C4 Corvette: ULTIMATE Buyer's Guide (Values, Performance, Yearly Changes 1984-1996) 

Agreed! That's some pretty high miles for a C4 but sounds like it's been well cared for. Thanks for the kind words on the video and for tuning in.

That's great to hear that car has so many miles. With prices on everything going up it's a shame that lets people are actually driving their cars.

My 92 has 174k miles with the manual transmission and really that's nothing. You have to remember that these are truck based motors and even if you drive them hard the engines will really never wear out because they're only hauling around 3000lbs. Change the oil and the driveline should last 300k+ miles even though the interior and electronic's won't

not here in Vegas. Nobody wants c4's here. c5's -c8's is a whole diff story

@@robwhite3241 that's true

Can't argue with that! 1985s are exceptional values, especially for anyone who wants that "old school" feel.

Hello Brother! I bought my 1985 Corvette back in 2014 for 3250. Its my profile picture practically everywhere online. Seller originally wanted 3500 but reverse wasn't working, my dad had it on the lift to check it out and the linkage was a little messed, he was able to fix that in about 10 minutes so I got a special discount. Seller also included the updated window regulators. I agree with the dash cluster three bulbs were burned out when I got it so I replaced them with LED lights. Looks just like Star Trek The Next Generation. I intend to replace everything with LED lighting eventually, just need the interior lights, under the hood, reverse, side markers, license plate and reverse lights. I have the headlights but need to swap out the motor gears (I have brass ones to replace the stock nylon gears). When I first got it I had no idea how to drive manual transmission but this was my motivation to learn. I stalled in the middle of the road once but saved the car, screeched tires though but she's still alive. I took it for a 100 some mile trip with my dad, had it cruising around 60mph in 4th gear, he even said if he wasn't there to see it he'd think I was joking I finished that run with 26mpg average. Fastest I ever had her go was 130mph, just for a little bit. Gonna keep restoring it and adding my own touches to her as the years keep us together. Cheers and best of luck with your Corvette, my brother!

I love my 85 with the z51 package

4+3 tho...

@@CharlesFlahertyB I just found out mine came with a 4+3 transmission,but someone swapped a 700r4 because they installed a 383 stroker ,good thing is I do have a dana 44 with the 700r4 now ,I am running a stock 350 and the 383 is out to rebuild.

Thank ya! I'm a videomaker/editor by trade so those skills come in handy making videos for my channel when I have free time. Glad you enjoyed it!

@@RetroCarsForever it shows! Making me wanna explore my garage, and unbury my almost IDENTICAL Blue 1984 with the chrome turbines. Literally a twin that was in your video lineup several times! I can tell yah? You’re 💯 percent correct about incorrect wheel direction… I BOUGHT….and DROVE the car for YEARS up here in Washington state, with them facing the WRONG way! In my defense? I bought it in my very early 20’s at a very shady auction house up here in Washington, and knew zilch about cars mechanically speaking, much less vettes. This purchase was so so not me! Came from a military household, and when pops heard it was an auction car? And worse? One that didn’t sell…..in like three rounds, and then sat on their lot? Uh? Dad was not supportive! Lol! It wasn’t till a local well respected Corvette mechanic, yelled at me at a light, signaled me to stop, and changed them all….for FREE! His name was Rick Stark, and raced vettes too…. Cranky ole bastard tho! Needless to say? He replaced my FIRESTONE (the tire store dudes?) “mechanic” almost immediately! He lost it when he heard I had the car maintained there for several years! 😂 He got a LOT of money from me with that 1984. But at 48 years old this June, looking back? I wouldn’t have traded the chance to own and drive that car, while YOUNG, for just about anything! Those memories right? Anyways. Subbed your channel, and will share at every opportunity! Best, Bill 👍

@@84CORVETTEBILL that’s awesome! Thanks Bill.

Not just that but the polarized plastic over the displays did not like the sun. Along with a week power supply and connectors that would fail over time since they are 2 circuit boards sandwiched together. This makes it a challenge for people that want to purchase an older C4 but can't see anything on the dash. Don't ask me how I know!

@@TotlKaos I've heard Batee.com is the savior for early C4 owner digital dashes!

Thank ya! You cant go wrong with an LT4...I drove like eight different years/engine/trans C4 combos and that was my favorite. ESPECIALLY if you can buy one from a buggy so you know its history. And agreed, let's get that average age down! I love seeing C4s getting out of their garages and into the hands of love enthusiasts who drive them more and more. The group that I helped put together for this video was all pretty young, was so cool seeing them all together.

Congrats! We did an autocross with ours and doing some track days at blackwater farms this year. Love taking a stock c4 and put it down!

@@RobsNeighbor Cool! Does yours have Z51? I'm really glad to have Z51 in mine, a big difference with handling, even if it rides a bit firm on the street.

You should put White-Walls on it

@@C4_stephen LOL

That’s great to hear! Congrats, that’s my favorite color of C4. Pretty rare for 1996 if I’m not mistaken

Too bad, I think Corvettes are more reliable than many other top-end sports cars. However, something like a Mustang would still be a fun V8 american sports car that is cheaper and easier to own and fix, might be worth considering instead (I've owned a few of those as well).

Wow, that's great to hear, congrats!

@@RetroCarsForever thank you, looking forward to your next c4 video

92, the first year of the LT1. Congrats and enjoy.

im getting one this weekend in terms of maintenance how bad is it

Nice, cant argue there! If I didnt need a C4 as a daily I'd look at a 1989 as well. Great mix of the awesome older styling/digi dash with the newer suspension/brakes/trans.

I just bought a 1989 TPI with the ZF6 for the exact same reasons. I've had it now for about 2 months. It is my DD and I got it with 56k miles and so far have put 3k miles on it, mainly driving it home from the dealer across 5 states! It does squeak a bit and rattle, and it is older than than a newer 95-96, and yes the TPI motor runs out of breath much sooner than the LT1 or the LT4, but I love the digital dash and the ZF6.

I love my 89 Z51!

@@chenlmax treat that transmission with loving kindness... they're pricy to repair from what I hear

You’re very welcome! Check out the other C4 vids on my channel for more helpful tips on these weird but wonderful cars.

Zichi, if you want to live, stick to C6 and newer. C5 and down are trash. The C4 is literally the worst corvette ever. A properly setup serial killer camaro is just as capable.

Thanks so much! That means a lot to hear from a fellow C4 aficionado.

Funny bout that, service records don't matter to me, I just go thru the whole car when I get it. Sometimes I win, and sometimes I lose...on the winning side more often. The last c4 I had, I went thru all fluids and changed the whole suspension. Drove like a dream

Wow, thank you! This one was the biggest challenge yet (a LOT of information to cover in just 20 minutes) so glad to hear that.

Thanks so much, hope this helps in your search!

Awesome and well said! Stay tuned for a ZR-1 vs LT4 video that I'm planning. Curious if you have any thoughts between the two.

Thank you! Yes, "static" cars needing maintenance is one of THE BIGGEST things most car owners miss, especially Corvette collectors. "No miles equals no work" is a myth I was happy to dispel in this!

@@RetroCarsForeveru think I can find a 86-89 with good paint and runs well with around 80-90k on it for 8k?

@@TheGoldenTraintysontgt See the values guide near the end of this video!

Wow, thanks so much! Thats wonderful to hear. Congrats on your car, sounds like a near twin to mine, doubt you'll be disappointed.

Many thanks!

You're welcome, glad you enjoyed it! Stay tuned/subscribe for more, working on another video right now.

Yep, the C6 didn't change all that much by comparison (and was a rocket on day 1). The C4 was almost an entirely different car from it's first year to its last...Pretty much just the basic frame and some odds and ends were kept.

Thank you! That’s great to hear because that’s exactly my aim, always trying to make it quick easy and visual for people to get to know these cars.

Thank ya man! You'd love it. I love Firehawks, wouldn't mind owning one of those someday either! Kinda like a bigger, rowdier Corvette.

You're very welcome, best of luck with your purchase! 1989 is a terrific year.

Wow, thank you so much for the compliment!

Well said!

Thanks so much! I had no idea I wanted a C4 until I actually test drove a nice one, and realized just how much car I could get for the money. Never regretted it! Enjoy your ride.

Thanks man! I keep hoping you'll run into a C4 at auction as a drug seizure of something...

Thank you! I really did strive to make the most comprehensive and VISUAL buyer's guide I could, so glad you enjoyed it.

@@RetroCarsForever sheer perfection. I was inspired... I'll buy one next year! With my budget, probably a 1990 with over 75K miles, hopefully for around $4-5K, but I think I'll eventually buy a 1995 convertible for $15-20K.

Best of luck with your search!

Haha! Well, LESS of a headache if it wasn’t there!

Thanks, and congrats! I agree sounds like a great deal, especially if you just want a fun first car and not a show queen.

@@RetroCarsForever you think I’ll be able to get one for about 11k around march next year or will they have gone up way to much?

@@thatcarguy2492 well as I say in the video, I’d suspect prices are going up about 1 grand a year for nice ones. They’re definitely not going down in price.

@@RetroCarsForever I can probably find one For around 11-12 if I wait and look hard enough I’ve seen some for around 8k the thing is though I was thinking about a sn95 cobra and they skyrocketed in price over the last 3 months

Thanks, glad to be back!

That’s great to hear! What did you decide to get?

@@RetroCarsForever a 1996 manual! It's a lot of fun but 45 mph feels like 80 😆

Heck yeah! That thing must handle like its on RAILS. The red 1984 that you see in this video also had the Z51, and had no problem keeping up with my much more powerful 1996 LT4 in the canyons.

@@RetroCarsForever it sure does. I can take smooth freeway on ramps at least 10 mph faster than the recommended on the sign and there is zero body roll. Only downside is that your spine becomes a 5th shock

@@michaelbutkus4790 Haha that tracks!

Agreed, amazing cars for the value, and sounds like you got a steal with your 1985!

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it.

Thanks, glad it was helpful!

Thanks! Cant go wrong with either a C4, C5, or C6...Same basic idea, just depends on how much money you want to spend and how modern and spacious you want the car to be.

Awesome, and thank you! Sounds like we get about the same MPG in the city with out LT4s. By 1996 the base suspension was pretty soft, much more comfy around town but definitely more lean in the canyons...The guy in the white car in this video brought a 1996 LT4 with base suspension and I could SEE how much more body roll there was. If I didnt take my C4 canyon carving often I would MUCH prefer the base suspension and its suppleness. I bet you'll be good going forward with reliability, most C4s needs a few grand of "baseline" work to get it to a point of reliable daily driving. Enjoy your car and thanks for the comments!

Thanks man! If you're ever in LA and want to do a Sale Proof Car Review of the C4, you know who to ask!

Thanks so much, will do!

Thank you! And yes, I've heard how exported C4s go for quite a bit more than they do here (I should've specified the price guide was in American dollars, buying in America). Only a small percentage were ever shipped overseas so they fetch a higher premium. Still, talk about having a unique car where you are!

Thanks! If I was to buy an earlier C4 I'd go with the 1989 for sure...Rad early looks and digi dash, but with the more modern brakes/susp/transmission. Once you get your car finished you'll have one hell of a fun car for chump change, especially if you can do the work yourself!

I sold my 96 auto and bought an 89 manual. The stick shift makes up for the lack of horsepower.

@@fryloc359 no airbag, no opti, i love the 89. Im stuck with a 96.

Thanks so much, glad to help!

Thank you! And yes, very nice late C4s with 6 speeds go for a pretty penny nowadays, as they're the ones most wanted by enthusiasts. I'd drive it as much as you can!

Thank YOU!

Thanks so much!

Glad to hear this helped! Got lots more on my channel to help you zero in as well. Best of luck!

Many thanks! Happy to spread the C4 love.

Thanks for watching, glad this could help you in your search!

Great to hear, happy it helped!

Nice! I love how those Greenwoods look (just be careful on curbs and ramps!)

@@RetroCarsForever oh you would laugh at the setup i just had to do to do an oil change a few days ago. Def not osha approved

Nice! Enjoy

Thank you, that's awesome to hear!

Awesome, congrats!

Awesome to hear, you’re very welcome. Best of luck in your search!

Thanks so much!

@@RetroCarsForever Thanks for this incredible content!

Thanks so much! C4 audience is the best. Very engaged and polite

Glad to help, good luck with your C4 search!

You're very welcome! Took three months of research, filming, and editing to put this one together, so glad to finally have a new video out!

@Retro Cars Forever I can imagine! This video is amazing and shows you put a ton of work into it so thank you!

@@phillymikea Thanks so much, glad the hard work shows! (Whew!)

Thanks so much, will do!

Thanks! Sounds like you’re totally “getting” the rad appeal of your car, glad to hear you’re enjoying it.

I love Motley Crue and C4s 🤘🏼

Glad to help, thanks for watching!

Thanks! That sounds like a wonderful (and loved) Vette.

Thanks! Cant go wrong with a 1995 anyways, as you can tell from the video I usually recommend the last two model years anyways.

Thanks, will do!

Thanks! Stay tuned/subscribe for a future video featuring a 1991 ZR-1 in the coming months that I’m working on. Love ZR-1s!

Glad I could be a good resource for ya...Best of luck in your search!

Awesome, best of luck and hope this guide and the other videos on my channel prove helpful!

You’re very welcome, thanks for watching

Hope it all works out great, enjoy the car! 1989 is a terrific year.

That’s so cool that you both have matching cars! Congrats and enjoy

Nice! I would love a C6 myself, but C4s sure have that old school comforting feeling about them.

Thank ya!

Sweet!

Thank ya very much!

Thanks, and Definitely! I actually already covered that in my Top 5 Common C4 Problem Areas video- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9nR3rkZd2bQ.html

Glad to help. Thanks for watching!

Awesome to hear, hope it helps ya!

@@RetroCarsForever thank you, definitely subscribed

Thank ya!

Thank you! Hope you enjoy the new C4 video I JUST released... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Qpj6fSGhfjU.html

Thank YOU for watching, glad to hear that you also love your 1996 C4!

Nice! Been noticing the same thing, people seem to be finally coming around on all the many positives of the C4.

Thanks, and congrats!

Many thanks!

Thanks for watching!

Thank you!

Many thanks! Hope you stay tuned/subscribe for my next video (features more C4 action)

Thank ya very much!

I hope you end up getting another one someday. I totally get how you feel, I was born the same year! This was THE car of the time.

Thanks! Glad this helped. But as I said in the video, I don’t think prices are going to explode. Even though C4 prices are never going to be cheaper than they are now, they’re only going to get a grand or so more expensive with each passing year (by my calculations anyways). Best of luck with your search!

@@RetroCarsForever thank you

Congrats and enjoy!

Thanks! There are dozens of C4 groups I'm part of on Facebook. Usually I find the bigger FB groups to be the best resource. I rely most on these top three.... C4 Corvette 1984-96 C4 Corvette Forum And because we both have later cars, this one- C4 Corvette 1992 - 1996

You're welcome. The nice thing about C4s is there's plenty of good info out there to help you with your choice. Here's another video I suggest you watch that I made, which covers the most common issues to check for. Good luck! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9nR3rkZd2bQ.html

Thank you so much! @@RetroCarsForever