1984 Corvette opinions

On 2 Oct 2006 09:32:57 -0700, "billccm" wrote something wonderfully witty:

Listen to your brother or you may end up never listening to your wife again. Which I guess could have its upsides.

Chevy sold a ton of these in 84, and I don't recall them all being denounced as lousy cars at the time. Yes, the later models have a better fuel injection and a stronger transmission, and you may encounter difficulty finding someone who can work on the crossfire (should that misbehave), but I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with an 84 as a boulevard driver. price guides say the car is probably in the $7k to $10k range...

I'd suggest you buy it.

Hi.... As an original owner of a 1984 vette.....I have kept the car pristine also....mine is a 4 plus 3 tranny with only 22,000 original miles on it.. .every thing works also and it has every option available at the time I ordered it.... my opinion?? well it rides really rough.... you feel every bump....it rides like a truck.... the good thing about it is the stereo.... cept it doesnt have a cd player... just the cassette... lol... remember those?? I ve got tons of cassettes....never had really any problems with it, although I did have it repainted due to an accident. Paint is not original, but repainted original color (2 tone charcoal/grey).... Would I sell it? not right now...but yes probably within the next 8-10 yrs....oh .. i do drive it too...even has the orginal tires on it... ugh... So.. I prefer to drive my caravan than the vette....its a more comfortable ride... on the other hand.. a buddy of mine gets a new one every two years... and yes the newer ones are much better than the older ones.... they are kinda getting out of the price range though...but better on maintenance and the ride are greatly improved....

Fwed

NADA

listen to your brother.

I also have an 84...

I had an 84 before my 93, I enjoyed it, would own another if I found the right one. It's a rougher ride, but handled magnificently. Never had problems with the cross-fire, but will admit that the TPI is better. I'd suggest you get it, you won't find many in that shape again.

Price Line is sure different than NADA

my2¢

Johnny:

Deciding to buy a Corvette is not something that you do with your mind as much as you do with your heart. If this car speaks to you, buy it.

Yes, it'll cost you more for upkeep than a Toyota or a Honda, but at the end of the day, you'll be driving a Corvette, YOUR Corvette. It probably won't be your last Corvette, but it will be your first, always. Buy it and don't look back. Don't expect to make a dime on it when and if you ever sell it. This way you won't be disappointed if it is worth less when you pass it along to the next owner, and pleasantly surprised if it's worth more. At any rate, a Corvette IS NOT a wise investment financially speaking. (unless you had a time machine and could go back to 1969 and buy one of the only 2 Corvette ZL1's made, but I digress).

As that it's the first year for the C4 design, there were still bugs to be worked out, and the design improved a great deal until '95 when it was replaced with the C5.

The L83 350 engine was not a world class performer, HP was rated at

205hp @ 4300rpm with 290lb-ft torque. That can be improved somewhat with bolt-ons, but to significantly improve performance requires heart and lung transplant surgery. Not trivial (or cheap), but certainly a handy, mechanical kinda guy with lots of tools wouldn't find it too much of a challenge. The Doug Nash 4+3 transmission was not the greatest design, a lot of people had problems with them while others did not. If it's never been repaired or replaced then you may be one of the lucky ones. The Crossfire fuel injection system was another problematic item, a lot of people replaced them with newer FI systems or carburetor systems. If you do take it off, box it up and store it away in a dark corner of your garage. You'll want to keep it for the next owner, he may want to put it back on. I've always liked the air cover lid, I think it looks really cool.

Good luck! Welcome aboard.

TomC '90ZR1 #792

Thanks for the replies and advice.

I am not looking for an 'investment', but rather a daily driver to enjoy. I do not expect Honda reliability, but also cannot afford a car that is constantly in the shop, either. I am pretty handy with my cars such as belts, hoses, brakes, and maintenance, but high tech electronic glitches do stump me (and many mechanics for that matter).

My idea was to get the car at a price that I could afford, and enjoy it. If I bought a newer Corvette, for more money, I would constantly be babying the car and probably would not enjoy it as much.

This car is an auto trans, so I need not worry about the 4+3 issues.

I just looked at eBay for completed listings on 1984 Corvettes with less than 70K miles; most did not sell, or meet reserve even in the $8,000 to $9,000 range. Then I see a few here and there that sold on the $5,000 range I was thinking about $7,000, but now I am really not sure what it is worth?

I am still thinking about the car; my brother is adamant that I run away as fast as I can, and see some of you agree.

Thanks again for your time in your replies! Have a nice day,

Johnny

Crabs wrote:

On 2 Oct 2006 21:40:07 -0700, "billccm" wrote something wonderfully witty:

There are real good reasons that a lot of `84's have low milage. They have the harshest ride of all C-4's among their other flaws such as the lowest HP of the series. Take this one for a ride and then go drive a 90's series. The differences are obvious.

Like most cars in a series the first year model, especially those with as great a re-do as the C3 to C4 transitions have bugs that need to be worked out in successive model years.

While this particular vehicle maybe a good candidate to "Time Capsule" I can assure you it is not a good candidate to become a daily driver. Who knows what value time may bring to this car, but rest assured that your bank account will devaluate quickly if you try to place it in service as a daily driver.

Here is an example of a good candidate for a daily driver from e-bay

@ 10k (+/-) for a `92 with 80,xxx and a6-speed it will be a lot more fun and a lot less worries. Plenty ofother examples are out there in the `89 - 92 range. Such as with only 40k on the clock. I'm surewww.autotrader.com has plenty of examples in your local area as well. In the end you're going to have to go with your heart, but if you value your brothers advice you just might want to listen. If price is your only consideration remember that the expenditures are just starting with the purchase price.

You and your wife should take it for a drive and if she likes it and you're still interested then only the price should make up your minds. What other people think will have nothing to do with how the car will treat you and yours.

Sure, there is always things that are changed to make a new model better and that happened in '84 as well as any other year, first year or not. Yes, it is a stiff ride and it has a unique injection system that has been pulling that car around for 22 years, no reason it can't do it another 30 years.

If the cars turns the two of you on and you can do it without a high price it can be a great pleasure car. Don't forget that it will need a garage to stay in and lots of loving care.

Many will denounce the '84 simply because it is the '68 Corvette of the C4.

A car in the condition you describe is always an intriguing buy. But I take exception to the "buy with your heart" comment someone made. That is the fastest way to get in trouble.

Arrange for you and your wife to drive it some day. Since they are friends, maybe they would turn you loose with it for a few hours so both of you can see just what you are getting into. It will be stiff. However, either most who describe the ride are real pansies or they have never driven an older Corvette. My first drive in an '84 reminded me of a big block '67 or '68. Not the power, the ride, the feel-every-pebble ride. It really isn't much different than most C2s and early C3s in ride. But it may not be what you or your wife want.

At the same time, arrange to drive some others within a few days for comparison.

The Cross Fire is cursed by many, but really, there is nothing wrong with it. It just is not a performance injection system. It is basically the same parts as most Chevy vehicles from the same time period up into the '90s with the TBI, except there are two TBIs on a cross ram manifold that has poor flow.

Most problems with the '84 are possible in most of the C4s - LCD display,

4+3, Bose, and so on. So buying an '85 or 88 won't automatically protect you.

And you know the history. It is in great shape. That is better than most of what you find.

That said, the value on '84 is basically very low. I don't know if they will ever increase. After all, they are 22 years old now, so it isn't like we have to wait until they are old. Hopefully your friend isn't expecting a huge price. It would have to be something like less than 5,000 miles or still on the MSO for that.

I also agree that a daily driver is not what this car should be. Of course, that depends on what you define as a daily driver. A friend had a '72 convertible as a daily driver up until 4 years ago. But he worked across the street from his house. Now he works 8 miles from home, and a '68 Chevy pickup is his daily driver. The Corvette is the evening and weekend car.

I wouldn't suggest a 20 mile one-way commute each day in rush hour traffic. For one, those 61,000 miles will rapidly become 100,000.

I also wouldn't suggest modifying it. While most do to make the '84 perform, the value of this car will be its present condition. Any changes, excessive miles, body changes, engine changes, etc, will just drop the value unless you do something like drop $20,000 into creating a Pro Street or some such out of it.

Good luck.

DO NOT BUY A 1984......better off with a 1985-87..which are also very very cheap....I REPEAT DO NOT BUY A 1984....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! been there done that and it was a BIG mistake. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good thread, and I do value all of the opinions! It seems the tally is to pass on this car. The seller is in no hurry, nor am I as a buyer. I have offered to help her sell the car, either on eBay, and/or locally. She wants someone who will take care of it, and in a way, really wants someone she knows to buy the car. It has been her babied pride and joy for almost 22 years, and I don't blame her for wanting to see someone she knows get the car. On the other hand, she is expecting top dollar for this car, and she is in for a disapointment when we start revieiwng the market values for this car. I think locally she might get $6,500, and eBay will be a crap shoot between $5,000 and $8,000?

Harsh ride is not an issue for me (my favorite car so far has been a

1985 Shelby Charger that I drove 14 years and put 111k miles on it). Relibility is an issue for me, though. I do not need Honda relibility, but also cannot tolerate expensive repairs (BTW, I drive Chrysler and Chevy cars daily, never owned a Honda, but hear it is total bliss).

My only reasoning for this particuliar car is that I value the owner's history and low miles. The car is almost a time capsule survivor kind of car, and I thought I could justify buying a less desired year 1984 due to this cream puff's history.

Cars are emotional, and I understand the buy with your heart comments, but the emotion can swing both ways when you buy a car that becomes a money pit immediately. I have always wanted a Corvette, and good things come to those who wait. I'll keep shopping.....

Thank you all again for your time and comments.

Johnny

Tom > Many will denounce the '84 simply because it is the '68 Corvette of the C4. >

if the car is what you have said it was ? she shouldn't sell it to someone else less than NADA. High Retail $14.8K

about 8 years, the first C4 in that type shape should bring a lot more $$$$'s...

I at first said to listen to your brother, but the more you talk about this car, It does sound like a cream-puff. you really are not going to find many 84's in that shape. most are in the poor shape because someone didn't maintain to car as they should have. sounds like your friend has done the proper maintaince.

On Tue, 03 Oct 2006 14:15:39 GMT, "Tom in Missouri" wrote:

Tom in Missouri has given the best answer. Having bought an 84 with less than 60k miles on it back in 2000 kept it 3 years . It was my first Corvette. Since then I have 98 and a

2005. Do you want to know something. My Wife and I think about going out to find another 84. Why? Because it is one of the best values out there. It is a Fun Car Everybody stays away from them because of all the dimwitted answers you heard here. But let me tell you something. Of course the ride is a little harsh. What do you expect from a car that for it's time has a suspension that is set up as close as you can get to a race car and still drive it on the street. It sticks to the road like glue. Not unlike an old Chevy Blazer or Ford Bronco but more fun to drive. Do not forget that at the time it came out it was the most critically acclaimed car of its day. It set the bar very high for handling after years of Corvettes being kind of a joke. When I was a kid of the 64 Sting Ray was a marvel and I like many others fell in love it. I wanted to own a Vette when I got older. But by the time I could afford one, they were toothless. Just a shadow of its former self. The 84 C4 was a new kind of Vette. A clean slate, a Modern Vette and an Engineering Marvel. Think back of what other cars were around at that time that had any kind of appeal. The Datsun Z? it too was a shell of it's former self. A Toyota Supra, Please give me a Break. This car was being compared to Porsche's 911 and was coming out ahead for the First time. So to all you snobby nay-sayers out there I say "Laugh it up Fuzzballs" Keep the prices low. That will make owning a Corvette affordable for a newbie. I'll keep looking and maybe I will find another 84 in good condition cheap and buy it so my wife and I can go out and have fun.

Actually I find the 1984 to be an interesting car in that it was the first of the NEW BREED "world class" Corvettes ...

The ride was harsh...and it was harsh because it was meant to be Firm...real firm ! ajust turns out that many people would rather had the car handle a tad less so their own personal rear end was more comfortable... so GM softened it up in 1985.

The cross fire engine is fine...really not a big deal in my opinion... and I never heard of many 82 owners who complained about misfiring >>>

the big drawback is that there are not alot of after market bold on suppliers who supply parts for the engine...

Personally I would not mind buying a 84....if it were low milage and in very very good shape... BUT NOT AS A DRIVER... not even as a fun car to take out in the evening on the local twisties and relieve my tensions .. The deal maker for me would be if it had the original tires with the indented lettering...and that darn star wars dash better work .. LOL

Bob G.

Fixed my reply to make a little more sense

ok.. so make me an offer ( I can't refuse)....minse still have the original tires...

Fwed

Concur with you assessment of prices for early C4s. Mid 80s with around

100k miles in the mid GA area per Auto-Trader have asking prices around ranging 10 -15k.An 85 with 2400 miles had an asking prices of 19. If you can find something nice at a good price, I would jump on it.