Documentation--How much is it Worth?
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 66
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From: Wichita Kansas
Documentation--How much is it Worth?
How much does documentation add to the value of a corvette? Say a car has 95k original miles and 2 owners: matching#'s, plus all documentation going back to the original order form,bill of sale,tank sht,delivery sht;just about every paper you could think of; verus the same car; but only title stating mileage as original. Should the cars be priced the same? I see cars both ways and just wondering if I should pay more for the one with more paperwork or does it really matter in the long run? If it does make a difference, then how much in terms of $$$? Is it worth $500,$1000??? Please let me know. I'm looking to purchase a corvette; but don't want to be suckered in on paying too much, just because it has a pile of papers that go along with it..thanks steve
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 473
Likes: 6
From: New Port Richey FL
First rule is, buy what you like. If it has "documentation" great, otherwise, oh well. Given identical cars, the documented one may be worth more. It gives you a glimpse of the cars history and how it was maintained. However, most of the time, you can tell if a car has been taken care of or not, especially with a C3. They're old enough so that if it has 95K miles and matching numbers, it probably got regular oil changes. Ultra low miles will need documentation to back up the claim. I myself wouldn't worry too much about it if your looking at 95K cars.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
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Documentation adds value in the sense you can verify originality,options,mileage,maintainance ,etc...
For example,my 78 has good documentation...dealer invoice,original warranty, window sticker,GM key numbers etc from original owner...if I was to sell it,the buyer would get all that plus my service/repair records covering 29 years of ownership which would verify mileage,upkeep,parts replaced...
When buying from a dealer,most often these records are not available...so you must have keen knowledge of what year vette you are looking at,and make judgements on condition,originality and value....
For example,my 78 has good documentation...dealer invoice,original warranty, window sticker,GM key numbers etc from original owner...if I was to sell it,the buyer would get all that plus my service/repair records covering 29 years of ownership which would verify mileage,upkeep,parts replaced...
When buying from a dealer,most often these records are not available...so you must have keen knowledge of what year vette you are looking at,and make judgements on condition,originality and value....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 826
Likes: 22
From: Chicago Area
I think it matters to those who think it does. Yes it's nice to have...but is it necessary? No
There is plenty of things to determine how nice the car is in reality. Paperwork is just that and really has nothing to do with the actual condition of the car. (other than maintenance records) To me the car itself is a more important factor in determining the price of it.
happy shopping...
What year/options are you looking at?
There is plenty of things to determine how nice the car is in reality. Paperwork is just that and really has nothing to do with the actual condition of the car. (other than maintenance records) To me the car itself is a more important factor in determining the price of it.
happy shopping...
What year/options are you looking at?
Last edited by Scootin_Z; Sep 3, 2007 at 12:51 AM.
Le Mans Master
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From: Omaha NE
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Drifting
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Upstate South Carolina
If you are buying a high horse power optional motor car or a car with a rare and desirable option, documentation may add value because it helps verify that the car is not a fake. The more valuable the car, the more valuable the docs. If you are buying a base motor car then IMO it really doesn't add much if any value, although it is still nice to have.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,435
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From: Little Rock AR
It depends. Documentation for my '80 would not be worth much. I can see the tank sticker but will probably not bother to pull it any time soon. On a midyear Vette with a large tank option the documentation is worth a LOT. 
Documentation is worth a lot when it validates a rare and desireable option. Documentation for a common vehicle is just a curiosity. It is either nothing or everything depending on what it documents.
-Mark.
Documentation is worth a lot when it validates a rare and desireable option. Documentation for a common vehicle is just a curiosity. It is either nothing or everything depending on what it documents.
-Mark.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 12
From: Frederick Maryland
As already said, documentation on a rare model, high horsepower version adds a lot...especially if those same models are being cloned and passed off as original. Again...that only matters if that's the car you're looking for with an eye on future appreciation.
One thing documentation did for me...when I sold my '78 earlier this year, I didn't have documentation prior to my purchase of the car, but when a potential buyer saw all the documentation I had on the car since I owned it, he knew he wanted the car. My records were of all the maintenance and upgrades over time. I could show the care the car had been given...more than just my say so.
One thing documentation did for me...when I sold my '78 earlier this year, I didn't have documentation prior to my purchase of the car, but when a potential buyer saw all the documentation I had on the car since I owned it, he knew he wanted the car. My records were of all the maintenance and upgrades over time. I could show the care the car had been given...more than just my say so.
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 14
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From: Boston MA
I recently purchased a 1977 from the original owner. It only has 14,000 original miles and he had all of the documentation including the original window sticker and lots of pics from over the years.
It was nice to see the documentation, but at the end of the day I would have purchased the car because of the condition. You could tell by looking at it and driving it....I wouldn't have offered him less if the documentation was not there.
If you like it and the price is reasonable to you...That's all that matters....Enjoy!
It was nice to see the documentation, but at the end of the day I would have purchased the car because of the condition. You could tell by looking at it and driving it....I wouldn't have offered him less if the documentation was not there.
If you like it and the price is reasonable to you...That's all that matters....Enjoy!
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,455
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From: Upstate South Carolina
What are you documenting? If your base engine car came with M22, F41, is a big tank mid year, or some other rare option then the docs may add value by giving proof that the car came with those options. If you are talking about a base car with no rare options then docs don't add much value. The importance of docs is that they verify the options on the car. If the car has no or little options there is nothing to verify. Also, with all the fake documents to go with fake cars, I think that docs are less important than they use to be. In addition, IMO numbers matching, by itself, adds little value to a base car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,245
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From: Glen Allen, VA
It mattered a huge amount to a guy I met the other month. In "01 he was buying back his 67 435 horse convertible he bought new, but none of the paperwork was with it. He mananged to track it down from another previous owner and was willing to pay for it if necesary, but fortunately the person just gave it to him. He even lucked out to find the Virginia licence plate from 1967 that said just "427"
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2000
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From: Pottsville, PA. USA Home Of America's Oldest Brewery Yuengling
I sell Vettes and can tell you this. When you have all of the paperwork from new with the car it helps make the sale. Paperwork might not seem like it means much on C3 cars now. But who knows 20 or 30 years from now.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,672
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From: Nevada City California
Factory or dealership original documentation means a great deal to a high dollar rare model C3, such as a '68 or '69 L88 or '71 LS6. The paper provenance is an extremely important portion of the selling price.
How many collectors do you think would shell out the $500K price for the '71 LS6 ZR2 or the '69 L88 convertible without such paperwork to verify the car, that are currently for sale in Hemmings.
How many collectors do you think would shell out the $500K price for the '71 LS6 ZR2 or the '69 L88 convertible without such paperwork to verify the car, that are currently for sale in Hemmings.
Team Owner
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From: Southbound
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Salisbury Maryland
I gotta add my 2 cents, documents can be forged...really good these days. If documentation adds value, then forgery's/crooks will always be around trying to make a buck. I have to agree, if you have an L-88 with the doc's to back it up, it's probably going to be more valuable. On the other hand, a 350/300HP 4-speed, with or without isn't going to make a heck of a lot of difference.
Numbers matching, documented...caveat emptor. Make of it what you will, but as time goes on I think it'll be less relevant. Just the fact that you have a 70 year old Vette that looks like new will be enough to make a sale I think.
Just yesterday, we went to eat crabs at a friends house. We took the Vette and parked it out front(in a cul-de-sac). After 10 minutes a small crowd with some young kids gathered from the party across the street to admire the muscle car relic of absolute stunning beauty
. It warms my heart that the kids still to this day say......"look...a Corvette".
Numbers matching, documented...caveat emptor. Make of it what you will, but as time goes on I think it'll be less relevant. Just the fact that you have a 70 year old Vette that looks like new will be enough to make a sale I think.
Just yesterday, we went to eat crabs at a friends house. We took the Vette and parked it out front(in a cul-de-sac). After 10 minutes a small crowd with some young kids gathered from the party across the street to admire the muscle car relic of absolute stunning beauty
. It warms my heart that the kids still to this day say......"look...a Corvette".
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2000
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From: Pottsville, PA. USA Home Of America's Oldest Brewery Yuengling