So I'm finishing up a few final things on my 75 (replaced the driver door glass, put sound deadener in the doors, final touches on the removable rear window, etc) and GETTING HER READY TO SELL.

I hated to say that so I had to cap scream it. And as much as I hate to say it, as much as I've enjoyed the car (the driving and the wrenching), it is time. I'll be jumping ship to the C5's in June and need to move this old C3 to make it happen exactly how I'd like.

My question for the expert panel is how quickly did your vette sell? (Assuming of course a good many of you have sold at least one vette) -- I plan on advertising it here, craigslist, autotrader, and in hemmings... I'm a little leary though of putting it up for sale and having to wait a while for it to move. That's not a horrible thing or anything-- I'd get to drive it more-- but I am wondering about your experiences. How long did it take and how did you advertise the sale... what worked best for you?

As always thanks for the time and info.

 

Sorry, we don't sell good c3's.
We drive until one of the following occurs:
1- we die
2- it burns to the ground
3) it's stolen
4) it's rear ended by sone teenager while texting

 

What are you asking for it? Put up some better pics

Making a quality video (no music or talking!) with engine sounds, add that link to your ad will help a LOT.

Find a REALISTIC price (may be less than we all think), if the phone isnt ringing in a few weeks keep dropping it. There are still lots out there with cash but they are married to a search function and are deal hunting so price accordingly.

Problem is there are a lot of "lost job" fire/divorce sales that will lower the overall price. Is what it is....but if youre done you know it dump the thing and go get happy again. Sucks when the flame goes out sometimes it just does.

Going through that with mine now...havent even put 200 mi on it after a 10 yr frame off and owned since 95, incredible machine and just dont have that spark like I did, getting old I think has something to do with it. Not sure what happened LOL

 

Of the two C3's I've sold in the past, they both went pretty quickly. The 76 I ran thru a local auction that was taking place at a well known collectors dealership. It didn't sell at the auction, but I was followed off the grounds and was made an offer and took it. The 73 I had on Craigslist for maybe a week, by the next weekend it was on someone else's trailer.

It really all depends on what you are asking for yours. If you aren't in a hurry, price it high and see if anyone bites, if it needs to go quick, then it becomes a fire sale. If you want to play the auction game, put it on Ebay and see where it goes.

Good Luck

 

The lower the price is, the quicker it will sell. If you have it priced between 5k-9k itll sell in a few weeks. If you have it priced between 10k-12k it will sell in a few months. If you think you can get more than 12k, It will be for sale for a long time.

 

Thanks for the replies, gang!

I haven't posted more pics or a price yet, since this was just a query post. ANd I want the car to be absolutely right before I post a sale ad here on the Forum or anywhere else. I guess I was just wondering how patient I need to be.

We've probably all read the magazines and valuation tool listings on these cars which say it's worth between $10,500 and $13,500 in condition 3, which this is. Vette magazine actually had it range up as high as 16. Honestly, I'll probably set it at about $12,000-$12,500, knowing how people like to haggle. I'm not in hurry, won't take much less, and like I said, I get to drive it until it sells.

By the way, I haven't lost the fire, at all. I love the car and will get a C3 project to work on when I'm not driving the C5... I just decided a chrome bumper convertible, and an 02-04 Electron blue or Lemans blue vert or coupe is for me and this one will bring some smiles to someone else.





As soon as this one is completely dialed in, I'll be doing some shopping.

Thanks again, guys.

 

I bought a C5. Black 99 convertible. Nice car. But soon realized it was just another sports car. Sold it and went back to a C3. I had some electrical problems with it. But it was a good car, just not a Corvette. You look at a C3 and you know what it is.

 

Probably depends more on your motivation and the quality of the car than anything else. If it's in good shape and you want to move it quickly, try eBay. Want to get top dollar and have an infinite amount of patience, try Craigslist or worse yet, here on the forum

Took me a while to sell my 81. It was not in great shape and in CA, it was a smog car so couldn't be legally modified. I did finally sell it on eBay. My previous Vette sold while on the truck being delivered to me. Never saw it in person but was contacted by someone that arrived to buy it after I already had.

 

Is it a manual?

 

A couple of quick points.
Your avatar lists you as being in MI.
If this car has spent its entire life up north, most people will expect frame rust issues. If it is not a rust bucket underneath, you need to show in good pics that it is not.
Being a fellow 75 owner, I also know that the 75 was one of the most produced C3 vettes but also the lowest HP model.
So nothing really special about it.
The only 75 that might be special is the convertible with a 4 spd.
Someone asked if this was manual or auto....that is important.
Also....although not quite a "collectible" car, you do not mention whether this is a numbers matching vehicle.
If you are going for a sale based on low mileage, excellent condition and numbers matching....then maybe $12K is realistic.
But if there are some "issues" and it is a high mileage northern car, then under $10K is probably more realistic.
More pics here would help us give you better feedback.

Last vette I sold was a C4 to a trader in Sweden who paid $10K for it.
Sold it on ebay. In fact I have sold several vehicles and RVs on ebay so I would try there. Craig's list is good for local sales. Autotrader is mainly an advertising tool for dealers. They put a bait car on there to get you to come see them.

Good luck with your sale.
Enjoy driving it but remember also this is selling season. If you still have it in the Fall it will be next Spring (tax season) before it sells.

 

This is a fun one,

With the wonderful Internet sellers can get their ads out to the world and buyers can see what's out there and in that it's a buyers market if you are lucky enough to find that buyer.

For a cat who has owned too many vettes and other cars I really hate buying and selling cars, I do not like to haggle I don't dig the attitudes many buyers and sellers get when it's hammer time.

In your case you have to face the hurdle the way it is, how many buyers are in the market for a silver 75?
Of that how many want a ncrs dream car, is yours that? how many will take convertible only and or 4 speed only, unless a person just has some affection to a specific year any 74-77 is in that persons market sights.

I see lots of ads for some real junk over priced that if it was priced fair I wouldn't have called it junk,
In fact I have also noticed that about 90% of the people here think their c3 is worth far more than it is or what anyone would pay in a hurry.
So I find the key to getting something sold is keep the price fair and competitive.

You will have to deal with the "corvette people" the ones who actually are savvy and the ones who are not, and the others the dreamers and the know it alls, all are big old pains in the backside when you are the seller and they are beating up the car trying to get it for 2/3's it's going rate.

I do not put much into the "value books" I find looking around the net at cars their asking prices and which ones vanish and which ones sit for months and years unsold to find my gauge for worth and value, so look around all the places you want to post yours and see what others are listed for and what they sell for.

I simply do not know enough about your car to start tossing "worth" or prices at you but what I do know is for a 74-77 to make it over that 10K hurdle it has to be pretty nice and or have something going for it to set it apart from the zillions of others people have to chose from, just like you it seems the big gold ring in the c3 world is a chromie.

So your question how fast will it sell really depends on you, do you want a fast nickel or a long dime, can you buy what you want and keep this car for sale or does this need to go before something else comes home, in that perhaps at some point you will get in a hurry to sell.
( perhaps swap for a chromie project )

And hey, this thread just tossed bread on the water, perhaps someone will hit you a PM with 12K in hand....

 

More pics more info the better
Underside shot recommendation will help you
Youtube walkaround vid without music or talking, start engine etc big plus

Be realistic on $ and it will be gone

Miles, paint & brake condition, AC, electronics, rearend ratio, front/rear end rebuilt or not?

All good stuff to list with condition to aid in your sale

Too many sellers leave it out and write a fluff ad with the usual "be the first, dont miss, very rare extra special buy a 1 of xx dream stuff" that really turns people off .

Ditto, any saavy buyer will see" book" and offer less as times arent great out there. Most mid-late C3 buyers want a vette but get them as a bumper car may be over theie means, same with buying a C4. Affordable sports car

Same ol thing represent it real good upfront potential buyers get comfy and part with the coin esp a guy that may have it shipped sees "enough".

 

Thanks for the continued feedback -- the more the better.

Everyone probably thinks they have a great car... I think I do. It runs perfectly. The clock doesn't work, of course, and the factory air isn't hooked up, but everything else is dialed in. I'll have a ton more pics -- including underside -- in the sale post.

I'll include a few here, as well. Though it is a Michigan car, it's been babied. Automatic, 120000 clicks, but it doesn't show. It's a 10 footer for paint, removeable rear window, new seats and new carpet, new exhaust, fan, thermostat, hoses, power break booster, cross-drilled slotted rotors, and new calipers. Solid car.

 

Looks pampered........

GLWS

 

okay...looks pretty darn sweet, I do not see a belt on the AC that will hurt some, seems too many times ac is not working, like the other fellow was saying about what not to say in the ad also not use terms like "easy fix" "wont last long" "rare" I dig ads that list the pros and cons but do not be too self serving on pros.

And I would think very seriously about loosing the flex fan and sticking a stock fan back on, you might wing it and do it for free, but some people I am one really hate flex fans,

From what I see from the pix and in the price range you desire I would suspect if the rust check passes you will sell her rather quickly.....

 

Thanks Bats! I've always appreciated your opinions and feedback. I want to make the buyer a happy man (or lady) and give them a good honest car to enjoy. I'm not out to turn a big buck, but I would like to put the proceeds toward the next project.... And maybe toward the exactly right c5. I'm going to do a VR1 oil change this weekend, then you'll see her in the sales section.

Any advice on where to advertise?(in addition to here for sure)

 

VR1 excellent choice for flat tappet motor imo

What were you asking op

LOVE that silver on the mid-late C3s, classy.

Girlfriend lost one in her divorce, bought it herself when she was young.
Sure love to be able to replace it one day as a surprise but asking prices are shooting up faster than I can put it togehter. Problem is finding something liveable that doesnt have a "very rare" pricetag attached

Long as the AC stuff is there probably Ok. Most know older cars compressors probably are shot. Its the "just needs freon" ads that make me . Ok then add it.

GLWS OP cool ride

 

CL is a dirt flea market full of nit picking day dreaming tire kickers who will act like they are the vette guru and you are a dolt...you have to have stamina to list it there.

I would post it to ebay, it gets it seen basically by the entire world, you will likely get a buyer from ebay but deal off ebay, it's just how that goes, I bought my current 69 from ebay, I had gotten down stopped looking wife found it I jumped a modded 69 convertible no reserve, bidding in the 4's going up fast, I called the guy late 1030 or 1100 and he was cool with it, he said what he wanted I said what I would pay he took it ended the auction.

I actually find your asking price very fair after hunting around last night a little.



I wouldn't sweat it too much ( pun intended ) but actually with older cars when the ac isn't working or even hooked up it's due to more than needing a belt, recharge or dryer,
Easy fixes are fixed.
It's more a dickering tool, in my case IF I was looking at another c3 and in my price range the ac likely wouldn't work, I really wouldn't care, knock a few hundred off and I will install a modern better working vintage AC kit.