Jeff Wang

Thanks for coming in, I am newbie to corvette forum and not a native English speaker, apologies if I make any confusion

Here is a bit of my status, I am in my late 20's and have been in US for 2 years. Have not ever driven any real sports car( I suppose SLK 350 and base Camaro does not count). Recently start considering to trade in my 05 FX35(have it for 2 years and mainly bought it to convenient my parents' visiting) to get a Mustang 2015 or C6(Live in US and should drive a US car ). I know 90% I will go C6 , because IMHO:
I found used corvette retains more value over years than any other sports car( I will try to keep it long though).
It looks great all the time even after C7 can be seen on the street.
Hardtop can be removed which is perfect for DD all season in Seattle area , no need worry about soft top get cut.
Good MPG yet faster and real sports car feeling.

So I am not really going to use it on track and could be satisfied a base vet for a while , but probably become interested in track once I own one
I would prefer to spend 30k and probably under 40k if it is good one.

Here is my question, some might looks weird but these are what in my mind :
1. How do you calculate a vet worth the $$, I know too many factors and also basing on the local market, but what would you think most important? For example, a 08 makes steering wheel feel better, maybe you'd like pay 1k more comparing to a 07. interior 3lt vs 2lt vs 1lt , how much you'd like pay. Miles difference, a 08 with 20k miles vs 40k miles. Same miles 08 vs 11.
2. Which years, miles range, package of a car do you think can be in good condition for at least 3 years and could give me best experience of a c6. ( I only drive 3 miles to work , and it would be my DD and only car)
3. How big the feeling difference between removed hardtop and put the vert top down?
4. Which will you suggest to get a base vet with relative low mile age or better performance package vet with high mile age?

Thanks for your patient to get this far . As you may notice, I am really confused on how to select a good one since the price is really varies much basing too many conditions. I have been looking at local market and forum sell for several days but cannot even get a general idea.
If my embarrassing status reminds you somehow, any suggestions or experience sharing would be really valuable and helpful to me.

Thank you guys

Vette Moto

Welcome to the forum and I hope you are enjoying your stay in the US! It's always nice to have new members to the vette community.

If your budget allows, I would aim at a Grand Sport or Z06. There are actually many Z06 to be had for low 40s. Keep in mind that Z06 do not have removable hardtops. If you must get a base Vette, try to get a 2008+ with the LS3 motor. It's more powerful and a better motor overall than the LS2 found in 05-07 base vette. Obviously, you'll pay more for the lower mileage cars. But I'd look for ones that have the fewest owners, preferably one owner cars with a solid, documented maintenance history. I think any Vette would be a great daily driver.

What are your future plans for the car? If you plan on modding the cars with an exhaust, cam, headers, or whatever, you may look into buying a used car with those mods already done. There are many C6 with those mods already, so that may add value to certain buyers. Just make sure it was done professionally with receipts.

Bruze

Jeff ****: No need to apologize for your English usage. You are yet another great example of a foreigner whose English is BETTER than the vast majority of Americans.

Americans should be ashamed of themselves but they don't care, apparently.

Good luck in your C6 search.

Wakemaker89

Hi Jeff,

I was in your exact shoes not too long ago, 25 and looking for my first vette. I ended up going with a slightly higher mileage 2012 Grand Sport. I decided that the targa top was worth more to me than the extra 85 horsepower as I knew eventually I would be modding to add power back. as far as lower mileage base vs higher mileage with more options it all depends on how comfortable you are with having to pay for repairs or do them yourself. For me higher mileage wasn't so much of a worry as I consider myself somewhat mechanically inclined.

In the end it all comes down to what preferences appeal the most to you and work with your budget. Either way we are glad to welcome you to the forum and to the corvette family once you make your decision!

Vette Moto

Oh, I might also add that if you are not ready for beautiful American girls to chase after you, then I would stay away from Vettes. They don't call them panty droppers for nothing

Jeff Wang

Thank you, Bruze !

Jeff Wang

Thanks a lot for the info!! First time to know Z06 does not have removable hardtop, I will skip it which makes me feel much easier.
I just searched about the vert vs targa feeling, I think targa might fit me better since I am Asian and not really able to stand the strong sun with clear sky here. Most of the time I would keep the top on and might want put it down during sunset hours which I enjoy most

Regarding my future plan, to be honest I don't even fully understand what Cam and headers modification about and if necessary especially see lots of discussion about header. I see what you mean if get a car works done already and I also would like to go with one since I am really newbie to maintenance/modify cars. For now I know exhaust improvement would be nice for me after watched some vette videos. If cam means camera then it would be awesome ,too.

Thanks again! My recent car researching experience tells me Corvette forum is the best place, so many nice ppl and barely see anyone insult others with a lot of shxxxt which makes no sense. Everybody tries to be nice and talk the fact which I love so much. It makes me feels should get one immediately.

Jeff Wang

I will update if this break my 0 record. Shame for my English, I am a outgoing guy but somehow really hard to make anyone feels good with English

flange

Jeff, do yourself a favor, go test drive a few at dealers. By sitting In and driving different models, you can get to understand the different features and benefits, and also if they appeal to you.

for your use, I would think a standard or grand sport would be ideal. You are coming into winter, so prices tend to go a little lower during this part of the year when many owners don't drive them much.

There is a for sale section here in the forum, you can look around there and get a feel for prices, options and so on. you can also search national sites such as autotrader.

Bruze

By "cam" we mean "camshaft," the part of the engine that makes the intake and exhaust valves go up and down. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camshaft
"Headers" are a performance exhaust system that replaces the factory exhaust manifolds.

"Women" lol, good luck. It hasn't worked for me but I'm too old anyway.

Boilerman

This time of the year one should be able to find a good low mile C-6 Vette in your price range.
I would look for a 2008 or newer a Grand sport 3LT option would be a good choice and a 2010 would be my year in your price range.

You might want to look at CarMax to get a feel for the options and years, not saying that they are the place to buy one as I have no experience with them however they do have a good selection of low mile units and do offer extended warranty's.

As to their reputation some one else may have input on that.

Kevin_NYC

Very simple

Pick the latest year, lowest mileage, base 1LT for the least money, in a popular color (Red or Black)

The base car is EXACTLY the same (power, performance, capability etc) as the higher optioned cars/GS

Its lowest cost to get in, less to go wrong, less excess weight, less depreciation when sell, less to insure.

Sellers never make up the money on excess options...NAVs from 2006 look like an Atari screen AND todays options will be same in 2020.

KnightmareCS

What boilerman said.

10+ Grand Sport w/ 3LT is right in your price range. Figure you'll find 10-30k miles. Do not make the stock navigation a deciding factor. Pick color first, auto or manual, then miles.
11+ Has built in USB for music. Don't think any have factory Bluetooth streaming, but I could be wrong. I hardwired a Kawal/Kinivo unit which serves me well.

Good luck!

And to throw this in: C6 > 15 Stang all day everyday.

AORoads

If you ask me, Jeff, you need a lot of patience, a lot of looking and a lot of learning. For the last-mentioned, you've come to the right place, CorvetteForum (CF). While I appreciate the advice given to you above, I disagree that you need a GS, a Z06 or even a later model year C6 (2008 and later used the more powerful LS3 motor and a different manual trans). I disagree that you want, need or wish to pay for a modified (more power) Corvette. Learn everything you can on your first car, read up about it here on CF and then go for a modified car---maybe having your car modified, not someone else's car.

I'll also say that convenience to you, namely staying in the Seattle area to search for a car, is not necessarily a wise thing to do. There may be 100 cars for sale on any given day in the Seattle metro, and 1,000 if you open up your search area to 500 or 1,000 miles. Yes, you introduce a couple of logistical problems like how to go see it, how to get it back if you buy it, how to pay for it, and how to get it checked out by a qualified technician who knows Corvettes. But none of those are really that difficult or different from what you need to do if you stay local, right?

Except for the last one. There are places where you are on your own since there may be a lack of good or qualified technicians or shops or dealers to take a used, private party car to (or a used car dealer's car) to have it checked out for an objective report. I have found that to be true since I am not a great mechanic or technician and I do rely on others to assist in making a buy decision.

I do agree that it's a good idea to go to dealers who are selling used Corvettes and take a test drive but be resolved going in: you will not buy the car. At this point, you are only acquainting yourself with the variety of Corvettes, options and driving impressions. You are learning, not buying. Yet. If you can do this and have the willpower, it will prove to be helpful to you so that you don't get taken, or get something you really didn't want but didn't know.

Come back on here, ask lots of questions, but start doing more homework beginning with a couple of test drives. And welcome to CF!

Jeff Wang

Thanks a lot, I really like the way you give suggestions. I will go test drive at a local dealer to get a better idea , but you know in the meanwhile I do really confuse on the package and price. I found my local dealer and private sellers are selling cars obviously at a higher price by comparing cars on forum. But still , it is just basing quite general kinda of feel on the mile age/year , exterior/interior package. However it is really hard for me to tell how much is it worth and because of what....... I have been looking at cars of autotrader/carmax/CF/Craiglist for quite a while, but still cannot judge the price easily, might part of reason due to the mods.
I am agree that I don't really need need too many mods but still I found things like NPP sounds sweet.
I am really trying hard to get an better idea about the car value so that I can get better understanding while I test driving any car, but now it is kind of stuck here. No friends owned one and not able to get help, and I am totally not familiar with the market and no doubt I will not end up with a good deal/car.

Jeff Wang

Thank you! By seen your suggestions, I take a look at GS and really love it rather than base version looking. However by searching on carmax/autotrader/craiglist/CF , I cannot find any one below 30k miles and under $40k. I found base version would be possibly get around 33k, but all these are basing on asking price and I don't really have any idea on how much it worth. So sad, trying hard for weeks now but still no idea. Much harder than other cars without those Mods and package

Jeff Wang

I agree , to me , GS really looks a lot better but found it is at least $10k more which seems not worth it. Hud is the only thing I am interested to experience , other than that 1LT would be good enough.

Bruze

Keep in mind that sellers (of anything, not just cars) generally ask more than what they will ultimately sell for, and buyers will usually offer something less than what they are willing to pay.

The balance point (actual selling price) is somewhere in the middle. When the seller values the offered money more than the car, and the buyer values the car more than his offered money, the deal is done.

AORoads

Remember a few things: the NPP muffler option started in 2008 which is also the first year of the LS3 motor (more powerful than LS2). In the last four or so years, the Grand Sport (GS) has sold probably more cars than the base model (non-GS). The GS began in 2010. Therefore, not only is a GS more expensive than a base car for the same year, it's also more recent than a 2008 or 2009 or a 2007, and therefore more expensive again.

Whenever you see 1LT it means a base car, but it doesn't mean there aren't any options added---anyone can add options to a base car. But a base car, no options, 1LT was the least expensive C6. It came with 6 speed manual transmission, leather, PS, PB, runflat tires, 400 hp (2007 and before), 430 hp (2008 and later), PW, PL, limited slip differential, aluminum wheels, A/C, etc.

Now, let's get a little "history." Altho some will dispute this, a base model C6 with NO options (a 1LT) is not a bad car at all. In 2007 (remember, older, LS2 motor but still had 400 hp, no NPP exhaust available which was an $1,195 MSRP option in '08), the base model C6 with no options was on the dealer floor as a "come-on" price of $39,000. Sometimes, $39.5K and sometimes, $38.7K. Same in 2008, Same in 2009.

It was a way to get people in the showroom, looking at a Corvette, and dealers hoped many would "upgrade" the floor model with options far above the floor price of $39,000. Usually, the dealers were correct, but some people said, "That's all the Corvette I need, that's all the money I have." And they bought that car. That's what I called the 1LT bargain.

You have to know what you want, but you also have to understand that your wallet may not stand for as much as your eyeballs want. Follow your wallet.

1500cc

Everyone obviously has their own preferences and opinions on Corvettes; here's my two cents to the OP

- First off, be patient. I searched in earnest for about 8-10 months before I found the Vette I wanted. Yes it was sometimes discouraging looking through Autotrader every day and not seeing what I wanted. I almost gave in a couple of times and thought about relaxing my criteria. In the end, I am very happy that I did not, as I eventually got the car pretty much exactly what I wanted (2008, M6, 3LT, NPP, red, red interior)

- I would echo what others have said, get a 2008+ for the LS3 and improved M6 (if you want a manual). Those are easily in your price range now.

- I would try for a well optioned car if possible. Options are always nice, and the price difference on a 6 year old car is not that great

- If you don't get a 3LT car, you can have a HUD installed on any C6 Vette for about $600 or thereabouts

- I love the NPP (bi-mode) exhaust. I have a switch to turn it on or off manually, and it's great to have the choice of driving inconspicuously or hearing that great V8 sound.

- I personally don't think there's that big of a difference between base and GS, so save some money and go base (or use the money to get newer/less mileage/more options). 99% of people on the street could not tell the difference by looking at them.