Discussion
Hi everyone!
I'm looking to buy an interesting car and my budget is 15k. I've narrowed down my search to either a C4 or a C5.
My options would be a mint condition late model C4 and a Golf (or something like that) as a daily driver. Just enjoy the C4 a few times a week.
Or
A C5 as a daily driver doing 10,000 miles a year maximum.
Now I know that for 15k I can get a mint C4 and have plenty of change to buy a daily driver. However I'm not quite sure what quality of a C5 would 15k get me? Would a C5 be usable as a daily driver? Can I get one in good condition at that money?
Also as I'm sure many here have had both cars what are the other pros and cons you could think of to have one over the other?
I'm looking to buy an interesting car and my budget is 15k. I've narrowed down my search to either a C4 or a C5.
My options would be a mint condition late model C4 and a Golf (or something like that) as a daily driver. Just enjoy the C4 a few times a week.
Or
A C5 as a daily driver doing 10,000 miles a year maximum.
Now I know that for 15k I can get a mint C4 and have plenty of change to buy a daily driver. However I'm not quite sure what quality of a C5 would 15k get me? Would a C5 be usable as a daily driver? Can I get one in good condition at that money?
Also as I'm sure many here have had both cars what are the other pros and cons you could think of to have one over the other?
I have had a 1985 C4 with the 230bhp (with a chip) engine allied to an auto box.
I can honestly say, hand on heart, that the imperfections and flaws of this car made it one of my favourites (owned between 1994 and 1997 for context). It would do about 150 and was very stable at speed and just went like the clappers as it had low wind resistance. Still love them but they creak and rattle and have poor build quality but with the clamshell hood, phenomenal DIY access.
The 1992 C4 got the facelifted exterior and interior but the old distributor engine, the 1993 got the "controversial" 300hp LT1 Optispark engine and the new 6 speed manual. Aside from the ZR1, the 1996 Gran Sport was the best with a 330hp engine. The ZR1 was a lot of complication for not much greater performance.
I then had a 2002 C5 Z06. Undoubtedly better built but poorer access to the engine compartment. Good though the engine was (405 vs the normal 350), the manual gearbox was like a tractor and despite an aftermarket shifter, it was agricultural at best so don't be afraid of the auto, just look for a Z51 package on the car. In my view, the hatch always looked better anyway. long and the short of it - I never really bonded with the C5 Z06 - too fast and too "competent", it lacked the hooligan factor of the C4 and I sold it after a year and didn't get the emotional jolt I experienced when I sold the C4 (and even after 10 years, I don't think I would with the Mustang either). Not strictly "apples vs apples" as I used the C4 as a daily and used the Z06 as an occasional (ditto Mustang).
Overall, it's hard to call as the C4 is now an "old car", at least 20 years old and, on that basis alone, it probably has to be a C5 but I would look at an auto, personally (in red). I certainly wouldn't NOT look at a mint C4 though because it will become appreciated, prices are on the rise already.
I can honestly say, hand on heart, that the imperfections and flaws of this car made it one of my favourites (owned between 1994 and 1997 for context). It would do about 150 and was very stable at speed and just went like the clappers as it had low wind resistance. Still love them but they creak and rattle and have poor build quality but with the clamshell hood, phenomenal DIY access.
The 1992 C4 got the facelifted exterior and interior but the old distributor engine, the 1993 got the "controversial" 300hp LT1 Optispark engine and the new 6 speed manual. Aside from the ZR1, the 1996 Gran Sport was the best with a 330hp engine. The ZR1 was a lot of complication for not much greater performance.
I then had a 2002 C5 Z06. Undoubtedly better built but poorer access to the engine compartment. Good though the engine was (405 vs the normal 350), the manual gearbox was like a tractor and despite an aftermarket shifter, it was agricultural at best so don't be afraid of the auto, just look for a Z51 package on the car. In my view, the hatch always looked better anyway. long and the short of it - I never really bonded with the C5 Z06 - too fast and too "competent", it lacked the hooligan factor of the C4 and I sold it after a year and didn't get the emotional jolt I experienced when I sold the C4 (and even after 10 years, I don't think I would with the Mustang either). Not strictly "apples vs apples" as I used the C4 as a daily and used the Z06 as an occasional (ditto Mustang).
Overall, it's hard to call as the C4 is now an "old car", at least 20 years old and, on that basis alone, it probably has to be a C5 but I would look at an auto, personally (in red). I certainly wouldn't NOT look at a mint C4 though because it will become appreciated, prices are on the rise already.
Edited by LuS1fer on Wednesday 2nd March 12:23
I have a C4 ZR1 and a C6 Z06. Two completely different cars. Performance wise they are very similar.
Driving wise, I would say the C4 is more of a drivers car. It's more raw, as Lusifer says, there are a few rattle and squeaks but you feel very connected to what the car is doing, with the C6, you feel somewhat detached at times. Place the C5 somewhere between the C4 and C6.
IMO, the corvette from C4 to C6 has evolved from a sports car to a GT car.
From the practical side of things, the C5 has a way bigger boot and is easy to get to, the passenger footwell in the C4 is tiny (if that may be an issue)
To put it another way, my ideal road trip (of which I do many), would be Z06 loaded up and driven down through France, Germany etc but the ZR1 as soon as I hit the passes. Every year after the first couple of hairpins, I find myself turning towards my wife and saying 'I wish I was in the ZR1'
Try both, you decide. Personally I would only touch a C4 manual with ZF gearbox and not an auto or the earlier 4+3.
Driving wise, I would say the C4 is more of a drivers car. It's more raw, as Lusifer says, there are a few rattle and squeaks but you feel very connected to what the car is doing, with the C6, you feel somewhat detached at times. Place the C5 somewhere between the C4 and C6.
IMO, the corvette from C4 to C6 has evolved from a sports car to a GT car.
From the practical side of things, the C5 has a way bigger boot and is easy to get to, the passenger footwell in the C4 is tiny (if that may be an issue)
To put it another way, my ideal road trip (of which I do many), would be Z06 loaded up and driven down through France, Germany etc but the ZR1 as soon as I hit the passes. Every year after the first couple of hairpins, I find myself turning towards my wife and saying 'I wish I was in the ZR1'
Try both, you decide. Personally I would only touch a C4 manual with ZF gearbox and not an auto or the earlier 4+3.
I have had two C4s and three C5s (including a Z06) and two C6s. The C5 is definitely closer to the C6 than it is to the C4.
Ignoring the ZR1 and Z06 variants, for me it would be the C5 for every scenario. It is far superior in every way to the C4 as you would expect as technology and engineering move on.
Go for the latest C5 you can as apart from electrical gremlins (normally associated with a failing battery) and the usual wear and tear, they are reliable, cheap to run and usually unbreakable.
Ignoring the ZR1 and Z06 variants, for me it would be the C5 for every scenario. It is far superior in every way to the C4 as you would expect as technology and engineering move on.
Go for the latest C5 you can as apart from electrical gremlins (normally associated with a failing battery) and the usual wear and tear, they are reliable, cheap to run and usually unbreakable.
Edited by C5RagTop on Wednesday 2nd March 16:23
Silver C6 said:
All excellent advice above (obviously). But, if you are thinking of garaging your new car in a single width UK garage, you might be struggling with the C5? Might be able to get it in, but may struggle to get out of it, especially if you are on the big size? C4 no problem.
Very good point - you'll also have to fold a mirror in to get a C5 through a standard UK 7 ft garage door. (OK, you can do it without folding in theory, but you'd only have 1 inch to spare on each side 
)Thanks for all the advice! Ive a couple of months to decide and my choice will depend on the job I end up getting back in the UK. That will allow me to relocate and pay for the car. By the sounds of things either car will be a lot of fun and with a bit of luck, reliable too.
If I get the job im interviewing for next week you never know I might end up in a C6! Now that would be awesome.
If I get the job im interviewing for next week you never know I might end up in a C6! Now that would be awesome.
I saw a C4 a couple of weeks ago and bought it pretty much on the spot.
It's an '89 so has the classic L98 engine sans opti-spark, the cool digital dash and the ZF6 speed manual. It's got the Z51 handling package too! Standard apart from the exhaust, it's fantastic fun to drive. The torque is immense, you can bimble around and it will pull from such low revs. Likewise, if you want to drive more enthusiastically, it's great fun shifting up through the gears and riding that torque. Coming from a Porsche 924S, the build quality isn't as good, it does rattle and creak but there's an impressive amount of gadgets for the time. If I didn't work shift hours and it didn't sound so awesome, I would have no qualms using it daily!
I have a feeling it's going to be such a fun car to own!
It's an '89 so has the classic L98 engine sans opti-spark, the cool digital dash and the ZF6 speed manual. It's got the Z51 handling package too! Standard apart from the exhaust, it's fantastic fun to drive. The torque is immense, you can bimble around and it will pull from such low revs. Likewise, if you want to drive more enthusiastically, it's great fun shifting up through the gears and riding that torque. Coming from a Porsche 924S, the build quality isn't as good, it does rattle and creak but there's an impressive amount of gadgets for the time. If I didn't work shift hours and it didn't sound so awesome, I would have no qualms using it daily!
I have a feeling it's going to be such a fun car to own!
FelixP said:
I saw a C4 a couple of weeks ago and bought it pretty much on the spot.
It's an '89 so has the classic L98 engine sans opti-spark, the cool digital dash and the ZF6 speed manual. It's got the Z51 handling package too! Standard apart from the exhaust, it's fantastic fun to drive. The torque is immense, you can bimble around and it will pull from such low revs. Likewise, if you want to drive more enthusiastically, it's great fun shifting up through the gears and riding that torque. Coming from a Porsche 924S, the build quality isn't as good, it does rattle and creak but there's an impressive amount of gadgets for the time. If I didn't work shift hours and it didn't sound so awesome, I would have no qualms using it daily!
I have a feeling it's going to be such a fun car to own!
It will be but the digital cluster is less fun when it all packs in. These days, I think you can buy refurbed clusters, back in the 9os, I had to pay £500 for a used cluster.It's an '89 so has the classic L98 engine sans opti-spark, the cool digital dash and the ZF6 speed manual. It's got the Z51 handling package too! Standard apart from the exhaust, it's fantastic fun to drive. The torque is immense, you can bimble around and it will pull from such low revs. Likewise, if you want to drive more enthusiastically, it's great fun shifting up through the gears and riding that torque. Coming from a Porsche 924S, the build quality isn't as good, it does rattle and creak but there's an impressive amount of gadgets for the time. If I didn't work shift hours and it didn't sound so awesome, I would have no qualms using it daily!
I have a feeling it's going to be such a fun car to own!
The other thing is be very careful with that targa roof. Mine (a tinted perspex one) blew off, one day and smashed. I was really lucky in getting a replacement from Corvette Kingdom for £900 but a new one would have been nearer £3000. Those massive glass rear hatches don't come cheap either.
I've had my '87 L98 auto for over ten years and I love it!
No, its not a technological marvel, but it is fast, reasonably good on fuel, handles much better after I created -ve camber at the front and a bit more +ve caster. Its a doddle to work on and tinker with, very comfy on long road trips to the south coast (1200 return miles). It doesn't rust anywhere and you can strip off so much to simplify its running. So far I've lost about 200lbs of dead weight and tweaked it here and there to improve the performance a bit.
I like the feeling that I'm in an old skool musclecar (straight through pipes!) that can hold its own with most, but still has a raw edge that the modern Corvettes, nice that they are, seem to have lost apart from a few specials, ...as Gixer says, ..more GT cars than something more physical.
Yes its noisy, and there's always a new rattle after already fixing the last one, but this car is a daily, has rarely let me down though its own fault, and I wouldn't swap it for anything. It even has that old warm car smell on hot days that we have all forgotten about, and after a hard day at work, its a great feeling to hear it fire up instantly and rumble into the traffic queue..
The docs here all drive MB'S bmw's, jags, porsches, maseratis, even a Tesla etc. but its my Corvette that they all notice! I once had a comment that compared my C4 to someone arriving at a black tie do in a gorilla suit! I think it was a weak insult, but it demonstrates the unsophisticated awesome presence that an unsilenced C4 has..
No, its not a technological marvel, but it is fast, reasonably good on fuel, handles much better after I created -ve camber at the front and a bit more +ve caster. Its a doddle to work on and tinker with, very comfy on long road trips to the south coast (1200 return miles). It doesn't rust anywhere and you can strip off so much to simplify its running. So far I've lost about 200lbs of dead weight and tweaked it here and there to improve the performance a bit.
I like the feeling that I'm in an old skool musclecar (straight through pipes!) that can hold its own with most, but still has a raw edge that the modern Corvettes, nice that they are, seem to have lost apart from a few specials, ...as Gixer says, ..more GT cars than something more physical.
Yes its noisy, and there's always a new rattle after already fixing the last one, but this car is a daily, has rarely let me down though its own fault, and I wouldn't swap it for anything. It even has that old warm car smell on hot days that we have all forgotten about, and after a hard day at work, its a great feeling to hear it fire up instantly and rumble into the traffic queue..
The docs here all drive MB'S bmw's, jags, porsches, maseratis, even a Tesla etc. but its my Corvette that they all notice! I once had a comment that compared my C4 to someone arriving at a black tie do in a gorilla suit! I think it was a weak insult, but it demonstrates the unsophisticated awesome presence that an unsilenced C4 has..
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