From time to time the value of our beloved C4's is up for discussion, and for the most part people would agree that the C4 is not in the appreciation cycle of values. In other words it has to compete against all other used cars for sale. Forget for the moment about any of your personal preference for the C4 style etc., think like a regular consumer who is out car shopping. With C4's a likely competitor is simply a C5, and there are definitely some good deals on C5's out there.

I'm in San Antonio now, so for fun I cruised Craigslist to see what popped up. How about http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/1726773912.html He will be selling it for less, his ad is not price firm, it leaves offers open. So against a 75k mile '87 priced firmly at $11k let's try to think like a regular Corvette shopping consumer: for maybe another $3k or so he gets a 14 year old newer car with 20k less miles - that rides smoother, is easier to get in and out of, and has more passenger and cargo space. Then it becomes a relative value question for most buyers - and for most buyers the value in this car far exceeds the likely ~ $3k bump in transaction price.

Dropping the fictional '87 down several thousand dollars, then the relative value scale starts to make the C4 worth another look. Like it or not (depends on if you are the buyer or seller), its just the market place in action that has made the C4 the performance car bargain.

Thomas

 

Yawn...anyone who buys a car just for resale value needs to have their head examine. Personally, I think C5's will have awful resale value over time because it was the one Corvette were GM felt getting 2 sets of golf clubs in the back was considered a feature if you get what I'm saying.

 

Maybe I am just jealous of the people who can afford to do so, but for the life of me, I can't understand why someone would buy a Corvette and NOT drive it? Some cite the reason as being the high cost of maintenance and repairs. Well, duh! Its a Corvette! If you can't afford to drive it, then maybe you made a poor choice. It is going to go down in value whether you drive it or not, so why not drive it? I mean. that's why you bought the car, right? Actually, as many here have found out, letting the car sit without being driven just allows more time for the "gremlins" to attack things like the intake manifold seals which is a major PITA to fix on an L98.

Maybe I am just jealous because I can not afford any "garage queens" to just sit and look pretty. My '91 coupé is my daily driver most of the year and I wouldn't have it any other way! Hopefully the resale value will be an issue for my heirs to worry about!

[/rant] off

 

Ok I am sure I will get a few laughs on this one and be called a dreamer , but to me it seems unlike OTHER cars when a Corvette reaches the 25 year mark something happends. The low ball price seems to get stable then actually goes up. Take the C3. About seven or eight years ago you could had most for $5000. I am talking 76 -79 and not mint cars but ones that were in orginal shape with the usual 100,000 plus miles. I know because I was shopping and let go of a 76 with fair paint and in need of mufflers for 5 grand. That same car today will sell for close to 10K.What I think happens is people of certain ERAs remember the Corvette of their dreams. The 13 year old in Jr. High remembers that 76. Now he is 20 plus has a job loves cars and still remembers that Corvette His teacher or the guy next door owned. So he wants one. He is willing to pay for it knowing he will have to dump money into it is not a issue. It was always his dream. I have a 84 Corvette which I take to shows. I can remember this one girl standing and looking at that car for 15 or so minutes. Why? Its the dreaded Crossfire most of you guys hate.. Its the one that rides like a buckboard and is suppose to go on fire any minute. Yet I will catch people looking, reading the old articles I display. Why? They have a certain feel for that car. It must have had a impact or memory in their life that relates to them. Early C4s bottomed out about 4 yeas ago. Now prices are up. C5s prices are falling. Why is that? I believe the C4 will become more valuable then C5s in time. I have read of MANY C5 owners who own both cars claiming they loved their C4 more becuase the C5 unlike other previous Corvettes felt to much like a regular car. Think about it C1,2,3 and 4s. Something was very in your face about each. Seems Chevrolet made the new Cs better, but may have lost something only the older ones can give you. Thats this dreamers opnion anyway.

 

 

I don't know boys....I've gotten to the point in my life where resale value and potential for appreciation just don't blow my dress up, I bought the damn thing to enjoy and so far have done so.

Ain't that what we all work for ?

later, tiny

 

I got the car so I could enjoy driving it, not just looking at it. I made sure to find a car that had been driven the first 14 years of it's life, yet taken care of like a garage queen. I plan to treat it the same way.
When I'm done with it, my sister and her son can pry it out of my cold dead hands and continue the enjoyment.

 

Unless you are talking serious money, the whole idea is pointless to me.
My dad bought an 86' years ago thinking it would go up in value, of course if he would have to sell it he would lose over more than half of what he paid at the time.

I always remind him when he gets big ideas, how well the 86' investment is paying off.

 

I bought my LT4 last year without regard to future resale value. I wanted a car that was in fairly pristine shape, knowing it would be a sort of "rolling restoration" over the years. I liked the look of the C4 over the C5, and the rarity of the LT4 motor held an appeal to me. It was just a little bit unique.

I really cannot imagine myself in the future selling this car and moving into a newer 'vette. Maybe buying a new one someday, but I think my LT4 will be with me for the rest of my life, then my estate can decide her fate. I bought it knowing I would never get my money back on the car after repairs and reconditioning over the years--nor do I want to. I am just an LT4 guy, it became my thing.

 

By the time the thing gains any real value you would have lost money due to maintenance ins registration etc. People think they can park a car for 20 yrs hop in it and drive into the sunset )somehow it never aged) without doing much and expect to retire off it.

Who cares?

Its a damn car go enjoy it.

 

I damn sure ain't gonna leave it for my ungrateful heirs to enjoy.

 

I couldn't care less if it's worth 20K or 20 cents. you can' put a price on smiles.

Sometimes I just stare at mine and I am truly thankful I can be part of the experience. I've met some great people because of this car and that's what the experience and life is about for me.

Why anyone would buy one of these and not drive it is beyond me. Spend over 30K on something, hold onto it for 20 years, and hope like heck they get 15 of 18 K with only 10K miles on it. Those were some expensive 10K miles.

 

Well said!

 

The whole topic is silly to discuss. All Corvettes take about 30 years to start the appreciation curve.

$$$ in the market over time would make your appreciation in a collector car look dismal. Never mind, insurance, maintenance, storage costs.

I have a low mileage C5, It has yet to see a Corvette show and it probably never will. There is nothing special about it. I take my ZR-1 to a show or two a year - it is a special corvette.

At shows and in general though, people like the NEW stuff. The connoisseurs will like the old stuff though.

I often wonder if its $$, new body style or the actual car that impresses people. Often times, you will see people making references at car shows. In 90's it was the Z was $60,000-$70,000 which was a boatload of $ back in the day and fast forward to 2009 and its 100k+ for the new ZR1. You often hear people say " Man this car costs over $100K yada, yada, yada.

If you like cars, you like cars period. One of my favorite Corvettes is a like new 85 Corvette.

The value of a Corvette is irrelevant to the cars enjoyment. I enjoy driving my 93 as much as my 01 and at about 1/3 of the price.

In regards to type of ownership IE. Driver, garage queen etc. That is up to the individual owner - there is no right or wrong answer, it depends on what makes you happy as the owner. For example, My ZR-1 stays low mileage but it does get driven regularly, I just don't pile the miles on it. I like having it stay in pristine condition. On my other Corvettes, I drive the daylights out of them.

 

Never forget the guy with a 78 Pace Car with 500 miles. Original owner, never enjoyed the car and only got $30K for it.

Can anyone elaborate on this? $30K minus Barret-Jackson's fees, fees and fees how much did he really put in his pocket?

 

To sell a vehicle at Barrett-Jackson, the Consignor is responsible for an entry fee as well as a Seller’s commission of 8% of the hammer price. The entry fee is determined by day and time of your Lot entry and includes tent space.

Basically the seller got in the ball park of $27,000. (doe's not include transportation costs, detailing etc.)

 

I think the talk about resale is because many of us had cars that we paid $600 for, sold 6 months later for $600 and if we had it today, it would be worth $60k. Those days are gone. All the 'valuable' cars are known and there will be very few cars that go up 20x their initial value.

Cars are like any other consumer goods, they de-value and continue to. Anyone should be happy if they can buy anything, keep it for 5 years, and get 50% of what they paid.

Look at the C6- $50k new, $25k 4 years later.

 

Bingo.
IMO those days ended with the BB C3s/musclecars. Even back in the 90s it was hard to get em and turn a buck prices were going through the roof and made the hobby become unaffordable for the avg Joe.

So the C4 is cheap and affordable dont see the problem with that!
Its a good thing, cheap way into the hobby

 

I've put over 60,000 miles of "Smiles" on mine since I bought it.

And in 4 weeks, I'll be heading out for another 2,700+ mile 7 day cruise.
And Sarge will be driving his too for part of it.

PS: I bet he's gonna wish he didn't have to turn around and head for home before the trip is over.

 

In 1997 I watched dealers asking and getting $20,000 over list for a basic coupe. Some of the buyers were putting the cars in storage without driving them. I guess the thought was they were going to make enough profit on their $70,000 investment to justify their behavior.
I never did get it. The year before I spent in excess of $50,000 for my LT-4 vert. I never though the car would do anything but loose value over the years. Same thing in 99'...over $50,000 on my E class. Both cars today wouldn't get me $20,000. That is an $80,000 loss over the years, but no surprise.