Daily Driver - How many miles.

[andrewc4]

I've got a C4 daily driver. I drive it eighty two miles a day, at least, round trip to work, that's 410 miles a week or 19,270 miles a year. I bought the car at 73,000 miles and if I don't get laid off, expect to bring the mileage up to 150,000 miles in four years, and this is counting only miles driven to and from work, part traffic, part I-70.

Question 1 - how far do you drive your Corvette a day, consistently day in, day out?

Question 2 - can the car, (well cared for), make it? Are my expectations reasonable?

Question 3 - any body else putting at least eightly miles a day on a eleven year old C4 with comparative mileage?

 

[newguy84]

I've only had my 84 for a couple of weeks but drive about 200 round trip miles to the Indy area 2 times a week. So Far So Good.

 

[chevyaddict]

I have many cars and pivot between them regularly.... however I've had most of them for a LONG TIME. Currently the one with the most miles is the 89 IROC and it has 169000 and going strong. The 84 vette I "had" had well over 150,000 miles and was going strong.

Maintenance and regular/frequent filter changes and the best oil is all it takes! I think you'll get 200,000 out of that drivetrain if you take care of it!

 

[JEFNLSA]

For the past year my 'vette has been my daily driver. I commute 80 miles round trip each day and although I'm not fond of racking up the miles (plan to buy a cheap commuter car soon) the car seems to love it. Bought it w/ 20k & now I'm at 40k.

Routine maintenance/oil changes are key. These cars love to be driven and actually seem to run better if driven w/ more frequency.

Do a SEARCH, there are quite a few threads on this subject.

Cya,
Jeff

 

[G Winter]

I can't speak for myself but talked to someone last fall that had just over 200k on a 90 and had just had to put in head gaskets. The first major engine repair.

 

[Tuna]

My 92 is used mostly as my daily driver. It's only 7 miles to work, so the miles don't add up so fast like it will with you. My 92 has 114K now and is going strong.

With routine maintenance and repair, the C4 should give plenty of miles in daily service.

BTW, as you get near 90K, you'll need to check the hub carriers and bearings as they tend to wear out around that mileage.

 

[3dale1]

I bought my '85 Z51 with 140000, and now has 184000......zero problems and don't think its ever been messed with. Also, my 96 monte carlo z-34 (which many say is a problem drivetrain) has 233000, bought it at 18000, no real problems since '97. Mostly all rural PA miles, not exactly the easiest miles on any car. Love em both! Keep on top of good routine mainenance practices and I think you'll be OK!

 

[Edmond]

You shouldn't be too bad. It took until pretty much these past 2 years when the age started catching up to my '88 and I had to replace things. It was small things like an alternator, starter, radiator, brake pads, bushings, headlight bushings, etc... that started to go. But your '94 has 6 years on my '88 so it should be okay for a couple more years until you start running into those issues. I wouldn't really call them issues; they're things that will happen with age on any car.

 

[rwpeders]

I've got a C4 daily driver. I drive it eighty two miles a day, at least, round trip to work, that's 410 miles a week or 19,270 miles a year. I bought the car at 73,000 miles and if I don't get laid off, expect to bring the mileage up to 150,000 miles in four years, and this is counting only miles driven to and from work, part traffic, part I-70.

Question 1 - how far do you drive your Corvette a day, consistently day in, day out?

Question 2 - can the car, (well cared for), make it? Are my expectations reasonable?

Question 3 - any body else putting at least eightly miles a day on a eleven year old C4 with comparative mileage?

My 96LT4 had 107,000 miles on it and I drove it about 55 miles in the daily commute. Use Mobile One, change your filters and you should be fine well past 200,000.

 

[1995 RedVette]

I drive mine daily... about 14,000 miles per year. Aside from maintance issues alternator, battery, water pump, fuel pump, tune up, you should have little problem. I did have to have the trans rebuilt in mine. Over drive started slipping, but wasn't a big deal. I found a local shop that builds transmissions for the local drag racers, 3 days and $1200 later I was riding again.

Brett

 

[DAVZKAR]

My drive is 46 to 53 miles per day with no trouble. I now have 136k on her and she never lets me down. I have even made it home with 2- 3 inches of snow on the road. Driving it everyday keeps all the systems working fine.

 

[silverja]

As earlier posts wisely suggested, proper maintenace is the key to longevity. I have seen C4's with 200K miles on them. My feeling is it is always better to drive a C4 when you can then to let it sit in a garage. Keep the oil fresh and be easy on it until it warms up and you should be good for another 100K or more happy miles.

Best of luck.

 

[Rich96c4ce]

My '96 CE LT1 has 117K miles, the first 108K put on by the first owner. It appeared very well maintained (all GM parts, including the TPC spec tires.) Well, it runs just fine. With a few of the typical bolt-on parts (coolant bypass, open air cleaner lid, 160 thermo and Hypertech tune), it has run 13.65 and 105.95 in the quarter. There appear to be no signs of it needing anything other than normal maintenance and a new seal for the intake manifold (the dreaded LT1 oil leak!)


My quess is that if you follow the GM maintenance schedule, and use the GM recommended fluids and parts, you will get lots more happy miles.

 

[nearmiss]

I have about 85K on my 96 CE and use it for everything from going to work to getting stuff at home depot. The problem that I have with driving around every day is not with mechanical reliabilitly (its solid), but with picking up dings in the paint from all rocks and gravel tossed up by traffic on the road. Being in Southern Cal, there is no such thing as maintaining a distance behind the car in front - someone else just moves right in.

 

[Jeroenvgfn]

My 1986 has 130K miles

I drive it almost every day from April to September.

15 miles to work and home 35 ( take the long way home )

no just kiddin Its a 50 miles daytotal.

 

[andrewc4]

Thanks everyone, I look forward to a lot of mileage.

 

[CLABORN1960]

I drive mine daily... I have over 166,000 miles on it....

 

[jssc4]

I drive my 93 on nice days, and try not to drive it when it rains, been pretty lucky this year its been pretty dry . I put about 40 miles a day on it , have about 43,000 mile on her now.

 

[CAJUN C4]

My 84' has 227K.. 21K on a new ZZ4 Engine . I bought it with 145K on it. I drive 14 Mi. a day. I use the 96' only on good days.Never driven in the Rain.

 

[jsinga]

My 87 coupe has 216k miles.
It has never had a valve cover off.
No problems with the 700R4.
A little whine out of the rear end and the pinion seal leaks a little.
It has had at least 6 alternators (I've only bought one, lifetime warranty saved me 2).
All the wheel bearings were changed
u-joints in the rear half-shafts have been changed twice. Changed the driveshaft u-joints @ 200k, they didn't need it once they were looked at.
Changed the water pump.
AC gets a shot about every other summer, never been opened up.
rack was changed when seal blew.
Fuel pump went at @195k miles. At around 150k miles change it!. It was the only thing that kept me from getting home in the car. It was less than 5 miles from the first stumble until I was wating for the car carrier on the turnpike. Anyone can change a vette fuel pump!
You will wear out the suspension before the drive train goes south with regular maintenance.

JS