Thank you to everyone in the past for helping me build up my 1976 and then again dealing with all the issues when it was totalled. (formerly RedBarron76)

I took the money $12,500 and didn't buy back the car although I am still not sure that I made the right decision there. :(

I have decided to stay in the C3 family and am searching for a chrome bumper C3 that will be with me for years (hopefully longer than the 2 years I had my last one) :cry :cry

Here is my issue,
1. If I save over the next few months and get a kind pity gift from my father (who is living the corvette life vicariously through me ) then I can get something for about $16,000. But I wouldn't have a dime to spend on it to fix things up.

2. If I get something soon, I will have about $13,000 but my father may not be willing to help and it will probably need work. I may be able to convince him to help with a paint job, but that's probably it.

3. Get something anytime for 6-8K and spend the difference fixing things up and repainting (most likely needed in this price range) but very unlikely to get assistance from dad.

So what do you guys think? I know everyone says to get the best you can afford, but do the advantages of customizing it a little and getting new paint supercede those when talking about a car for less than $16,000???

Please give me advice as I keep wavering and am tired of alternating between 16000$ cars and $8000.

Thanks in advance.
Mike

 

I would wait (yeah, right :D "I" never can wait :( ).... until you save for the "right" one. If you spend x dollars now on one needing work or paing, pretty soon you might be at the dollar figure where you could've bought a unit in prime quality! A lot of us, (INCLUDING ME! :mad ) fall into the , "buy a car, spend some money on it, make it nice". But when you are done you have spent more than what you could've picked up a nice jewel for. A lot of will power to make, in my opinion, the right choice - wait! Glad it is you and not me :D :D

 

c5 prices are dropping due to the soft economy etc.
a 97 has a wholesale value now at 22k.

will c3 prices decline? i don't know, but watch for a low price newer car, along wth the c3 quest.

 

You won’t lose money on a chrome bumper C3 in the long run… and they look :cool:er.

Your 16K is very close to the price I will ask for when I am finished with the chassis resto… just thought I’d throw that in there. :rolleyes:

 

I do like the idea of a newer vette for driving, but this is a third car and really a toy for me. I don't intend it to be a weekend driver, but want it relatively reliable. Both I and my wife like the look of the chrome bumper C3, but she could care less I think, as long as I am happy :cool:

I definitely am not into the NCRS thing and would prefer to be able to modify it without feeling bad about ruining a #s matching car.

How much do you think that a paint job will cost on a solid body with old paint (relatively little body work)?

 

2.7 - 3.5K

 

Thanks Banshee... nice and succinct :D

 

If I where in your shoes I would take a close look at this one. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=148505

 

my paint job is running me 2,500...begining to end with major body work. apparently it depends on where you live....cus everyone on here thinks that price is really low...and this guy does very close to show quality.

But I guess I'll know in a month or so how well the car looks.

Daniel

 

The best advice I have ever heard is this:

Decide on what you want and don't settle for less. Keep looking until you find the vette you want. If you buy something just because it's close and you're tired of looking, you'll likely be unhappy with it in less than a year.

Who wants to be stuck with a vehicle they're unhappy with?