/w-d-xo.html
@@Youngbl33zy You think a '96 MT comes with a Doug Nash?? 🤮
Vay be bir C4 sevdalısı daha
I enjoy my retro C5 as well.
It's an amazing car and I get excited every time that LS1 comes to life.
A Corvette is actually reliable? Yes, especially when driven often just like you said. 😅😊😮
Enjoy your C6 and I will be looking out for future videos.
Thank you! C5s are terrific cars too (loved driving one back to back with a C4 and C6 a few videos ago).
@@RetroCarsForever I noticed the ad for that video. (:
Great video! I just recently bought a 1993 black on black vette 6 speed manual and I absolutely love it. Keep up the great work on corvette videos and I’ll keep watching. You really are a Rad Dude!
Heh, thank you! And congrats on the getting a sweet C4.
these videos are so entertaining & helpful. currently looking for a c4, love the videos!
Thank you! Best of luck with your search.
im 20 years old, and my affordable dream car is a c4/c5! I'm still in college but I hope as soon as I graduate ill be able to get one of my own!! its def a very scary concept to me with all you talked about in this video, especially bc I don't have much hands-on experience with doing maintenance on cars... might have to get another car before I get this but I'm not too sure. would love some advice :) love the videos, keep up the amazing work! :D
Thank you! Definitely check out my "first car" C4/C5 video if you haven't already...While I realize this might not be your first car, I think it speaks a lot to anyone starting out owning enthusiast cars on a budget...
th-cam.com/video/dyF5eHPf5sw/w-d-xo.html
@@RetroCarsForever perfect!! tysm :DD
That was fantastic! Even though I’m not looking to get a Corvette, it was really nice to see how much fun you had with it and what the costs looked like for a good amount of preventative maintenance. Certainly useful to have in your back pocket for my current classic (1986 Land Rover Defender) as well as the ones I’ve had in the past. Looking forward to seeing how the new Corvette treats you!
Thank you man!
impressive cost analysis! Also, I LOVE that red one you passed up. That was my first color choice :)
Thanks Mark! They do say that "All Corvettes Are Red," but as I have a need for speed, I prefer to be a little more invisible from the police.
Oh hey! Great work and love the video! Way more detail than I considered including... the plane flight to get my car would have been fun to add in there, haha. Glad you got some inspiration, I knew that you could take the idea and make it 10x better. Thanks for the shout :)
Thank you! I hope your video gets some more well-deserved traffic, it's short and sweet and certainly worth a watch, and covers all the important stuff people need to know. Have a good one!
I live in Pittsburgh and I have a 1993 C4 red on red Corvette. Love the car love your channel! I'm going to join the sweepstakes that you are promoting.
Ayyy I live an hour south of Pittsburgh and I have a 1993 in white.
Thank you! And best of luck with the sweepstakes, hope you win!
You sold me. I was going to get another third gen f body, but now I’m going to get a c4 corvette. Thanks for the content!
Thanks for watching! Ironically I have yet to own an F body but I do love them…
Picked up a 95 about a year and a half ago. Costs have been pretty low. Needed fuel injectors cleaned, fix return line restriction, FP regulator, fix cruise control, replace brake pads and change coolant. I did all myself, I'm thinking I spent maybe 500 bucks? I've spent more on accessories and detailing products than parts. Gas not too bad because it is a pleasure vehicle. If I had to pay a professional would cost a lot more. It's better to pay more for one in good shape. Weather stripping gets expensive too. Mine is covered so I've gotten away with not replacing it. Anyway it's cool that you documented the costs. I was surprised at the expense, but driving alot and those crazy CA fees and gas prices were a lot of it
"It's better to pay more for one in good shape" is terrific advice for these. Glad you have your 95 running well. Enjoy the ride!
I have had my 85 for 10 years. Great car! I recommend buying from seniors that really take care of their vehicles.
Absolutely! Senior owned cars are the best. Thankfully thats easy to find with Corvettes, as the average age of new owners of these was around 60 anyways.
Every part I have replaced on my 6-speed 1995 C4 (e.g., starter, wheel bearing);
as well as parts I have priced (e.g., catalytic converter)
is LESS expensive than my girlfriend's new Mazda sedan, or my brother's Dodge RAM pickup truck.
I do the labor myself thanks to TH-cam and CorvetteForum advice, and save a bundle.
The engine bay is low and laid out more conveniently than any Chevy I have ever owned,
making my labor much less of a PITA.
BONUS: Aluminum chassis and fiberglass body = NO RUST !!!
My Nephew just picked up a great shape 1994 6-speed for $5000.
The C4 is the best deal for a real monocoque multilink IRS sports car.
FYI: 94 & 95 ECM is Windows programmable with TunerCat,
95 has updated Optispark-II,
96 adds full OBD-II (for better or worse, ymmv).
Great tips! And agreed, the parts for the C4 arent usually all that expensive, especially compared to modern cars.
They still rust because the main structure rails are steel but probably less than most cars
@@mikebolton2388 It's true, rust is still possible, but seems to be less of an issue with these cars. Not only because there's less steel than most, but also because MOST owners dont drive these in the snow (or even the rain).
@@RetroCarsForever yep, I'm not one of them. Rain is kinda fun 😆
I'm rebuilding my grandads 92 been doing a deep dive of the car and you've been a big help
That's awesome to hear for many reasons. Top amongst them that you're rebuilding your Grandpa's old ride. Wish you the best!
I loved our 1996 C4 The same one as yours, I found it to be a fun cheap journey!
Awesome! I think a lot of people look at C4's as money pits, and I think our experiences show that they CAN be a cheap fun ride. (Well, 1996's can anyways!)
You do a great job…editing, informative, interesting.
Thank you so much!
I bought my 1991 ZR1 with 10k miles on it because of you! My 1st date with my now wife of 37 years her mom had an ‘87 with 4+3 .
I proposed next day! haa!
top notch vid again! need more!
I'm touched to hear that! Enjoy the ZR-1 (one of my faves from previous videos)
@@RetroCarsForever me too! you brought back so many memories to me and my wife. Cheers!
Great video and very helpful! I’m doing research now and hope to buy a later c4 in the future!
Thank you! I have plenty of helpful videos on my channel to help you with your C4 search (such as this buyers guide). Good luck!
th-cam.com/video/N0BW_TFzKng/w-d-xo.htmlsi=r0gEt-dQPFl-8TJQ
Great video. The C4, particularly the Collectors Edition, Grand Sport and ZR-1, has aged well. That said, the C6 is my favorite generation.
Thank you! Those are my personal three favorite versions of the C4 as well.
BTW, feel free to check out my C4 vs C5 vs C6 video if you haven't already, C6 turned out to be my overall fave as well...
th-cam.com/video/Y84YiwkQKQ8/w-d-xo.html
Some things I may disagree with. Some cars can sit for years and be just fine. But, different eras. Those are the pre early 70s era cars. I have some cars that cost me nothing, other than insurance (which is tough to itemize since I own a fleet of junk lol). Also mileage is tough to gauge. Driving them more lowers per mile cost but also may lower value.
If its a high mileage car, it doesnt matter, but if you snag a low mileage car, thats when it can have some weird effects. I have a few cars that are 40k miles (had I should say) My 73 Continental had 45k, drove it daily up until 59k. If I was to drive it to 150k, it would be worth nothing (its a rough condition car). With low miles, its a reliable car, as if its a new car. Cranks all the time, even after sitting for a few years. (had recent big health issues, and with 12 cars...I cant focus on each as much). Add to that that I live in NY, most my cars are outside cars. So that 73 has value due to its low mileage.
But, unless you flip the car, I dont think it matters. You get what you love and learn it, be it driving it, or fixing it or both. But I may do a video like this too, breaking down costs and repairs, because Im OCD with records. Each car I have, has a binder, excel spreadsheets, documentation for every repair, fuel, etc, based off of FAA and AFTO 791 forms.
I can say this, without hyperbole, that I have the most well documented cars in the world. No other cars follows the strict documentation process I follow, and that the USAF follows lol. Its cool for cars Ive owned since brand new, where I can show 150k worth of miles, of every single tiny issue, or even fill up. (I only fill up the tank. NO EXCEPTIONS! Yes, even if I fill it with a can, I will fill it up to the Full! lol)
If you do make a video that follows this format, make sure to comment here! I’d love to see it, and it would be “paying it forward” as I was inspired by the other Corvette owners video that you see in this one.
I bought a ‘96 LT4 almost 3 years ago. I was able to replace the brake pads and rotors, the fuel sender assembly, the hatch seals, the hatch struts, and the center console face plate myself. I paid for ALL fluids to be replaced, as some had never been. My next big expense is going to be tires (mine are 8 years old but in good shape) and wheels, as it came with some aftermarkets. Will be getting ZR-1 style wheels with the tires. Down the road it will need reupholstered in the back and I might have to bite the bullet and replace the fritzy OEM radio with something modern, as a previous owner really ruined it.
Cool! None of that sounds too crazy for these cars. Best of luck with the rest of it!
Our 1989 is a nice looking C4 but it needs suspension help. We put new Continental tires on hoping that would smooth out the ride. The old tires were worn out. The new tires improved the ride, but not enough. Driving over imperfections in the road tosses/pulls the car to the side. You really have to hold on to the steering wheel and correct your direction quickly. I've taken it to a couple different shops to get their opinions and both said the shocks didn't need to be replaced. How did you determine that those new Bilsteins would be the way to go?
I had to go underneath the car and look at the undeside of the shocks to notice they were leaking, noticed some oil seeping out (you can kinda see in the photos in this video). I chose Bilsteins because they were OEM direct replacement.
It does sound like your shocks are bad, OR perhaps your leaf spring is cracked somewhere. I'd get the car up in the air and carefully check all of that.
It's also possible that everything on your car is working like it should...These cars were rough riding, especially if you have a sports suspension option (check your RPO codes to see). They softened the ride with pretty much each model year because of constant customer complaints.
Good luck!
About ten years ago I too was living in SoCal (Temecula area) and found a low miles '96 CE LT4 for sale in SF. I did the same thing, flew up and drove it back. I had zero issues with the car but I didn't care for the seats. They were too flat and hard. I much prefer the sport seats from a couple years earlier.
The headlights sucked too. I converted to LED but then would get flashed all the time. I didn't drive it at night often though.
I took it to a guy in AZ that did sport shift conversions and that made shifting the ZF trans much nicer.
The only maintenance required was oil changes. Over all it was a great car the I think the LT4 engine was under rated.
I sold it and moved to a C5 Z06.
Cool! Did your car have the actual sports seats like mine? Or the base seats that aren’t as adjustable?
I loved my sports seats on my C4. Way better than my C6 at holding me in.
@@RetroCarsForever Same seats as yours. I had a '93 before and those seats were way better.
@@LivingOnCash Ah yes, I see what you mean. They switched to more "broad" seats in 1994 to make sure bigger owners would fit. The old ones really pinned you in tight.
Great video as always. I’m an aspiring vette owner, currently have an e39 m5. I’m in LA too, would love to hit a canyon with you sometime!
Thank you! What Vette are you thinking about?
Love the E39 M5, my buddy had a black one and it's been featured a few times on this channel (Women React To Cars- th-cam.com/video/AMnUuX9oc7Q/w-d-xo.html and BMW Films The Hire th-cam.com/video/0zGnEUrPzBs/w-d-xo.html
Hit me up on Instagram (@bradhansenmedia). Do you ever go up the Crest?
I think the cost is higher because you actually did all recommend maintenance vs most people don’t and only do oil changes
True, but as I mention near the end…I think that preventative maintenance ultimately kept the cost down, as there weren’t any major component failures that could’ve easily happened on old fluids (when driving the car as often and as fast as I did).
@@RetroCarsForever oh for sure, just mentioning the “average “ owner often isn’t as maintenance thoughtful and more just if it breaks I fix it
@@Grumpyoldman666 Very true...And I've never understood that philosophy! (Most people probably just dont prioritize maintenance enough).
Incredible video! Exactly what I needed. Been looking at C4s for a couple years, and have narrowed down on a couple cars to look at. One car is one state over. Did you get a one way ticket when traveling to buy the vehicle? Did you meet the owner at the airport or nearby?
Thank you!
In all three cases, I went in with confidence that I was 95 percent certain I'd get the car...I had lots of photos and long conversations with the sellers and agreed to a price beforehand (and a Carfax).
Because of that, I got one way tickets. My backup plan would've been to buy the next flight home and then perhaps rend a hotel room for the night if one was only available the next day.
My one way ticket...I also spent extra for a credit/refund in case somehow the car got sold before my trip.
In all cases the sellers were nice enough to meet me at the actual airport. If a seller is motivated enough they should be willing to do that. But you could also take an Uber to go to see them too.
You'll be taking up most of the seller's day, so I did try to schedule a day that worked best for them. A good attitude from the seller and prompt communication from them is key for this gambit.
Good luck, and glad you enjoyed the video!
C4 is relatively easy to work on, you can easily change the fuel/pump/sender with extreme ease, you cannot say that about any later model corvette
100 percent! That was a major C4 plus that I’m mentioned in my C4 vs C5 vs C6 video…
th-cam.com/video/Y84YiwkQKQ8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=aHyc4ZqF8WHCduSi
Does your old ride still reside in Charlotte? That’s where I’m at and have owned my 96 LT4 for almost a year now.
It does! You might see it driving around.
Another excellent Retro Cars Forever Video and what an excellent send off to the '96! We have very similar cars and every time you've released a video I deconstruct our similarities in ownership. I have a question about the price increase during your sale. Wasn't this an abnormality in the car market not likely to happen again? Most cars appreciated value in the year 2022. Wouldn't this be a fluke as C4's normally depreciate on an even curve but the strangeness that was the years between 2020 -2023. You imply that the C4 will appreciate but if your friend were to sell your old Vette he would not be selling for more than what he bought it for. Should this abnormality be factored into the REAL cost of owning a C4?
Thank you!
As for the sale price, I think half of that $5k increase can be attributed to inflation/apprecation, and half can be attributed towards all the maintenance work I did that he didn't have to bother with (including $1,200 in basically brand new tires).
I haven't seen evidence of the C4 depreciating at all since 2019. There was certainly a spike in prices during COVID (along with all other used cars like this), and it's leveled off quite a bit in the past year or two.
But I do think good examples of these cars will continue to gradually appreciate, especially desirable engine/manual trans/special edition/stock/low mileage/well maintained combos like this one.
So many comments already! I remember how much fun this car was to drive. Quite affordable to own as well.
I still remember how great it felt UNTIL I drove your Supra, and then jumping back into the C4 made it feel like it was screwed together by drunk elves by comparison!
@@RetroCarsForever BWHAHAHAHA!
Realistically, it only really cost you under $200 to own the car for your time with it. Original purchase price plus maintenance, minus sell price. Well done dude
Thanks! I guess if you look at only maintenance and purchase/selling price, I did REALLY well! But I was curious to see how much the car cost when you included all the expenses.
I've easily doubled that amount by running my 93 on the track and autocross - never ending brake issues, base brakes can't handle the heat generated. Not even counting taxes, insurance and gas I'm at about $1/mile (25k miles in 4 years of ownership) or $5,750/year - including the purchase cost or $3,750 just on regular maintenance and fixing all the stuff that breaks - 2 clutches, 2 sets of spark plug wires, 2 sets of track brake pads, 2 extra sets of wheels and tires, new optispark, etc. Fun isn't cheap. I'm thinking about stepping up to a C5 Z06 in a few years.
Track use is ROUGH on cars so that doesn't surprise me! C5/C6 added brake ducts right from the factory...Just from canyon performance driving I found my C4's brakes would get WAY hotter than my C6's.
I do feel like you're still doing well for a track/racing car!
So I did the math on my 85 C4, owned for just shy of 3.5 years and and put right around 35k on it only driving spring, summer and early fall. I spent $6000 on maintenance alone, don’t want to know how much in fuel. Drove the hell out of it and sold it cheap in the end, I just did enough to keep it going because it was far from a clean example. I’d like to get another c4 but a much cleaner and late model one, perhaps a 96 because OBD2.
I think you did pretty well, considering you spent around what I did on maintenance, yet you drove about 3x the miles.
You'll love the step up to a newer/cleaner example if you go that route! A 1996 is pretty much a completely different car than a 1985, but still has that fun retro flavor.
Im in the market for an 89, as much as i want thw LT1 Engine i cant give up the rad 1980s design of the early C4s. Its just so hard finding one that hasnt been ran through and has good paint
It's getting harder and harder to find good examples of those 80s C4s! 1989 is a terrific year too. If you haven't already, check out my C4 buyer's guide. And best of luck with your search!
th-cam.com/video/N0BW_TFzKng/w-d-xo.html
@@RetroCarsForever will do! at this point im willing to pay a little more for a good example even if it means flying to a different state. Gotta fix my credit first though haha.
Honestly for a performance car that's a little older you didn't do too bad. You really look like you got a lot of fun miles out of the car. Especially living where you do, you had lots of options for fun sports cars that could have cost a small fortune to maintain. The c4 was a great option. Between style, performance and value the c4 is a terrific choice.
Thank you! Never regretted my choice, and doing what I can to spread the gospel of the C4.
Yes! I was just wondering this a few hrs ago. Because i live the prices i see on FB
My 94 C4 is my most favorite car ive ever owned, from a reliability, performance and sentimental standpoint, yes they're 30 years old now and naturally things will break but once you do all the maintenance theres nothing else out there that can compare to a Corvette, this is coming from someone who's had Mustangs, Camaros, BMWs, Rotary Mazdas, Sentra SE R's and i also own a C6 and an imported Peugeot 306 XSi
The C4 has been and forever will be my favorite Corvette generation
That's so cool to hear, especially from someone who seems to have similar taste in cars! (MAN i wish I could find a clean Sentra SE-R to own these days).
The late-C4 combo is hard to beat, and after putting this video together, I realized it was actually a decent fiscal decision as well.
Hello, I’ve been watching your videos for a while now and I’m about to buy a corvette for my first car, but before I finalize this decision I wanted to ask you how you feel about the c4 being a first car. I’m 19, 5”11 and love the how the c4 looks and runs. Do you think it will be a good first car for me? Like will I have decent amount of leg room? Please and thank you for answering. (Love your videos)
Hi, I made a whole video on this very subject here!
th-cam.com/video/dyF5eHPf5sw/w-d-xo.html
As for height issues…you’re about an inch taller than I am, and I never had problems. Height wise it seems anyone under 6 fit 2 has no issues.
If you’re a bit wider, go for a later C4, as the seats are more accommodating. And the optional sports seats have more power adjustments to make sure you fit even better.
Good luck, and thanks for watching and reaching out!
C4, simply rad! Thank you for your videos 😎
Thank YOU for watching!
Ok wasn't there a whole exhaust system sidemission? Or since you ultimately reversed it didn't bother including it here?
You’re correct! I considered putting that in here but ultimately it was such an odd “side quest to nowhere” that I didn’t include it, as it was a very atypical waste of money.
Had I kept the aftermarket exhaust ON, I would’ve included it.
Here was that exhaust snafu-
th-cam.com/video/k8t7_XdXGyg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=7SURn652kXdovKVp
Paid 20k in 2019 with 19k on the odometer for my 93Z. Have no clue how much I've dumped into it so far outside of gas, oil changes, and the one headlight motor I replaced. Its been incredibly reliable! I don't ever plan to sell this car and at the end of the day, its the smiles per gallon that matter most. Seeing as I cant take any money with me when I die, I cant think of a better place to waste it. Nothing like getting behind the wheel on a cool weekend morning and taking the scenic route to grab a cup of coffee! She's my little fighter jet for the road! lol
Awesome! The ZR-1 is one of the best cars of the era, bar none. You got it for a steal compared to what they go for today!
@@RetroCarsForever for real, I watched the prices jump right after during COVID and was glad I was able to grab this car and a house before the market inflated.
En el momento en que vi el bolso kislux , supe que tenía que tenerlo.
Ok.
I spent an absolute fortune on one of these from 1997 to 2002 and that's back when parts were easily available. I couldn't even imagine what it's like today. Those stupid little abs computers were in short supply even back then. Same with some of the body panels . couldn't even imagine what it's like today
Dang, what year was your C4? Was it in rough shape when you bought it?
Nothing's more expensive than a "cheap" Corvette after all.
@@RetroCarsForever oh no, the car was only 7 years old when I got it in 1997. To be fair it was not just street driven, lots of drag strip runs, lots of mods so that factors in. One thing I would absolutely do though is change out the radiator. The plastic is brittle at this age and the car really should be running, ideally under 200, not more than 210, the head gaskets on those cars are composite and get in trouble by 230. With a new radiator you would be surprised how much the temps drop. The one nice thing about that car is it's very easy to work on. For example the thermostat you paid for, the only hard part about it in apartments would be draining the coolant because it's a really straightforward process. Same thing with the radiator. It's not high on the ability level but you do have to jack the car up and have a place to drain the coolant. That might be something you do if you can use a buddy's garage and just knock it out on a weekend or something yourself. As you probably already know the c4 is a vacuum cleaner so the radiator sucks up all this dust and dirt and debris over the air and they basically lose efficiency. Having an air compressor with a long air blaster, some kind of long tube that you can blow out all the fins is really helpful, I used to do that every 6 months. In your spare time I would also look for places that either remanufacture the computers and ABS computer or find a wrecking yard that has some just in case you ever need one. They are from my understanding, virtually unavailable at the auto parts store and common sources these days. The other thing you have going on with the 1996 is its absolutely the best year but those components were only made for that year. First year of OBD2 so unlike some of the prior years where multiple years will fit, with you, it's 1996 only on the electronics or at least the majority of them I would imagine. Anyway, for a c4, you do have my favorite one. The ZR1, while having just an amazing motor is even more ridiculous when it comes to sourcing parts of these days. That's a rich man's collector's item. Lastly I think your cost of ownership is pretty good but it's also representative of a totally stock car, just my personal opinion but I would leave it that way. The reliability of the c4 goes down quickly when you start with mods. That car you have is also the most desirable stock and in great condition. Two reasons to leave it alone and just enjoy it 😊
I have a '92 C4, and holy hell, it is expensive for the bigger mods/repairs. The ECM alone for a low mileage one can be over $2000, and the engine maintenance can also be quite expensive. Love it to death though
I didn't mod my car, which probably saved me a pretty penny!
I'm shocked that an ECM cost you 2 grand. I thought they were more like $300- $400...
www.ecklers.com/1992-1993-corvette-lt1-electronic-control-module-25-111927-1.html
@@RetroCarsForever All of those aftermarket ones are always out of stock at least in my area (im in MI), they stopped making those years ago. The only options are paying for a brand new oem one which is insanely rare to find and would be crazy expensive or an ebay one for 1-2k which likely won't work and wont have a warranty.
@@deployable Ah, I see. Appreciate the info!
Another great video. Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Interesting. I haven't done as detailed of an analysis as you have, but my LT4 has cost me substantially more than yours. My purchase price was lower at $10k but six months after I bought it 2 exhaust valve springs broke. That ended up costing $7k when I include the clutch slave cylinder work and an a/c repair. Oh well. What's that saying "the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys?"
Surprised to hear the LT4 broke, their known to be pretty bulletproof. Was it modded, or have high miles?
@@RetroCarsForever both. It had 91k miles at the time and had had head work in the past. The guy at my local shop builds drag racing engines as a side gig. When he tore into mine he was very impressed with the quality of the work that had been done. He said whoever had done the mods really knew what they were doing. He also said the stiffer valve springs that were in it were more prone to breaking than stock.
Get a good taken care of car thats been driven regularly. I made the mistake getting a 1990 corvette that wasn't driven for 10 years after the original owner died. It needed a lot of maintenance and things would break every month
One of the lessons I talk about near end of this video...I only recommend "needy" or forgotten Corvettes to people who actively WANT a project and enjoy working on the car. Otherwise, financially and time-wise, it just makes more sense to get a well taken care of example that's been driven regularly as you mention.
Still, at least you got that 1990 up and going again!
Another great video!
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Great wrap-up video. I watched a couple of your C4 videos before purchasing my one-owner, '94 6-speed about 2-1/2 years ago. I had to replace the 20-year-old tires and presumably original shocks on mine, and what a difference that made to the performance and comfort. I had a blast driving the car about 5,000 miles, including a 1k mile trip to Monterey for Car Week last year, as well as several mountain runs with a local Corvette driving group. Like you, however, it was time to move on to another vehicle, and I delivered my Corvette a new owner last weekend, but not without a bunch of last-minute repairs to cure a misfire - including an optispark, which was the eventual culprit. Next up for me is a 2009 Cadillac XLR-V, which I'm inheriting from my father.
Great to hear from you! Shocks and tires are the two most important changes for ride and handling, crazy difference.
Love the XLR, way more rare to see than Corvettes of the era. Enjoy the new ride!
Iowa Hawkeyes? Are you from Iowa originally?
Good eye, yes I am!
@@RetroCarsForever Nice. Mason City native here. Now in Minneapolis.
A lot of this is Deja Vu with what I went through with my '92. I spent $8k, but it was perfect running when all was done.
Yeah, none of my maintenance/repairs were that surprising, all seemed to be fairly common issues...Which was good in that I could easily find tutorials on how to repair them!
@@RetroCarsForever True, that's the one huge advantage to buying a C4. Well documented Maintenace tips from the modern era. Great video. I just shared it to the guy who bought my C4.
@@corvetteworldrob8586 Awesome, thanks!
I had a 95 that i absolutely loved. However i after loosing the optispark when the water pump went out, then loosing the rings on my number 7 cylinder i sold her. I miss that car to this day.
Bummer that it failed on you like that! Especially as 1995's are usually pretty stout (did it have high miles?)
Says something that you still miss it though.
I heard you can put a layer of grease around the opti spark, its prevents any Mostiure from entering.
@@Solitude47152 not if you loose the water pump, no amount of anything saves it then.
We ruining the market with this one
Whoops 😅
Awesome car.
Thank you! I miss it sometimes.
wow the beginning vs the end of your insurance chart doubled same here in ohio!
I realize the chart at 14:04 is a little misleading...I got my car near the end of 2019, so that was like a "half" year.
My payments were pretty consistent throughout my ownership. Wonder what happened with yours, that sucks that it went up so much!
or just, you know, don't worry about artificial statistics like cost per mile . . . all I worry about is if I can afford to keep the car in good condition and if I like it!
Good advice...Throughout my ownership of my car, I didn't worry about that stuff one bit!
But after I sold it, I figured it would be interesting to do the math for this video.
LOL, I pay $85 a year to register my car here in TX.
I am JEALOUS!
Very cool!
Thanks!
This car still looks so beautiful
Thank you, agreed! Was great to see it again recently at its new home. Still a looker!
Me with my 1991 Quasar Blue C4 Corvette
One of my favorite C4 colors! Enjoy the ride.
We need to talk about how annoying repairing the control arms are the bushings are mad annoying
Not something I ended up dealing with. Typically I just buy completely new control arms with cars (with bushings already installed). Are the bushing worse in the C4 than other cars?
0:11 that donut reminds me of Something...😏
Its a pretty famous donut! (I always think of Iron Man 2)
@@RetroCarsForever oh i see 😀
I bought a 2001 camaro SS to play with and have spent $10K in maintenance and upgrades. lol
I LOVE those cars, almost bought one a few months ago!
The "upgrades" is where you can REALLY spend money...I didn't do any on my C4, and that probably kept my costs down as well.
I have an 85 am i screwed
Ha, no! Especially if it’s well maintained. It’ll just take a bit more time and care. It’s still just a Chevy! Enjoy.
7:20 …CAT!!!
Continuing my quest to sneak Gizmo in every video I can!
Owning a car like this without at least access to a family member’s garage is kinda though.
I think having a mini shop at the garage is kinda necessary.
It's tough not having a garage, but doable if you at least have a calm ally like I have.
finding one that is not a piece of crap is the costly part
Not horribly costly. 9 grand and up will get you a decent C4.
not worth it.
just live in florida
It would certainly be cheaper! But I would miss the epic canyon driving roads that we have around Los Angeles.
@RetroCarsForever you would get the epic Florida keys bridges and everglade swamps
Less than 6000 dollars for total repair costs. Not bad. There's people out there who spend more than double in half the time repairing crappy Mercedes AMG cars, or those stereotypical TH-camr Supercar Owners fixing their Lambo or whatever. Lol, such fools.
Less than 17K for the grand total for everything, even extras like finer detailing clays and sprays. Very Reasonable and Smart Way to get Sports Enthusiast Level Driving Experience and Fun. Modern Car Owners; TAKE NOTE!!
Thank you! I wasn’t certain what I’d find when I started totaling up everyone, but I feel pretty good about the whole experience.
The ultimate C4 is the ZR-1.
Heck yes! If you’re curious, I finally got to drive one for this video last year…
th-cam.com/video/Qpj6fSGhfjU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Iz3t4B3iQeahqllX
$211 per month for a fun car is cheap!
Agreed! Had no idea what I was doing to end up with when I started the video so it was a pleasant surprise.
A/c never needs a refresh. You have a leak.
After taking it in to a professional, it did indeed have a slow leak that was mended. Cant remember where exactly, maybe a fitting.
Anyone who says the later 92-96 models are crap 1,000% absolutely known nothing about them!!! Yeah the 84 was junk but the rest are pretty decent and the 92-96 are LEGIT sports cars!!!
I think most people who dismiss the C4 as "crap" have either only driven early cars or cars in need of repair.
Nice, later year C4s are quirky but terrific cars, especially for the money.
I've even seen some 1984s that were in good shape that I think were cool.
@RetroCarsForever I only call the 84 junk because of the crossfire!! Other than that it's also very capable car! Just needs a engine and transmission swap. Also I believe that anyone who says something like that has no experience with them whatsoever. I've talked to people who have 84s and they love um! I just personally couldn't handle the no power thing in a corvette. Mid to late C3s included.
Honestly other than fuel not much more than a miata to maintain
Yep, although I do feel there’s way more electrical features that could’ve gone wrong on my car (that didn’t).
Very true, mine had manual windows and locks even@@RetroCarsForever
@@cooperhulswit8438 Really? I didn't realize C4 Corvettes ever came with manual windows and locks. What year?
So you will rebuild headlight motors but won’t install shocks? That’s crazy…. lol you had sooo many things done by a shop that you could have easily done yourself lol.. and made content while doing it..
As explained in the video, not having a garage (and just an alley behind my apartment) severely limited what I could do when it came to working on the car. We have rules on what is or isn't allowed in our complex.
I have swapped shocks in other cars before (for my 2001 Bullitt Mustang), but I had to "borrow" a friend's empty garage to do it, which I wasn't able to do this time around.
So it would've been tricky given my situation, and for $400 it just wasn't worth the difficulty.
The headlight motors were easy to DIY because most of the work was actually done inside on my work table.
@@RetroCarsForever ah I knew you’d give me a solid reason lol
Det er bare en drøm at få fat i en C4 en rigtig drømmebil . Fra en gammel mand som mig som kan huske da de var nye .,. 😎🤠 .,.
Awesome, way to live the dream! Hello from America...It must be REALLY unique to have a C4 over in the Denmark (assuming that's where you are). Have a great day!
I think you paid a lil too much imo. I say maybe a smooth 14 would’ve been nice
It WOULD have been nice, but not realistic! Keep in mind the Collector Edition/LT4 combo added about 4 grand to the value.
If you're curious about modern day C4 values, you can check out the end of my C4 Buyer's Guide here...
th-cam.com/video/N0BW_TFzKng/w-d-xo.html
@@RetroCarsForever I’m jealous either way 😂 beautiful car man. Hopefully I can get one soon. Good content!
@@Carson256 Thank ya! Best of luck to ya
That's ridiculous to live in california. I wouldn't live there if I was paid a billion dollars a day
I would HAPPILY receive a billion bucks a day to live here!
He ripped his friend off lol
How so? My friend and I are quite happy with how it all worked out. We both got a good deal.
it costs nothing to own... keep doing oil changes and it will last 500k miles
I wish it cost nothing to own!
But in the metaphorical sense, these Chevys aren’t too bad to keep running for their age.
if car was good you would've kept it.
There are some annoying things about the C4, most of which have to do with daily driver, that I go over in the "C4 Negatives" section in my C4 vs C6 vs C6 video here-
th-cam.com/video/Y84YiwkQKQ8/w-d-xo.html
BUT on the whole, this was an excellent car, especially considering the time it was made and how affordable they are. And most importantly, it was pretty reliable.