Yea, the late C4s all have the opti. But, from what I've read, the 96 has a vented Opti.
I guess it combated the moisture problem.
I've had no problems with mine. When I clean the engine, its with rags and an air line.
Driving thru rain storms and average puddles is not a problem either.
I think driving thru flooded streets would be a NoNo. haha
So I would not be afraid of the optispark, just be mindful of getting that area of the engine wet.
The 96 models are pretty reliable Vettes. Many folks us em as daily drivers.
We did until Susan was too pregnant to get behind the wheel.
Me, Im 6 foot 1 and 210 lbs and have no problem driving 9 hours in ours. Love the way you can actually FEEL the car. Very hands on experience.
Have never owned a C5, but I do hear that they are a bit more removed from the sporty feel. Its been slightly replaced with refinement and luxury. Even more so with the C6 models.
A step back a series to the C3s puts you in a Vette that allows you to feel the power of the engine as well as the relief of the road. Seems everything older is the same way.
If my budget was 10-18k, I would be looking at 1995 or 1996 models. The Grand Sport or the Collectors models. And one that was owned by someone who was more than just a driver. An enthusiast would want too much $ for his vette. But, you might find a motivated seller out there.
Get the cleanest, lowest mile model you can. (but not too low) buddy of mine has a collectors edition that just sits and sits. Every time he wants to crank it to go for a spin(once or twice a year ) something has locked up, seized, or dry rotted.
My thought when shopping was : 1996 was the last of a long run of C4s. They had to have gotten all of the bugs worked out by then! hahah
Good luck and keep us posted
Rain
