C4 advantages over C5?

[Edmond]

It's not that the C4 is better than the C5 in any catagory other than Looks(debatable) or price.

What you should emphasize to your buddies is that C4 is nearly equal in performance to C5, excluding the Z06 of course.

1/4 mi for C5 6spd is around 13.3, for LT1 C4 it is 13.8 or so. 13.3-13.4 for the LT4 C4.

I think C5 coupe weighs 3250 lb, my 1993 C4 weighs 3320 lb and it is the heaviest of the bunch.
This difference might amount to .08 s in the 1/4 mi. C4 could make some of it up by dropping out his spare tire and loosing the stock mufflers for straight pipe instead (loud but GREAT idle).

Handling is a little better in the C5, but I doubt that you will notice. The C4 is raced at autocross events and can beat the C5 easily if the driver of the C4 is a little better than the other guy. The C5 does not have such great handling that it can overcome even small differences in the driver's skills. And that's on the track.

Handling of the C4 will probably whip the C5 all day if you put sticky street tires on the C4 (like the Z06 F1 supercar tires) and leave the stock runflats on the C5 (hard tire=not good road adhesion).

Brakes on C5 are not much better than the C4 ZR1 brakes you get with a 1995.

Main difference: C5 feels more refined, more like my Dad's Oldsmoblile to me. C4 is raw. Feels like F-16 cockpit. Those fighter pilots don't have a lot of room in there, neither do you. C4 squeaks and rattles, C4 does not (would a Caddy or $50 grand car rattle? you'd hope not). C5 has more cargo room.

Got the picture?

Those are good points because people have a tendency to assume that newer is always better in each and every single way.

 

[warren s]

As the owner of a C4, and having driven a C5 for hours at a time- I think there is no comparison - C5 wins.

The C5 has a way more confortable ride while still getting around a corner as fast if not faster. I love to drive with the roof panel off, on the C4 it takes a few minutes with an electric screw driver to remove the panel, and the car feels much looser and gets alot of cowl shake. The C5 panel comes off in a few seconds and doesnt make as much of a differance in ride.

I have had my C4 up to 162, and a C5 up to 150. The C5 felt way more stable and got up there much quicker. Both cars stop very well.

I love my C4, but I had to be honest after driving both, they are both great cars.

 

[motorman]

Being 18 you'll probably find the insurance is a little cheaper on a C4, but it's still going to hurt. Good luck on your search, Tim

insurance on a C-5 is cheaper that a C-4 because of the type of hood and the bolt on fenders,cheaper to repair. i found this out in 97 when i bought my first C-5

 

[B17Crew]

insurance on a C-5 is cheaper that a C-4 because of the type of hood and the bolt on fenders,cheaper to repair. i found this out in 97 when i bought my first C-5

...similar to what my insurance agent told me, cost of repair on the C5 is better than C4, therefore, better insurance on a more expensive car.

B17Crew

 

[Vettelt193]

If you could purchase a brand new C4 or brand new C5 today, what would you pick?

I think it would be a really tough choice. I like the feel of the C4 so much better than the C5. I love the cockpit feel of the interior, and the look of the exterior. I like the wipers of the C4, the roll over headlights, and the clamshell hood.

The C5 has some benefits too... ease of entry/exit, electronic gizmos (like tire pressure on the dash etc.) and the easy top removal (or fold down).

In the end, if I was going to buy one more for luxury, a C5 would be my pick... more for that race-car feel, and look... C4

 

[6 Shooter]

Ditto . . .

I got it for you:

LT4

Power of a C5 with the style of a C4. The motor was underrated and good LT4 drivers can hang with any C5 anyday, sans the Z06.

I don't know what your friends drive but I would think that "old" LT4 would shut them up pretty fast. :L

L8R . . . . . .
6 Shooter

 

[rwpeders]

insurance on a C-5 is cheaper that a C-4 because of the type of hood and the bolt on fenders,cheaper to repair. i found this out in 97 when i bought my first C-5

Gee, what happened between 66 and 97?

 

[toby]

I went through this decision-making process recently, checking out both C4 and C5 convertibles. I like the looks of the C4 better, like the clamshell hood, and like the narrow footwells and high door sills. Didn't somebody say that you sit in a C5, but you wear a C4? For the occasional purely recreational top-down driving I do, climbing in is actually part of the fun.

The C5 is more roomy with easier ingress/egress, is more refined (though GM has a lot to learn about interior design), has >2X more storage space, has better gauges, has much less body flex, and the LS1 alone is reason enough to want one.

In the end I found a nice 1-owner SoCal '96 LT4, flew down to Orange Co. with my wife, and we drove the Vette back to Seattle on California Hwy 1. Driving conditions ranged from LA gridlock, to winding 2-lanes along Big Sur, to freeway cruising up Hwy 101 and I-5. The LT4 never missed a beat, the ZF shifts like magic, and together they make some beautiful music winding through the gears. It was a pure delight to blister past the long lines of cars creeping up those steep coastal hills and switchbacks. Averaged 25mpg to boot, even with more than a little bit of enthusiastic throttle jabbing. I only wish I had enough hair left to let the wind blow through it. :cool

The wife was skeptical about the Corvette purchase, but she got into the spirit of things by the time we blew through Hollywood, and was soon taking her turn behind the wheel, letting the speed creep up above 90mph when preoccupied with sightseeing (she is a notorious leadfoot). She's gotten pretty good at spotting oncoming Vettes and waving. She even waved at the C6 we saw blasting south on 1, side-by-side with a Viper (must be the car mags at work). Since we got back to Seattle I often open the garage to find the Vette MIA -- seems that the wife is taking her joint ownership seriously.

You can't go wrong with any Vette if it's what you really want. The way things are going I might need two of them.

 

[WantaVette]

Thanks for all the replies. I was and still am sure that I want a C4. My reasons are exactly what everyone else has said about the looks and interior feel. In addition, I see at least 10 C5's per day, but sometimes I'll go a week without seeing a C4, I think the C4 will stand out more. Plus, I cant even come close to affording a reasonable C5 so thats also a big factor.

 

[froggy47]

I am an 18 year old college student hoping to buy his first vette by christmas and am already set on a 94-96 6sp coupe. A lot of my friends however just ask me why i want an "old" vette. Other than personal preferences, what are some advantages the c4 has over the c5.

1)Looks better (unless you have a thing for big butts)

2)Costs 5 to 15 k less - depends on year.

3)You wear it like a GLOVE

4)At my local autox, the c4's beat the c5's quite a lot - of course depends on drivers

5) The final reason is LT4 - best value going for a c4.

Catch a ride in an LT4, your prayers will be answered!

 

[Skyguy007]

I agree with the "wear" line of thinking. I'm not exactly tiny at 6' , 210 lbs, but some of the really BIG guys I've seen driving C5s would never get into a C4. Some of them should be worried more about curb weight than empty weight (for a lot of reasons). After all, it's what you're pulling down the road that matters.

For ease of access to engine, etc. and having just changed plugs and OptiSpark on my '96, I'd pick a C3 or earlier. The '69 BB I used to own was way easier to work on and didn't have all of the computer stuff either. My advice to a new, young Vette buyer would be to get an older clunker that has a straight frame and put a EFI crate motor in it. It may not be as comfy, but you can hot up the suspension and brakes to where you can drive the heck out of it and not worry about electronic displays, etc.

 

[rwpeders]

I own a 95 model and one of the factors for me was that the C-5s has no spare tire and uses run flat tires(hard ride) and the tires are very expensive compared to C-4 Tires. I know I am being old fashioned but I like knowing that I have a spare tire to put on when I am out in the middle of no where.

Goose

I have a '96 that came with the Spare Tire Delete Option, so I am in the same situation as the C5 and have the run-flat tires. Lucky for me, the previous owner had replaced all the tires just before selling it.

 

[IH2LOSE]

Ever think about having one of your parents insure the car? It would be much cheaper that way.

This is a real bad idea because untill you have insurance in your own name you will always be in assigned risk and paying a high price.Better to get yoour own insurrance tough it out with the premiums for the first year keep your nose clean and then get a cheaper policy on renuall once your out of assigned risk

 

[stu]

I am an 18 year old college student hoping to buy his first vette by christmas and am already set on a 94-96 6sp coupe. A lot of my friends however just ask me why i want an "old" vette. Other than personal preferences, what are some advantages the c4 has over the c5.

If you plan on working on the car yourself the clam shell hood is a definite advantage.

 

[rwd]

It depends on what you want to do; they're both entirely different cars. Only the name is the same.

FWIW, the biggest difference to me is that the C5 wheelbase is 8 inches longer which makes it less suitable for autocross, but better for ride and road courses.

They're both great cars- just different.

 

[1987Silvervette]

Well guys It is nice to see someone my age 19 looking to buy a vette. I will say this much as far a insurance goes........well i pay $335 a MONTH for LIABILITY. And yes that all stims from a few...... well lets just call them disagrement on what the speed limit should be (me and cop) lol. so if u have a good record then it shouldnt be bad. Also i noticed in a few post there was disscusion of "affording it" well when anyone at any age works hard to get something then most of the time they get it. I am 19 and own a 2003 Harley Davidson 100th ann. and my vette. they are both paid for buy me and me only. And that stims from ALOT of hard work. I am a Haz. waste operator, so yes i make excellent money for being 19, but if i didnt save up and invest wisly then i couldnt have nice things. So please dont judge a book by its cover. I dont mean to sound roud or anything but it just irritated me when i read some of the replys. As for as you WANTAVETTE i think that you are doing an excellent thing, just keep workin at it and trust me you will get your car as I have. Tis all due in due time.

P.S.- The C-4s are a WHOLE lot better than the C-5s in my opinion, becasue the look is just so clean, and smooth. but there again a VETTE is a VETTE, at lease it is not a honda....lol.

 

[01TriBlack]

Comment

I have a special fondness for C4's myself - even though I own an '01 vert. Things I miss:

. clamshell hood
. gas filler on rear deck
. higher door sills
. cockpit feel
. seat/steering wheel positioning (I cram my knees against the dash in the C5)

It seems that with the C5 they strived to "mainstream" the car - it's not very "unique" as compared to other automobiles on the road in terms of little touches (horsepower/handling notwithstanding) that set the car apart at-a-glance. <------ How's that for a run-on sentence.

 

[MagikDraggin]

The C-4s are a WHOLE lot better than the C-5s in my opinion, becasue the look is just so clean, and smooth. but there again a VETTE is a VETTE, at lease it is not a honda....lol.

I own a Corvette AND a Honda Accord....and except for this instance here and now, I never speak those two words in the same sentence, for doing so would be sacriledge towards the "Vette.

 

[1987Silvervette]

I own a Corvette AND a Honda Accord....and except for this instance here and now, I never speak those two words in the same sentence, for doing so would be sacriledge towards the "Vette.

LOL yea i knock the ole hondas but as far as a reliable day to day driver they are very dependable!!!!

 

[boulderlt4]

I got it for you:

LT4

Power of a C5 with the style of a C4. The motor was underrated and good LT4 drivers can hang with any C5 anyday, sans the Z06.

I don't know what your friends drive but I would think that "old" LT4 would shut them up pretty fast. :L

Get an '96 LT4. I've got one and I've smoked every stock C5 I've encountered, non Z06 that is! Not bad for an 8 year old car!