I'm thinking about buying my 3rd vette. It's a 1980 with a little less than 100,000 miles. Since i am new to the C3 world (prev owned 92 and 03) I was hoping you guys will help me out and let me know if $10,000 is too much to pay. It's in great shape. Also, do you think the value of these late model C3's will climb in the near future? Thanks...

 

Welcome to the "Dark Side". I'm on my second '80. The first one I purchased brand new off of the dealer's lot. The second is presently undergoing a body-off resto mod. I love the look of the '80-'82 Vette. The cars are also great cruisers. With that said, it pains me to admit that the '80 will not appreciate in value in our lifetime. At least not significantly. Please don't think that a late model C3 will be an investment. I wish they were because I'll sink $30G's into my '80 (purchase price and restoration) and there's no way I'll ever recover my cost. As for the price of the car, you haven't supplied enough photos to effectively gauge the condition of the car. One thing to remember, always be leery of a seller that claims low milage. I'm not saying the car you're looking at isn't a low milage car (photos of the car's condition will determine that), but the odometer on a C3 goes to 99,999 miles then it turns itself over. An odometer that reads 77,000 miles could in fact have 177,000 miles. Something to consider.

 

I do not expect my '80 to rise in value to any great degree (but that's not why I purchased it). I love the 80-82s, and although you may hear from many of the chrome bumper crowd that they are not worth anywhere near 10K, in my part of the world decent examples sell for 8-12k on a regular basis.

 

So, only the "chrome bumper crowd" value 1980s this way?

Just owners of 68-72 cars feel the need to devalue 1980 cars... why?

I hadn't realized those owners had some sort of private agenda.

 

Hey...I own a 69 but pretty please don't put in any "crowd"....and my bumpers will be fiberglass.

The simple fact is no c3 is going to be the big old investment windfall some people wish or fantasize they are or will be...( rare cars withstanding )
Never buy a c3 thinking it's an investment, buy it as a car to drive and have fun with.

In my part of the world 80-82's fetch prices directly in relation to condition.
Unless really low miles and a trailer queen or close the 80-82's do not fetch really tall stacks of toad pelts...no c3 does, unless rare ( not really any uber rare 80-82's ) or really nice, "nice" can be really ncrs dreamy stock or modded in the right ways.

I also owned two 81's ( almost an 80 lol ) wonderful "drivers" I put over 100K on one and restored it, stock they are not hi po but still a "vette".

For an 80 to be worth 10K in my opinion it would have to be rather low miles OR nicely restored, ( to me fully restored is a new car or better ) bone stock or modded, in other words no excuses about little things like a power window or the AC not working,
It would have to look very nice in and out, run and drive pretty much without flaws, well no great big flaws,

If I saw things like worn paint, worn interior, worn suspension parts crappy done mods all that would start the price dropping for me, and sadly it takes a lot to make a 8-10K 80-82 for me and I see far more 2-6K 80-82's.

Bummer...I just fell in with the chrome bumper crowd.

 

Its really is too bad that C-3s dont go up much in value. But I can't help but think that a big reason for that has nothing to do with the car itself.

 

Off hand, $10K does not seem unreasonable, but you have not provided very much information about the car. Is it original? One owner? Documentation? LG4? Factory options?

If you are purchasing for investment purposes, you are buying for the wrong reason.

 

I didn't say ONLY the chrome bumpers crowd may value an 80-82 that way. I didn't say ALL those who own a chrome bumper will feel that way. I said may and many. These statements are easily backed by comments I've read on the forum regarding the later C3s numerous times.

I also stated the realistic opinion that my '80 is unlikely to rise in value to any significant degree, and then provided a range of prices I often see in my area (as with any older car the range is primarily based on condition). I love all the C3s and hope to add a chrome bumper to my garage one day. Darn guys... Of all the heated rhetoric I've seen on the forum I didn't feel my comments were all that inflammatory!

 

I found this thread so far to confirm things I thought I knew. I'm interested in a '78-82 for an affordable fun driver, I'm not thinking resale value. Again I'm of the generation that "Vette" first conjures up images of c3 in the mind. I don't need an investment grade chrome bumper car.

 

I've never really thought of the '80-'82 models as collectors, but more as starting templates. They made so damned many during that time, even in manual (5000+ units does not a collector car make, in my opinion). I'd pay ~$8k-~$12k for a stock vehicle depending on condition. People asking more than that are either crazy or just doing it because their wife is making them put it up for sale, in my opinion. I've seen too many good condition crate-engined/restomoded '80-'82s in the ~$12k-~$20k region via searchtempest to even consider a bonestock model at that price.

 

Thanks for all the info guys. It will help me with my decision. I am not buying the car as an investment, only to drive and have fun. I really like all the C3's with or without chrome bumpers. I will post more pictures if I decide to buy. Thanks again.....

 

Your comment wasn't imho inflammatory ( I got a chuckle ) unless a person is hunting something to flame about, hence why I tried to make a joke about it in my reply,
Without getting into specifics I fully understand why you or someone might feel the way you do, I wish c3 owners would come together not try to divide.

And on the other side of it 10K will buy a hell of a lot of really nice 80-82 but 10K doesn't get a person much with a 68-72 and I have no clue why...seriously I don't get it.
I see nothing that makes a 68-72 or any year c3 a "better" corvette than any other c3.

In my case while I do have a 69 it wasn't because I just had to have a chrome bumper car in fact the bumpers had little to do with it, I plan to run fiberglass replicas of the chrome one,
But I wanted a convertible that was a must, and don't laugh too hard I wanted a wiper door...then my budget.

I came really close to buying a 75 convertible with a 502 but it had other issues I didn't dig, My wife actually found our 69 on ebay and it was one of those odd times when things lined up and I got my 69 convertible cheap and I mean c3 cheap not some specific year cheap.
It was what I wanted not "better".

If someone can give me a good reason ( not biased opinion ) why would any one year c3 be better than another I would like to hear it.
and things like more HP do not count in this for me because more hp can and is added to any year c3.

 

WarrenG,
I bought my 81 with 28'000 miles in good condition for $10,500 back in 2009. It needed just a small amount of body repair for a small guoge on the fender. If your car is in very good condition I'd say your in the ballpark, but the mileage may afford you to knock the price down a $1,000 or so.

 

I look at appreciation this way. The page I'm looking at lists the 80 as $13K without options.

If you bought one for 10K that's not too bad. It's not like you bought a brand new C6 and 4 years later it's worth 1/2 that.

My 1969 shows $4,438 new. I paid $36K for it a few years ago. If that was the original owner I bought it from thats really good. BTW I didn't buy it from the original.

 

I too am from the generation where a "Corvette" is a C3. I wanted the 80-82 body style because that was what was new as I was entering and graduating high school, loved the way the spoilers are integrated, and certainly not because I ever expected to own it as an investment. I was raised a Ford/Mustang guy but did decide that not "everybody" can own a Corvette. I do believe IMHO that the general perception of the "chrome bumper" cars by those, especially outside the hobby, is that they are still considered "Muscle Cars" on par with those of the 60s, and especially while a big block was still available. I believe most people consider the rubber bumper cars to be victims of CAFE and the fuel crisis when "factory performance" was beginning to ebb. I DO NOT think 1 is any better than the other. They are all a money pit, LOL!

 

I don't think they were inflammatory. My point was, you only referenced many of the "chrome bumper crowd" who might make these statements.

I would argue that Ive heard similar statements from all sorts of Corvette year owners, including 73-79 and even 80-82 owners. Singling out just (some of) the chrome bumper crowd needed a clariification, IMO.

Still, everyone has their right to their opinions. I love 80-82 cars, have had a few, and I think their values are very specific to the details of each car.

 

It makes me sad to think that the 73 is lumped in with the rubber cars It's not a chrome bumper car, it's not a rubber bumper car. It's a misfit. Oh well what ever category were in I think 10k is too much for an 80. jmo