1986 or 1989

[Vettefan87]

yes it is a coupe that is maroon w/ black leather interior and has both tops.

Yeah I almost bought a convertible like that before my black one. Definetly find out the options on it. Write down all the RPO codes on the under side of the console.

 

[WhalePirot]

I came across a 1987 for 7000 and the previous owner is the 2nd owner. he states that he has put on new alternator,brakes and a fuel pump, but when he put the fuel pump on the gauge stuck on full? The car A/C blows hot and the hatch weather stripping needs replace and drivers seat has a small rip in it. The car has 52,000 miles on it. Is this a good price?

I'm not doing cartwheels over the car. I am not impressed with an incomplete repair, like the fuel gauge issue. I like and have had the best luck with pampered used cars, and will pay more to save later.

This likely is a driver, not a collector, so if it has the options you are happy with, I'd not sweat the RPO codes.

 

[Vettefan87]

This likely a driver, not a collector, so if it has the options you are happy with, I'd not sweat the RPO codes.

The only reason I mentioned that is it will help it appreciate faster then the rest of the C4's. I know my car is not even close to being a show car, but it is nice knowing it is basically fully optioned. I agree though. Get it. Drive it. And have fun. I would hate to have a car so nice I would cry every time I seen a new scratch or stone chip.

 

[rmtsteve]

I have also came across a 88 coupe with 74000 miles that is fully loaded They want 7400 for it, but this one is at a car lot and I cant get much history from them on the car And the carfax dont state that much either. It is also Maroon with black leather interior and has the woodgrain dash & console. the only noticable issue with this car is the drivers seat left hand side where the seat controls are looks a little smash, but the seat still works. I like the fact that the 87 only has 52000 miles but then I like the way the 88 looks with the woodgrain and wheels, this is going to be my first Vette and I do plan on driving it as much as possible so for now I agree I dont want ( by this I mean cant afford) a collectors car. With a wife and 4 daughters i am lucky to be looking for what I am which is 8 G's or below.

 

[tyrel]

The differences between the two model years aren't great enough for that alone to be a factor in your decision. It's the same basic car, same engine, and I don't think anyone will ever notice a driving difference between 16" wheels and 17" wheels unless they had a good imagination. People keep talking about retained value, well a 15-year-old car isn't an investment, they made over 330,000 C4s so it will never be a collector car. There are far more important things to consider, like the service history of the car, if it has all of its repair receipts then that is a sign the previous owner(s) took care of the car, which I think is a far more important factor than option codes or model year. Over the years I have replaced many things on this car: water pump, a/c, radiator, brake booster, master cylinder, headlight bushings, the front spring, u-joints, wheel bearings, power antenna, intake manifold gasket, fuel injectors, etc. These things cost a lot of $ if you do the repairs yourself, let alone having an independent shop do it, and you'll need to take out a second mortgage if you drive into the dealer service department for a quote. Bottom line is you will be spending money on this car to keep it on the road, this is why the repair history is so important. When people look at a Corvette, I always tell them to look under the car, it's one of the best indicators of how the car was cared for. Get it on a lift if you can. If the spoiler is broken, if the floor pan has been repaired, if the oil pan is all dented and banged up, etc. it's a sure sign that someone has been abusing the car. Also look for misaligned body panels, if the front bumper has been hit, it's really evident because it's difficult to get realigned again.

 

[WhalePirot]

With a wife and 4 daughters i am lucky to be looking for what I am which is 8 G's or below.

How cool! How will you settle who gets to go along with you?

Buy the car as you would any used car, with a careful eye looking for abuse issues, with this high performance car. I prefer to buy from a private party, as I get a feel for what kind of driving they did with the Vette. Then, I shoot for trade-in price, as that's what cars bring here, and that's what I'd get (or less) at a dealer. Dealers rarely can tell you anything about the car; few keep any records that the prior owner might have included (privacy, or you might hear something the dealer doesn't want you tto draw traffic to the other carso know) and many get Vettes as a jewel .

Take UR time. mike

 

[MoeJr]

Don't let mileage scare you on these cars. My 84 is about to hit 90k and it runs like a champ. Of all the cars you listed I would go after that 88 with 74k followed by the 87 with 52K. 84-91 C4's offer the most bang for the buck you can get. Keep us posted.