For years, the C4 Corvette has carried the reputation of being the most budget friendly gateway into Corvette ownership. And every so often, a listing pops up that reminds us exactly why.
Case in point: this 1986 Corvette coupe, offered by a small dealer in Puyallup, Washington, just east of Spokane, for the eyebrow raising price of $4,943.
Even better, it’s not some tired, high mileage project car. This one shows just 68,549 miles—an average of only 1,758 miles per year—suggesting a life of light use rather than hard miles.
Photos from the Craigslist ad reveal a car that presents surprisingly well, especially in its uncommon two-tone white over silver paint scheme. A closer look at the wheels shows the clearcoat on the factory rims could use some love, but the Carfax report is reassuring: no accident damage, six service history entries, and 16 detailed records that back up the odometer reading.
Inside, the black leather cabin looks better than expected for a nearly 40-year-old sports car. The most noticeable change is the aftermarket woodgrain trim added by a previous owner—an acquired taste, perhaps—but the seats appear to be in good shape, consistent with the low mileage. The center stack shows some wear, and an aftermarket stereo has been fitted, but the digital “arcade style” instrument cluster—cutting edge tech in the mid ’80s and notorious for failures today—appears to be functioning properly in the photos.
The listing doesn’t provide much insight into the car’s mechanical condition, but with mileage this low, the original 5.7-liter V8—rated at 235 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque when new—should still have plenty of life left, assuming it’s been maintained reasonably well.
At the end of the day, there are far worse ways to spend five grand than diving into Corvette ownership with a clean, low mile C4 like this one. For someone looking to experience America’s sports car without breaking the bank, this might just be the perfect entry point.
Source:
Craigslist.org and YourAutoDestination.com
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Hey Mitch,
You might want to grap yourself a Washington state road map.
Puyallup is just a few miles south of Tacoma which is south of Seattle. Yakima is clear over on the east side of the state close to the Idaho border.
Beautiful country. Too many demoncracts. I moved back to Idaho.
Just had to give you a little hard time about northwestern geography.
Always enjoy your write ups.
Happy New Year my friend.
bbilly, a deplorable, should not be making political comments.
I appreciate the recognition.
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