My 1993 Corvette! Post 280. Pics included.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Heldenzeit
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Really, because I'd tend to disagree. If you haven't driven a Mazda6 Sport or a Honda Accord EX Coupe, sure, its easy to sell them short. As far as I'm concerned, they're about as good as it gets for a reasonable amount of money. Sure, BMW always takes the crown when it comes to driving perfection, but for what you can afford and what will perform well, I personally wouldn't count them out. They are very fun, affordable, and otherwise reliable cars that will not disappoint. Come to think of it, even with the I4 engines, I'd be willing to bet they could outrun your Camaro (reminder: This is coming from a die-hard Chevy guy).

That being said, I can't fault a decision that leads to the S2000. Although I have yet to drive one personally, I've been in a fair number of them, and I deeply respect the car. Although at your age/income, the last thing I'd be thinking about would be modifications. Furthermore, to tarnish an "instant classic" like the Honda would be blasphemy among some of our users. I'd say go for it if you can afford it, they seem to resist breakage, I know they don't cost a whole lot to insure, and as I understand it are quite a lot of fun to drive.
 
YSSMAN
Come to think of it, even with the I4 engines, I'd be willing to bet they could outrun your Camaro (reminder: This is coming from a die-hard Chevy guy).
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...But there is no way that they would out-handle it.:trouble:

93 Vette

This would work. Very low miles, and I have a lot of experiance with Chevy's. Its also the same color as my old car.:)
 
Heldenzeit
...But there is no way that they would out-handle it.:trouble:
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Umm. I'll just pretend I didn't hear that...

===

RE: C4 Corvette

As far as I can tell, that one looks pretty solid considering its age. The slushbox is going to seriously kill your MPGs, but its a Corvette, so its obviously not the primary concern. My only word of caution is on the condition of the electronics in the car. Both C4 and C5 generations are known to have some pretty terrible electronic ghosts, so while they may be for the most part mechanically sound, they won't hesitate to "pull a Jaguar" once in a while. I see that it has the LCD dash too. For the purpose of nostalgia its "cool" in a Tron sort of way, but outside of that, it would just end up pissing me off... I lived with a similar system in both a GMC and a Chevy truck, and my God, it drove me nuts.

I'd drive it first, see how you like it. Not everyone is immediately sold on the wonderful world of Corvette like I am. Then again, I've grown up with them all of my life. I personally favor the C4 to the C5 to a great extent (with the exception of the Z06 2.0 models), especially the later C4s that took the ZR1 styling cues and eventually added the LT4 V8. But, they're hard to come by for a good price (usually). I wouldn't completely count it out, but the lack of a stick and the LCD dash would severely limit my love for the car... Even if it is in that magnificent color that you see so rarely up here.
 
I would absolutley perfer a manual, but they are so hard to come by. Out of 21000 1993 Vettes, only 5000 were manual (23%).

So it looks like I will have to swap in a T56.:sly: Or just reverse the valve body and put in a higher stall torque converter.

I drove an 88 Vette around the block once, so I couldnt say too much about it, but I might go look at this car tommorow.:)
 
Swaps aren't difficult to pull off, but in a car that is in that good of condition, I wouldn't screw around with it if you don't have to. Keep it in good shape, it'll be worth something. People keep asking me if I'm going to modify my Celica, but because of the way it is (and the relative rarity here), I'm keeping it stock. I'd probably do the same with that Corvette.

I just noticed it has a CD player too. Odd that I'm strangely impressed by that...
 
the listing for 03 M3 is either typo laden or its got a blown engine or something.
 
or then the owner has the latest one and wants to get rid of the old one..
 
Leonidae
'95 M3, manual, 8400
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Man, that car is tired looking. Check out the rear bumper gap and alignment. Not normal. The car looks like it's been hit in the rear and not fixed right. Wax residue all over the exterior trim. Serious wear on the steering wheel and vaders. All this points to utter indifference of the owner(s) on keeping up with the car. The poor thing needs some TLC before it'll be right again.

Bottom line, you get what you pay for. I wouldn't touch that car unless I was going to strip it down for a club racer.

Leonidae
540 6-speen manual '97, 8900$
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This car shows pretty good for the mileage. If the PPI doesn't show any problems, it'd probably make a good daily. I bet it needs a new clutch though.

Leonidae
2003 M3, under 25k miles on it, 9900$
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Scam. This car doesn't exist.

Leonidae
2003 325Xi..
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No pics. Fail.

Leonidae
and as an icing on the cake, an M5..
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Asking price on this car is too low. Especially given the seller's claims of recent extensive repairs. Something is fishy. Could be a salvage title car.

Leonidae
all these are either newer than the 'vette, and cheaper ( not counting the M5 obviously). they're manuals, they have plenty of luxuries and weren't designed in the 80's.
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Aside from the 540i, I wouldn't seriously consider any of these cars. The E36 M3 is a skank. The E46 M3 is a scam. The xi has no pics; might be a decent buy or might not be. The M5 looks sketchy to me.


M
 
Leonidae
they're manuals, they have plenty of luxuries and weren't designed in the 80's.
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They are also probably slower and probably handle worse. Plus, they lack flip ups.

YSSMAN
Really, because I'd tend to disagree. If you haven't driven a Mazda6 Sport or a Honda Accord EX Coupe, sure, its easy to sell them short. As far as I'm concerned, they're about as good as it gets for a reasonable amount of money.
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I see where he's coming from. I have a friend whose father owns 1992 Z-28. And I have another friend whose mother owns a Mazda 6S. With the Mazda 6 being the best handling car in the segment since the TSX is out of his price range, I would say that they are just missing...something that the Camaro has (having driven both), and likely shared with the Corvette as well.


That being said, the pricing on the Corvette is more than twice what it is worth. You could get an early C5 Corvette for those prices, and as much as I prefer the C4, the C5 is a better car. Either stay away or be prepared to do some talking down, as that dealer is trying to screw someone. Don't let it be you.
 
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Toronado
They are also probably slower and probably handle worse.
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All but the M5 and newer M3.

The 540i would give the C4 a run for it's money. It would lose in the end, but not embarrass itself trying.

The E36 M3 was a well handling car back in the day, but a C4 would walk away from it. The clapped out example we're talking about here probably couldn't get out of it's own way.

The 330xi would be breakfast meat for any LS powered car.

It's academic, because none of these cars but the E39 seems a great choice.


M
 
Toronado
I see where he's coming from. I have a friend whose father owns 1992 Z-28. And I have another friend whose mother owns a Mazda 6S. With the Mazda 6 being the best handling car in the segment since the TSX is out of his price range, I would say that they are just missing...something that the Camaro has (having driven both), and likely shared with the Corvette as well.
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I don't completely disagree with the logic, because if I had more money and had more of it consistently, I (like him) would probably be shopping in a similar market. The problem is that I get stuck in the rut of practical performance, and although my Celica can't shake a stick at that idea, it comes far closer than most other cars with good gas mileage, cheap insurance rates, and a trunk that's about twice the size that most people expect.

I completely understand the need/drive for a sports car, but at that age and going into college, its not the best idea. But, that's also a difference of tastes as well. Just make sure you don't get something you can't handle.
 
I didn't look to see what M5 was under scrutiny (I assumed it to be an E34, though I understand that even that would have been quite close). Having seen it, I agree.
But I'm guessing that the E46 suffered from something mechanically major for it to be priced that low (such as blown engine, transmission that won't shift into 3rd, stolen fuel tank, odometer stopped working 100,000 miles ago, etc.), so I think based on that the Corvette will still be faster.

And as you said, that BMW doesn't exist (check the listing again). :lol:


YSSMAN
I completely understand the need/drive for a sports car, but at that age and going into college, its not the best idea.
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True, but I'm sure you understand the main motive for his want of a new car. I feel it just as well, as I too am going into college.
He feels a compulsive (probably subconscious) need to look impressive to make a good first impression. I'm essentially doing the same thing, except I resigned any need to get a new car until the Blazer explodes and am instead probably going to blow a huge wad of money on a laptop.
Lets be honest, unless he drives up in a JDM-spec imported Evo, he won't impress too many people showing up in a family sedan. Practicality be damned.
 
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Toronado
Lets be honest, unless he drives up in a JDM-spec imported Evo, he won't impress too many people showing up in a family sedan. Practicality be damned.
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Damn Americans and their "never satisfied" attitudes. Unless there is a blue and white pinwheel on the hood, no sedan will ever get its proper respect.
 
what are your criteria again? not japanese, rwd, manual, and 30ish on the highway?

1999 m3?
 
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yeah. i just looked at the first page.
 
Leonidae, as much as I admired your choices, all of those cars had far too many miles. Im looking at cars with less than 60k miles. If anyone is looking at autotrader.com, my ZIP is 92691 and I am willing to drive 100 miles for a car.

I would like an E36, but all of the ones that I've seen have too many miles for the price.

He feels a compulsive (probably subconscious) need to look impressive to make a good first impression.
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That, and I am a hardcore automotive enthusiast. I am buying a car for me, not anyone else.

Just make sure you don't get something you can't handle.
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I have been driving karts weekly for the last 2 years, I have confidence in my abilities.:sly:
 
chrysler crossfire or mercedes slk 230?
 
Bones Brigade
chrysler crossfire or mercedes slk 230?
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WAYYYYY too feminine for my tastes. I would rather have a Miata.:yuck:

540i

Since I must have a family car.:rolleyes:

The MK4 I like, the RSX I dont. The Acura isnt bad, the Vette is great, and Crossfires suck for the same reason that SLKs do.
 
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That is a nice Beamer. Spring for it or be slapped. Though one of the two 'Vettes would be pretty good as well in my opinion.
 
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Toronado
If they still sold Alfas here you would be set.
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Yeah, I'd get a 147 or a GTV.:)

I found a couple 80's Alfa Quadrifoglio Spyder Veloce's with low miles, but where do you buy parts for an Alfa?:scared:

Saab 9-2x Aero.

I could make a Saabaru 9-2x WRAero STi. :P
 
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Heldenzeit
The MK4 I like, the RSX I dont. The Acura isnt bad, the Vette is great, and Crossfires suck for the same reason that SLKs do.
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SLKs are far from being femine cars these days. The SLK55 alone, will surprise a female.
 
That black E36 up there shows very nicely. Looks just like my old one. If those are real LTW wheels, E36 M3s don't get much better. Shame about the curb rash.

Heldenzeit
540i
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Car looks great except for the hideously ghetto body work on the front fenders.

Yeah I know, 'to each his own' and all that. But if the guy wanted more aggressive looks, he could have gotten the M-technic bumpers painted and installed for the same $ it probably cost for the ghettorific 'vents'.


M
 
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