How many miles? So, am I nuts?

[jss101]

Hey folks. I'm new to this forum and I want your opinions!
I've got a 1992 dark green C4 that's been great fun:

Here's the thing. I've got 91K miles. I've been driving it a lot. I drive it to work on nice days. I'll take any excuse to drive it! My winter car is a jeep and I'm about to switch and put the corvette away for the season.

The question is: am I nuts? I mean.. am I nuts to use it as a daily driver? How many miles do you guys have on yours? I know some guys keep these cars in perfect pristine condition in the garage most of the time, and have really low miles. I love to drive it so I'm out there all the time, but I'm rackin' up the miles. I've got a new water pump and hoses the cooling system should be good. New tires and brakes. But... I'm curious how many of you out there have high mileage C4's and what kind of luck you've had with that.

Thanks!

P.S. A good friend of mine says "hell - drive it like you stole it!". Seems like good advice to me.

P.P.S Another friend said "Hell - not driving your corvette is like not having sex with your girlfriend because you want to save her for the next guy!"

So what say you? Thanks.

 

[6 Shooter]

DILYSI > Drive it like ya stole it!

P.S. A good friend of mine says "hell - drive it like you stole it!". Seems like good advice to me.

P.P.S Another friend said "Hell - not driving your corvette is like not having sex with your girlfriend because you want to save her for the next guy!"

YEP - 2 Great PS's

Welcome to the ​

​

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter

 

[GS Diva]

Welcome to the Corvette Action Center!! My opinion? Drive it as often as you want. You already have 91k on the odometer, and it's in great mechanical condition. It's not going to decrease in value an awful lot more so you might as well enjoy it as often as you can. It looks very nice.

By the way, where are you in New England? I live 15 miles south of Boston.

Elaine

 

[tmkassin]

Dive it till the wheels fall off then go get another one. Life is short! 72,500 and counting. It only stays in the garage when there is salt on the roads. It's in great shape cause the first owner never drove it. My thanks go out to him.

 

[MDKyleZ]

Drive it when ever you like.... I know I do mine. It's a 96 LT4 with roughly 90,000 miles as well.

 

[vett boy]

Unless it's got chrome bumpers there is no reason to save it.C4,C5 and C6's are loosing there value just as fast almost as a Chevy Impala.In my opinion prices will never rebound because there are to many out there and to few buyers.

I have a C6 that I bought about a year ago with 14 miles on it ,right now I'm close to 20,000 .

Don't abuse it ,enjoy it ---drive away with a smile

 

[T.M.808]

I've got 117,000 miles on mine,i drive it 60 iles a day to work and back,race it,entering SCCA next year,all new interior,water pump,a/c everything has been redone.I think i will put in a 383 stroker and make about 450hp... Just drive it...it's a car for crying out loud. Can always replace the drive train parts,suspension etc... think of it like this,with a c4,whether you have 25,000 miles or 90,000,if the car is clean and in good shape,the real world result would be the car would probably sell for the same price. So might as well enjoy it while you have it.. I drive my car hard,but do the maintenance to keep it running good. Heres a quik pic of mine.

 

[jss101]

By the way, where are you in New England? I live 15 miles south of Boston.

Elaine

I'm West of Boston, so we're not too far away.

 

[jss101]

Yahoo! A ticket to drive. I love it.

So, any other high mileage folks out there? I'm still on the original clutch (as far as I know. The car had 80K when I bought it)... when did you replace yours?

 

[Paddywhack]

No idea how many miles I have...bought it a year and a half ago with 98,000 and the speedo not working..(its on this winters to do list), but I drive it often in the summer. Also in New England here, northern Rhode Island, about 20 miles south of Worcester.

 

[jss101]

I've got 117,000 miles on mine,i drive it 60 iles a day to work and back,race it,entering SCCA next year,all new interior,water pump,a/c everything has been redone.I think i will put in a 383 stroker and make about 450hp... Just drive it...it's a car for crying out loud. Can always replace the drive train parts,suspension etc... think of it like this,with a c4,whether you have 25,000 miles or 90,000,if the car is clean and in good shape,the real world result would be the car would probably sell for the same price. So might as well enjoy it while you have it.. I drive my car hard,but do the maintenance to keep it running good. Heres a quik pic of mine.

Nice wheels too! Mine are just the stock ones.

 

[Tuna]

I bought a '92 new in Oct '91 and put 103K miles on it by 2003. I didn't consider it a daily driver but a pleasure car. It was pure pleasure.

In 2003, I had the LT1 motor pulled to add horsepower - there was nothing wrong with the motor except that my wive's 2003 Vette was killing me on the stop lights - couldn't have that. The shop and I were a bit amazed that the engine didn't show any wear. No ridge in the cylinders, no bearing wear, etc. I used Mobil 1 exclusively and changed the oil and filter when it needed it. Drove the car hard in autocross and other high performance conditions. Rebuilt it with fresh standard bearing and rings and put it back on the road. Had it not be wrecked, it would still be out there today and with a lot more miles on it.

The LT1 can handle a lot of miles and so can the car. Just take care of routine maintenance and fix things that need fixing and drive it like you stole it.

 

[CAJUN C4]

Welcome to the CAC.It's a Great Place.

My 95' just turned 80K I bought it June of 08' it had 56K Mi on it.It's my Daily driver and now I'm averaging about 1,400 Mi. a Month on her.

I figure at 60 Yrs young I'd better spend as much time as I can in the Vettes.Like stated above Life is too Short and there is nothing that can't be replaced on the Car that is..Only the Driver Can't be replaced.

Enjoy

 

[92BlackVette]

I have a 1992, it has 153,000 miles, and I drive it daily. I will continue to drive it until I have a reason to get my 396 installed.

 

[G Winter]

I got my 90 in 05 with 69 k on the clock. I don't drive it to work very often because I get really dirty at work. I drive it as much as possible in the evenings and weekends. It now has about 95k on it. I drive it till it snows and they put salt on the roads then it gets put away. As quick as the salt is off the road in the spring it comes out.
I am working on buying my wife and older-cheaper C4 for a daily driver. She wants to drive the 90 every chance she gets even though it is a 6 speed.
Anyone interested in a 06 Grand Prix,,, I get her a vet it isn't going to be driven anymore.

Glenn

 

[CROOZ1N]

We bought our 93 Torch red with 114 K on it. It now has 121K. It broke down on us on our first major trip and continues to give us some problems with the auxilliary components. The first trip I speak odf was a six hour trip to the beach. The alternator bearings locked up on the way to the beach and then coming back the tensioner pulley bearings locked up. In may the A/C compressor went out and I replaced it with a reman unit from advance. October 16 I took off to Nashville and the clutch on the A/C went out half way there. Thankfully I was on my way to Gordon Kilebrew's class and he was gracious enough to help me get it fixed so I could get home. So all and all I have no problem with taking off anywhere in it. I love to drive it and we do so most weekends and sometimes I'll take it to work on a Friday. Drive It enjoy it. I am starting to wonder though how long it will be before I need to make plans to rebuild her.

 

[jss101]

We bought our 93 Torch red with 114 K on it. It now has 121K. It broke down on us on our first major trip and continues to give us some problems with the auxilliary components. The first trip I speak odf was a six hour trip to the beach. The alternator bearings locked up on the way to the beach and then coming back the tensioner pulley bearings locked up. In may the A/C compressor went out and I replaced it with a reman unit from advance. October 16 I took off to Nashville and the clutch on the A/C went out half way there. Thankfully I was on my way to Gordon Kilebrew's class and he was gracious enough to help me get it fixed so I could get home. So all and all I have no problem with taking off anywhere in it. I love to drive it and we do so most weekends and sometimes I'll take it to work on a Friday. Drive It enjoy it. I am starting to wonder though how long it will be before I need to make plans to rebuild her.

This forum is great. I'm a fan already. Keep those mileage stories comin' folks! It's encouraging to hear about others getting so much enjoyment out of their C4. Me too.

Croozin - not too surprising to hear you've had some component problems at 120K. What you mentioned are good things for me to look out for.

 

[catbert]

If I had a European exotic that was high strung and needed $6,500 15,000 mile service calls, I might think twice about driving every chance I got. The Vette is a Chevy, and Chevy's can last a long time and many miles. Why have it if you can't drive it? My Ron Fellows Z06 is a limited edition, and might be worth some money some day, and I get lots of static from collectors for putting miles on it...it might ruin it's value at Barrett Jackson in 2025. Like I care. I'll let whoever owns it then worry about it. Cars are to expensive to buy, insure, maintain etc to have them sit in a garage. I'd say drive it like you stole it is good advice.

 

[tcxd40]

I have two C4s both '93s. Mine sits in the garage and only goes out on nice days or when I have the chance to drive it, bought with 47K now has 49K had it 5 years, I don't get much time to drive.
My wife's on th other hand gets driven all the time. She's only been driving it about two months and has already got more miles on it than my has in five years.

DRIVE IT, ENJOY IT!

 

[jss101]

I have two C4s both '93s. Mine sits in the garage and only goes out on nice days or when I have the chance to drive it, bought with 47K now has 49K had it 5 years, I don't get much time to drive.
My wife's on th other hand gets driven all the time. She's only been driving it about two months and has already got more miles on it than my has in five years.

DRIVE IT, ENJOY IT!

Ok, so I can't resist. What keeps yours in the garage all the time? Are you saving it? Or do you not drive *anything* much. Just curious.