It isn’t every day that the opportunity presents itself for someone to buy an essentially new car that is more than 30-years-old, but that would seem to be the case with this 1989 Corvette Convertible. During its entire life, its odometer has managed to accumulate 2,947 genuine miles. Everywhere you look around the car, the presentation and condition are all that you would expect from a vehicle like this, and now the chance has presented itself for someone to become the proud new owner of this beauty. The Corvette is located in Vancouver, Washington, and has been listed for sale here on Barn Finds Classifieds. If you would like to park the Corvette in your driveway, it is as simple as handing the owner $16,500, and then it’s all yours.
The combination of Bright Red paint and an Arctic White power top certainly makes for a real attention-grabber. As you would expect from a vehicle with this sort of accumulated mileage, the Corvette really is in fantastic condition. The owner provides a comprehensive collection of photos, and the underside of the vehicle looks clean enough to eat off. There is not so much as a sign of corrosion anywhere on the car, and the next owner looks like they will be buying a classic that wants for nothing. The alloy wheels are showing no signs of stains or pitting, while the glass simply looks flawless. The Corvette has always been kept in a heated garage, which will have helped its cause. The fact that in addition, it has spent its life under a cover, means that the dreaded UV rays haven’t had the chance to inflict their own special kind of damage on any aspect of the vehicle.
Talk about an interior with the “wow” factor. By the time this Corvette rolled off the production line, the model offered levels of comfort and equipment that buyers could only have dreamt about only a few short years earlier. Leather upholstery and trim was not a new feature in a Corvette by any stretch of the imagination, but in this car, it really looks striking. If I look around inside the car, I note some very minor stretching of the leather on the driver’s seat. Beyond that, all I see is the sort of impressive condition and presentation that you should expect from a low-mileage original survivor. As far as comfort and convenience features are concerned, the Corvette comes fully loaded. You start out with air conditioning, before working your way through a Bose premium stereo, and 6-way power adjustment for both seats. Beyond that, you can throw in power operation for both the windows and locks, cruise control, a tilt/telescopic wheel that is leather-wrapped, side window defoggers and dual exterior mirrors with power adjustment. One of the coolest features inside the vehicle is the liquid-crystal dash display. In 1989 that must have seemed futuristic, and if you want to get a true indication of just how far technology had advanced in a relatively short time, compare the gauges in this Corvette with the gauges in an Aston Martin Lagonda Series 2. I am aware that the two cars are aimed at different demographics, but both utilized the latest and most advanced digital technologies in their gauges when the vehicles were built. If you do take the opportunity to compare them, you will find that the difference is night-and-day.
Under the hood of the Corvette, we find a 350ci V8, fitted with Tuned-Port Injection. This pumps out 245hp, which finds its way to the rear wheels via a 4-speed automatic transmission. Also part of the package is power steering, along with 4-wheel power disc brakes with ABS. From a physical perspective, this was the largest Corvette that Chevrolet offered to that point in their history. However, thanks to clever engineering and material choices, larger size didn’t equate to enormous vehicle weight. The vehicle tips the scales at 3,223lbs, and with some clever aerodynamic thinking thrown into the mix, this is a car that would be capable of demolishing the ¼ mile in 14.6 seconds, while still hauling on to a top speed of 157mph. With such a low verified reading on the odometer, there is no danger that the Corvette is going to be worn out. It even wears its original tires, which don’t look to be in bad condition for their age. Included in the sale is the vehicle’s original Window Sticker, which is a nice little score for the next owner.
For many years, the C4 Corvette has been one of the unloved offerings from Chevrolet, but times seem to be changing. They still don’t command huge prices, although values have been heading upwards for low mileage examples in good condition. This particular Corvette would seem to quite easily fulfill both of those criteria, and the asking price seems to be very competitive when compared to what is being offered in the market at the present time. I think that there is every chance that the next owner of this Corvette will not only find themselves owning a pretty extraordinary car but one that could potentially be a fairly decent long-term investment.
It ‘wants for nothing’? How about a manual transmission? Gripe aside, I think it’s a fine unit for the price.
There are people who physically can’t drive a manual, so maybe they don’t want that.
I had nearly this exact same car, except mine had a saddle top and a tan interior. It was immaculate like this one and I sold it about 10 years ago for the same money with less than 15k on the clock.
Trust me, the 4+3 manual offered in 1989 was a horrible transmission. The 4-speed automatic was definitely the better choice.
1989 was the first year for the 6-speed manual, not the 4+3.
The ‘89 Corvette manual transmission was the excellent ZF 6-speed, not the 4+3.
The ugliest seats GM has ever produced. Expect lots of wear on those protruding bolsters.
The exterior looks sharp. I never understood the total design disconnect applied to the interior.
Bold statement. GM has produced a lot of seats over the past 100 years.
Agreed I believe that award goes to the tweed like mouse fur in the last run of Cavaliers as ugliest seat design.
I now have and in the past had a C4 with those seats (also red) I treat them once a year with leather conditioner and they still look like new. IMO a big upgrade from the seats in my last C3.
30 year old tires look OK? I’ll walk thank you. Even if the tires were produced the morning the car was assembled those should be the first items replaced.
Wow, if I was 20 yrs younger, I would whip on down from Seattle to Vancouver and check this beauty out!
Maybe I’m alone but this car looks SO 1980s. Look at that side profile. Wow. You wouldn’t mistake this as being from any other decade, LOL!
You may be alone as you seem surprised that a car from the 1980’s looks a lot like a car from the 1980’s. I hope you didn’t select “Detective” as a career choice.
Some cars have a timeless look. I know that’s an often used word but you either get it or you do not. This car does not have a timeless look.
Disagree 100% I have a 1995 and I have owned a 1984 and I don’t give a flying fig if it’s “timeless” or not. I love it.
Well, it’s all about liking your own cars Ike, and it’s good you do! The great news for you is these are affordable. This had an original MSRP of around $82,500 in 2020 dollars. This has got a $16,500 ask and it’s still available, meaning I suspect you could get a deal for less.
Super- My 1995 MSRP was $39,380. My calculator says about $67,000 in 2020 $. and I agree on your statement on the value.As always, the market will decide and I sure as hell would not want to be selling a car today!
The first time I sat in one of these, I couldn’t stop looking at the door panels; the thickness and ungainly feel of the door. And yet seated, it felt almost as tight inside as my S2000. Not pleasant. Almost as if the interior was borrowed from a full size Hummer.
??? Your comment makes absolutely no sense at all. “Tight” but kind of like a “Full size Hummer”? Make up your mind.
Great looking car, but the mileage means it’s been driven less than 100 miles a year since new. Personally I like to drive my cars. This one is more a put it on display and leave it alone.
No thanks, I’ll keep driving my 86.
@ Frank – I went directly off the window sticker posted with the ad, which says an MSRP of $39,458. That comes to $82,313 in today’s dollars.
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
Yours may have been a hardtop and the relative price might have come down between 1989 and 1995? Regardless, if this was bought as an investment, the market hit them so hard, their head spun around 3 times! A 1989 IROC would have been a far cheaper investment that would be worth more than this is now – a lot more.
And Rule #1, there really is no such thing as an automobile as an investment.
When the original Cobras were introduced for sale to the public I recall reading at that time they were predicted to be one if not the best ever investment in automobiles.
16500 canadian?
How many owners?
Vancouver, Washington. Yea, there is one there too.
Beautiful Corvette. C4’s are unloved for reasons unknown to me, when they hit the street in 84 they generated as much interest as today’s spectacular C8’s, however the 4+3 transmissions seemed to be a gimmick. Overall fun cars, and now they’re selling for used Camry money. If you’re on the fence about a C4 this may be the car to jump on.
I would give it some thought. A buyer can get a 1995/96 with 300-330 HP and a lot more refinement for less than $16,500 all day long.