First Time Corvette Buyer

[Papa]

Agree about the C1s

DP
Ig I ever win the lottery its gonna be a C1...preferably a red/White cove or Agua/White cove...mantime I have pretty much convinced myself (and my wife ) that a C4 will do nicely...in the current running are a 96 Polo Green Convert, a Teal 94 Convert and a Torch red 94 Coupe.. Coupe is best $ but cant connect with the seller, either sold or gone away for the weekend :confused ...other two are at dealers...and both up on Ebay...Talked to one yesterday (96) who wouldn't give me a price...said make offer..but also said he was sure it would get better than BB. Its on EBay and so far hasn't gotten much action so I'll watch for a day or so...'94 Vert also on Ebay...was going to go look/drive and got sidetracked yesterday with family stuff and they are closed today...so the wait goes on.. but hey...Ive been chasing this for a few years so a few days aren't a big deal...the wife REALLY likes the looks of the Polo 96...a big plus. The 94 Vert is 6 speed...other two are autos...wife doesn't drive stick so leaning towards the autos...she said she proabably wouldn't drive it all that much but better for the ongoing harmony, especially since for years she wanted her own. Guess we'll see how it all shakes out.

 

[Toms007]

I guess it's going to be a decision you have to make. I think if you are sold on the looks of the C3's then you'd better go with the 82, but like several have said, if performance, handling, and fuel economy are issues the C4 is probably your better choice. I love my 94 LT1 A4, the performance is outstanding, handling that hugs the road, and 24-27 MPG on the highway is difficult to beat. Which ever you decide on , we would like to see pictures, and hear of your impressions. Good luck and good hunting.

 

[wannavette]

I love the looks of the C3! But, that yellow C4 sounds pretty sweet. What a nice quandry to be in. I don't think you go wrong either way unless you compare performance of both cars

 

[Greg Gore]

For your first Corvette you should always buy the newest model you can afford because each year offered better performance or features than the previous year's (except for perhaps mid-seventies Federally mandated models). This is very generally speaking of course because it might be necessary to balance cost, year make and condition with your desire to do your own maintenance or repairs, refurbishing and restoration, etc. Condition being the same the 82 would be cool to own but the 92 will drive better and outperform it in every way. Get the 82 after you get the 92 because it is hard to be satisfied with owning only one. Welcome to a great hobby!!

Regards, Greg

 

[AdvancedAutoCC]

C4 say I

I'll echo what others have said here (buy the newest you can afford). A lot of first time Corvette owners end up grabbing whatever they can be talked into without regard to consequence. C3 model are a decent choice, as are C4s (my personal preference), but each particular model and platform have their own unique issues. If just driving and enjoying it as is, it's really a tossup. Be advised that '82 models utilize the Crossfire TBI system which can be problematic. Also C3 models have issues with leaking brake calipers (tho VBP pretty much has this covered now). The '92 would likely be the better choice as it does outhandle, out accelerate and outbrake ANY late C3 (from '76 on). The only '82 I would consider would be a Collector's Edition model, unless hotrodding was in the long-term plan (and in that case, any "disco-era" C3 would work as a starting point, they can be had cheap enough.)

Bottom line: be patient and DON'T SETTLE for the first thing to come along. You're also going to pay more buying from a dealer, but you probably already knew that...

Greg... I hear ya on adding to the stable. I just acquired an '85 to add to my fleet... 4+3= fun to drive

 

[Samauriwarrior]

IMHO it boils down to don't drive no ugly car! All the corvette styles are the best in american styling/engineering. The one you choose will be the best until you get the bug and look at another style. Corvette fever is an infectious disease that never ends!

 

[mfi]

The 94 Vert is 6 speed...other two are autos...wife doesn't drive stick so leaning towards the autos...she said she proabably wouldn't drive it all that much but better for the ongoing harmony, especially since for years she wanted her own. Guess we'll see how it all shakes out.

This was a big factor for me, and it works. The wife said she hated the car at first, but now drives it once in a while. I would go with the newest one I could afford. I like the older ones too but they don't hold a candle to the c-4's and 5's in the handling dept, although they are easier to work on. A big block 69 would be nice someday.

 

[Greg Gore]

Another thought; Why not search for a 94-96? You mentioned the dealer wanted 14K for the 82 and 13K for the 92. For this amount you could get a pretty good late C4 and popular opinion holds that the 96 is the best of the C4s, especially if you could locate one with the LT-4. It might also be possible to find a Collectors Edition with an LT-1 in that price range. Mileage affects these cars in a big way and you should expect to pay a premium for any Corvette with documented low mileage. Why not investigate cars with slightly higher mileage which could turn out to be a good buy if the owner was pretty fussy and many are.

Regards, Greg