1989 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe from North America - Comments

The alternator is the weak spot in this car. If you buy a Corvette, look for a heavy-duty alternator to replace the stock one. Also, you should replace the battery, if it hasn't been replaced already, by the best battery you can afford. I have been stranded by the battery/alternator problem twice, but never again!

The radiator fins need to be cleaned regularly if you live in the country, since this car is a bottom-feeder. All kinds of dirt and junk collect in the fan shroud and in the fins.

Air-conditioning clutch needed to be replaced. It was easy to do.

Radiator fan motor died, but it was easy to replace.

The Corvette is a supercar! I don't know how to begin to express my love for Corvettes. This is my third one, the first two being a 1986 coupe and a 1990 convertible. I bought this 1989 coupe ten years ago and I still love it.

The body is made of fiberglass, and the hood is huge. It swings upward effortlessly with a pull of your hand. It's easy to work on the engine because the hood is so big. I do a lot of my own work on the car, things like brakes, replacing hoses, spark plugs, etc.

The Corvette handles extremely well on twisting mountain roads, so it's definitely a fun weekend cruiser. People come up to me all the time and say "what year is that?" and "oh wow, a Corvette!". This is not a car for introverts! As for styling, it's low, wide, and sleek.

I can't recommend this generation of Corvette as an everyday driver, because it's too impractical. I understand that the C5, the newest Corvette, is much more comfortable for everyday driving.

I have to disagree with you when you say that the C4 is not a everyday driver. My family and I have owned 6 corvettes in my lifetime and even though most of them were 60's cars I would have to say that the C4 is one of the most enjoyable and easiest cars to drive on a daily basis. I have had the honor of driving one of the newer corvettes such as a 2001 ZO6 and I must say that the C4's are substantially more comfortable than it is. Don't get me wrong, I love the Z06 as a racing car and consider it the best ever made, but you just can't dismiss the fact that the stiffer suspension, and harder seats are better suited for your weekend rides on long roads in the mountains than for an everyday driver.

I have to agree with you 100%!!! I drive my 89 corvette every single day. Rain or shine. It is out side driving. And it is by far, way more comfortable then my moms 2000 ford explorer. It has leather seats as so does the corvette, but there is something abou those super seats... gotta love them.

I mostly agree with your comments. I have a 1989 Coupe that has been nothing, but good to me. Sure they ride rough on rough surface, but they are smooth as silk on a smooth surface. And there is nothing like it through the turns. I've had a 1972 T-top and now this coupe and can honestly say the 1989 coupe has been the least expensive to operate of the two. It absolutely is an "eye-catcher".

Hello C4 lovers. Am 42 year-old engineer, backyard mechanic and have been a covette fan since the age of four. Four years ago, I finally bought a 1987 C4 coupe with automatic and the Z52 package. It had 47,000 orig. miles. Paid $12500. After years of SVOs, Supra, CRXs, Merkurs and Nissan "Z" cars, I finally bought my vette. What a great car. And - yes - I used the car as a daily driver, commuting from Fremont (Ca) to Cupertino each day, in air-conditioned comfort, esconced in those wonderful leather seats. Extremely comfortable car. This car was very practical and gas mileage never dropped below 22 mpg. Highway mileage hovered between 25mpg and 31mpg at speeds between 65 mph and 80 mph. Besides the cheap plastics (toggle switches for windows) and a leaky water pump (at 62,000 miles), this car was flawless. What character. What performance for the money. Easy to drive at the limit and felt "smaller" the harder I drove it. Had to sell the thing after I was laid-off, bought cannot wait to buy another *used* 1987 to 1989 C4. What a car!

Hi. I myself bought a 1990 Corvette C4. I live in Australia and here we expect a lot of weather changes during one day. I drive from home to work and find this car worthwhile to have. It has powerful 5.7 litre engine and a dead sexy look. I just modified my engine bay, by installing aftermarket extractors and the whole exhaust system; changed and adjusted the camshafts and installed larger injectors. It reached to 495BHP and there's nothing else that I would want to drive. Corvettes are great cars, if you maintain your vehicle it would not be an impractical vehicle to maintain.

I have a 1989 C4 and the hood will only release on the drivers side. Can any one give me some advice on what I can do? My email is energyconser@charter.net.

Thanks.

My 88 C-4 hood also only opens on the drivers side. Luckily the latch is located where you can hold the latch and pull on the hood at the same time. I had it looked at and the mechanic said the cables on the C-4 stretch out. The fix is $265. Forget it.

Hello.

I just bought my fist 'vette (89) and find that you have to double-pull the release under the dash. Tip - pull the release once, reach over the door and pull up the hood, then pull the release again.

Works for me every time.

Go VETTE!!!

I just got a 1989 Vette that needs a new battery. How do I get the old one out? Thanks.