Cheapest V8 2 seater?

[Shifter1]

KTMsm said:

Shifter1 said:

Give the C4 idea a shot then. They are fun and will be way more reliable and easier to run than any TVR. If that doesn't do it, you can always decide to go for a TVR later. But the Corvette exists exactly for this reason. They are the perfect fit for needs like yours. V8, manual, not heavy and no European car can match the performance for the money. They mop the floor with European cars costing twice what they do.

Mentions the C4 and then spouts rubbish

Never mentions new cars

Now read the thread title and the content

LOL, do I have to teach you how to read plain English? A man has to know when to concede.

But you didn't misquoted me for nothing. I'm sure you are well aware that once I mentioned "the Corvette", it was clear I wasn't talking about only C4. But Corvette as a model in general. Just plain English.

Anyway, life is too short to be arguing on the internet with some stranger. So have a nice life.

For the record, regardless of price, give me a C4 any day over a boring saloon like a 330i.

[KTMsm]

Shifter1 said:

LOL, do I have to teach you how to read plain English? A man has to know when to concede.

But you didn't misquoted me for nothing. I'm sure you are well aware that once I mentioned "the Corvette", it was clear I wasn't talking about only C4. But Corvette as a model in general. Just plain English.

Anyway, life is too short to be arguing on the internet with some stranger. So have a nice life.

For the record, regardless of price, give me a C4 any day over a boring saloon like a 330i.

And yet you carry on arguing instead of admitting you were wrong

As you are choosing a C4 over a 330i as the sales numbers demonstrate

[CM2020]

Shifter1 said:

CM2020 said:

CABC said:

You need 2 cars.
It’s what I did and didn’t stop at 2.

Actually I only need one. A V8 manual 2 seats.

Although this will be car number 2 anyways.

Give the C4 idea a shot then. They are fun and will be way more reliable and easier to run than any TVR. If that doesn't do it, you can always decide to go for a TVR later. But the Corvette exists exactly for this reason. They are the perfect fit for needs like yours. V8, manual, not heavy and no European car can match the performance for the money. They mop the floor with European cars costing twice what they do.

Indeed. This is exactly what I'm thinking about doing. Although I have not fully ruled out a C5. I much prefer the C4 for its looks and interior design. But if a good C5 for a good price is found along the way, I will also consider it.

[CM2020]

Zumbruk said:

CM2020 said:

coldel said:

CM2020 said:

Ok, but how will it solve they sounding so unexciting? And if turbo, only makes it sound worse IMO.

All this just makes me think of how fun it could have been if Mercedes made a V8 R171 with a manual and a rag top. Just goes to confirm germans don't know how to party. They have been spoiling the party since the 80s now, with all but just the very expensive cars being any kind of fun lately.

They do plenty of non turbo upgrades, the BBR 200 option for the mk3 MX5 adds around 45bhp and a decent exhaust can add some sound. Yes its not a V8 but in terms of driving nirvana its a good way to take the already good MX5 up another level.

I need a V8 or at the very least a very satisfying V6. Pity the Alfa V6 was never in anything worthwhile.

Rocketeer.

I really don't feel like swaps and that type of thing. But thanks.

[CM2020]

Shifter1 said:

KTMsm said:

Shifter1 said:

Give the C4 idea a shot then.


no European car can match the performance for the money.

They mop the floor with European cars costing twice what they do.

That's just rubbish

I prefer Japanese cars but there are plenty of European cars that offer similar performance per pound

On an NSL if I was in BMW 330i I'd be surprised if a typical C4 stayed with me, there is no way it would lose me and a 330 probably costs half as much as a C4

You need to first, compare like to like. BMW from C4's time. Second, obviously compare new prices. Used car prices have zero credibility. Or rusty old Fords would never cost what they do. And it was also clearly obvious I was talking about Corvettes, rather than only C4, which should have made even more clear I was talking new prices. And new prices, there is nothing from Europe that gives you the same performance for the price. This has always been the Corvette's thing.

Edited by Shifter1 on Wednesday 15th March 10:53

I never got the feeling you were talking about the C4 in particular. I thought you were talking about the Corvette as a line.

[CM2020]

CABC said:

OP said V8, cheapest and added sports car driving appeal.
I know Chimearas are not the last word in sports car handling, but what cheap V8 beats it??

irreconcilable requirements.
Answer is a Chimeara and an MX5.

What if I don't want the potential hassle of running a TVR? Or an under powered roadster? Can there be other alternatives or there can be only the ones you present? I find the attitude quite rude if I may say so myself.

[CM2020]

KTMsm said:

As I said, and has been confirmed by others, none of the cars have snap oversteer

Any rear wheel drive car can catch out someone who can't drive

The more power it has and particularly if it has an LSD, the easier it is for a bad driver to crash it

I have explained that I wasn't particularly talking about snap oversteer and that maybe snap was a poor choice of words. The assumption that dangerous cars only catch people who can't drive is interesting. I wonder why there are crashes in F1 or why famous good drivers spin and crash. Maybe if we could drop the personal attacks it would be more useful?

I didn't make up the idea that TVRs are badly built, badly engineered, dangerous to drive cars built in a shed. It could be that all of it is a lie and everybody is wrong about that. But this is not my personal opinion. It's a general consensus of sorts. So you can't blame somebody for being skeptical in taking the risk, when it's his own money.

[CM2020]

ChocolateFrog said:

Belle427 said:

They are perfectly fine in the dry with good tyres, they can become a bit sketchy in the wet but that’s understandable.
I’ve seen instances of people saying the cars can snatch a little when they get out of shape and grip again maybe due to weight/diff behaviour.
I’ve owned both a Chimaera and a Mk 1 Mx5 and if you offered me the keys of both for a spirited b road drive I’d be in the Mazda every time.

Edited by Belle427 on Tuesday 14th March 07:25

So have I.

MX5 for 10/10ths driving.
Chim for everything else.

I think that if you have the option to have several cars to cover all bases, it becomes much easier. That's a nice position to be in for sure. But not everybody is in that position. Most can't even justify 2 cars. As it is, this is going to be my car number 2 and car number 3 in the household. Adding an extra car would be pushing beyond what is currently possible.

[CM2020]

KTMsm said:

Shifter1 said:

LOL, do I have to teach you how to read plain English? A man has to know when to concede.

But you didn't misquoted me for nothing. I'm sure you are well aware that once I mentioned "the Corvette", it was clear I wasn't talking about only C4. But Corvette as a model in general. Just plain English.

Anyway, life is too short to be arguing on the internet with some stranger. So have a nice life.

For the record, regardless of price, give me a C4 any day over a boring saloon like a 330i.

And yet you carry on arguing instead of admitting you were wrong

As you are choosing a C4 over a 330i as the sales numbers demonstrate

I would also rather have a C4 over a 330i. What is a 330i? It's a regular car you see in every traffic light. This is about a weekend car.

[DodgyGeezer]

CM2020 said:

KTMsm said:

Shifter1 said:

LOL, do I have to teach you how to read plain English? A man has to know when to concede.

But you didn't misquoted me for nothing. I'm sure you are well aware that once I mentioned "the Corvette", it was clear I wasn't talking about only C4. But Corvette as a model in general. Just plain English.

Anyway, life is too short to be arguing on the internet with some stranger. So have a nice life.

For the record, regardless of price, give me a C4 any day over a boring saloon like a 330i.

And yet you carry on arguing instead of admitting you were wrong

As you are choosing a C4 over a 330i as the sales numbers demonstrate

I would also rather have a C4 over a 330i. What is a 330i? It's a regular car you see in every traffic light. This is about a weekend car.

indeed, for my money the BM wouldn't even make the starting gate. Stretch that to 2+2 coupes and there'd still not be a BM in sight

[braddo]

The context of C4 and 330i was about the C4 blowing european cars into the weeds (at current prices).

To the OP - 'fun to drive' is a key criteria for you but you're making decisions without driving any. You might not like how a C4 drives. I would believe it when others said much earlier that the C5 is a big step on from the C4 and that is likely to include driving enjoyment (which is different from enjoying cruising around and what the car looks like).

[CM2020]

braddo said:

The context of C4 and 330i was about the C4 blowing european cars into the weeds (at current prices).

Regardless I would still prefer the C4 over 330i. BMW saloons bore me. Nothing special about them. C4 if you want to compare needs to be compared to Z3, at least.

braddo said:

To the OP - 'fun to drive' is a key criteria for you but you're making decisions without driving any. You might not like how a C4 drives. I would believe it when others said much earlier that the C5 is a big step on from the C4 and that is likely to include driving enjoyment (which is different from enjoying cruising around and what the car looks like).

I thought I had mentioned before that I did drive the Corvettes before. The C5 is fast, but feels much bigger on the road. Gives me a somewhat more GT vibe, even if the interior is not GT like at all, as it feels and looks cheap. It's a Corvette.

C4 is plenty fast for legal speeds. You will still get in trouble with it if you are not careful. I don't think I will track the car. Not often anyways. I much prefer the looks of the C4 and to sit in it feels more special than C5. C5 interior is so normal looking. C4 still has a somewhat 80's supercar look to the interior. Sure it's still a 80's American interior. But looks nice and is interesting to be in. Driving position is also lower than C5 if I remember correctly. I think they made the C5 driving position higher, to please the older men who were buying the cars. If you look around quite a few people seem to share this opinion. Many will still put the C4 down. But many share the opinion it's somehow more fun or more of an event than a C5.

In the end, C4 is plenty fun, plenty capable of more than just cruising, looks better, has a more exciting interior and is still fast enough for a classic weekend road car. And let's not forget, it's a Corvette. Sky is the limit with upgrades. Cheap ones too in comparison. Talking to people online in America who own both C5 and C4, they say C4 can be made to go with C5 no problem. You just need to spend the money. LS fits too.

But as I said, I don't care about that. I just want a fun car, which can take B roads with some spirit, sounds great, looks great, feels great and eventful to sit in and gives me a V8, RWD and manual without breaking the bank. I'm past the age of feeling I need to have the fastest car on the road. I will be 40 in a few years.

There is no perfect option. But C4 seems the best fitting. TVRs can look great on photos. But I just saw a wedge up close and oh boy. People complain about fit and finish in American cars. But that was dreadful to look at. Like nothing belonged together or something.

[CM2020]

DodgyGeezer said:

CM2020 said:

KTMsm said:

Shifter1 said:

LOL, do I have to teach you how to read plain English? A man has to know when to concede.

But you didn't misquoted me for nothing. I'm sure you are well aware that once I mentioned "the Corvette", it was clear I wasn't talking about only C4. But Corvette as a model in general. Just plain English.

Anyway, life is too short to be arguing on the internet with some stranger. So have a nice life.

For the record, regardless of price, give me a C4 any day over a boring saloon like a 330i.

And yet you carry on arguing instead of admitting you were wrong

As you are choosing a C4 over a 330i as the sales numbers demonstrate

I would also rather have a C4 over a 330i. What is a 330i? It's a regular car you see in every traffic light. This is about a weekend car.

indeed, for my money the BM wouldn't even make the starting gate. Stretch that to 2+2 coupes and there'd still not be a BM in sight

I thought about the 2+2 to open it up a bit. But that would probably bring the weight up, and cut down on the fun of sitting almost over the rear wheels. So I decided to stick to the purism of my initial criteria. But I did consider opening it to 6 cylinders and something like a Z3 coupe came to mind. But still, it would be a different feeling of a car. So I think I will give a C4 a go first.

[Shifter1]

CM2020 said:

braddo said:

The context of C4 and 330i was about the C4 blowing european cars into the weeds (at current prices).

Regardless I would still prefer the C4 over 330i. BMW saloons bore me. Nothing special about them. C4 if you want to compare needs to be compared to Z3, at least.

braddo said:

To the OP - 'fun to drive' is a key criteria for you but you're making decisions without driving any. You might not like how a C4 drives. I would believe it when others said much earlier that the C5 is a big step on from the C4 and that is likely to include driving enjoyment (which is different from enjoying cruising around and what the car looks like).

I thought I had mentioned before that I did drive the Corvettes before. The C5 is fast, but feels much bigger on the road. Gives me a somewhat more GT vibe, even if the interior is not GT like at all, as it feels and looks cheap. It's a Corvette.

C4 is plenty fast for legal speeds. You will still get in trouble with it if you are not careful. I don't think I will track the car. Not often anyways. I much prefer the looks of the C4 and to sit in it feels more special than C5. C5 interior is so normal looking. C4 still has a somewhat 80's supercar look to the interior. Sure it's still a 80's American interior. But looks nice and is interesting to be in. Driving position is also lower than C5 if I remember correctly. I think they made the C5 driving position higher, to please the older men who were buying the cars. If you look around quite a few people seem to share this opinion. Many will still put the C4 down. But many share the opinion it's somehow more fun or more of an event than a C5.

In the end, C4 is plenty fun, plenty capable of more than just cruising, looks better, has a more exciting interior and is still fast enough for a classic weekend road car. And let's not forget, it's a Corvette. Sky is the limit with upgrades. Cheap ones too in comparison. Talking to people online in America who own both C5 and C4, they say C4 can be made to go with C5 no problem. You just need to spend the money. LS fits too.

But as I said, I don't care about that. I just want a fun car, which can take B roads with some spirit, sounds great, looks great, feels great and eventful to sit in and gives me a V8, RWD and manual without breaking the bank. I'm past the age of feeling I need to have the fastest car on the road. I will be 40 in a few years.

There is no perfect option. But C4 seems the best fitting. TVRs can look great on photos. But I just saw a wedge up close and oh boy. People complain about fit and finish in American cars. But that was dreadful to look at. Like nothing belonged together or something.

That's just how TVRs are. Well, at least the ones I have experienced. But specially the older ones like wedges. Clarkson used to say that a handmade car which feels like a mass produced one is a good thing. Handmade just doesn't have the same precision. TVRs were all handmade as far as I know and yes, they do look it. They do look, "put together". It's just part of the TVR experience I guess. Corvettes, despite not being a high standard, are mass produced. So tolerances will be tighter and quality will be higher in a way. For TVR's defense, some Astons have that same feeling of put together and cost a lot more.

To me it seems you might really enjoy the C4. And don't worry about people putting it down. The thing is the C4 was for the longest time the cheapest Corvette. So it was bashed, unjustly so. Mainly based on the 1984 car, which only lasted a year and by 1985 had a better engine and the engines got more powerful till the end in 1996. It has been one of the most underrated cars for years. To the point you could get a C4 for cheaper than something like a Datsun 280ZX, which doesnt compare in any way shape or form to a performance car like the C4. All just based on anything but engineering and results. Remember, the Callaway C4 Sledgehammer was faster than the McLaren F1, in 1988. It held the record for a long time. It went 254MPH. Yes, it was not a stock C4 but it was a C4 and it was street legal. So the platform is solid.

So ignore the C4 bashing, which makes so sense, since it's light years better than any Corvette before it. The difference between a C3 dinosaur and a C4 is many times more than the difference between a C5 and C4. Besides this bashing is all generational and it's already changing. You see young youtubers in their late teens and early 20s starting to compliment and appreciate the C4 already. Saying how much they love the look, the pop ups, the drive etc. C4 prices are slowly starting to climb and you already see well worn C5s for cheaper than good C4s in the states. It's just a matter of time now. Soon the newest C4 will be 30 years old and then the prices will take off even more. If you really want one, you should probably buy now.

Edited by Shifter1 on Friday 17th March 19:04

[CM2020]

Shifter1 said:

CM2020 said:

braddo said:

The context of C4 and 330i was about the C4 blowing european cars into the weeds (at current prices).

Regardless I would still prefer the C4 over 330i. BMW saloons bore me. Nothing special about them. C4 if you want to compare needs to be compared to Z3, at least.

braddo said:

To the OP - 'fun to drive' is a key criteria for you but you're making decisions without driving any. You might not like how a C4 drives. I would believe it when others said much earlier that the C5 is a big step on from the C4 and that is likely to include driving enjoyment (which is different from enjoying cruising around and what the car looks like).

I thought I had mentioned before that I did drive the Corvettes before. The C5 is fast, but feels much bigger on the road. Gives me a somewhat more GT vibe, even if the interior is not GT like at all, as it feels and looks cheap. It's a Corvette.

C4 is plenty fast for legal speeds. You will still get in trouble with it if you are not careful. I don't think I will track the car. Not often anyways. I much prefer the looks of the C4 and to sit in it feels more special than C5. C5 interior is so normal looking. C4 still has a somewhat 80's supercar look to the interior. Sure it's still a 80's American interior. But looks nice and is interesting to be in. Driving position is also lower than C5 if I remember correctly. I think they made the C5 driving position higher, to please the older men who were buying the cars. If you look around quite a few people seem to share this opinion. Many will still put the C4 down. But many share the opinion it's somehow more fun or more of an event than a C5.

In the end, C4 is plenty fun, plenty capable of more than just cruising, looks better, has a more exciting interior and is still fast enough for a classic weekend road car. And let's not forget, it's a Corvette. Sky is the limit with upgrades. Cheap ones too in comparison. Talking to people online in America who own both C5 and C4, they say C4 can be made to go with C5 no problem. You just need to spend the money. LS fits too.

But as I said, I don't care about that. I just want a fun car, which can take B roads with some spirit, sounds great, looks great, feels great and eventful to sit in and gives me a V8, RWD and manual without breaking the bank. I'm past the age of feeling I need to have the fastest car on the road. I will be 40 in a few years.

There is no perfect option. But C4 seems the best fitting. TVRs can look great on photos. But I just saw a wedge up close and oh boy. People complain about fit and finish in American cars. But that was dreadful to look at. Like nothing belonged together or something.

That's just how TVRs are. Well, at least the ones I have experienced. But specially the older ones like wedges. Clarkson used to say that a handmade car which feels like a mass produced one is a good thing. Handmade just doesn't have the same precision. TVRs were all handmade as far as I know and yes, they do look it. They do look, "put together". It's just part of the TVR experience I guess. Corvettes, despite not being a high standard, are mass produced. So tolerances will be tighter and quality will be higher in a way. For TVR's defense, some Astons have that same feeling of put together and cost a lot more.

To me it seems you might really enjoy the C4. And don't worry about people putting it down. The thing is the C4 was for the longest time the cheapest Corvette. So it was bashed, unjustly so. Mainly based on the 1984 car, which only lasted a year and by 1985 had a better engine and the engines got more powerful till the end in 1996. It has been one of the most underrated cars for years. To the point you could get a C4 for cheaper than something like a Datsun 280ZX, which doesnt compare in any way shape or form to a performance car like the C4. All just based on anything but engineering and results. Remember, the Callaway C4 Sledgehammer was faster than the McLaren F1, in 1988. It held the record for a long time. It went 254MPH. Yes, it was not a stock C4 but it was a C4 and it was street legal. So the platform is solid.

So ignore the C4 bashing, which makes so sense, since it's light years better than any Corvette before it. The difference between a C3 dinosaur and a C4 is many times more than the difference between a C5 and C4. Besides this bashing is all generational and it's already changing. You see young youtubers in their late teens and early 20s starting to compliment and appreciate the C4 already. Saying how much they love the look, the pop ups, the drive etc. C4 prices are slowly starting to climb and you already see well worn C5s for cheaper than good C4s in the states. It's just a matter of time now. Soon the newest C4 will be 30 years old and then the prices will take off even more. If you really want one, you should probably buy now.

Edited by Shifter1 on Friday 17th March 19:04

Thanks. The bit about the sledgehammer speed record is very interesting. A C4 faster than the McLaren F1. Crazy!

But yes, a C4 it is. Makes the most sense. I guess a LT4 would be perfect. But they are very rare it seems. The LT4 also doesn't seem to have the infamous optispark problem. But the chances of finding a LT4 are low and if done, will not be cheap.

I have nothing against an older C4. I would just much prefer not having the 4+3 gearbox.

[maz8062]

Each to their own I guess, but given the brief that the OP described a C4 is definitely out of left field and IMO, no where near as good as an SLK 55 as a cheap and reliable 2 seater with a V8. Ok it’s not a manual nor will it be easy to find a C4 in manual - they’re rare as hen’s teeth. I also can’t see how a c4 is good as a B road fun car - it’s a LHD, which unless the OP will be driving the car elsewhere, is not going to be great for sighting or positioning the car in the UK. But I find with most of these threads that the OP has already decided what they want and logic and other options are discounted.

Good luck and update the thread when you find that unicorn.

[DodgyGeezer]

maz8062 said:

Each to their own I guess, but given the brief that the OP described a C4 is definitely out of left field and IMO, no where near as good as an SLK 55 as a cheap and reliable 2 seater with a V8. Ok it’s not a manual nor will it be easy to find a C4 in manual - they’re rare as hen’s teeth. I also can’t see how a c4 is good as a B road fun car - it’s a LHD, which unless the OP will be driving the car elsewhere, is not going to be great for sighting or positioning the car in the UK. But I find with most of these threads that the OP has already decided what they want and logic and other options are discounted.

Good luck and update the thread when you find that unicorn.

the SLK55 whilst a very good car does suffer from some reliability issues and repairs servicing costs are not exactly cheap ('AMG tax') nor as good on consumables (including fuel). In this country at least they're more common than a Corvette with a very limited choice of colours whereas, if you're wiling to be patient there is a huge choice of manual C4's in pretty much whatever colour you want. As for the whole LHD thing - it's a non-issue 99% of the time

[Shifter1]

maz8062 said:

Each to their own I guess, but given the brief that the OP described a C4 is definitely out of left field and IMO, no where near as good as an SLK 55 as a cheap and reliable 2 seater with a V8. Ok it’s not a manual nor will it be easy to find a C4 in manual - they’re rare as hen’s teeth. I also can’t see how a c4 is good as a B road fun car - it’s a LHD, which unless the OP will be driving the car elsewhere, is not going to be great for sighting or positioning the car in the UK. But I find with most of these threads that the OP has already decided what they want and logic and other options are discounted.

Good luck and update the thread when you find that unicorn.

I agree with DodgeGeezer. I don't think a C4 manual is really an unicorn. Plus, swapping transmission is straight forward. It's an older car. Remember, no CANBUS or any of that. And parts are not that hard to find, even used.

Because the SLK is a totally different type of car. The V8 doesn't make it a sports car and it's really not. Despite being a bit smaller it is a bit heavier and doesn't handle like a C4 does. Despite having more power and being much newer is not really much faster than a C4. And the C4 is a lot more fun. C4 with Z51 corners pretty flat and doesn't nose dive. The C4 is just a better sports car, because well, it is a sports car. The SLK is really more of a GT.

So I'm not sure where your C4 is no where near as good as an SLK 55 idea comes from. C4 is definitely more reliable, definitely easier to run, definitely cheaper to run, definitely a better sports car, definitely more fun to drive. I think it definitely looks better too. SLK is pretty stubby, a bit baby sports car looking. I guess this is where the hairdresser thing comes from. But it's definitely not in the same sleek coupe level as a C4 IMO. Z4 looks much better, for the exact same reasons as the C4. The long front coupe profile. Style is subjective though. But give me a C4 any day if what I want is fun and an event weekend car.

Oh yes, and SLK V8 is automatic only.

Edited by Shifter1 on Sunday 19th March 15:33

[Shifter1]

CM2020 said:

Shifter1 said:

CM2020 said:

braddo said:

The context of C4 and 330i was about the C4 blowing european cars into the weeds (at current prices).

Regardless I would still prefer the C4 over 330i. BMW saloons bore me. Nothing special about them. C4 if you want to compare needs to be compared to Z3, at least.

braddo said:

To the OP - 'fun to drive' is a key criteria for you but you're making decisions without driving any. You might not like how a C4 drives. I would believe it when others said much earlier that the C5 is a big step on from the C4 and that is likely to include driving enjoyment (which is different from enjoying cruising around and what the car looks like).

I thought I had mentioned before that I did drive the Corvettes before. The C5 is fast, but feels much bigger on the road. Gives me a somewhat more GT vibe, even if the interior is not GT like at all, as it feels and looks cheap. It's a Corvette.

C4 is plenty fast for legal speeds. You will still get in trouble with it if you are not careful. I don't think I will track the car. Not often anyways. I much prefer the looks of the C4 and to sit in it feels more special than C5. C5 interior is so normal looking. C4 still has a somewhat 80's supercar look to the interior. Sure it's still a 80's American interior. But looks nice and is interesting to be in. Driving position is also lower than C5 if I remember correctly. I think they made the C5 driving position higher, to please the older men who were buying the cars. If you look around quite a few people seem to share this opinion. Many will still put the C4 down. But many share the opinion it's somehow more fun or more of an event than a C5.

In the end, C4 is plenty fun, plenty capable of more than just cruising, looks better, has a more exciting interior and is still fast enough for a classic weekend road car. And let's not forget, it's a Corvette. Sky is the limit with upgrades. Cheap ones too in comparison. Talking to people online in America who own both C5 and C4, they say C4 can be made to go with C5 no problem. You just need to spend the money. LS fits too.

But as I said, I don't care about that. I just want a fun car, which can take B roads with some spirit, sounds great, looks great, feels great and eventful to sit in and gives me a V8, RWD and manual without breaking the bank. I'm past the age of feeling I need to have the fastest car on the road. I will be 40 in a few years.

There is no perfect option. But C4 seems the best fitting. TVRs can look great on photos. But I just saw a wedge up close and oh boy. People complain about fit and finish in American cars. But that was dreadful to look at. Like nothing belonged together or something.

That's just how TVRs are. Well, at least the ones I have experienced. But specially the older ones like wedges. Clarkson used to say that a handmade car which feels like a mass produced one is a good thing. Handmade just doesn't have the same precision. TVRs were all handmade as far as I know and yes, they do look it. They do look, "put together". It's just part of the TVR experience I guess. Corvettes, despite not being a high standard, are mass produced. So tolerances will be tighter and quality will be higher in a way. For TVR's defense, some Astons have that same feeling of put together and cost a lot more.

To me it seems you might really enjoy the C4. And don't worry about people putting it down. The thing is the C4 was for the longest time the cheapest Corvette. So it was bashed, unjustly so. Mainly based on the 1984 car, which only lasted a year and by 1985 had a better engine and the engines got more powerful till the end in 1996. It has been one of the most underrated cars for years. To the point you could get a C4 for cheaper than something like a Datsun 280ZX, which doesnt compare in any way shape or form to a performance car like the C4. All just based on anything but engineering and results. Remember, the Callaway C4 Sledgehammer was faster than the McLaren F1, in 1988. It held the record for a long time. It went 254MPH. Yes, it was not a stock C4 but it was a C4 and it was street legal. So the platform is solid.

So ignore the C4 bashing, which makes so sense, since it's light years better than any Corvette before it. The difference between a C3 dinosaur and a C4 is many times more than the difference between a C5 and C4. Besides this bashing is all generational and it's already changing. You see young youtubers in their late teens and early 20s starting to compliment and appreciate the C4 already. Saying how much they love the look, the pop ups, the drive etc. C4 prices are slowly starting to climb and you already see well worn C5s for cheaper than good C4s in the states. It's just a matter of time now. Soon the newest C4 will be 30 years old and then the prices will take off even more. If you really want one, you should probably buy now.

Edited by Shifter1 on Friday 17th March 19:04

Thanks. The bit about the sledgehammer speed record is very interesting. A C4 faster than the McLaren F1. Crazy!

But yes, a C4 it is. Makes the most sense. I guess a LT4 would be perfect. But they are very rare it seems. The LT4 also doesn't seem to have the infamous optispark problem. But the chances of finding a LT4 are low and if done, will not be cheap.

I have nothing against an older C4. I would just much prefer not having the 4+3 gearbox.

Good luck! Let us know.

[CM2020]

Indeed. I think a SLK is not what I'm looking for. I also wouldn't have thought it would be one of the cheapest options.