C4 General Discussion General C4 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech

Why Such Low Value ?

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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 12:07 PM
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Default Why Such Low Value ?

Looking at C4 prices they are always rock bottom. And these references come from the forum .. Vette owners members and prospective owners seem to think any C4 over $9K is rediculous.
My 93 Ruby Vert has been restored to factory specs,and is like new,internally and externally. As all my other Vettes. I am a detail freak who insists they be perfect. No repair, REPLACE it new,don,t care what the cost is. I posted it for sale once here and caught hell so i retracted the sale. What,s a decent price for a 93 Ruby Vert fully restored in excellent condition.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 12:25 PM
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Personally I would not post a C4, or for that matter any Cx here for sale. It is too brutal.

Advertise it locally maybe something like autotrader. Probably look up the value on NADA and KBB, if it is that perfect start at the highest price maybe bump it a little and negotiate from there.

I've been told my 93 is not worth more than 6500. I would consider letting it rot in the garage before it goes for 6500.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 12:26 PM
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A few thoughts:

1. more than 350,000 C4's were built; these are not rare cars

2. the Corvette has always been considered a performance car, the 40th anniv Ruby (a great looking car) was an appearance package, not a performance pkg

3. restorations always cost more than they're worth.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking your belief of replace, don't repair, but the general rule is buying a restoration is always cheaper than paying for a restoration. I don't know what you were asking when you listed the car for sale so I can't comment on your price, but I would guess your car would sell for somewhere in the 12- 18k range depending on mileage.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 12:34 PM
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My take on it??

The C4 is under appreciated at the current moment.

The C5s are still considered current and desirable.

The Stingray is now a classic. Its tough to find a Stingray worth anything for less than $12K.

The C4 is neither........It's just timing nothing else.

of course this is the reason I am trying to buy a C4......as I always buy fixer uppers at the Bottom. that way there is no chance of making a mistake.

Your unfortunate situation places you as a seller in a Buyers market.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 12:53 PM
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Default You Guys Are Right.

I not posting in hopes for sale or bites. I learned my lesson months ago and would never again offer any vette for sale here. I retracted the sale offer due to interference by others that had no interest but to bash and flame. My post was out of curiosity about price which i feel are generaly just too low. I appreciate any opinions on my request for consensus on this subject..Personaly i feel that the prices are too low.

Last edited by AA2PR; Jun 9, 2006 at 12:57 PM.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 12:58 PM
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Mine is not for sale and probably will never be. 95 Torch Red Vert in very good condition. It has its flaws, but what 10 year old car doesn't that gets driven (65k).

Vettes like mine are going for between 17 and 18k around here for verts and a few k less for coupes. This is just not the time to sell, gotta hold onto it for about another 10 years.

Still, I'm out looking for a 75 vert to put next to the 95 and 05.

Randy
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 12:58 PM
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I do that same thing you do as well, all parts are replaced with new OEM parts only. Many times in advance of a failure, I also look at lifecycles.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, sadly you learned your lesson about the forum. There is even a sticky posted about exactly what happened to you, and members are not suppose to do that, but they still do.

Just use equally effective sales tools and the right buyer will be there.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 01:03 PM
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I've come to find that if you're selling a vehicle like a Corvette, you're going to find that you'll get a better price from less knowledgeable people. A forum like this probably isn't the best place to sell if you're looking for top dollar because most people on this board know too much already, or are in the process of learning and will ask opinions of those with more experience.

NADA guides, for my locale, shows a 25th Annv. Conv. in excellent condition to have a value of $27,800.00. Didn't even ask for the mileage. So you can go by that if you'd like. But I agree, you'll get better bites with Autotrader or Cars.com than on a forum.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 01:20 PM
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The car is worth what you can get for it. You decide what its worth to you to sell it. List it locally and/or nationally and see what happens. Location is everything I just sold a 94 cpe for 12.900 without even advertising it. I called a person I knew in the local vette club and he knew someone looking for one. West coast cars seem to sell at a higher value also. Good luck...
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by chuckgrill
NADA guides, for my locale, shows a Th Annv. Conv. in excellent condition to have a value of $27,800.00. Didn't even ask for the mileage. So you can go by that if you'd like. But I agree, you'll get better bites with Autotrader or Cars.com than on a forum.
When I bought my 93 Ruby car last fall I went to 2 different credit unions to find out what they would lend to buy the car, some reference to value? The first credit union told me $10,000 and the other said $20,000. I guess it depends on what book you look at. To me the Ruby cars, with less than 7,000 produced should command a higher price sooner or later. I too think that some people on this forum feel these cars should carry the same price tag as a camaro.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 01:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Jet-Jock
Personally I would not post a C4, or for that matter any Cx here for sale. It is too brutal.

Advertise it locally maybe something like autotrader. Probably look up the value on NADA and KBB, if it is that perfect start at the highest price maybe bump it a little and negotiate from there.

I've been told my 93 is not worth more than 6500. I would consider letting it rot in the garage before it goes for 6500.
I fully agree with this observation. And I'll add another one: there are so many Corvettes in Florida, which has to have a deflationary effect on the value of Corvettes, at least in that state.

If it were me, I might try it locally, but then I'd switch to something else. I'd also be very detailed, just as you were in your first post, about how you've taken care/maintained the car. Not many are kept that way. I would bet you could count the number of owners you personally know who keep their car your way on one hand. There is a buyer out there for a very particular maintained car. You just have to find him/her.

Good luck.

Oh and the something else I mentioned above is the same detailed description on autotrader.com and cars.com. It'll cost you, but you'll get it read. And if it doesn't sell then, you know your price is just not inline with market reality. Then you have a choice: permanently withdraw it from sale, lower your price, or leave it on until it sells at some price, sometime.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 02:25 PM
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The early C4s are now at or near what is probably the bottom of the typical Corvette depreciation curve. The late C4s are probably not far behind them. What you're seeing is normal, but don't go thinking your Ruby is only worth $9k, just because somebody said it is. Condition and miles are huge factors. For a more realistic valuation of your car, consult the Cars of Particular Interest guide (CPI).

Be well,

SJW
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 03:44 PM
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Originally Posted by SJW
The early C4s are now at or near what is probably the bottom of the typical Corvette depreciation curve. The late C4s are probably not far behind them. What you're seeing is normal, but don't go thinking your Ruby is only worth $9k, just because somebody said it is. Condition and miles are huge factors. For a more realistic valuation of your car, consult the Cars of Particular Interest guide (CPI).

Be well,

SJW


Eric Lawrence, the Editor of the CPI Price Guide contributed to the price guide in the newest issue of http://www.corvetteenthusiast.com and the prices are certainly not 9k for your ruby!


Good luck

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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 03:47 PM
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When I bought my 93 Ruby car last fall I went to 2 different credit unions to find out what they would lend to buy the car, some reference to value? The first credit union told me $10,000 and the other said $20,000.
Wow, that IS weird. I was looking at a 25th anniv. coupe last year and my CU told me they'd give me 80% of the value of the car. And they always use the highest value.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 04:05 PM
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That's what I mean, 2 different credit Unions gave me 2 different values
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 04:26 PM
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It seems to me that many people think the corvette is only worth the price of the average corvette that has not been maintained.
Most of the cars I have seen for sale cheap have many issues.
Corvettes are expensive to maintain.
If yours is in great shape then it is worth more.
It may take longer to find the right person who wants a car in great shape and is willing to spend the extra money.
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 05:07 PM
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Model rarity or desireability, odometer miles, condition and previous history all greatly affect prices and value. C4s can commonly be found from $2500 for a fixer 84 to $40,000 for a Grand Sport convertible. Choose wisely and you will have a car that you can enjoy which will be possible to resell quickly when the time comes..
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 05:43 PM
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Originally Posted by AA2PR
Looking at C4 prices they are always rock bottom. And these references come from the forum ..
That's because forum members are no longer awed by the mystique of the Corvette. Forum members can better gauge the true value of a Corvette. Forum members have seen hundreds of Corvettes bought and sold and have a good idea of the true worth of any particular car.
We've seen too many $2500 C4's that were in decent shape, too many mid-mile/excellent shape LT4's that sold for $15k, too many really clean 6MN '92's that sold for $6k, etc. to be impressed by a $23K '93Ruby. Forum members are not impressed (usually) by low miles, forum members know that low miles is no guarantee of anything. Forum members know there are deals out there if you are patient. We've seen 'em.
That's why you'll never sell high to a forum member. They are too knowledgeable.

Larry
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 06:43 PM
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Larry is right, dont take your for sale post to heart. I sold mine pretty cheap so it went fast, hate tire kickers. And Im no different than anyone else, I wont buy a car unless I get a screamin deal on it.
I wont lo-ball anyone but I will let them know what Id be wiling to part with if asked, other wise Ill pass unless its just that nice of a car, then all bets are off, gotta pay the money.
THese cars sometimes need to wait for the right buyer, but IMO they need to be seen in person.
A vette that shows well will go quick!
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Old Jun 9, 2006 | 06:49 PM
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It depends on where you live here in the PRC Corvettes are pricey.
A local dealer has 91 convrt with low miles for $19k.
A 91 in good shape here averages $10+

93's average $12k+

96's are $15k +

On the low end fixers are $5,500+

All it takes is one buyer that wants your car.
Corvettes in general are a tough sell, nobody really needs one.

Never try to sell a Corvette on a Corvette web-site. All you'll get is bs.
Good luck with your sell. The local paper is good, plus autotrader and Corvette Trader.
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