While the 911 will hold its value better (depending on trim and options), it's hard to deny what a performance bargain those C4 Vette's are. You guys mentioned it would be a different story if you used a turbo model, but don't forget there was also the ZR1 and GS models, which were meant to be the competition for the Turbo. I think those 2 would be a fair another fair challenge. Also of note, the C4 and C5 Vette were good handling cars too, and not just a straight line machine.
So good after 3 years of winning every single race in scca show room stock series 1985-1987 the Corvette was kicked out, the 944 turbo failed and that was Porsches better handling car
The ZR-1 didn't really aim at the 911 Turbo, it was just an attempt at a high end Corvette, to shine with the big boys. Which it did. The '96 GS mostly just a last hoorah, getting the most from the LT platform before the C5 The C5 Vette was good handling. The C4 was good for its time as long as the roof was securely bolted in but would have been much better if the frame had been better welded. The minute the roof comes loose the C4 turns into a wet noodle, in spite of the massive framerails. I'd say that was the most significant improvement on the C5, going to hydroformed one-piece framerails. The difference is huge, despite the basic frame being very similar in overall design
@@LordDeRuush Porsche better handling car was never the 944 WTF did you get that? Porsche wasn't even officially racing the 944 they were private teams. Porsche Never cared about the SCCA they were winning Lemans, 24hs, GT, Porsche Cup, Dakar, Safari, Rally...
@@LordDeRuush the 944 was not even remotely close to the performance of the 964and 930 in both racing and stock form. i dont know where that come from.
@@YungEagle3k the early ZR-1 from 1990 to 1992 can be had for under 20- k easley just sold my dads 1991 only a 2 owner with only 65-k miles for $ 17,500 the cars are bulletproof just the replaceable parts like water pump, starter, ECM scare people away as there extremely expensive ...
@@YungEagle3k as Joe said below the ZR-1s are actually way lower priced than you would think. Of course maintaining one is way more of an effort than the LT1 cars. The '96 Grand Sports are commanding higher prices than the ZR-1s.
@@ToyotaAristo C4s were banned from SCCA showroom stock GT racing because they whooped on the 944s on the track 😉 and the 944 is a better track car than the 911…..
@@speedracerjeff EDIT: just to prove you wrong: 1993 MOTORTREND TRACK TEST: Viper: 0.97G, Supra MKIV: 0.98G, RX7 0.97, ZR1: 0.92, 965 Turbo 0.90, NSX: 0.86F Handling: 1st 964 3.6 / 4th the ZR1 Acceleration: 1st 964 12.7 / 5th ZR1 13.9 Slalom: 1st 964 68mph / 4th ZR1 67mph Braking: 1st MKIV 2nd RX7 3rd ZR1 4th 3.6. The 964 Turbo 3.6 prove to be a better car overall, faster, quicker on the corners. The 944 was FAR INFERIOR car to the successful 964, 30 seconds slower on the ring.. Silly claim. Also let me remind you that the 911 dominated Lemans, Rally, Dakar, Safari, 24hs racings, GT, and beated Ferrari, Chevrolet, Ford, Jaguar, Maseratti and every successful automakers and its to this day the most successful racing car in history. Since the 60s.
Man I think I like these retro/classic car test better than even the tow tests lol. I definitely like the production you guys use with the retro themed music and graphics. This is an awesome series.
That violent shake/vibration is called wheel hop and worn out c4's are known for it. Get new shocks, make sure the tires are balanced and true, and check all the bushings in the rear as well as the torque C Tube while your at it. Tire hop can kill that diff so fast, this is from experience as I have owned a C4 corvette for 15 years.
I agree, especially with rubber bushings and mounts. People know 30 year old tires are unsafe to use but don't apply that logic to other rubber pieces that are that old. Then when they drive it they attribute poor performance to how it was built 30 years ago instead of neglected maintenance.
@@williamlehmaniv7460 Amen man, glad you get it at least. Like, a wave of calm just washed over me. I really felt like the only one and I was just speaking to walls. 😅
They are beautiful cars in person, especially post-92. I had no idea I was going to fall in love with one on a test drive. Now I'm beating STis, S4s, etc on the highway.
Ill never get rid of my original C4 and if anything looking to buy specific year C4's. Like a zr1, a grand sport, a mid transition year where the body was the same but interior was changed. Color combination. Anniversary addition (1988 white on white) Then you have the later C4's as well. You can pick them up so cheap. I barely did (at the time) any work and i was at 13.0 consistently with just gears, exhaust and a Hypertech or Traco chip. I then put an underdrive pully on the crank and was consistent high 12.0's with no major bolt ons. Car is light as well compared to the newer vettes.
Great video. The drag races are always fun. I'm really digging that old corvette. Something about that all red interior is really nostalgic and fun. Thanks guys
I have a 911 G-Model in my garage and I'm always a fan from the C4. In my opinion one of the best looking corvettes. And I'm always looking on the market in Germany if I find the "perfect" one for me. Beautiful pair. Like both.
Love your videos! You're filling the void of the content that is missing from modern youtube - classic car reviews. One suggestion - you could make videos even more interesting if you added 0-60 test for the cars you're drag racing. I'm sure a lot of people would be curious to see how well these cars are doing after all these years.
Everyone in the comments is all surprised but the Corvette C4 actually dominated Porsche in the SCCA showroom stock GT racing series in the mid to late 80s. The C4 was so dominate that it got banned. I’ve owned two C4s (88 and 92), they are great handling cars. 0.9-G cornering ability.
@@courtney5796 The C4 would still come out on top lol. The C4 is faster overall, pulls on the 911 on straightaways, and handles better in the corners compared to the same era 911.
@@courtney5796, SCCA race results say otherwise and I have witnessed it from behind the steering wheel. The Corvette has a pretty huge tire size advantage, and that is why it out handled others so well.
@@speedracerjeff ?? Corvettes competed with the 944 not 911s. Also The 964 Turbo 3.6 was a much better, faster car in every single possible way. 12.4 vs 12.9 of the ZR1 (Car and Drivers faster car was the 3.6). Faster on the track too. And those were not even the top 964 like the RS 3.8, X packages or the Turbo S 3.6. You can't compare driving a Malibu with a V8 to the feeling of driving a 964, even the base Carreras are just unique. There is a reason why they are so appreciated.
Your 96 is MUCH faster than the one in the video, especially if you have the manual. The manuals received the LT4 engine for that year only, and made almost 100+hp over the L98 in this video.
That shake you feel when launching is called axle hop and it is a good way to break things fast. When you feel axle hop your best to let off the throttle and abort the run.
As a C4 owner, I don't understand why these cars don't get more respect. Mine is a 95 with the LT1 engine and muffler delete. One of the best sounding cars I've ever heard and will beat an Audi S4 on the straight. You can pick these up CLEAN for 15 grand and they turn heads in person...
@E Brown reminds me of the time I took my '87 924S to test drive a used 944. The driver's side vent was blasting ridiculously hot air from the engine with no way to turn it off, on a 95 degree day. "We can fix that," he said. I passed. To this day, the 924S is the most fun I've had in a slow car.
Anecdotal, but of the 18 cars I've owned, including multiple GMs, Hondas, and a Toyota truck, the most reliable have been my 924S, 986 Boxster S, and NA Miata. Newer 911s have spent several years on top of the JD Powers list of most dependable models, above all other manufacturers, including Japanese. I think parts cost and the few years that saw major engine problems scare people away, but if parts don't fail, they don't cost anything. My first experience comparing GM and Porsche quality was watching and listening to the popup headlights on my Fiero vs those of the 924S. The Porsche's took a third of the time to open, were much quieter, and were still working when the car was traded after 8 years. The Fiero's failed in a year.
Not surprised the C4 Corvette is a much better car. Remember even the first C4 Corvette in 1984 debuted with a 0.9-g cornering, superb brakes and a very reliable Chevy small block V8 engine. In fact in the SCCA stock GT racing it dominated all comers. In the Endurance 1985-87 races it easily beat the Porsche 944. Results read Corvette 29 wins, Porsche 0. So much so the Corvettes were banned. That’s when the Corvette Challenge was created. Then along came the 1990 C4 ZR1 a car that held no less than 3 world records and a modified Callaway Corvette Sledgehammer would in 1988…yes let that sink in..1988 Reeves Callaway drove his Special C4 Corvette from Connecticut to Ohioand handed it over to John Lingenfelter to take it on GM 7.5 mile track to a world record of 254.76 mph….eat your heart out Bugatti. After that Callaway drove it home, as if he’d just been out for groceries!😂 Corvette…the worlds greatest sports car.
Not better than a 930/964. Base model early 80s cabrio 3.2 Carrera against a 5.7L Corvette. If you want to put things fair then bring out a 930T 3.3 with the C4 since both were 13.4s exactly at the 1/4 mile or a 964 Turbo 3.6 with the C4 ZR1 (12.4s 911 vs 12.9s zr1) (Cars and Drivers) the 911 in both cases was much better overall and faster at the track. Saying that a car is better because it is faster on a straight line is the most american thing possible. There is a reason why 911s appreciate so much and C4 stays cheap. Better build quality, reliable, faster, much nicer car in every single way. driving and air cooled is an experience. Driving a C4.. is like driving a fast Malibu. Any C4 owner will agree to that.
Also if you want to talk about racing then bring the 911 964/993. Since the 60s the 911s specially the 964/993 dominated everything. And in Le Mans, GT, 24hs of Nurburgring, even Rally, Dakar, Safari, etc, etc... Porsche in general and the 911 were unstoppable. The 944 were never successful in racing Porsche never really care for it. But the 944 Turbo and the track editions were a much nicer car than the C4. Also The 964 CTR held the record for the fastest production car on earth too.
@@ToyotaAristo 😂 calling a C4 comparable to driving a Malibu is just complete ignorance. You obviously have never driven or owned a C4. I’ve owned two C4s, as well as three Porsche 914s, a 928, and a 996 Carrera. My C4s handled better in the twisties than all of those Porsches I’ve owned, including the newer water cooled 996. 0.9 G on the skid pad.
@@speedracerjeff You are comparing a 1960s and 1970s Porsches to a C4???? 1993 MOTORTREND TRACK TEST: Viper: 0.97G, Supra MKIV: 0.98G, RX7 0.97, ZR1: 0.92, 965 Turbo 0.90, NSX: 0.86 see the pattern? Lateral G doesn't mean anything. The best handling cars there are ironically the ones with the lowest G. Handling: 1st 964 3.6 / 4th the ZR1 Acceleration: 1st 964 12.7 / 5th ZR1 13.9 Slalom: 1st 964 68mph / 4th ZR1 67mph Braking: 1st MKIV 2nd RX7 3rd ZR1 4th 3.6. The 3.6 was a better car overall, faster, quicker through the corners. Si there goes all the Americans saying the ZR1 is faster or better. It never was. Your comparation is ridiculous The 914 is from 1969, The 928 is from the 70s and the 996 AWD is a MUCH better, faster, easier, and lighter car. The C4 handling with the bodyroll issues is a dinosaur in comparison. And those G numbers were because of the unnecessary hard suspension and the ridiculous tyres. Much better cars had 0.8 and still handled a LOT better than the C4. You obviously never owned a 996C4S.
Two differents ways of sports cars but very funny moments with the two models... The C4 is the most beautiful of moderns Vettes... And that 911 is may be the last of a breed... And the 964, of course... Good video... Friends... Thanks for your time... From Spain... :-)
The C4 Corvette was Intentionally underpowered by GM by over a hundred Horsepower for Fuel Economy and Transmission longevity to avoid Warranty Repairs. Dump the Clutch With a good cam and Induction Mods and Twelve Flat in the quarter mile was yours !
The Porsche would get worked on a track too. It wasn't even a close comparison in the 80's- 90's from a performance standpoint. Build quality sure, but if you wanted a fast car... the C4 is going to win 10/10.
@@michaelthebarbarian3380 What??? The 964 Turbo 3.3/3.6 was much faster and superior than the C4/C4ZR1 on both the 1/4 mile 12.4 vs 12.9 (C&D) and on the track. Nurburgring times the 964 was in another league even the base 3.3 was faster than the C4 in the Nurburgring (8:11) with its ridiculous body roll. And those weren't even the most powerful 964's editions at the time. Not even gonna mention that the 993 was even a step ahead. A Base C4 is not even competition for a Base Turbo 964. Not even in the same league. The C4 would be dusted in both track and 1/4 mile.
@@ToyotaAristo 😂😂😂 here you go again comparing cars that weren’t even in this video…. Why do you keep bringing up the 964 Turbo…?! Let’s stay on track here… this vid showed a 87 911 vs a 88 C4 Vette, both naturally aspirated. Btw a 964 is a 1989+ 911…. If you want to compare a 964T, we can compare it to the ZR-1 or a twin turbo Callaway C4. Both would destroy the 964T on a road course.
@@ToyotaAristo you have to constantly bring up the 964T because your precious non turbo 87 911 got spanked by the 88 L98 C4…. Just imagine if it was the LT1 or LT4 or LT5 or twin turbo Callaway C4….
@@speedracerjeff 5.7 liters vs 3.3 liters comparing a CABRIOLET base model 964 and asked me why i bring the turbo? I brought the Turbo because it was the car it actually was compared to back then. 12.4 Turbo 3.6 vs 12.9 for the ZR1.
@@speedracerjeff yeah pretty bad for a entry level base model cabriolet Carrera to loose with a much powerful car. Let me remind you that the base model turbo 3.3 was Seconds faster on the Ring, the 3.6 was faster on the 1/4 mile than the ZR1 and on the track of Cars and Drivers and that no C4 ever beat any 964 Turbo Track time. Willow spring, Hockenheim, Nurburgring name any track the 964 is Seconds faster because they are track cars not drag cars.
@@ToyotaAristo again…. The 964 is a 89 and up 911. Stop bringing up newer models with turbos. It’s irrelevant. Your 87 911 in this video got spanked. Any naturally aspirated 911 will get spanked, it’s the sad reality. There’s no replacement for displacement. That’s why a 632ci big block can make 1250hp naturally aspirated. 🇺🇸 💪🏼
@@surfbug1 I bought it to use the drivetrain for a C10 project but after driving it for a month I couldn't cut it up, lol. It was an automatic which is horrible for a Corvette but was great for a truck. My 01 was a six speed the way God intended.
Great video! Love the 911 and I own a 1988 35th Anniversary Corvette. Although the C4 doesn’t earn the respect among the other Vette generations this generation was so over the top the SCCA banned it from racing after 1987. The C4 beat every car ( including the 911’s) from 1985-1987 29 times to 0. In 1988 the SCCA had their own racing series for the C4 Corvette called the Challenge Series. It was only for the C4 Corvette. These cars are the best bang for the buck today! Grab one while you can!
I have a stock 1988 C4 automatic. Years ago my son borrowed the Vette and took it to Pomona Drag Strip. He was able to turn a best time of 13.992 at 102 MPH. The only modification he did was remove the air filter - without my knowledge or permission. The MAF sensor got damaged on that run. All the grit in the empty air box got sucked through the MAF and broke the tiny wires inside it.
I was wondering what the DA was... Way high! Those cars would be way faster closer to sea level. Love my C4 (when it's not broken lol(. wish y'all had hit a road course! Great video.
Predictions: 911 more nimble and quicker (if Tommy has the skill to launch). Corvette will pull more outright G. Oh, right--they don't do road course or skid pad because every test is a drag race when TFL is testing a car, truck, or golf cart.
I loved my 95 LT1 but body flex was so bad, dashbord build quality was crap but the thing was so much fun for 35K bucks that I wish this thing back into my garage.
They make a chassis stiffening kit to address body flex now, company is called Vette2Vette (V2V). Was going to be the next upgrade on my C4 before I totaled it!
I personally think you both did well, even though I did think the Porsche would do better, I think you both did as good as anyone else could've done especially me. Good job love these types of videos. 👍🏻👍🏻
how can u say the porsche is better u looked the video with ur eyes close ? i know u can be angry to pay a car 5th more expensive and get rekt by the corvette but plz dont be cringe open ur eyes
As current and former Porsche, BMW and now two C5 Corvettes, what also needs to be mentioned is OUT OF WARRANTRY costs...the Porsche will kill a common sense budget.
The real strength of that Corvette is that roasting the clutch or something else in the drivetrain isn’t going to break the bank like it would on the Porsche.
I grew up when these C4 we're new, this was the "party trick" of Corvette the C4 brought legit performance that was very competitive in the world market at a bargain. It has taken a LONG time for the "Corvette is best for the price" the C8 is probably the start of that "for the price" to not be as big of deal.
There's a reason that the Corvettes were absolutely dominate in the 1980's SCCA Showroom Stock races. If you wanted to go fast, you got the Corvette If you wanted to wear gold chains, you got the Porsche.
the 911 didnt raced at SCCA that why and there is a reason why Porsche dominated Lemans and absolutely everything... You want a reliable driver cars you pick the 911.
@@julioantoniopojila9614 In 1988, the SCCA banned Corvettes from Showroom Stock racing because the Corvettes were too good. The Corvette's dominance of Showroom Stock competition spawned a marque-specific race series - The Corvette Challenge. BTW, the 944 Turbo was faster than the 911. And, if you want to drive a real Porsche, you drive the 914... which incidentallly domintated the vaunted 911
I'd love to see some other classics, like a Supra, or an NSX. Stretch some of these races into the 90s. The 90s had all kinds of "fast" and interesting cars.
Currently trying to find a 1996 C4 with an LT4 and low miles, though there is nothing wrong with most of the other C4 models.. Even if not one of your favorite performance cars from the 80s or 90s, today the dollar to value ratio is unrivaled compared to anything else notable from this era!
@@destruxandexploze2552 In the past ZR-1’s have typically gone for more money than the LT4’s, though I have seen that flip flop depending on some of the options and other marginal differences. Either one of them is an excellent deal compared to most other 90s performance cars!
@@destruxandexploze2552 Anything before the LT1 that isn't a special edition like a Callaway, is even a better value, if you don't mind less horsepower, for sure!
Honestly, just get an LT1. 1994+ if you're really pressed about optispark issues. Need more power? Cams and heads are a common and readily available mod regardless.
Love vids comparing cars from my childhood but would really expect you guys to include a slalom test, cornering speed and a course lap time. In that way you’re capturing the entire gamut of driving in these cars. I admire both cars in this video but it’s a shame that the Porsche wasn’t able to demonstrate where most of its engineering was focussed on. Keep up the 80s comparisons though… love it
C4’s have always been the best value per dollar. Even when they were new they smoked the competition. I’ve owned my 88 35th Anniversary Corvette for over 22 years and it still puts a smile on my face with its overall performance for a 35 yr old car. Still cannot believe that the altitude affected the acceleration runs. Ran my 88 years ago and it’s an auto and it ran low to mid 14’s. Loved the comparison video!!
I would like to see these two cars do a some sort of a turnaround race. Sorry, I don't know what the layout is actually called but its a drag race to a cone which you drive around and then race back to the starting line. First to cross is the winner. The races I've seen appeared to be maybe an 1/8 mile to the cone... I've seen the race done with two cars running the course at a time. Each car has its own cone and both cars turn towards the outside of the track at the cones. So one car turn left, one right. Might be interesting to try.
@@motorgearhead, Check out SCCA Pro Solo. While it is not straightaways back and forth, (corners there and back) it is started with a drag racing christmas tree, and the combined time of both left and right courses win. Still, past history says the C4 would win. The tire size advantage is too much to overcome.
I'm lucky to have both. '89 (4A) and '90 (6M) C4 Convertibles and a '89 Carrera 3.2 coupe. Performance per dollar in unbeatable for the C4 and from there very cheap to get running even faster. There's a video of me drag racing my 1990 here with the TPI at 13.1 sec in the 1/4 mile. I prefer the 1989 interior by a longshot and build quality of that year. 1990 must have been a cost cutting year because the panels and paint aren't as nice. The new interior GM did was almost an insult to a performance car with low resolution gauges and cheap plastics. Seats were still excellent though. But I prefer the Carrera by a long shot. No sill to climb over and super friendly ergonomics with a flat floor, lots of head room, and excellent visibility. I prefer the feel of the steering and brakes of the Porsche as well as the power delivery, even though it's slower. It's more practical as well and I think it's more of a go kart and more fun to drive. My 1990 Corvette original sticker was $45K and the Porsche was $55K. My Carrera is well sorted and would probably get close to $100k today while the C4 just as well sorted may get $10K. C4 is a fantastic buy and I do highly recommend them for your first performance car over just say a Camaro or fox mustang- you won't have rust on the plastic body panels obviously and Chevrolet did give the frame a dip in zinc. Cool review here and you guys are getting lots of use on that old '88 C4.
I finally got my Carrera 3.2 on a time slip after a fresh engine rebuild. 14.1@ 101 MPH. I thought it was a bit faster, but I guess for a launch I'm not willing to do what it takes to get it into the 13's. Too expensive these days to rebuild those rare G50 transaxles. Horsepower in the Chevy 350 is cheap and plentiful and for the Porsche stingy and expensive at least for NA engines.
I had two c4 convertibles one of them built to the hills and it came with 240 horsepower and the factory but mine had over 500. At that horsepower it was incredible. And it smoked Porsches and anything else on the road at the time in the early 90s
Maybe your right, maybe your not. My statement still stands. Corvette C4 was the first production car that could pull one G going in a circle without spinning out.
In retrospect, my 1984 Datsun (Nissan) 300ZX Turbo-50th Anniversary sold for $30,000 USD, same as Corvette. I thought that was extremely expensive considering the non-Anniversary Edition with leather, T-tops & digital sold for about $22,000. The average new car price in 1984 was $11,000 USD.
A buddy of mine used to have a 1992 Carrera 2 and my '92 C4 would smoke it in just about anything. The 911's brakes were kind of wooden and although the turn in was much more darty and fun it couldn't overcome FX3 suspension and 275 tires. I used to joke at him when he tried to pull away on the twisties at 5000 RPM while my car was hustling along at a brisk 2750. That said, the 911 was much more fun to drive though and the clutch/trans combo was one of the best I've experienced. Just the overall dynamics were amazing
A lot of comments saying "bring both to the track", well they already did, kinda, back in 1980s at SCCA Showroom Stock series, and the result is the C4 stomps everyone for like 2 years and then Porsche complaining about C4s dominance and then they ban the C4. Sure its not against the 911 back then, Porsches entry were the 944, but it still prove that C4 is more than just a straight line car.
Liking these old car races guys! can you dig up a 93-97 2nd gen probe gt 5 spd and test one against Something comparable... find a Stock one and dont run it against the vette, although at sea level, a probe gt is in the 15.5 sec range in the 1/4, it aint gonna fare that well at altitude..
Add a couple of journalists from Road and Track or Car and Driver to shred the Vette and give the win to the glorified Beetle. WHOA... there it is....."the Porsche is a much better built car", says the kid with the funny walk...despite the Porsche LOSING every contest. Instead of finding a 930 T, compare brake job costs on the 911 vs the Vette.
Love the retro comparison test, but I have to question the representation of these particular cars. The Vette sounded much stronger than the original stock C4, and that 911 looked dog slow. I have owned a couple of air cooled 911s and they were monsters off the line if you launched with enough RPM. Love the small block V8 though… I have a C8 now and love it.
Great comparison guys..and VERY SURPRISING, I thought the 911 would be a no brainer to win on all fronts. I guess it's still the better car in terms of it's solidity and maybe its reliability, but at a 1/5th the price, the Corvette is a revelation and is easily as desirable from a styling point of view, if not more so. I also checked out a classic comparison from MotorWeek from the late 80's, it was a Camaro Z/28 vs a Porsche 928 S. To my utter shock, the Z/28 easily beat the 928 S around their test track. In Australia, these cars are seen as lumbering 'Yank Tanks' but when you look at them, they really are surprisngly capable.
There was a lot of bad press for the Camaro and Corvette in the late 80's/90's. Very misleading press who glorified anything Japanese/German, and people were still hungover from the doldrums of the 70s cars. Despite the C4 being a great car, the image didn't really start to change until the 1997 C5 Corvette with Corvette Racing dominating LeMans. For Camaro, it took a little longer with the 2014 Camaro Z/28 finally convincing people the 5th Gen car was a solid track car.
I would’ve liked to seen apples to apples regarding the convertible roof . Either a convertible corvette or a hard top 911. I don’t think it would’ve made a drastic difference. But the convertible models generally weigh more, and launch worse.
Comment about TFLBids... The previous bids window is reloading every second. When it does, it flashes up a "reloading" circle and the window greys out. This makes it difficult to read. The window is basically constantly flashing. Please fix this.
Quite surprised the 911 didn't perform as expected! Those quarter mile times are so poor, I managed a 17.1 sec time in a Daihatsu Sirion GTVi in 2002! And that's a tiny car with a punchy 1.3L NA 4 cyl.
I'm a Porsche fan, but the vette has always been a performance bargain. The 911 coupe would have been a better match with the C4, as it's 160 pounds lighter than the cab and started at $29,600, almost exactly the same as the Corvette. Not to mention that the 911 body style does _not_ work with cabriolet or targa roofs. Yuck.
That's about how it went for many years. The non turbo Porsche was not as fast as the corvette. When I was younger I thought the Porsche looked better. Now though I think the vette not only looks better. But I feel it looks alot better. That old Porsche looks too much like a vw bug
I remember in the 90s when I had some cash burning a hole in my pocket from a business I launched that exceeded expectations. I debated a new C4 or a slightly used 8 yr. old 911 Turbo, both about $40k. Fast forward 25 years and I see C4s all the time for
Two of my all time favorite cars. Would have been cool to do a skidpad or slalom. Spoiler alert: C4 would win that too. Haha. And hey, if you ever do a 911 Turbo... why not do apples to apples and do the C4 turbo. In other words, B2K Callaway (ahem: no contest). Good luck getting your hands on one, though.
I'd take the Vette, swap in an aluminum big block, and a close zr1 ratio t56 mag, with a 9" center section and beefier half shafts, and some c6 zr1 rotors and calipers.
While the 911 will hold its value better (depending on trim and options), it's hard to deny what a performance bargain those C4 Vette's are. You guys mentioned it would be a different story if you used a turbo model, but don't forget there was also the ZR1 and GS models, which were meant to be the competition for the Turbo. I think those 2 would be a fair another fair challenge. Also of note, the C4 and C5 Vette were good handling cars too, and not just a straight line machine.
So good after 3 years of winning every single race in scca show room stock series 1985-1987 the Corvette was kicked out, the 944 turbo failed and that was Porsches better handling car
The ZR-1 didn't really aim at the 911 Turbo, it was just an attempt at a high end Corvette, to shine with the big boys. Which it did. The '96 GS mostly just a last hoorah, getting the most from the LT platform before the C5
The C5 Vette was good handling. The C4 was good for its time as long as the roof was securely bolted in but would have been much better if the frame had been better welded. The minute the roof comes loose the C4 turns into a wet noodle, in spite of the massive framerails. I'd say that was the most significant improvement on the C5, going to hydroformed one-piece framerails. The difference is huge, despite the basic frame being very similar in overall design
@@LordDeRuush Porsche better handling car was never the 944 WTF did you get that? Porsche wasn't even officially racing the 944 they were private teams. Porsche Never cared about the SCCA they were winning Lemans, 24hs, GT, Porsche Cup, Dakar, Safari, Rally...
@@LordDeRuush the 944 was not even remotely close to the performance of the 964and 930 in both racing and stock form. i dont know where that come from.
@@ToyotaAristoBetter handling? They were called Widowmakers for a reason
C4 ZR1 vs Turbo 911 would be cool to see.
Try to get one of those cars at reasonable price now a days
@@YungEagle3k the early ZR-1 from 1990 to 1992 can be had for under 20- k easley just sold my dads 1991 only a 2 owner with only 65-k miles for $ 17,500 the cars are bulletproof just the replaceable parts like water pump, starter, ECM scare people away as there extremely expensive ...
@@YungEagle3k as Joe said below the ZR-1s are actually way lower priced than you would think. Of course maintaining one is way more of an effort than the LT1 cars. The '96 Grand Sports are commanding higher prices than the ZR-1s.
@@ToyotaAristo C4s were banned from SCCA showroom stock GT racing because they whooped on the 944s on the track 😉 and the 944 is a better track car than the 911…..
@@speedracerjeff EDIT: just to prove you wrong:
1993 MOTORTREND TRACK TEST:
Viper: 0.97G, Supra MKIV: 0.98G, RX7 0.97, ZR1: 0.92, 965 Turbo 0.90, NSX: 0.86F
Handling: 1st 964 3.6 / 4th the ZR1
Acceleration: 1st 964 12.7 / 5th ZR1 13.9
Slalom: 1st 964 68mph / 4th ZR1 67mph
Braking: 1st MKIV 2nd RX7 3rd ZR1 4th 3.6.
The 964 Turbo 3.6 prove to be a better car overall, faster, quicker on the corners.
The 944 was FAR INFERIOR car to the successful 964, 30 seconds slower on the ring.. Silly claim. Also let me remind you that the 911 dominated Lemans, Rally, Dakar, Safari, 24hs racings, GT, and beated Ferrari, Chevrolet, Ford, Jaguar, Maseratti and every successful automakers and its to this day the most successful racing car in history. Since the 60s.
TfL classics is becoming one of my fav channels thanks to excellent videos like this. Keep up the amazing work!
I will second this. MY favorite for now. Love Case, Tommy and Brenden.
Man I think I like these retro/classic car test better than even the tow tests lol. I definitely like the production you guys use with the retro themed music and graphics. This is an awesome series.
That violent shake/vibration is called wheel hop and worn out c4's are known for it. Get new shocks, make sure the tires are balanced and true, and check all the bushings in the rear as well as the torque C Tube while your at it. Tire hop can kill that diff so fast, this is from experience as I have owned a C4 corvette for 15 years.
I agree, especially with rubber bushings and mounts. People know 30 year old tires are unsafe to use but don't apply that logic to other rubber pieces that are that old. Then when they drive it they attribute poor performance to how it was built 30 years ago instead of neglected maintenance.
@@williamlehmaniv7460 Amen man, glad you get it at least. Like, a wave of calm just washed over me. I really felt like the only one and I was just speaking to walls. 😅
The more I see videos of the C4 the more & more I like them
worthless crap! Get a Ferrari Daytona!
They are beautiful cars in person, especially post-92. I had no idea I was going to fall in love with one on a test drive. Now I'm beating STis, S4s, etc on the highway.
Ill never get rid of my original C4 and if anything looking to buy specific year C4's. Like a zr1, a grand sport, a mid transition year where the body was the same but interior was changed. Color combination. Anniversary addition (1988 white on white) Then you have the later C4's as well. You can pick them up so cheap. I barely did (at the time) any work and i was at 13.0 consistently with just gears, exhaust and a Hypertech or Traco chip. I then put an underdrive pully on the crank and was consistent high 12.0's with no major bolt ons. Car is light as well compared to the newer vettes.
The more and more I like to junk them 😁
I'm thinking about making it my next car...another car. I just have to tell my wife that. 😬
3:40 race starts
This should be top comment
Thank you
Great video. The drag races are always fun. I'm really digging that old corvette. Something about that all red interior is really nostalgic and fun. Thanks guys
Lol , what particular noise are you hearing! It sounds like a stock 4 banger!
You guys make my day! Cherish these wonderful analog cars with driver involvement that's totally absent in modern cars 🤠
I’m in Colorado as well and about 20 years ago raced an 80’s 911 turbo with my ‘92 LT1 Corvette, it was neck and neck the whole time.
I’ve got a 92’ this makes me happy
I have a 911 G-Model in my garage and I'm always a fan from the C4.
In my opinion one of the best looking corvettes. And I'm always looking on the market in Germany if I find the "perfect" one for me. Beautiful pair. Like both.
Corvette CRAP! Cheap crap!
Love your videos! You're filling the void of the content that is missing from modern youtube - classic car reviews.
One suggestion - you could make videos even more interesting if you added 0-60 test for the cars you're drag racing. I'm sure a lot of people would be curious to see how well these cars are doing after all these years.
Everyone in the comments is all surprised but the Corvette C4 actually dominated Porsche in the SCCA showroom stock GT racing series in the mid to late 80s. The C4 was so dominate that it got banned.
I’ve owned two C4s (88 and 92), they are great handling cars. 0.9-G cornering ability.
Yeah I think people forget these C4s were actually pretty impressive cars for the 80s.
Throw both those cars on a twisty course and the result would have been different.
@@courtney5796 The C4 would still come out on top lol. The C4 is faster overall, pulls on the 911 on straightaways, and handles better in the corners compared to the same era 911.
@@courtney5796, SCCA race results say otherwise and I have witnessed it from behind the steering wheel. The Corvette has a pretty huge tire size advantage, and that is why it out handled others so well.
@@speedracerjeff ?? Corvettes competed with the 944 not 911s. Also The 964 Turbo 3.6 was a much better, faster car in every single possible way. 12.4 vs 12.9 of the ZR1 (Car and Drivers faster car was the 3.6). Faster on the track too. And those were not even the top 964 like the RS 3.8, X packages or the Turbo S 3.6. You can't compare driving a Malibu with a V8 to the feeling of driving a 964, even the base Carreras are just unique. There is a reason why they are so appreciated.
I own a 1996 C4 corvette so I am glad to see that it can still hold its own against a contemporary Porsche 911. Thank you for this video !
Your 96 is MUCH faster than the one in the video, especially if you have the manual. The manuals received the LT4 engine for that year only, and made almost 100+hp over the L98 in this video.
Nice one ❤
Great work guys. Took me back a few...Keep these videos coming!
That shake you feel when launching is called axle hop and it is a good way to break things fast. When you feel axle hop your best to let off the throttle and abort the run.
As a C4 owner, I don't understand why these cars don't get more respect. Mine is a 95 with the LT1 engine and muffler delete. One of the best sounding cars I've ever heard and will beat an Audi S4 on the straight. You can pick these up CLEAN for 15 grand and they turn heads in person...
How about maintenance cost? I would take the vette and 40k, any day.
I had a 1983 911 - it cost me about $1500/year to run. My biggest problem with it was the *ridiculously* primitive heating system.
Take the corvette and it will devalue in less than a year. Take the Porsche and it will appreciate and you will get your 40k back.
@E Brown reminds me of the time I took my '87 924S to test drive a used 944. The driver's side vent was blasting ridiculously hot air from the engine with no way to turn it off, on a 95 degree day. "We can fix that," he said. I passed. To this day, the 924S is the most fun I've had in a slow car.
Anecdotal, but of the 18 cars I've owned, including multiple GMs, Hondas, and a Toyota truck, the most reliable have been my 924S, 986 Boxster S, and NA Miata. Newer 911s have spent several years on top of the JD Powers list of most dependable models, above all other manufacturers, including Japanese. I think parts cost and the few years that saw major engine problems scare people away, but if parts don't fail, they don't cost anything. My first experience comparing GM and Porsche quality was watching and listening to the popup headlights on my Fiero vs those of the 924S. The Porsche's took a third of the time to open, were much quieter, and were still working when the car was traded after 8 years. The Fiero's failed in a year.
@@ToyotaAristohow is it going to devalue in less than a year?
Love the Corvette,and it can also handle curves.......
They race should include a modern Mini Van🤣
That old quote "There's no replacement for displacement" came to mind when watching this. Fun vid, thanks guys!
but the viper with a V10 with over 8 liters of displacement got beat by the C5 corvette lmao
Happy Friday everyone ✌️ Loved The Show Kase and Tommy 👏👏
Back in the early 90s I had a 88 Corvette coupe with the Z52 package and automatic transmission . I ran a 14.1 at Detroit drag way.
My wife had an '88 Vette, I had an '87 5.7 IROC Camaro.
Ran them both at Kil-Kare Dragway in Xenia, OH .... The IROC was quicker & faster.
@@danielfair4675 what were the times?
Not surprised the C4 Corvette is a much better car. Remember even the first C4 Corvette in 1984 debuted with a 0.9-g cornering, superb brakes and a very reliable Chevy small block V8 engine. In fact in the SCCA stock GT racing it dominated all comers. In the Endurance 1985-87 races it easily beat the Porsche 944. Results read Corvette 29 wins, Porsche 0. So much so the Corvettes were banned. That’s when the Corvette Challenge was created. Then along came the 1990 C4 ZR1 a car that held no less than 3 world records and a modified Callaway Corvette Sledgehammer would in 1988…yes let that sink in..1988 Reeves Callaway drove his Special C4 Corvette from Connecticut to Ohioand handed it over to John Lingenfelter to take it on GM 7.5 mile track to a world record of 254.76 mph….eat your heart out Bugatti. After that Callaway drove it home, as if he’d just been out for groceries!😂 Corvette…the worlds greatest sports car.
Yes it is.
Not better than a 930/964. Base model early 80s cabrio 3.2 Carrera against a 5.7L Corvette. If you want to put things fair then bring out a 930T 3.3 with the C4 since both were 13.4s exactly at the 1/4 mile or a 964 Turbo 3.6 with the C4 ZR1 (12.4s 911 vs 12.9s zr1) (Cars and Drivers) the 911 in both cases was much better overall and faster at the track. Saying that a car is better because it is faster on a straight line is the most american thing possible. There is a reason why 911s appreciate so much and C4 stays cheap. Better build quality, reliable, faster, much nicer car in every single way. driving and air cooled is an experience. Driving a C4.. is like driving a fast Malibu. Any C4 owner will agree to that.
Also if you want to talk about racing then bring the 911 964/993. Since the 60s the 911s specially the 964/993 dominated everything. And in Le Mans, GT, 24hs of Nurburgring, even Rally, Dakar, Safari, etc, etc... Porsche in general and the 911 were unstoppable. The 944 were never successful in racing Porsche never really care for it. But the 944 Turbo and the track editions were a much nicer car than the C4. Also The 964 CTR held the record for the fastest production car on earth too.
@@ToyotaAristo 😂 calling a C4 comparable to driving a Malibu is just complete ignorance. You obviously have never driven or owned a C4. I’ve owned two C4s, as well as three Porsche 914s, a 928, and a 996 Carrera. My C4s handled better in the twisties than all of those Porsches I’ve owned, including the newer water cooled 996.
0.9 G on the skid pad.
@@speedracerjeff You are comparing a 1960s and 1970s Porsches to a C4????
1993 MOTORTREND TRACK TEST:
Viper: 0.97G, Supra MKIV: 0.98G, RX7 0.97, ZR1: 0.92, 965 Turbo 0.90, NSX: 0.86 see the pattern? Lateral G doesn't mean anything. The best handling cars there are ironically the ones with the lowest G.
Handling: 1st 964 3.6 / 4th the ZR1
Acceleration: 1st 964 12.7 / 5th ZR1 13.9
Slalom: 1st 964 68mph / 4th ZR1 67mph
Braking: 1st MKIV 2nd RX7 3rd ZR1 4th 3.6.
The 3.6 was a better car overall, faster, quicker through the corners.
Si there goes all the Americans saying the ZR1 is faster or better. It never was.
Your comparation is ridiculous The 914 is from 1969, The 928 is from the 70s and the 996 AWD is a MUCH better, faster, easier, and lighter car. The C4 handling with the bodyroll issues is a dinosaur in comparison. And those G numbers were because of the unnecessary hard suspension and the ridiculous tyres. Much better cars had 0.8 and still handled a LOT better than the C4. You obviously never owned a 996C4S.
Bought a 88 z51 c4 and a 99 c5 a few years back, great choice. Keep the videos coming.
Two differents ways of sports cars but very funny moments with the two models...
The C4 is the most beautiful of moderns Vettes...
And that 911 is may be the last of a breed... And the 964, of course...
Good video... Friends...
Thanks for your time... From Spain... :-)
The C4 Corvette was Intentionally underpowered by GM by over a hundred Horsepower for Fuel Economy and Transmission longevity to avoid Warranty Repairs. Dump the Clutch With a good cam and Induction Mods and Twelve Flat in the quarter mile was yours !
Thank you!! People tend to forget the 80’s was the era of stupid Emissions, ect
While only paying 10k for the vette, you could use the other 40k on performance mods if you want
2 different crowds people gonna keep the Porsche stock of course you can tune a 10k car 😂😂
I've enjoyed this channel for a while. I love these comparisons but wish you'd bring back the one lap around a track.
The Porsche would get worked on a track too. It wasn't even a close comparison in the 80's- 90's from a performance standpoint. Build quality sure, but if you wanted a fast car... the C4 is going to win 10/10.
@@michaelthebarbarian3380 What??? The 964 Turbo 3.3/3.6 was much faster and superior than the C4/C4ZR1 on both the 1/4 mile 12.4 vs 12.9 (C&D) and on the track. Nurburgring times the 964 was in another league even the base 3.3 was faster than the C4 in the Nurburgring (8:11) with its ridiculous body roll. And those weren't even the most powerful 964's editions at the time. Not even gonna mention that the 993 was even a step ahead. A Base C4 is not even competition for a Base Turbo 964. Not even in the same league. The C4 would be dusted in both track and 1/4 mile.
@@ToyotaAristo 😂😂😂 here you go again comparing cars that weren’t even in this video…. Why do you keep bringing up the 964 Turbo…?! Let’s stay on track here… this vid showed a 87 911 vs a 88 C4 Vette, both naturally aspirated.
Btw a 964 is a 1989+ 911….
If you want to compare a 964T, we can compare it to the ZR-1 or a twin turbo Callaway C4. Both would destroy the 964T on a road course.
@@ToyotaAristo you have to constantly bring up the 964T because your precious non turbo 87 911 got spanked by the 88 L98 C4…. Just imagine if it was the LT1 or LT4 or LT5 or twin turbo Callaway C4….
@@speedracerjeff 5.7 liters vs 3.3 liters comparing a CABRIOLET base model 964 and asked me why i bring the turbo? I brought the Turbo because it was the car it actually was compared to back then. 12.4 Turbo 3.6 vs 12.9 for the ZR1.
I'm sorry to say, as a German engineer, even if money is no matter...the corvette simply is the better sports car.
I really was very surprised that the Porsche was so bad.
But I have to say that I really love love love the C4! 😍
Bad? It is a base model cabrio Carrera.... It is not made for drag racing.
It got a way better launch too…, the C4 was spinning bad and still GAPPED that 911 lol pretty sad for the 911….
@@speedracerjeff yeah pretty bad for a entry level base model cabriolet Carrera to loose with a much powerful car. Let me remind you that the base model turbo 3.3 was Seconds faster on the Ring, the 3.6 was faster on the 1/4 mile than the ZR1 and on the track of Cars and Drivers and that no C4 ever beat any 964 Turbo Track time. Willow spring, Hockenheim, Nurburgring name any track the 964 is Seconds faster because they are track cars not drag cars.
@@ToyotaAristo again…. The 964 is a 89 and up 911. Stop bringing up newer models with turbos. It’s irrelevant. Your 87 911 in this video got spanked. Any naturally aspirated 911 will get spanked, it’s the sad reality. There’s no replacement for displacement.
That’s why a 632ci big block can make 1250hp naturally aspirated.
🇺🇸 💪🏼
My '94 C4 was the best $4k I've ever spent and made me fall in love with the Corvette. My '01 C5 was the funniest cat I've owned.
Where did ya find that? Great price!
Details, color, transmission, etc
@@surfbug1 I bought it to use the drivetrain for a C10 project but after driving it for a month I couldn't cut it up, lol. It was an automatic which is horrible for a Corvette but was great for a truck.
My 01 was a six speed the way God intended.
Should've run a C4 ZR1 as a nice halfway between the prices. Just curious as to how it would've looked.
Great video! Love the 911 and I own a 1988 35th Anniversary Corvette. Although the C4 doesn’t earn the respect among the other Vette generations this generation was so over the top the SCCA banned it from racing after 1987. The C4 beat every car ( including the 911’s) from 1985-1987 29 times to 0. In 1988 the SCCA had their own racing series for the C4 Corvette called the Challenge Series. It was only for the C4 Corvette. These cars are the best bang for the buck today! Grab one while you can!
I had a Challenge chip in my 1985 Corvette.
Thanks for the video, guys!
I have a stock 1988 C4 automatic. Years ago my son borrowed the Vette and took it to Pomona Drag Strip. He was able to turn a best time of 13.992 at 102 MPH. The only modification he did was remove the air filter - without my knowledge or permission. The MAF sensor got damaged on that run. All the grit in the empty air box got sucked through the MAF and broke the tiny wires inside it.
I'm surprised Tommy didn't try to sell the Porsche like he hyped the mini I think it was with the trippy music and camera angles lol
Y'all find a 911 Turbo, and I'll bring the C4 ZR-Juan to even it up :)
And I'll drive it lol
was definitely expecting a track test....cmaaaaaaan guys!
I was wondering what the DA was... Way high! Those cars would be way faster closer to sea level. Love my C4 (when it's not broken lol(. wish y'all had hit a road course! Great video.
Grew up in the '80s. This was awesome! Thank you!! That Carrera would have shined on a twisty course though.
Corvette was and is cheap crap
@@Schlipperschlopper yep cheap. We'll save $$ winning.
Vette will grab the corners. too torqued though . They spin out with too much throttle.
Same for the Vette, though. This freak was putting contemporary Lotuses and Ferraris to rest around corners when it came out.
@@shaykosovac8722 yea with a shitty driver lol. A good driver would know how to get around the corners faster than the porche
The C4 smoked Porsche so bad that it had to start its own racing series 🤷🏾♂️
"BREAKING TEST"?
Or normally known as a “Braking test”😂
I hada hunch that was coming. Nice. Keep up the good work
Predictions: 911 more nimble and quicker (if Tommy has the skill to launch). Corvette will pull more outright G. Oh, right--they don't do road course or skid pad because every test is a drag race when TFL is testing a car, truck, or golf cart.
the things important to americans lol
Love your videos so entertaining
I loved my 95 LT1 but body flex was so bad, dashbord build quality was crap but the thing was so much fun for 35K bucks that I wish this thing back into my garage.
They make a chassis stiffening kit to address body flex now, company is called Vette2Vette (V2V). Was going to be the next upgrade on my C4 before I totaled it!
I personally think you both did well, even though I did think the Porsche would do better, I think you both did as good as anyone else could've done especially me.
Good job love these types of videos. 👍🏻👍🏻
how can u say the porsche is better u looked the video with ur eyes close ? i know u can be angry to pay a car 5th more expensive and get rekt by the corvette but plz dont be cringe open ur eyes
Dude those Goodyear Eagle F1 tires on the corvette are over 10 years old I believe. Great in there day in the mid 2000s. Neat comparison though
great video but i think a track test would be a good addition.
It’s the “what massively appreciated 80s car will loose to a c4 corvette in a drag race.”
As current and former Porsche, BMW and now two C5 Corvettes, what also needs to be mentioned is OUT OF WARRANTRY costs...the Porsche will kill a common sense budget.
The real strength of that Corvette is that roasting the clutch or something else in the drivetrain isn’t going to break the bank like it would on the Porsche.
I grew up when these C4 we're new, this was the "party trick" of Corvette the C4 brought legit performance that was very competitive in the world market at a bargain.
It has taken a LONG time for the "Corvette is best for the price" the C8 is probably the start of that "for the price" to not be as big of deal.
There's a reason that the Corvettes were absolutely dominate in the 1980's SCCA Showroom Stock races.
If you wanted to go fast, you got the Corvette
If you wanted to wear gold chains, you got the Porsche.
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️. Delusional fanboi spotted.
the 911 didnt raced at SCCA that why and there is a reason why Porsche dominated Lemans and absolutely everything... You want a reliable driver cars you pick the 911.
@@julioantoniopojila9614 In 1988, the SCCA banned Corvettes from Showroom Stock racing because the Corvettes were too good. The Corvette's dominance of Showroom Stock competition spawned a marque-specific race series - The Corvette Challenge. BTW, the 944 Turbo was faster than the 911. And, if you want to drive a real Porsche, you drive the 914... which incidentallly domintated the vaunted 911
I'd love to see some other classics, like a Supra, or an NSX. Stretch some of these races into the 90s. The 90s had all kinds of "fast" and interesting cars.
Currently trying to find a 1996 C4 with an LT4 and low miles, though there is nothing wrong with most of the other C4 models.. Even if not one of your favorite performance cars from the 80s or 90s, today the dollar to value ratio is unrivaled compared to anything else notable from this era!
A 1996 LT4 is going to be more expensive than a ZR1 which will give you something special and more powerful! A DOHC 5.7 V8 that sings to 7,000rpm
@@destruxandexploze2552 In the past ZR-1’s have typically gone for more money than the LT4’s, though I have seen that flip flop depending on some of the options and other marginal differences. Either one of them is an excellent deal compared to most other 90s performance cars!
@@ScottOmatic Either way, both are beautiful cars. I got myself a 1988. Great sports car bargain!
@@destruxandexploze2552 Anything before the LT1 that isn't a special edition like a Callaway, is even a better value, if you don't mind less horsepower, for sure!
Honestly, just get an LT1. 1994+ if you're really pressed about optispark issues. Need more power? Cams and heads are a common and readily available mod regardless.
It’d be fun to see these cars going around the course at ISI motor sports.
Love vids comparing cars from my childhood but would really expect you guys to include a slalom test, cornering speed and a course lap time. In that way you’re capturing the entire gamut of driving in these cars. I admire both cars in this video but it’s a shame that the Porsche wasn’t able to demonstrate where most of its engineering was focussed on. Keep up the 80s comparisons though… love it
Did the sticker at 2:01 come with the vehicle showing engine specs? My grandpa's '87 did not have that. And it was an L98 as well!
I always love when the Corvette beats the egg!
I can honestly say that the Porsche, one of my heroes from the 1980s, has completely lost its luster. What a slug.
C4’s have always been the best value per dollar. Even when they were new they smoked the competition. I’ve owned my 88 35th Anniversary Corvette for over 22 years and it still puts a smile on my face with its overall performance for a 35 yr old car. Still cannot believe that the altitude affected the acceleration runs. Ran my 88 years ago and it’s an auto and it ran low to mid 14’s. Loved the comparison video!!
I would like to see these two cars do a some sort of a turnaround race. Sorry, I don't know what the layout is actually called but its a drag race to a cone which you drive around and then race back to the starting line. First to cross is the winner. The races I've seen appeared to be maybe an 1/8 mile to the cone... I've seen the race done with two cars running the course at a time. Each car has its own cone and both cars turn towards the outside of the track at the cones. So one car turn left, one right. Might be interesting to try.
Like in 2 Fast 2 Furious… lol
The C4 would still win.
@@speedracerjeff - sorry, that franchise didn’t quite do it for me. Don’t know that I’ve seen anything the first couple of movies.
@@motorgearhead, Check out SCCA Pro Solo. While it is not straightaways back and forth, (corners there and back) it is started with a drag racing christmas tree, and the combined time of both left and right courses win. Still, past history says the C4 would win. The tire size advantage is too much to overcome.
@@daveds50 - I’ll do that. Thanks for suggestion!
I'm lucky to have both. '89 (4A) and '90 (6M) C4 Convertibles and a '89 Carrera 3.2 coupe. Performance per dollar in unbeatable for the C4 and from there very cheap to get running even faster. There's a video of me drag racing my 1990 here with the TPI at 13.1 sec in the 1/4 mile. I prefer the 1989 interior by a longshot and build quality of that year. 1990 must have been a cost cutting year because the panels and paint aren't as nice. The new interior GM did was almost an insult to a performance car with low resolution gauges and cheap plastics. Seats were still excellent though. But I prefer the Carrera by a long shot. No sill to climb over and super friendly ergonomics with a flat floor, lots of head room, and excellent visibility. I prefer the feel of the steering and brakes of the Porsche as well as the power delivery, even though it's slower. It's more practical as well and I think it's more of a go kart and more fun to drive. My 1990 Corvette original sticker was $45K and the Porsche was $55K. My Carrera is well sorted and would probably get close to $100k today while the C4 just as well sorted may get $10K. C4 is a fantastic buy and I do highly recommend them for your first performance car over just say a Camaro or fox mustang- you won't have rust on the plastic body panels obviously and Chevrolet did give the frame a dip in zinc. Cool review here and you guys are getting lots of use on that old '88 C4.
Exactly.
Hi❤
I finally got my Carrera 3.2 on a time slip after a fresh engine rebuild. 14.1@ 101 MPH. I thought it was a bit faster, but I guess for a launch I'm not willing to do what it takes to get it into the 13's. Too expensive these days to rebuild those rare G50 transaxles. Horsepower in the Chevy 350 is cheap and plentiful and for the Porsche stingy and expensive at least for NA engines.
Corvette and 911, eternal rivals.
The C4 got upgraded brakes for the 1988 model year.
I had two c4 convertibles one of them built to the hills and it came with 240 horsepower and the factory but mine had over 500. At that horsepower it was incredible. And it smoked Porsches and anything else on the road at the time in the early 90s
Maybe your right, maybe your not. My statement still stands. Corvette C4 was the first production car that could pull one G going in a circle without spinning out.
In retrospect, my 1984 Datsun (Nissan) 300ZX Turbo-50th Anniversary sold for $30,000 USD, same as Corvette. I thought that was extremely expensive considering the non-Anniversary Edition with leather, T-tops & digital sold for about $22,000. The average new car price in 1984 was $11,000 USD.
A buddy of mine used to have a 1992 Carrera 2 and my '92 C4 would smoke it in just about anything. The 911's brakes were kind of wooden and although the turn in was much more darty and fun it couldn't overcome FX3 suspension and 275 tires. I used to joke at him when he tried to pull away on the twisties at 5000 RPM while my car was hustling along at a brisk 2750. That said, the 911 was much more fun to drive though and the clutch/trans combo was one of the best I've experienced. Just the overall dynamics were amazing
I had an 85 model corvette 5 years ago. Today I own a 92 c4 ZR-1. You should have tried it😀på et helt annet nivå
I gotta say the shootouts on this channel are brutally honest.
Nice info. Where is the slalom test? Have you seen any episodes of Motorweek from years past?
A lot of comments saying "bring both to the track", well they already did, kinda, back in 1980s at SCCA Showroom Stock series, and the result is the C4 stomps everyone for like 2 years and then Porsche complaining about C4s dominance and then they ban the C4. Sure its not against the 911 back then, Porsches entry were the 944, but it still prove that C4 is more than just a straight line car.
You do realize the porsche 944 has a 4 cylinder engine, right?
Liking these old car races guys! can you dig up a 93-97 2nd gen probe gt 5 spd and test one against Something comparable... find a Stock one and dont run it against the vette, although at sea level, a probe gt is in the 15.5 sec range in the 1/4, it aint gonna fare that well at altitude..
Add a couple of journalists from Road and Track or Car and Driver to shred the Vette and give the win to the glorified Beetle. WHOA... there it is....."the Porsche is a much better built car", says the kid with the funny walk...despite the Porsche LOSING every contest. Instead of finding a 930 T, compare brake job costs on the 911 vs the Vette.
Now a C4 ZR1 vs Turbo??!
C4 gets no love......but it should
Say what you will about gm interiors or quality. But the performance for the sticker price will never be beat
Love the retro comparison test, but I have to question the representation of these particular cars. The Vette sounded much stronger than the original stock C4, and that 911 looked dog slow. I have owned a couple of air cooled 911s and they were monsters off the line if you launched with enough RPM. Love the small block V8 though… I have a C8 now and love it.
I wouldn't mind a straight line race between that Corvette and a 87 Buick GNX.
Great comparison guys..and VERY SURPRISING, I thought the 911 would be a no brainer to win on all fronts. I guess it's still the better car in terms of it's solidity and maybe its reliability, but at a 1/5th the price, the Corvette is a revelation and is easily as desirable from a styling point of view, if not more so. I also checked out a classic comparison from MotorWeek from the late 80's, it was a Camaro Z/28 vs a Porsche 928 S. To my utter shock, the Z/28 easily beat the 928 S around their test track. In Australia, these cars are seen as lumbering 'Yank Tanks' but when you look at them, they really are surprisngly capable.
The 911 is far less reliable than the C4.
There was a lot of bad press for the Camaro and Corvette in the late 80's/90's. Very misleading press who glorified anything Japanese/German, and people were still hungover from the doldrums of the 70s cars. Despite the C4 being a great car, the image didn't really start to change until the 1997 C5 Corvette with Corvette Racing dominating LeMans. For Camaro, it took a little longer with the 2014 Camaro Z/28 finally convincing people the 5th Gen car was a solid track car.
10:45 In the 80’s, the Carrera was a car that was made by HAND, NOT in an assembly line.
I would’ve liked to seen apples to apples regarding the convertible roof . Either a convertible corvette or a hard top 911. I don’t think it would’ve made a drastic difference. But the convertible models generally weigh more, and launch worse.
Comment about TFLBids... The previous bids window is reloading every second. When it does, it flashes up a "reloading" circle and the window greys out. This makes it difficult to read. The window is basically constantly flashing. Please fix this.
911 cabrio's are also quite a bit heavier for chassis reinforcement
Was that wheel hop you were experiencing in the Corvette when launching?
Probably. It's an easy fix.
Quite surprised the 911 didn't perform as expected! Those quarter mile times are so poor, I managed a 17.1 sec time in a Daihatsu Sirion GTVi in 2002! And that's a tiny car with a punchy 1.3L NA 4 cyl.
I'm a Porsche fan, but the vette has always been a performance bargain. The 911 coupe would have been a better match with the C4, as it's 160 pounds lighter than the cab and started at $29,600, almost exactly the same as the Corvette. Not to mention that the 911 body style does _not_ work with cabriolet or targa roofs. Yuck.
I have one of theses c4’s for sale by me for 10k these videos make me wanna go get it.
That's about how it went for many years. The non turbo Porsche was not as fast as the corvette. When I was younger I thought the Porsche looked better. Now though I think the vette not only looks better. But I feel it looks alot better. That old Porsche looks too much like a vw bug
then theres the matter of the turbocharged callaway corvettes lol
love porsche's unique styling
How did you get the daytime running lights on the corvette? Is that stock?
What gears are in that Corvette? I was running high 13's with an auto and 3.07 gears (the best gears available for a tuned port).
I remember in the 90s when I had some cash burning a hole in my pocket from a business I launched that exceeded expectations. I debated a new C4 or a slightly used 8 yr. old 911 Turbo, both about $40k. Fast forward 25 years and I see C4s all the time for
10:19 Your tires are 19 years old.🙃 I'm not surprised that you have problems with traction at the start😅
Two of my all time favorite cars. Would have been cool to do a skidpad or slalom. Spoiler alert: C4 would win that too. Haha. And hey, if you ever do a 911 Turbo... why not do apples to apples and do the C4 turbo. In other words, B2K Callaway (ahem: no contest). Good luck getting your hands on one, though.
I have a 1995 C4. Great to see all the love for the C4. Would like to own a 911 also.
I'd take the Vette, swap in an aluminum big block, and a close zr1 ratio t56 mag, with a 9" center section and beefier half shafts, and some c6 zr1 rotors and calipers.
"911 was 50% more expensive" DOES NOT EQUAL "Vette was 50% cheaper."