Rick Church

Why are Grand Sports (GS) valued so highly by owners and collectors but not valued by Kelly Blue Book and Edmunds? Prices listed there are in the low teens, not much more than regular 96 Vettes. However, NADA does list a greater value on ther web site. My credit union and bank see no significant difference either! All that being said, is a GS's value truly determined be what a buyer is willing to pay? Also, I'm worried that every mile a put on a GS drives the value down and down.

Thoughts please!

Leftoverture

GS models are relatively rare in the C4 world plus they are highly desirable. Perhaps one of the most collectible of all C4s. NADA is the right place to turn to value a GS; Edmund's and KBB are really off when it comes to C4's in general, let alone special models. Don't expect a bank to sign up for financing a GS or other collector car at it's true value unless you have really good credit and a professional appraisal. And yes, driving a GS will ultimately bring it's value down. If you want to make money, the object would be to keep miles off.

RollaMo-LT4

Any car's value is determined by what a buyer is willing to pay, not just the GS. Kelly Blue Book has never been a very good price guide for Corvettes. Also, what your bank and credit union are saying about the difference is pretty close. The GS is not much different at than a regular LT4 car, with one very important exception.

It's not so much the fact they only made 1,000 of them, but the fact those 1,000 cars have their own unique vin number. You can create a "clone" of the paint job and engine, but it's pretty hard to re-create the correct vin number. The GS will always be worth more than a regular '96, even another LT4 car just because of that unique vin.

And you are also correct in assuming that every mile driven will drive the price down. Those extremely high dollar collector cars are NOT drivers!
But what's the fun in having one sitting in the garage to look at?

If your going to drive the car, don't pay collector car prices for it. You can still find very nice drivers for a lot less.

Rick Church

Thanks for the good replies and thanks "Hutch" (GSR)!!!

Greg Gore

NADA, Edmunds, and Kelly Blue Book are seldom close for a special version or any low miles Corvette in exceptional condition. In fact none of the three is ever in agreement for any given Corvette. The fun comes in owning one of the nice low miles cars by driving it sparingly on perfect days so that say in ten years the car will still be close to the same condition as it is now. I am currently doing this with a triple black 04 vert I bought new not that it will ever have any special value but the car has only 1900 miles now and the plan its to take care of it so that ten years from now it will still be as nice and I will still get the same pleasure from driving it with the top down as the day I drove it home new. Also, it would take around $70K to replace it with a new C6 vert and with this one I have vert crossed off the list.