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what i say to the people who boast about how much less they paid for their c4....
theres always the guy that either:
'buys it cheaper than everyone else'
-or-
'can get the job done cheaper than you'
so heres what i have to say to mr-i-am-better-than-you-because-i-bought-it-cheaper...
i bought my 26k miles 93 convertible c4 6 spd in 2000 for $20500......
that was 17 years ago. i was 22 years old. a few girlfriends and now my wife have been my co pilots over the years. Fun times / top down drive in movies / drag races / road races / etc - but thats all priceless and i cant really quantify any of that.
lets say ive put 12500 in mods and repairs into it since then.
so now i have 33000 into it.
so divide 33000/17. roughly $2000 a year ownership costs.
the newb who claims he paid 6000 (so he says more likely they paid 8k) for the vaunted 96 lt4 in mint shape (so he says) needs to keep the car for > 3 years before they beat my ownership costs.
or there is the newb with the lt1 car they claim they bought for $2000 that is just a disaster....who knows how many thousands in repairs it needs.
is the newb going to figure out all the bugs of the c4 (like the optispark) and own it for a significant time period? or not? i am guessing most will not. i see usernames come and go.
I say who gives a rat about what someone else says? Unless you solicit their opinion, why worry about it? If you're happy with your vehicle and decision, nothing else matters.
I bought an 86, it's not a show car and never will be. It was modded before I bought it and I've done a few more changes since. It's mine, I like it and drive it - I don't care what others think. If they complement it, I'll take it. If they don't, I'll ignore it.
What I would tell them is that they spent XXXX extra amount of hours digging for that car that cost them maybe a few hundred or a couple thousand less while I was working some extra hrs, hanging out w/ a beautiful girl, working out staying fit and basically just enjoying life!
I agree with ya dizwiz24. I also look at the long term costs. I thought I would get killed buying my T/A 'vert new (sticker $33k) but here it is 16 years later and I'm also near that $2k per year average, even if the car was worth zero! It isn't (see attached photo taken at a show 2 weeks ago). I really haven't bought anything for it except tires, batteries, the normal maintenance stuff. $2k a year to own it has been a pleasure and I still have no plans to sell. My Mustang (also bought new) is soon approaching that nice average too. My Corvette is the unknown since I just bought it last year. Attachment 48084136
I agree with ya dizwiz24. I also look at the long term costs. I thought I would get killed buying my T/A 'vert new (sticker $33k) but here it is 16 years later and I'm also near that $2k per year average, even if the car was worth zero! It isn't (see attached photo taken at a show 2 weeks ago). I really haven't bought anything for it except tires, batteries, the normal maintenance stuff. $2k a year to own it has been a pleasure and I still have no plans to sell. My Mustang (also bought new) is soon approaching that nice average too. My Corvette is the unknown since I just bought it last year. Attachment 48084136
buddy of mine bought a midnight blue 98 or 99 t/a ? brand new. 6spd with lsx motor. paid all cash at age 22 (he saved money from engineering co-op jobs while in college).
we (and he especially) had a lot of good times with that car. on a sidenote he was a phenomenal runner in college.
I never look at what someone else pays. I have a 95 Bright Aqua that I paid double what the dealership gave a friend on trade in. I wanted it, that's that. Bought a 94 Copper Metallic 2 weeks ago that I feel I stole, guy didn't know what he had. Doesn't matter what we pay. All that matters is how much you want it. JM2C
the newb who claims he paid 6000 (so he says more likely they paid 8k) for the vaunted 96 lt4 in mint shape (so he says) needs to keep the car for > 3 years before they beat my ownership costs.
Plus there is always another one less expensive, in better shape etc that will show up next week.
Sometimes folks are just sharing their good fortune, but as you say, there is always the Ricardo Cabeza that is trying to one up everyone. We have one of them locally. Most folks catch onto those games pretty quick.
buddy of mine bought a midnight blue 98 or 99 t/a ? brand new. 6spd with lsx motor. paid all cash at age 22 (he saved money from engineering co-op jobs while in college).
we (and he especially) had a lot of good times with that car. on a sidenote he was a phenomenal runner in college.
Always remember that in whatever you purchase regardless if it's a home, investment, car, toaster whatever!
I've had my C4 since 2001 and C3 since 2004. The memories I have with two Vettes are priceless with my kids be it driving them to school, sporting events etc. Just yesterday my daughter needed to be picked up at school where she was hanging out with her friends. She's my youngest (15) and what car did she request? The 88 Vette.
Pulling up with it her friends thought it was pretty cool that her old man has a pretty sharp ride.
Never look at what you spend....look at what you get out of what you bought. I can't put a dollar value on these memories. My two boys will one day probably get my Vettes and they can do the same with their families.
Not trying to one up anyone, however for what it is worth and that ain't much, I paid $5800, hi mileage third owner. I have spent about $500 on things that I wanted and what it needed. I love it. It was in my budget.
One thing I dislike is the Vette owners who believe that they are some type of elitist and that I shouldn't own one if I don't have a four car garage and 6k sq ft house I should not own one.
Last edited by Komiller118; 04-16-2017 at 03:39 PM.
I can't believe I bought a starting, running, going, and stopping Corvette for 4.5K plus it's a convertible. So I guess I would say, "are you having as much fun as I'm having?" Driving a Corvette is priceless!
Well, flip side. I paid 16,250 for a 36k mile 91 zr1 4-5 years ago. I sure hope ownership cost is less than 2k. It better be worth more than 8k today.....
That said, why do you care what people think of you and your favorite chevy?
I have had a few that the cost of ownership was pretty high and some that were almost nothing. (I even made money on a C5 I had for about 5 years) I have bought some that were new and others that were high mileage.
Unless you are buying for a specific purpose, it is simply about having a car that you enjoy whether it is driving, racing, wrenching, waxing, etc.
Yes, I like it when it has a low cost of ownership, or finding a good deal, but that is not the main reason for me to buy one.
People will find anything to brag about. "Hey guess what, I swapped a starter in 8 minutes." "That guy buried in white smoke can destroy a set of rear tires in 5 minutes." So what. My last girlfriend bragged about banging a **** star 15 years earlier. I guess she was proud of that...? Whatever. Different people have different values I guess.
Among the Corvette crowd, most people are pretty supportive and enjoy the solidarity.
But *some* people, instead of banding together in camaraderie, they will play the 1-upsmanship game so they can feel even more special. And some people play up the bargain/economy game. How thrifty they are. Just another way to feel special, I guess.
Even with luxury items, cost is a consideration for most people. If cost was not a consideration for me, I would have bought a new Stingray 7-speed base. I am doing well but I am not wealthy, so I made an informed decision based on what I want, what I can afford, and what kind of repairs/maintenance I can do myself vs forking out extra cash because of Corvette tax. Also the C4 is a terrific driver's car and I just wanted something to have fun with. This is enough car for me, for now
People will find anything to brag about. "Hey guess what, I swapped a starter in 8 minutes." "That guy buried in white smoke can destroy a set of rear tires in 5 minutes." So what. My last girlfriend bragged about banging a **** star 15 years earlier. I guess she was proud of that...? Whatever. Different people have different values I guess.
Among the Corvette crowd, most people are pretty supportive and enjoy the solidarity.
But *some* people, instead of banding together in camaraderie, they will play the 1-upsmanship game so they can feel even more special. And some people play up the bargain/economy game. How thrifty they are. Just another way to feel special, I guess.
Even with luxury items, cost is a consideration for most people. If cost was not a consideration for me, I would have bought a new Stingray 7-speed base. I am doing well but I am not wealthy, so I made an informed decision based on what I want, what I can afford, and what kind of repairs/maintenance I can do myself vs forking out extra cash because of Corvette tax. Also the C4 is a terrific driver's car and I just wanted something to have fun with. This is enough car for me, for now
Same here, I wanted a C7 base 7 speed but could afford the C4 haha
C4 has been a very nice surprise though! Didnt really know much about em or had seen them much at all
theres always the guy that either:
'buys it cheaper than everyone else'
-or-
'can get the job done cheaper than you'
so heres what i have to say to mr-i-am-better-than-you-because-i-bought-it-cheaper...
If your "badge of honor" is about who can spend the most on the same item, by all means, celebrate the victory. Here is the question. If I waste, and by waste I mean overpay for an item, I have less to spend on other stuff. So on an allowance of $20 a week, I can buy 10 candy bars at $2 apiece of 5 at $4 apiece. So if I can see someone who can get it cheaper than me, regardless of whether I am envious of his abilities, I'd find it behooves me to put away my pride and see what I can take away from that lesson.
As they say, some people will learn from watching others make mistakes and successes, some will learn when they get burned and some will never learn even when they get burned multiple times.
What I would tell them is that they spent XXXX extra amount of hours digging for that car that cost them maybe a few hundred or a couple thousand less while I was working some extra hrs, hanging out w/ a beautiful girl, working out staying fit and basically just enjoying life!
Who really got the best deal?
Is this question like asking who got the better deal? The kid that went to college, got his degree and has a super job 10 years with a nice house and all that vs the kid that went out after HS and struggled his way? On odd situations, the HS kid (winning lottery, inheritance, etc). Usually, the college kid.
04-15-2017, 07:22 PM
what i say to the people who boast about how much less they paid for their c4....
