84 or 82......help me

[hotshotzny]

here is my major dilema, i found a pretty cherry 1984 red vette, body and interior wise it is almost flawless with just a couple chips here and there and just a couple dull spots, it comes with a painted top along with a glass top, it has 108,000 miles on it and from the looks of it has been maintained meticulously, also has a new alternator and battery, tires and shocks, the ac works as well as all the electronics.... the asking price is $4800.00... i think thats a decent price, (the guy who owns it has sold his house an is taking it on the road with his motor home and his vw beetle) the car is registered and is used as a fair weather daily driver and has been garaged for every winter for at least the last 10 years..

now my real problem, i love my 82, i love the c3 body, but my car has more than its share of little problems, signal lights work when they want, interior lights act kinda stupid off and on and worst off it really needs paint, and thats gonna cost me more than the 84 would (cheapest quote so far was $6000.00) ......and there is just no way i can keep both right now as much as i want to and pouted and stomped my feet around trying to convince my wife otherwise.......

so it might sound easy, like my minds made up, but i love my car, but i cant help but think i can get a car that has probably been a little better taken car of than mine, with a little higher mileage sure (mine is in the low 70's) i just dont know, i need to make a decision quick, so i need some opinions on what i should do

 

[Moser28]

Personally I would keep the 82. The last of an era. It'll get more attention that the 84 ever would. My .02

 

[OldCorvetteFan]

If you're looking for a car that you can drive when you want, then I'd go with the '84.

Sure, the '82 will draw more attention when you've got it parked somewhere, or even at a stoplight, but the real joy is the driving, not basking in the attention of others!

Actually, you'll still get a bit of attention - there's just something about an arrest me red Corvette that draws people!

Either way, you're in good shape - if you keep the one you have, or move to the C4, you can't go wrong!

Steven

 

[GS Diva]

Keep the '82!!!

Elaine

 

[Tuna]

What are the options on the '84?

 

[rascal_rascal_99]

Think about one other thing too, a few years from now which car if you decide to look again, do you think will be harder to find/easier to get?

If it was me I think I'd probably keep the 82 right now and for not much more money a few years from now if you still want a C4, you would probably be able to find a newer one that would have less bugs than the first year did.

 

[SurfnSun]

The 82 could be more reliable than the 84 being that it was a first year car.

I had an 84 Z51-auto and I loved it. Other than the fact it didn't make a lot of power I had no real trouble with it, but I bought a good one.

My advice is if youre looking to get in a C4 get an 85. You can probably find one for the same money and I put 200k miles on mine before I sold it.

 

[vetteboy86]

As far as an invesment the 82 will be worth more all day long. Another to consider,while I have nothing personal against the 84, is that for the same money or a little more a newer c4 is way more car. The fun factor will be more with an 85 up also. Plus you have to consider the possibility of selling down the road. It will be much harder to get shed of the 84

 

[CSS996]

You wanna drive it? 84

You wanna show it? 82

You wanna enjoy it? 84

You wanna sell it later? 82

You wanna go around corners? 84

You wanna impress chicks? 82

Any decision you have to make quickly might not be worth making, though. Have you driven a C4? If you dig it, then get it. Sounds like an awesome deal. Buy the 84, put the 82 up for sale at a crazy high price. Nobody will bite, and after awhile the wife won't care if you have both.

You're welcome!

 

[hotshotzny]

You wanna drive it? 84

You wanna show it? 82

You wanna enjoy it? 84

You wanna sell it later? 82

You wanna go around corners? 84

You wanna impress chicks? 82

Any decision you have to make quickly might not be worth making, though. Have you driven a C4? If you dig it, then get it. Sounds like an awesome deal. Buy the 84, put the 82 up for sale at a crazy high price. Nobody will bite, and after awhile the wife won't care if you have both.

You're welcome!

way ahead of you

and thats part of the problem, id love to show it one day even though its nothing special or out of the ordinary, but before i would do that i have to put a good 7k into it between paint and some dressing up the engine and exhaust. the 84 i would feel comfortable pulling up to a group of other cars and not havng to hear them talk about my horrible paint

 

[JimBobC4]

You wanna drive it? 84

You wanna show it? 82

You wanna enjoy it? 84

You wanna sell it later? 82

You wanna go around corners? 84

You wanna impress chicks? 82

I would keep the '82. If I wanted a C4 I would get an L98, or an LT1.

That is a good price for that car, but it's not going to smoke the tires like a good L98 does.

YES its that important. If its a 'vette and won't even spin a tire, it's like
dating a supermodel that makes you sleep on the couch. :eyerole

Imagine driving a 'vette that a new Honda Accord could smoke ? :W

I'm not saying its a bad car, because I love C4's and the 1984 is the car that started it all. I'm just saying it doesn't quiet deliver on the threat it makes with its badge.

If it's a 2:59 geared car, your looking at roughly a 15.5 to 16 second quarter.

I can do that in my Ford Taurus.

Then again it depends on what you want the car for. Daily driver or something to get the blood pumping.

Personally if it won't make me pucker up when I press the gas, I get bored real quick.

 

[CSS996]

JimBobC4 makes some valid points. Although if you are alright with the horsepower on the 84, then it is a non-issue. But make sure you are thinking with the big head before you pull the trigger.

I would sell the '82 first, and start looking for an LT1 car, honestly. Or maybe find someone with a C4 that has a hard-on to get into a C3. Can you find a couple more grand to invest?

I got my Ruby for $9,000. Had about 80k miles on it when I purchased it. It runs flawlessly. It has a few things that need attention, but the worst of it is that if I let it sit for two weeks it won't start. And that is easily cured by driving the damn thing. And my PKE will not go into program mode. Some other little stuff, but mechanically and cosmetically it is more than decent. And plenty fast. And there are better deals out there, if you are patient, and ready to pounce.

I added the wheels and tires for $950. Another great deal!

 

[hotshotzny]

i decided to pick it up after all, paid the guy today but wont have time till monday to register and insure so i wont have it till then at least, gonna keep em both on the road for now and see what i can get out of the 82 or even out of the 84, as far as rubber burning power as much as i love it honestly i dont have the space around here for it, driving around here has become like cruising a parking lot (you are lucky to hit 55 on a good day and there is only one short stretch where the speed limit is even that high) couple that with the fact the troopers run this section like a speed trap and every time i romp mine i seem to get stopped im not really to concerned, the car is in really nice shape and if i hold out im likely to get into another one that needs paint or even worse heavy body work, i know where there is another car identical to mine that needs some more work but is going really cheap, so im considering picking it up, yanking the crossfire and dropping in a crate motor over the winter , then again i might just keep em both and say the heck with it and deal with my wife later, either way im happy

 

[CSS996]

Congrats!

We'll need pix, of course!

Welcome to the C4 club!

 

[LT4man]

Sounds like you have the best of both worlds!

Those '84s are a lot of fun. I know folks who own them and they have a riot with them.

SAVE the gosh darn

 

[CorvetteArchives]

You are already familiar with quirks of an 82. 84's being the first year of a whole new car (despite "same" injection) do have unique issues.

What would I do? I spent way too much $ on my 84. Now I need paint
:-( What would I do? Keep the 82. Drive it a few more years and save some $ on the side and wait for a better car. I didnt enjoy Carlisle last year after I happend upon a MINT 85 survivor with 15K. It looked showroom fresh! Price? 18K! I spent MORE than that over the years and my 84 isnt even perfect...if I had $ I would have bought it! Still annoyed I didnt even get the guys number! Wait for THE car...it will come!

 

[KANE]

I would keep the '82. If I wanted a C4 I would get an L98, or an LT1.

That is a good price for that car, but it's not going to smoke the tires like a good L98 does.

YES its that important. If its a 'vette and won't even spin a tire, it's like
dating a supermodel that makes you sleep on the couch. :eyerole ...

Or, just build your own "custom" L98 TPI under the skin of a C3...

Best of both worlds!

 

[oceangal]

Congratulations on your new ride. The nice thing about having 2 is you can drive the 84 while you restore the 82

 

[topless82vette]

Or, just build your own "custom" L98 TPI under the skin of a C3...

Best of both worlds!

How come you didn't put a polished vette serpentine system on it? That would make that nice tpi system look much better along with some electric fans.

 

[minifridge1138]

I didn't think a TPI would fit under a stock c3 hood. What did you have to modify to get it to fit?