I'm planning on buying a C 3 within the next month. I have been checking the prices in the private ads and the used corvette dealers in the Northeast. The question I have is for the guy's that purchased there car from a dealer, how firm are the prices, do they give at all. Did you pay sticker or did you get them down a few grand. Or did you pay the asking price and had them do some of the needed repairs.....

 

The first thing I'll say is, if you "plan to buy" within a short time frame, you will almost surely buy the wrong car.

Never buy according to the clock.

 

I bought from a dealer that I highly recommend avoiding (Corvette Mike in Anaheim, CA) and can tell you that I got him down from around $36k to around $31k. I can also tell you that the car was very much misrepresented and that I had to spend a good amount of money immediately after getting the car. I learned the hard way to never buy a car w/o inspecting it just because it is coming from a "Corvette Specialized" dealer. If I were to ever buy another one I would definitely buy one from someone privately and also get someone who is an expert for that year vette do a thorough inspection for me. I agree with VetteBuyer that you shouldn't set a time limit on your purchase or you will probably overpay. I looked for quite a while but was looking for something in particular ('69, 4 speed, L46, convertible, PS, PB, factory side pipes and only a few specific colors that I like). If you are more open about what you are looking for then your search will obviously be quicker to find something nice and a good price. Bottom line is I love my car big time now but have a lot more into it than it is worth. I didn't buy it as an investment and hopefully will still have it 17 years from now when my newborn boy gets his license so not that big a deal in the long run but still would rather have bought it at the right price. Best of luck with your search and definitely take advantage of the vast amount of knowledge the folks on this site have and are willing to share to help you with your purchase. I found this site right after I bought my car

 

I would never buy anything used from a dealer...but that is just me. You are trying to win at something where you have no experience and the dealer has lots of experience. The only thing for certain is that a bunch of your money is going to end up in the dealer's pocket. Dealers sell cars that somebody else no longer wanted...and were willing to let it go for less than market value. Think about it. Take your time, look around, find a private seller who loves the car but for whatever reason, is forced to part with it. Bring along an expert and be willing to walk away from the deal. There will always be another one for sale.

 

All good advise so far. Try to take advantage of the experience and knowledge that people on this site have. Be realistic. What is your budget? Leave room for what will need attention after you purchase. What C3 are you looking for? Come back here and post that info here and you will get feedback on whether or not you can find the C3 you want for the money you have to spend. Be open minded. When you find something you like ask questions and take pictures. We love pictures. If you find something your are serious about take someone who knows these cars (an expert) with you to look at it. Be prepared to walk away. Most important try to buy the best car you can afford with the money you have to spend. These cars can be "money pits". Buying "the right car" for you will make for a rewarding and memorable Corvette experience. Good luck in your search.

 

This is a buyers market and there is no shortage of nice C3's available.Take your time,shop around and your patience will pay off.

 

I am another one who is an advocate of buying from a private party. I am not saying that all dealers are crooks and all private sellers are angels but.....

In my experience I have had more problems with dealer deals than private deals. The two most important words here are patience and inspection. Don't be hasty, even if you think you are passing up a good deal that may not be there tomorrow. Unless you are financially well off a Corvette purchase is a pretty hefty expenditure of your funds.

Good luck. When you finally find "that Vette" and buy it let us all see some pics. No one ever gets tired of seeing pictures of Vettes.

 

Best advise I can give is go to some car shows and find the series corvette you like than learn it.
Talk to guys and they'll educate you on good/bad/ugly regarding year,
model changes etc...
If it's a C-3 you desire do you want chrome or no chrome bumpers or both (1973)
Prices will dictate to desireability.
You want to learn the problem areas on the frame, and some of the other achilles heels these unique cars posses.
I keep telling my wife this car was ahead of its time. I do not think she believes me but she finds it entertaining.
If you ask guys at shows most will point out problem areas so you can be aware as a perspective buyer.
Free training is look at as many as you can for free on Craigslist no obligation there if the cars wrong walk away.
Pratice makes perfect.
I took a little longer I guess.
I had my check book out on a red '71 convertible small block w/ air in 1996 at the Carlisle corral. Life got in the way. I passed.
Purchased a '68 BB w/air last year this time frame.
Knowing what I know now it was so worth the wait.
This car is far better than the other one.
Keep plugging away.
Knowledge 1st Looksy second and then prepare to buy.
You will look at a few polished turds before the right car comes along
Marshal

 

MY advice, forget the NCRS numbers matching crap and buy the CAR....that NCRS stuff is not long for the world, because all the guys wanting one as new are either dead or outta the market.....

NCRS is heading the same direction as the Ford V8 guys in the dim past.... NO market....

 

1. Figure out what you intend to DO with the car...personal enjoyment; weekend pleasure; cruises/car shows; NCRS award competitions, etc. You need to know how you intend to use the car to know what to buy...and what NOT to buy.

2. Purchasing from a dealer has several drawbacks: more expensive than from a private owner; prep work is usually limited to "appearance" rather than function; limited actual knowledge about the car and what has already been repaired/replaced. Dealers will "expand" on the truth to make a sale; they are only interested in MONEY--not finding a good home for their "baby".

3. When you look at a potential car, inspect the IMPORTANT things first: condition of frame/birdcage/rust; function of major operating systems--engine/trans/drivetrain/steering/suspension, etc. If that stuff is in good shape, then focus on the "appearance" items...paint, interior, wheels.

4. Take your time.

5. If you have more money than you have sense (lucky you!), spend the bucks to buy a top-notch, ready to go vehicle that has already been restored to a high level. It's a lot easier that way.

 

I don't trust specialized corvette dealers, they are professional / EXPERT ripoff artists. Meaning they can fake /hid/doctor / flaws better than non corvette lots or private people "IN GENERAL" .

Thing is any car before 1972 is just plain hard to prove what it is . There is a lot near me with tons of rebuilt muscle car , non of which have been rebuilt anything like they came from the factory. for example, 69 6cyl Mustang is now a Boss 302 Clone..

I've personally seen 5 65 396 vettes built from junk/wrecked 65 cars all SB's far as I knew , there was so little car even there maybe doors , dash and firewall , all frame off detailed built perfect form repro parts and scratch , non were BB cars , all got restamped engines and all were built for ONE MAN to flip. I suppose he resold them for 100-125K a pop to people who didn't know any better.

I don't trust anybody sellng anything as original in C2 BB or fuelie (not even my mother) , I've seen so many fakes built, so may restamped engines , I've lost track in my mind over the years.

I would buy from an individual before a dealer. Hands down.

C3 prices are dirt cheap IMO, buy a car ALREADY restored looks like new, there are so many people unloading cars that they have invested HUGE money in. Don't buy a junker. Labor and parts will kill you. Get a car that has been loved and cared for and needs to be sold . Owners that are old , sick , and estate sells. that have to be sold for money ASAP.

 

I'm not betting on it. With hyper-inflation setting in and people with money looking for someplace to park it other than gold or silver, rare old vettes may well be a safe bet. The more the mod-squadders keep hacking 'em to pieces...the fewer original, correct and documented cars will be left to bid over. They call it the principal of supply and demand...it determines the market, not any one individual. BTW, there is a big difference between model Ts / Ford V8s and old vettes, in case you haven't noticed.

 

I'd agree with the group about dealers in general and couldn't offer any informed opinion about the market to come and investment parameters, but I will say the advice about PATIENCE, and consideration of what you want to get out of the car (ENJOYMENT, profit, etc) are the most important tid-bits to me.

I looked for years, found a good car at a good price, for something to enjoy and work on.

You will work on it, no matter the initial quality, so plan on some expense beyond the initial investment. And do a search here, from the savy folks on this forum who are kind enough to share their expertise, on THINGS TO LOOK FOR. It'll include birdcage rust issues and other sound advice.

I'd also recommend searching the vettes for sale here... As I'm not selling one, I feel I can recommend that with a clear conscience, with no conflict of interest.

Also as stated above take an EXPERT with you. There may even be a member here who lives near enough to you who will volunteer his time. This forum is a great resource and mechanism to help you with your search.

Good luck... and if you have the patience, you'll enjoy the chase.

 

You're entitled to your opinion, but the OP mentioned nothing about the NCRS. The OP asked about purchasing a car from a dealer.

Have another cup of coffee and get your blood pressure back down.

 

dealers are not so bad, they serve their purpose, there are nightmare sales from the private sector too.

look at ebay, even the private sales prices are somewhat hyper inflated also. How many do not meet reserve?

usually you will save money from a private sale, but if you have been looking and find your car that you want from a dealer, spend the extra couple of K for it.

corvettes are not everywhere.. currently there are 237 c3 cars on ebay, 73 have manual transmissions, and 20 are convertibles. half are rusted out, another quarter might have original engines.. It all depends on your requirements.

buy on the basis of condition, if you find what you want and in great condition, then it is worth the extra couple of grand no matter who you buy it from.

even from the private sector there are sellers trying to flip cars that have had 20 different owners. knowledge and doc from these cars are pretty much non-existent also.. just like a dealer.

dealer horror stories are usually from rookie mistakes of not researching the car.. there are rarely complaints about paying too much for the car..

do your homework, buy the best car you can afford, know your requirements...

 

All great advise here.As previously stated you MUST set a budget first and then decide what years you are interested in.Then its as much re-search as you possible can do on the years in question lots of great info here and vendors sell some great books on numbers and codes.I was lucky in knowing the years that I would be able to afford and the approximate value before I started.I spent three months looking mostly online at first,several hours a day.Always get as much of a history as possible both times I have bought c-3s 20 years apart I was overwhelmed with the amount of previous history the private seller was able to provide...oh and I never really ever considered a dealer.Cheers and good luck with your search.

 

I recently purchased a very nice C3 1979 from a dealer and I reckon they did a good job. Was a consignment car but the service was good.

 

I`ve been looking since July of this year and have found
dishonesty on both sides of the fences.

Finally found a nice one in Az that a forum member
checked out for me.

A ploy that i`ve used is to tell them that a NCRS
judge is coming to look at the car, all of the sudden
you think there talking about a different car.

OH I paid $21.5k shipping included to N.C

`72 coupe white-red 350 base , 4spd, p/s p/b
rebuilt engine with break in oil still in her.
rebuilt trans.
new windshield
weather-stripping
and I could go on---

May seem high to some, but hell summers
almost over-

 

Really ......

 

Buying any old car is a risk to an extent - dealer or private party. Take your time, research, research, research for knowledge of the car type your interested in. Knowledge is the best tool for anything you want to buy - car or not.

Bottom line after all of that - buy something you want and have fun! If you're happy with the deal it's a good day.

Adam