egertge

i am selling my 79 with the original intent of buying another one to fix up. i put it up for sale at the begining of summer hoping to sell it so i could get one to work on this summer. well, summer is over, and with college starting i dont think i will have enough time to put into another project vette, especially with classes like calculus based physics on my schedule. i love the style of the c3, but as far as drivability, i dont think a c3 compares with any c4. with college starting i am looking for something i can drive in any weather, my current c3 hasnt seen moisture since ive had it. so here is the list of questions i have.

1. i should be able to sell my vette for 12500, it books at 16500. what kind of vette can i get for this money?

2. id really like to get an lt1 with a 6 speed. for about 12500, can i get one in good condition?

3. right now i pay 250 a year for collector car insurance. how bad is insurance on newer vettes, it will be under my dads name as primary, with me as an occasional.

4. how reliable are the c4's? id like to have something i can take out of town and not really worry about.

thats all i can think of for now, im sure there will be more later. thanks for any advice and answers you guys have for me.

egertge

my 79 should be able to sell for 12500. ive had a couple people want it, but when it came down to it, they just didnt want to drive across the country to get it. everything on the car has been redone and is in great condition, including the admiral blue paint job, the admiral blue from the 94 vettes. the insurance on mine also has that 3000 a year thing, which i probably wont want if i get a c4.

rainsux89

Since Chevy made more Vettes in 79 (53,000+) than in any other year, if you can get $12.5K for it, take the money and run. That money will buy you an LT-1 6-speed with no problem. 92-96 coupes with average miles sell in that range all day long on Ebay. You can even find LT-1 convertibles in that price range if you look hard enough. Just don't impluse buy, take your time and drive a lot of cars before signing the check. :auto:

PS, The insurance for my 89 convertible was $65/month with 250/500 dedutables. I'm 30 with a clean record and live in the second lowest city in the country for insurance rates. Call your agent for a quote before you buy.


[Modified by rainsux89, 7:27 PM 8/9/2003]

mitymek

79 books at 16500?
nice,thats higher than my 92.
what book is that?
never know till ya try tho,hope you get it.
you should be able to choose from a pile of c4s in the 12k range.
the 92 black/black 6spd vert with low miles on it may be rare but im sure its out there for ya,he may even trade straight up! :cheers:
oh yea,c4s a very reliable car in any weather except snow/ice.and then if you had to youd just need wheels and tires for it.
10 in wide low profile tires wont work on snow/ice on any vehicle,not even a 4x4 truck.not the cars fault.
good luck-and welcome :)

IMXCITD

Good luck with the sale of your C3. I think you will enjoy the C4 and it will be very reliable with excellent performance. I would say you can get into a nice C4 for the money. YOu may think about an early '90's model in your price range....not necessarily an LT1. :)

LAvetteman

As a C3 and C4 owner, I know what you are going through.

1. As sought after as C3's are, I agree right now it will be difficult to get $12,5 for your 79. Don't get me wrong, 79 is a great year and its sounds like you have a very nice example. I say start there but around $10k sounds more like the current market value.

2. You should definetly be able to get a 92-96 6 speed with some miles IMO between $10k-12k.

3. My 94 costs me $102.00 a month for full coverage, but not collector insurance.

4. I bought my 94 specifically for a daily driver. I bought it over 600 miles from home, drove it over 600 miles the first time I drove it, I find it to be very reliable.

My 71 was my first vette, but I probably won't have it much longer.

egertge

i used nada for getting the price on my 79. blue book wont go that old. the figures with my options were $8,505 low, $16,385 average $23,020 high retail. mine is a great looking car, good enough that i put it in the local car show and got some offers i should have taken back then, but wasnt selling back then. the interior is great, paint is great except for a few chips from daily driving, and the engine is very reliable, the only problem is a small leak on the tranny pan seal that i am taking care of this weekend hopefully, so i figured id call it 16500 book value, probably low for the actual condition of the car. but i dunno, a lot of people have told me thats kinda high, i started the car at 14, but went down to 12500 perty quick.

few more questions. how well do the c4's seal in rain? it might see some rain, probably not much, but for snow i have a 92 gmc seirra with a 6 inch lift and 35 inch tires, i love that thing on the snow, put it in 4wd and have to try really hard to get it to slip anywhere :D .

i was thinking the lt1 because of the multiport fuel injection, gotta love that, but i would be willing to live with a tuned port if it was a good looking car, speed isnt a big issue, gas milage is. my truck and my vette both get a bout 10 mpg right now. my truck is a throttle body injection and is extremely reliable. did the tuned port come with the 6 speed or were they all 4+3?

i also like the rounded back of the newer c4's. did they change much in the front? and was that change at the same time as the rear? if i got an 84-90 i would probably have to go with an update kit to round out the back.

and this last one isnt about c4's, just some needed advice on the sale of my c3. i live in a small town, and nobody here is gonna pay 12500 for a 2 seater, because nobody here has a sense of style when it comes to cars. i have the only c3 that anybody really drives on a regular basis in this town, and its also the 2nd nicest ive seen in this town, 1st being the original, 20000 mile '80 that is in town. what is the best way to sell mine, or advertise to a better range of people, i already have ads on a couple vette for sale sights, but i dont really wanna do the ebay thing. thanks for all your advice, and keep it coming.


[Modified by egertge, 10:15 PM 8/9/2003]

mitymek

1990 was the last year for the round tailights,91 had rectangular tailights and also wrap around park lights up front.
the 6 spd was introduced in 89 i beleive.
so for you that means 91 on up for choices. (since you want the rect rounded back)
in 92 the lt1 came out with 300 ponies stock but from what i understand from many here,i wouldnt pass up a nice 91 just because of the lower hp l98.
its been pretty much proven here that stock for stock the l98 will jump on the lt1 on low end.
basically if you line up it souunds like the l98 will pull the 92-up cars till about 60 (or 3000 rpms whichever comes first) and then they will catch up and pass the l98.
low end torque is always fun.(and 150+ mph is plenty top speed too)
the 91-up c4s are gonna be easy to find in the 12k range,but the 6 spd trans is gonna be a little harder (or fewer to pick from).
you might concider an auto for a few reasons:
1-many more to choose from
2-general reliability
3-overall wear and tear thats on the used drivetrain. (face it-manual trans are instigating.fun to toggle up,fun to toggle down. all equals more wear and tear on ujoints,bushings-well-everything)
4-if you havent tried the new computer controlled 4 spd autos w lockup convertors,do yourself a favor and drive a couple.they shift very nice.will give smooth shifts at low throttle and break the tires loose on the 1-2 shift at
3/4 or better throttle.i feel mine shift 5 times when just running it up to cruise speed.they are not your average auto trans.
i would prefer a 6 spd trans. but what i decided on my car was to buy the newer lower mileage auto car (31k) versus the higher mileage 92 6spd at the same money (it had 89k on it).
one thing to try and check,see if they have the window sticker still.that way you can compare the as built cost (mine sold for $38,266.00)
oh and 92 introduced the asr traction control.which is a nice feature on rainy days or when someones driving your car (while your riding of course)
from 92 on up they just got better.so pick the highest year you can afford.
:cheers:
oh-forgot-20 mpg is the worst youll see with lt1 engines.
most report at least 23.
the 6 spd cars do as good as 28 ive heard
the gearing difference it seems is this:
the 6 spd in 5th gear is = to the a4 in overdrive with the convertor locked.
but then ya get the extra overdrive overdrive gear with the 6 spd.that is cool.
(thats info i picked up here and possibly not exact but makes sense from the mpg reports ive seen)


[Modified by mitymek, 8:58 PM 8/9/2003]

egertge

what does anybody get for mpg with their tuned port motors, auto and 6 speed. and does the auto vs. 6 speed make a huge difference in the mpg with the lt1's? if i can get the cheap insurance with the 3000 mile limit with a newer vette, i might do that while im still at home for the next 2 years of college, i have put about 1200 miles on my c3 since october, so the 3000 shouldnt be a problem. thanks for the info on the auto, i am actually considering it now. anybody else wanna back up his oppinion on the 4 speed auto? thanks for all the info mitymek, as well as everyone else.

LAvetteman

I understand, but here lately I haven't seen anyone pay book value for a used car. Vette or not. I hope you prove me wrong, I am just sharing with you the trends I have noticed of what all used vehicles are ACTUALLY selling for (market value).

I have done a little research on the keeping water out issue. :) Heck I even started a poll in the C4 and C5 general sections, didn't need to do it in the C3, we all know the answer to that one. What I have found is keeping rain water out shouldn't be much of a problem. You may have to change some weatherstripping, or make an adjustment here are there depending on the car, but high pressure streams HAVE to be avoided. Meaning you will have to use car with the garden hose and FORGET ABOUT A TOUCHLESS CARWASH.

I love my LT1, 300 hp and I get 25 mpg on the highway.

If you haven't posted your 79 in the c3 for sale section give it a try.

rocketfinger

I live in Minneapolis and have driven a variety of RWD GTs over twenty years and I'm here to tell you my C4 is without a doubt the worst car on snow/ice I can imagine. Driving straight on level ground in 1/2" snow, the traction control indicator comes on and stays on. In the wet, however, with decent rubber, it sticks like glue.

My top leaks a drop or two in rain, more under hose pressure, but only where I haven't replaced the rotten weatherstrip yet. It's tight as a drum where the new pieces are.

That's what I paid for mine in 'Corvette average' condition.

Mine is easily the best built and most reliable car I've ever owned. I've replaced a lot of stuff that was aging, but nothing has ever broken without warning. Of course, now that I've said that...

[edit] I get 32mpg (indicated average) at 65mph in 6th gear on level ground. Actual highway speeds and conditions drops it to somewhere under 30, maybe 28 or so. Mix that with stop-and-go and toss in random full-tilt-boogie hammer down action, my indicated average typically hangs around 18mpg. Not too shabby considering the performance.[/edit]



[Modified by rocketfinger, 12:58 AM 8/10/2003]

egertge

well, even if i have to drop the price even more, i suppose i could put a little more money that i made this summer with it to get the car i want. i just hope i dont have to drop it so low that im gonna lose money on my c3. i never have used the touchless car washes, and rarely even take my vehicles to the high pressure car washes. i like to take my time, wash it in the driveway, pull it in the garage and polish it up real nice. what about the electronics in these cars? my c3 had a lot of electric problems inside when i got it (which was actually the reason i bought it, took the price down a lot). i really would like to take the interior apart, clean it all up, and put it back together this winter. thats what i did to my c3 last winter, fixing everything inside and putting it back to like new condition. that kind of work i dont mind, but i dont have the tools or the room to do a lot of engine work, and probably not paint work either. is it common to find a car with good paint, good engine, but needs a little interior work to be perfect? or are they not old enough to where they need the interior restored? also, what is a good set of chrome 5 spoke wheels gonna cost me? i love the way c4's look with those, probably have to wait a while after i get the car to talk my parents into letting me buy a set. thanks for the info.

atotalnincompoop

get a C5, ive seen them cheap on ebay :cheers:

BLACKFLY86

[QUOTE]"looking for something i can drive in any weather,"

C3, C4, C anything, Im of the opinion that Corvettes are not all weather cars, Period... Others may dissagree, but here in New England ( or Colorado, Im sure) you won't see many Vettes on the road after first snow.

Forget the chrome wheels, and put the Vette on hold till you graduate from college, have your parents buy you a nice SUV to get around, year round. Than when you graduate college, and you start making the large bucks, go out and buy yourself a 2003 C5 Anniversary Edition, and dont forget to wave to us old C4 guys!


[Modified by BLACKFLY86, 9:40 PM 8/11/2003]

egertge

any weather isnt really what i meant i guess, that was my fault for saying that. what i meant was i dont drive my 79 in anything but dry weather. after owning a vette, i dont think i want to drive anything else, nothing else has the style and class of a vette while having that much power. i dont live where it snows much, i live on the eastern plains of colorado. snowfall maybe a dozen times a year, cleared up in a few days usually, rarely snow on the ground for a week at a time. for when it does snow, i have a truck, my first baby, that can take just about anything. so to clear the confusion, when i said any weather, i meant hot, cold, rain, shine, just about anything but rain. the only reason i dont take the 79 out is because i have never really tested for any leaks on it, i dont even wash it with a garden hose because it doesnt get anything on it, just dust, i just hit it with some spray and wipe stuff, mothers something, between waxes.

pletner

I bought my 92 LT1 off of ebay for $10,500 and all it needed was some t.l.c. on the interior ( carpet, weather stripping, stereo) mine is a daily driver and I love it! My other car is a lexus LS 400 and I'd rather drive the vette any day. My dad had 73 vert and my brother has a 73 big block vert so I know what you mean about liking their style but my 92 is a more refined ride with better gas mileage(25-28mpg/hwy) not to mention the performance of the LT1 Woo-Hoo!! My insurance is 265.00 every 6 mos. full coverage so thats not to bad. I think you would be very happy with a 92-96. Good luck shopping! :steering: :chevy

egertge

your car sounds exactly like what i would like to find. i was thinking about going with a luxury car like the lexus, but i just dont think i could do it after the looks you get in a vette and the rice burning capabilities. 25-28 mpg is awesome. i took my truck on a 300 mile round trip to see my brother. it is a 5 speed ang got a whole 13 mpg, and it was half interstate, half highway, not much town driving.

one major decision ive been thinking about is the automatic vs. manual. is there a big difference gas milage wise? and how about interstate rpm's. im not too worried about speed, dont plan on taking it to the track, but would like some good 0-40 power for around town driving. are the auto's capable of powerbraking or reving it up to load the tourque converter with one foot on each pedal? my parents have a new suburban and that thing will not rev with one foot on each pedal. barely get it up to 1500 rpm. i know they are much different vehicles, but i was just wondering if it is the same case with all the newer automatics. thanks for all your advice, you guys have been a big help so far.

Saisling

Hopefully you'll get what your looking for for your 79. YOu shouldn't have too much trouble finding a nice C4 for the amount your talking.

As far as water goes... weatherstripping is the big thing. If all the weatherstrip is in good condition, it will likely not leak. But finding weatherstrip in good condition isn't likely. It's also a bit pricey to replace.

If you are looking at a coupe, check for loose mounts at the windshield as well, they might need adjustment or might be loose. Check the weatherstrip at the top corners of the windshield as well as around the rear hatch...

mitymek

the weatherstripping can be cracked and not leak.mine is cracked up pretyy bad around the top left corner of the windshiled and also the pice that goes on the side of the targa on each side towards the rear.
i wash it with hose pressure with reckless abandon and have drove probly 500 miles in pouring rain so far and no leakage at all.
i will replace it this wniter cuz its ugly but just thought i'd let ya know that if its all intact and only cracked it can still seal.
lot of guys have leaks with good weatherstripping due to misaligned tops or possibly improper top tightening procedure.
good hunting :cheers: