Most reliable C3

[taracatac]

Which C3s are the best years for dependability and ride comfort/handling? Power is not a concern, but this would be a daily driver. Thanks

 

[Flared69]

earlier c3's i'd like to think are more reliable due to their simplicity...

easiest ride would probably be the 82... but i'd get an 81 for a non-crossfire manual

this is because i just don't trust 1st year products...

 

[Fishman]

Don't get me wrong here... I LOVE my '78 Vette. But the way I see it on a 20+ year old C3 is that if it isn't broken, it's about to break. I think a daily driver is a C5 or a Honda Accord. Not that they are in the same class AT ALL (no hate mail please)... they are both far more dependable than a daily driven C3.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

The most reliable C3...

...will be the one that has been properly maintained and/or upgraded all its' life OR the one that has recently undergone a complete body-off restoration.

My 78 has been a daily driver for more than 13 years and the only down time for repairs have been for replacing the rear-end, engine and other small parts that are part of general maintenance.
I feel that by the time we are finished replacing every part on her...we will be ready to start at the beginning again.

Personally, I've heard the 68s have some parts that are unique to that year only, and I don't care for the computers of the 1980s to 82s, prefering the simple combustion engines from 69-79.
Heidi

 

[Fishman]

the only down time for repairs have been for replacing the rear-end, engine and other small parts that are part of general maintenance.

I do not consider the rear-end and engine as "small parts" of general maintenance. They are life changing events! :eek

 

[bossvette]

I do not consider the rear-end and engine as "small parts" of general maintenance. They are life changing events!

I guess it all depends on your perspective, I yanked the anemic l-48 the first winter I had my Vette and will probably do it again before too long as the miles rack up, the nice thing about a older Vette is you can find most any part you need at more then one location.:cool

 

[Robin7TFour]

hello, i agree with Fishman, anything 30+ years is bound to break. i knew what i was getting into when i bought my 74 as a long term project/toy.
in fact when i bought my 73 harley(in 00) the saleman was concerned because i would have to work on it to keep it maintained. i just laughed and said " that's my hobby.. tinkering"

save the wave!!!



robin

 

[bossvette]

Which C3s are the best years for dependability and ride comfort/handling?

my comment would be which style do you like best? I prefer the earlier style roof line with the urathane bumpers my car is a daily driver (I got wet on the way home from work today) march through the end of November and has proven reliable. It has been from Ohio to New Jersey twice. My wife told me she would leave me behind if it broke down going to N.J., but It was the Corvette that had to shuttle everyone from the Chevy dealer to the motel when her newer car broke on the Pennsy turnpike:L
I have put around 30,000 miles on it since buying it in 1999 and had only two breakdowns the battery once and rear spindle once.
good luck in your search
Craig sr

 

[c4ever]

For comfort and features I have to vote for the 81-82. My 82 is a daily driver and has some basic creature comforts and contrary to what others have posted, computers really do a good job of keeping everything in line if the car is properly maintained. The C4 and C5 have proven that. But I do agree that these are 20+ year old cars and need constant attention. It's a labor of love thing:love :love If power is not an issue the later model the better IMHO.
Carlo

Looks like I lost my sig again. I'm beginning to think it's a left wing conspiracy!

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Clarification...

...replacing the rear-end, engine and other small parts that are part of general maintenance.

I meant like u-joints, shocks, engine accessories (water and power steering pumps, t-stat, tune ups, et cetera)...small items that take less than a day to replace.
Sorry for the confusion.
Heidi

 

[81kix]

Hi Heidi,
I was thinking, wow! Engine small thing to repair?
Is that what I have to look forward to in normal maintenance. :L

Bye
81kix

 

[bossvette]

my Wife complains that " You take a perfectly good car and the first thing you do is take the engine out and put a bigger one in":crazy :crazy

 

[Fishman]

Hey Heidi... sorry for the sarcasm :eyerole

... Brian

 

[78SilvAnniv]

(laughing)

Hey Heidi... sorry for the sarcasm :eyerole

... Brian

No apologies necessary, Brian! I thought it was funny! :L

I didn't think you were being sarcastic, or at least I didn't take it that way. I just thought it was funny how my original post was worded. I was a bit unclear about what I thought a big and little project was!
Heidi

 

[GerryLP]

I can only provide you all with a one-sided perspective, for I have only owned a 1981 Corvette. Nevertheless, I remember racking the most miles on my vette during my younger years in college. I went from Oakland/Alameda to the San Francisco State University in this car for most of the time, and it never let me down. The lack of torque to squeel the tires allowed me instead to cruise at 80 mph rather easily and in economy. That' how they're called cruisers.

It seem to break down when I would NOT use it. I recall that when I got my second car, and I would not use the vette as much, that it would seem that it would need more repairs than when I use it regularly. Odd things would stop working (like the windshiel wiper switch), new leaks would crop-up, and new squeeky sounds of weird stuff.

I agree with some of you. The computer, even though it was rather primitive, kept the car going most of the time. And for someone who had no garage at the time, this was a good thing. I mostly bought tires, brake pads, oil, gas, and cassette tapes...lol

On the down side, all that wear cost me $6,000 dollars so far in repairs and restoration. It still needs a paint job...ouch...:L