I bet in the last 9 years (original thread start date) that attitude has changed some what.....
strokin383-c4
Well-known member
So I guess I'll give my two cents.
If you read the history about the C-4, it is quite amazing, in 1983 was the ONLY year GM didnt produce a corvette because they spent over $1 billion dollars designing the C-4. The C-4's design was limited in power but used for the TPI intake system which granted the torque it needed to push in and out of turns. at almost 1g rating in turns, and the advanced ECU modules throughout the car and its extremely lightened suspension, this car was designed for the auto-crossing. Still to this day the L98 C-4 series corvettes are at the untouchable state in their advanced design and technical performance grid. not to include the C-4 was the first ZR-1! The C-4 re-wrote the book in 1986 and it took them 20 years to re-write it, the c-5 certainly didn't do it.
Now your getting into corvettes and GM is known for its motors. The C-4 series came out with 5 different injection types, (Crossfire, TPI, LT-5, LT-1, LT-4) so it depends what year you are looking into.
Personally I love the C-4, there are less on the road. It's a "Hot-Rod" stiff ride with tight steering. The lines of the car are great, not to include the back end is what they are using on the new C-6's! its not made of plastic, with a 530 hp built motor im still pulling 22 MPH freeway (stock TPI is around 26!) and with the IRON block L98 its bulletproof. I say your best choice is to read read read, and test drive.
Good luck! and safe driving!
If you read the history about the C-4, it is quite amazing, in 1983 was the ONLY year GM didnt produce a corvette because they spent over $1 billion dollars designing the C-4. The C-4's design was limited in power but used for the TPI intake system which granted the torque it needed to push in and out of turns. at almost 1g rating in turns, and the advanced ECU modules throughout the car and its extremely lightened suspension, this car was designed for the auto-crossing. Still to this day the L98 C-4 series corvettes are at the untouchable state in their advanced design and technical performance grid. not to include the C-4 was the first ZR-1! The C-4 re-wrote the book in 1986 and it took them 20 years to re-write it, the c-5 certainly didn't do it.
Now your getting into corvettes and GM is known for its motors. The C-4 series came out with 5 different injection types, (Crossfire, TPI, LT-5, LT-1, LT-4) so it depends what year you are looking into.
Personally I love the C-4, there are less on the road. It's a "Hot-Rod" stiff ride with tight steering. The lines of the car are great, not to include the back end is what they are using on the new C-6's! its not made of plastic, with a 530 hp built motor im still pulling 22 MPH freeway (stock TPI is around 26!) and with the IRON block L98 its bulletproof. I say your best choice is to read read read, and test drive.
Good luck! and safe driving!
4LT GS RoadsterWOW - What a Great Start: The 4th Gen Vette missed it's 1st year of production, oops!
- Moderator
- #124
Technically yes, but the 1984 was built and sold in 1983. I ordered one in February and took delivery in April 1983
WOW - What a Great Start: The 4th Gen Vette missed it's 1st year of production, oops!
Problems with quality and the late transformation from the C3 to the C4 at the Factory delayed the late entry into the market. As most know I am sure you know D... that next years models started production around July or so and hit the market in September. I don't know if that is still true today or not
A little more trivia about the 1984 Corvette...
Bud
strokin383-c4
Well-known member
Missed a year of production? You obviously have no idea about the history of corvette, Thanks for displaying your ignorance of idiocy
Have a good day Ma'am
Bud - Thanks for the info!
"C4: Scientific Corvettes (1984-1996)
Hey, what happened to 1983? What happened was that the change from the previous-generation Corvette to the new one was so radical that it took a while to get the Bowling Green plant up and running. So while 43 preproduction "1983" C4 Corvettes were built, none of these was ever sold to the general public and only one of them survives today. Instead, in March of '83, Chevrolet began selling the 1984 Corvette and it was the most dramatically different Corvette since the '63 Sting Ray."
http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/corvette/history.html
"C4: Scientific Corvettes (1984-1996)
Hey, what happened to 1983? What happened was that the change from the previous-generation Corvette to the new one was so radical that it took a while to get the Bowling Green plant up and running. So while 43 preproduction "1983" C4 Corvettes were built, none of these was ever sold to the general public and only one of them survives today. Instead, in March of '83, Chevrolet began selling the 1984 Corvette and it was the most dramatically different Corvette since the '63 Sting Ray."
http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/corvette/history.html
YEP - No '83's were sold to the public...
That's what most folk call it, but I see your from the state of confusion.
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- #128
vetteboy86
Well-known member
Corvettes have always been in the family. Growing up my father had several. He was born in 1953. Years later he would pass the corvette bug to his son, born in 1983. Some coincidence. 
Wow, very old thread... great question
I've driven C5's, I own a C4. They're both nice... I just am absolutely in love with my car. It's hard to explain, but it was love at first site... had to have it. I didn't buy it because it was fast, I guess I just love the style and the color. It's a blast to drive, it still turns heads. I just simply enjoy it, which seems like the main point of the Corvette... if it puts a smile on your face then it really doesn't matter what generation it is. Bottom line, it's a Vette and I'm proud to own it.
If I were to buy another I would skip the C5 and go for a nice C6. And I can't wait to see the C7!
I've driven C5's, I own a C4. They're both nice... I just am absolutely in love with my car. It's hard to explain, but it was love at first site... had to have it. I didn't buy it because it was fast, I guess I just love the style and the color. It's a blast to drive, it still turns heads. I just simply enjoy it, which seems like the main point of the Corvette... if it puts a smile on your face then it really doesn't matter what generation it is. Bottom line, it's a Vette and I'm proud to own it.
If I were to buy another I would skip the C5 and go for a nice C6. And I can't wait to see the C7!
English Guy
Well-known member
Hi, I have had my 89c4 as a daily driver for over 8 years now and apart from the usual parts that wear out I have only had to replace the water pump and fit new injectors. The c4 has a great flowing body design and is a brilliant car to drive day to day. Good luck on getting your c4, I am sure you won't regret it.
roger longman
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It's 'YOU'RE'. I guess you're a touch confused as well.........Roger.That's what most folk call it, but I see your from the state of confusion.
wolfuser
Member
strange coincidence
I´ve just come this thread- seems to be going on for a while....couple of days ago I got hold of a compilation of car&driver road tests of the C4. Strangely enough, most of these reviews were somewhat critical of the car, and I started wondering why.
Lets see - what are particularly weak and strong points of a C4? Starting with the weak points...most people will guess that a Corvette is prone to it´s fair share of "squeaks and rattles". Certainly, my convertible isn´t free of them. How would I rate this? It´s somewhere between some older convertibles (I happen to know VW Beetles and Golfs) and less solid as very modern cars (which one would hope, given that car development didn´t end in the 80s). In fact, I think the Vette is similar to a very beautiful Lancia I used to run in my younger days. So no problem, really. The next point of criticism is the somewhat harsh ride over rough roads. This indeed is true to a surprising degree, my Z52 equipped Vette produces more steering wheel kickback than the MGB I once had, but then the Vette is a bit faster and got bigger tires....certainly, a C4 is no easy car to drive fast over a rough road and takes some getting used to. It is very stable, though, on better kept surfaces. The Lancia wasn´t much different, in fact. I like to think the first mistake some people seem to make is to take the Vette for a GT car and then complain about lacking refinement. Wrong start, I guess, as fairly obviously the C4 was meant to be a high caliber sports car with a strong emphasis on performance and handling.
No criticism, but funny somehow: A C4 convertible is about the most unsuitable car for everyday chores one could think of, having practically no (easily accessible) trunk. But it doesn´t need one, the owner simply needs another car (in my case supplied by VW, where I work).
Some strong points, now. The beautiful shape, of course, but that was easy. Lets look underneath the bodywork: Doing that, for the last couple of weeks since I got my car, I´m more and more surprised how well engineered the C4 is. Another highlight, no surprise, is uthe big V8 with the wonderful automatic tranny- very sweet and easy to drive when treated gently, and unleashing quite a fury when the revs approach 3000.
So, simply put, it´s a damn good car basically- beautiful with an wonderful American V8. Exactly what I was looking for.
I´ve just come this thread- seems to be going on for a while....couple of days ago I got hold of a compilation of car&driver road tests of the C4. Strangely enough, most of these reviews were somewhat critical of the car, and I started wondering why.
Lets see - what are particularly weak and strong points of a C4? Starting with the weak points...most people will guess that a Corvette is prone to it´s fair share of "squeaks and rattles". Certainly, my convertible isn´t free of them. How would I rate this? It´s somewhere between some older convertibles (I happen to know VW Beetles and Golfs) and less solid as very modern cars (which one would hope, given that car development didn´t end in the 80s). In fact, I think the Vette is similar to a very beautiful Lancia I used to run in my younger days. So no problem, really. The next point of criticism is the somewhat harsh ride over rough roads. This indeed is true to a surprising degree, my Z52 equipped Vette produces more steering wheel kickback than the MGB I once had, but then the Vette is a bit faster and got bigger tires....certainly, a C4 is no easy car to drive fast over a rough road and takes some getting used to. It is very stable, though, on better kept surfaces. The Lancia wasn´t much different, in fact. I like to think the first mistake some people seem to make is to take the Vette for a GT car and then complain about lacking refinement. Wrong start, I guess, as fairly obviously the C4 was meant to be a high caliber sports car with a strong emphasis on performance and handling.
No criticism, but funny somehow: A C4 convertible is about the most unsuitable car for everyday chores one could think of, having practically no (easily accessible) trunk. But it doesn´t need one, the owner simply needs another car (in my case supplied by VW, where I work).
Some strong points, now. The beautiful shape, of course, but that was easy. Lets look underneath the bodywork: Doing that, for the last couple of weeks since I got my car, I´m more and more surprised how well engineered the C4 is. Another highlight, no surprise, is uthe big V8 with the wonderful automatic tranny- very sweet and easy to drive when treated gently, and unleashing quite a fury when the revs approach 3000.
So, simply put, it´s a damn good car basically- beautiful with an wonderful American V8. Exactly what I was looking for.
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KANE
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Amen!
The C4 was an evolution in design and a great example of performance that got better every year of production. Folks don't realize the base model gained almost 100 hp during the run from '84 to '96.
89vetter
Active member
Looks like kane has the C5 look alike on the bottom of his thread>:L
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- #136
English Guy
Well-known member
It is when it's the only car you ownI agree with wolfuser the C4 is not a daily driver car. It's the second largest production corvette, C3 being the first.
This thread might be the longest running.
xfirez51
Well-known member
Has there been any Vette better looking than a C4 ZR-1 with the clamshell hood open? 20 years later, the LT-5 still stands up to modern technology.With some basic mods, you are talking about an honest 475-530hp from a stock block 350 and a car capable of180+. The top end on these cars can be breathtaking even today.If u r looking for a C4, there is no better bargain than a ZR-1.
I'll take mine in Yellow!
:cool
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