This might be a bit painful to read for a few of you out there, but the truth is the Chevrolet Corvette is not known for its immense popularity among today’s younger buyers. Despite its classy good looks and fun-factor behind the wheel, the majority of younger buyers out there typically go for something smaller, more practical, and more fuel efficient. However, as one self-described “young adult” found out, America’s sports car still has loads to offer, even when it’s nearly thirty years old with 200,000 miles on the clock.
Per a recent post to reddit, user PherdBurfell was hunting around for a new daily driver last year, specifically something fun, but without breaking the bank.
“My budget was strict but my dreams were big,” PherdBurfell writes. “Many a rational choice like an older Si or GTI went out the window in the heat of passion. I knew who I was and I knew I was gonna be that guy that’d daily an old sportscar. I went out and bought myself a C4 Corvette to drive year round in Indiana (snow, rain, heat, all of it) sure that it’d work out great… and you know what? It was the best buy I’ve ever made.”
PherdBurfell ended buying a 1992 Chevrolet Corvette C4 with an LT1 and six-speed manual transmission. Although the car wasn’t the prettiest in terms of exterior condition, it had it where it counts with regard to the mechanical bits, so despite the age, PherdBurfell took the plunge.
Now, one year and 40,000 miles later, the new owner is still happy. The only mechanical issue encountered thus far is a cheap fix for a rough idle caused by the idle air control, but that’s it. The owner even took on the Indiana snows, where it still managed to hold its own.
“I’ve done routine maintenance such as oil, brake fluid, coolant, and pads,” PherdBurfell writes. “It’s pretty cheap to insure and surprisingly good on gas. I average 24 mpg through my daily commute of 35 miles but can easily achieve 28 mpg if I drive her gently.”
The owner says their favorite aspect is the driving experience, specifically the way it sounds. “The LT motors and even the earlier L98s sound fantastic. I’ve got the stock exhaust without mufflers and it growls and sounds mean under engine braking while still not droning on the interstate.”
The handling also surprised the new owner with just how good it really was, even compared to something like the owner’s roommate’s Honda S2000. “The S2000 is certainly much more precise on center and more flickable with less roll but in terms of outright grip I’m not so sure,” PherdBurfell writes. “It certainly dusts the S2K in a drag race if nothing else.”
Of course, the Chevrolet Corvette C4 isn’t perfect. PherdBurfell says that comfort is mediocre, and that ingress and egress is a bit difficult, and the cheap plastic interior is a little misshapen. Still, rattles are at a minimum, and there’s plenty of storage.
“All in all, I would make the same decision again without hesitation,” PherdBurfell writes. “To anyone looking for a fun car well under $10K I’d seriously consider a C4 Corvette.”
Check out the C4 on a cold start in the video below.
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Source: reddit
Comments
While the Chevrolet C8 Corvette is supposed to be considered as being affordable at just under $60K; this can still be a huge sum of money which is why paying $8-20K for a C4 Corvette does make sense even if there’s 200K on the odometer as the ar is still a blast to drive.
Paying more than 8K for ANY C4 is just stupid.
Except for the ZR-1, of course.
Right Dave, forgot about that one
The truth is the C5 is a much better bargain. It is a better car.
The C5 now is found in great numbers many in very good condition with prices from $8k to $30k depending on the options.
Recently I have found several C5 convertibles with every option at 17,000 miles for less than $20k. My friend has a coupe with low miles he only had to pay $11k for.
Many people bought these cars for pleasure. They drove them on nice days and kept them clean with low miles. Today the resale is low due to the great number of C5 models available.
It is Recommended yo get the latest model you can afford as they can be better and easier to maintain.
Example on early cars the fuel tank needs to come out for the fuel pump along with the trans axle and exhaust. The later models have an access panel from inside the car. Little details like this will make ownership more enjoyable and affordable.
The C6 and 7 will soon enter this affordable era where many can enjoy the experience of a Corvette.
The key to owning a Corvette is know the years and models well and the details on what can go bad or issues with each year. They all look alike but some years were just better.
What model year of the C5 did the access panel get introduced ?
Sorry my mistake 2003-4 C6 is the one that needs removed.
Neighbor had the pump go out and it was about $3k to fix. The dealer told him about the panel. They did cut him a break so it ended up cheaper. He was on the road so fixing it at home was not an option.
The C5 you can get by removing a tire and some shields.
Sorry for the mistake.
But the 2003 and 2004 was C5. Not C6. C6 started with 2005.
I did not own this car and tried to do this from memory from what my neighbor told me.
I looked it up for you and here is what I found. The same applies to the fuel pump. The whole point is educate yourself on the year you buy as there are surprises per some years and issues you can avoid
This is from a story from super Chevy on C5 sending unit issues and replacement.
It’s hard to imagine, but the newest C5 Corvette is now 12 model years old, and the oldest C5 is one year shy of being 20 model years old. The model that redefined the Corvette for modern times, and ushered in one of the greatest V-8 engine families to come out of Detroit since the first generation of small-block Chevy, is almost of legal drinking age. Doesn’t seem like it’s been that long ago, does it?
Over the years a few things have popped up with the C5; minor issues and idiosyncrasies that owners learn to deal with and GM and the aftermarket come up with solutions for. One of those is the fuel tank sending unit failing. One day you climb in, turn the key, and notice the fuel gauge says you are out of gas, usually just after you’ve filled it up.
This problem also occurs with early C6s, but to replace the unit on a C6 (and late-2003 to 2004 C5s) requires the removal of the whole rear drivetrain cradle to get access to the tank and fuel pump assembly. For earlier C5 owners, the process is much easier, and doesn’t require removing any major components. Recognizing the common issue, GM came up with an improved sending unit (PN 10333749) that has an improved design for longer life and better reliability.
But the C5 doesn’t have that unique look compared to it’s predecessor. The looks of the C4 are so superior to the C5 or even the C6. It wasn’t until the C7 that we got a truly new design and it’s the first model I would consider replacing my beloved 93 with once it drops down to around 25 to 30k.
Looks are subjective. I owned two C3s as daily drivers and then a C4 daily driver for 135,000 miles and loved that car. The C4 was a MUCH more civilized daily driver. I was ready to get a C5 expecting a HP bump in the last 2 years of the run but it never happened. Hated the notchback Z06 look. Regardless, the C5 targa and vert were beautiful to me. When the shorter, lighter, great looking C6 came out I bought an 07 Z51 6sp mn as a daily driver and still have it today. Another Great Vette and the last of the lightweight vettes. When the tires are down to their last treads I can fishtail in 3rd. Never had the guts to try it in 4th. From BG to Vegas we got 29 MPG even though I was constantly rowing the gears for the first 500 miles on the open road so as not to ‘burn in’ a set RPM. Although ‘only’ an LS2 it is by far the best SBC engine I’ve ever owned (I started with a 55 Chev 210 post with a 265 CID, 3spd OD. Wish I still had that one).
Lot of c4s are beat up . but with c4 s anyone can own a corvette and have a fun car . easy to work 350 sb long as one lives in a non smog emissions test state .the 96 grand sport is the one to look for .
The 84 Z51 is the one to avoid.
95 ZR-1 if you can afford it, but any of the LT1s are great even if not the LT4 of the GS or LT5 of the ZR-1. Take it to Doug Rippie Motorsports and spend a couple hundred on the performance chip. Install a larger throttle body, and ram air it with the kit that uses the front license plate block. You’ll be taking base model C5s and C6s down without trouble.
“No mufflers”. Too funny. Beater C4-I like it.
Aren’t they all…From a Corvette standpoint, C4s are Junk.
I think you are confusing a C4 with a C3. I’ll take my 93 LT1 over a 74 to 81 C3 any day. I only leave out the 82 because of the collector edition with the opening rear hatch.
Part of the fun in having an old & cheap car is living with things not working……running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere can end up as a great story…..10 yrs later !
Those seats are brutal.
What makes them “brutal”?? It’s a 28 year old car with 200K and those look like the original seat covers? I call that amazing! Try 200K in a C5 or any newer Corvette for that matter, the drivers seat will be totally gone!
I wasnt talking about the the condition of the seats, troll.
not so bad for skinny butts, but wide loads like mine definitely feel it on a real road trip. Still, i’ll take a sore butt over a plain jane Camaro or Mustang any day.
Active handling and ABS problems i can’t seem to fix the issues I’ve tried every thing even replacing brake modual keeps coming back to haunt me finding out this is some of the common problems also in C5, mine is 2003 Z06 read articles on this til my eyes bled i can get it to go away but keeps coming back and all grounds were double checked geez
I’ve driven C4/C5s. You’re better off with a C5, C4 wiggle and jiggle too much plus it many more LS engines than LT1s, unless you go fuel injection smallblock and get a pre 91′.
Now owning my 4th C4! Love them all. My red ’89 roadster is a daily driver; even through Rochester winters. Fairly reliable: master cylinder, rotors, one front end strut, VATS – of course VATS!, Bose system needs repair – including speakers (taking the door panel off is a trip through hell), the wheels really do not like Rochester’s pot holes. Not bad for $9000, 31 year old car with 68k on it.
I have no regrets about buying my 89 Corvette say what you will mine suits my needs just fine…I have clocked 100k on this car with few problems…I am not a fan of the banana bodies at all.
My 21 year old son just bought an 01 C5 with less than 100k miles. Price was affordable. Body is clean, and runs nice and strong. The driver’s leather seat is torn, and that’s pricey. I will say that interior fittings are cheaply made. But that car still gets compliments. I love driving her — when he lets me! I am 64.
C4 is the most important corvette of them all and the best looking in my opinion. I am and always have been a Mopar man, but nothing is as awesome as my C4 its an amazing machine. Free of all the limitations of traction control, and nearly perfect weight distribution. It’s measly 230 hp propels it well enough to run literal circles around my 376 hp challenger rt. While not as comfortable as the dodge it’s driving experience is out of this world!
Trailer reciver on a vette thats hallarious
The biggest reason for a Corvette not being popular with younger car buyers is the price. It has nothing to do with the size, practicality, or fuel efficiency. The 2020 base model Corvette has an MSRP of $58,900, and the 2019 base model is slightly less. I’m 25, and if I had $60k to blow on a car I would absolutely get a Corvette. That’s the reason you see younger car buyers with a Camaro, Mustang, or Challenger. Because the base model price is so much more affordable, especially when we have a tough enough time affording rent.
When we get older and have that kind of money, I’m sure you’d see us with expensive cars like this. Yes, I get that it isn’t a $400,000 Rolls Royce, but a $60,000 car is still a hell of a lot more to pay than a $20,000 car. I have a 2012 Nissan Maxima for about $12k, a 2011 Hyundai Sonata for about $11k, and a 2015 Harley Street Bob for about $13k. All together that’s about $36,000. That’s three vehicles for almost half the price of a Corvette.
That’s all I wanted to bring up, but I love the looks and style of the Corvette, and hopefully someday I’ll get one, but my next vehicle I want to buy new rather than used since I don’t need anything right now.
But you are comparing used cars and bike to new Vette. Look at C4 and C5 prices and you can still pick up a 13 second cr that takes the twisted nicely for under 20k.
I thought the same thing. What are you gonna haul? Maybe a motorcycle trailer or a small sailboat or skiff. Not that it couldn’t handle a lot more but the trans isn’t geared for low end towing power.
I love my 93 LT1. It along with my 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, and my 2009 Benz C300 4matic keep me happy as can be. I’ve got performance, luxury, and off road fun and when I really want it, I have my 2013 Honda PCX 150 for commuting 9 months out of the year which will likely be upgraded as soon as the new Honda Forza 750 comes to the US.
No Way a stock exhaust!
I had a C4 by John Greenwood, I had no garage and mice would hide in the side effects so I sold it to someone that had a garage. Had sellers remorse ever since cause it would do 170 MPH no problem. I Now have a C5 convertible, not as fast but fun to cruise in!
My brother’s triple black 1990 ZR-1 just sold for $20k
The car had 17k miles.. a LOT of car for $20k.
Yes, everything was perfect.. including all that Bose sound system
There is a 22 year old at the auto parts store who sold his S2000 and got an ’04 C5 Z51 with 32k on it for $14k. The car had never been over 70! He said The stock C5 crushes his S2000. My first Vette was a C4, but the C5 is a HUGE upgrade.
I keep reading here C8s for $60k….yeah right! All I see are used ones at $90k and up!!! I bought a C4 to get into a state Corvette club. Now that I see them all side by side at events my dream is the C7 but my next purchase will be a C6 as prices are getting in my reach. What is not mentioned much is the culture of owning one, waving to each other in passing and the conversation. Jeep Wranglers have a similar community. Recommend joining a club. Nothing like 100 vettes delivering holiday presents. No matter what year..Corvette are American soul and they are all great!!
As a kid my dad would race 68-69 Cameros, 57-55 Bellaire’s, a short rail dragster an all kinds of stock cars. But my passion was the C2 an C3 Corvette. When I was 17 I came across a 75 C3. Perfect white on black for sell $4,700. I just didn’t have enough money. In a short time the owner wrecked it an the price fell. $3,200. YES it was just the front clip was a little damaged. I told myself I could fix it. I had the money as well as a 71 GMC sprint, 75 SS Nova and a 73 SS Nova hatchback that was very fast. BUT had no license do to to may points. You know smoking the tires, drag racing, and speeding. My mom said no. You would not be able to afford the insurance whenever you do get your license back. She was right and I was heart broken. Fast forward to age 38 with money in the bank. I saw a 75 yes white on black. I didn’t need it. But I couldn’t get it out of my head. And yes I bought it. Best buy I ever made. Now at 54 I still own the Corvette and I don’t think I could ever sell it. The felling I get when I drive it or just see it reminds me of that feeling I had when I was 17.
My advice to youngsters is to buy rental property before you ever thinking about buying a sports car. After a few rental properties you can drive any damn car you want. I’m driving a Nissan GTR!
on the surface buying rental property sounds great.However hell if I could have bought a rental property as cheap as the 30 yr old car was I would have.He uses the car to go to work now he can focus on buying a piece of rental property if that’s what he wants to do.Being a landlord is not for everyone.
Nissan GTR give me a break I drive a C7 Corvette come get some turtle
Hello “PherdBurfell” here. Just discovered this article and happy to see that some other folks get to hear a bit about my car. The C4 is far from a perfect car and mine is far from a perfect C4 but I love it anyway. It gets me where I need to be and brings a smile to my face. Plus I snagged it for $3800 so I’m pretty hard pressed to find a better deal elsewhere.
Good job Jonathan, you paid very little for a car that really looks a lot more expensive and with the basic Chevy drivetrain will be very easy to keep on the road. Definitely a wise investment, continue making wise decisions like this and you will do well in life.
Trailer hitch will make it easier to pull from the ditches I’d say!
LMAO!!
I just bought a brand new twenny twenny and I absolutely love it I am so glad I bought it… best I ever bought.. Talking about a chick magnet O my sweet dreams guys…
I don’t feel like the C4s are the bastard step child that Corvette world has made them out to be. But whatever… one of these days when I have more room I will definitely grab one. The ZR1s from that era would be the ticket but for the price of a clean, low mileage one there are better options money wise. Any 6 speed 1996 model will get you the LT4 with “330” horsepower. And if you don’t care for the LT1, well it is an LS swap away from being whatever you want it to be. And yes, if you are looking for a particular model of a certain car, you should get familiar with the mechanicals and issues they have and determine if it is worth it to you to deal with, especially if you plan on spinning your own wrenches.
I bought a brand new twenny twenny Corvette it is the best car I ever bought! Fellows sweet dreams$$ lol.. Talking about a chick magnet I hope I don’t pull up next to your wives or girlfriends lol
I am also facing issues with the carborator.
Ordered new in 2015 the first auto trans car shipped to the mideast. I ordered the auto for two main reasons: 1) I have had 13 corvettes from c2s (67 427 435 roadster)and a (67 350/350 triple black roadster with both tops,leather with headrests) and blessed to have owned many in between those and all were manual. 2) Getting too damn old. Knees hurt and just wanted to cruise. Even ordering as soon as they came available I did not receive the car until the first week of April due to the fact that GM were introducing the manuals first. Also it was documented by GM that the automatics were slightly faster than the manuals. The manuals advertised quarter mile ET was 10: 95, the autoomatics advertised ET was 10: 90. My intention was to never turn this into a race car. However about 6 months after I purchased the car having approximately 600 mi on it I was invited to race track for an open race day for a friend’s birthday who had rented the track for the day.
After several request from my peers I gave in to take it one trip down the track. With the 10 speaker Bose stereo blasting, AC turn wide open, no burnout just left it in Drive, traction control on, used the “launch mode’and shutting down approximately 200 ft before the trap (due to severe grooving in the track causing the front end with the wide tires to walk back and forth and unbeknown to me scared the s*** out of me. Just about pissed myself) I lifted and coasted through the trap. The car ran an 11:11 at 126 mph. My curiosity was satisfied and under different conditions and a more aggressive approach in driving I’m sure that car would have ran the advertised 10: 90. Since that time I have not taken it to the truck but have had an underdrive pulley for the supercharger. Now in its 6th year entering the car has a little over 4,000 MI on the clock. There are only two words that come to mind when driving this car. With the traction control on…. Super fast. With the attraction control off…. Violent!!
The c4 is probably the worst vette to get. Sure it is cheap and kind of fast. Just swap it to a carbureted, and it will be easier to work on. Fuel injection is usually better, but I would say get a c5 instead if you’re set on getting a fuel injected vette, any previous fuel injected vettes are a pain.
I recently bought an 87 vette with only 70,000 miles on it, I love it….may not be a stingrays like I always wanted, but it works for me.
i bought my son a 95 for his 16th birthday, 5 years later still driving it. there is no such thing as a cheap corvette, it will get you sooner or later. however i will take the 8 or 9K we have in it compared to a VW, Honda or even BMWs that most of his friends drive. Smiles per Mile are unbeatable, especially for a high school kid. Great article and an extremely underrated car.
Have a ’94 convertible .looks very similar to the one in thr picture. Same color. 80k miles only. 7k
918 815 0081
I bought my 92 with 235000 for $3590. It now has 251250 and runs great. It still looks great and it’s the best used car I’ve ever owned.
I had my c5 over 153 mph ;let me tell you the corvette is no joke!!! Honda Salesman
I was looking fo a vette 3 years ago. My son has owned C5s, C6s, C7s, he tried to talk me into a 5 or 6. I ended up finding a 1990 ZR-1 for 5k bucks. A complete unmolested example, it had been sitting for many years. I made an offer and bought her. I have a auto shop, started at the fuel tank and worked forward. Got her going last year, she had 74k original miles on her. I have driven her over 6k miles, I have around 8k invested, and it’s pretty badass. Still needs some cosmetic work but mechanically I would drive her anywhere. For the money and performance I will keep my C4, she is great. Plus she holds several world records, that are still waiting to be broken, including the 5,000 mile top speed record, that’s 10 INDY 500s back to back to back, says something about the LT5 and the C4 platform.
You guys and these prices in the states , we all not so lucky here in Canada a C5 under 18k not happening, one person said anything over 8k for a c4 too much….C4’s in decent …decent shape start at 8k here , I know the u.s dollar worth 30 cents more but Holy.. check our used prices , looks like I will have to shop for one in the states, any comments on the 87 c4 ?
I live in maine and you can buy c4 vettes all day long for 3500-9000. I bought a 1996 with 56,000 miles for 5 grand best buy of my life. I have 2 c3s ,and a 1999 pontiac formula firehawk. The 96 can is my favorite.