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Will my '96 increase in value when it's 25 yrs old?
I really enjoy my 1996 LT1 with 56,000 miles that's in good shape. It's currently over 22 years old and I want to keep it until it's 25 years old. At that point I'm going to put it up for sale, hoping the value will have increased on my "quarter of a century" old American sports car. My Vette will be the last year made of the C4s and will have less than 72,000 original miles on its original stock engine. Am I just dreaming, or will the value go up some in 3 years for my car, as long as it's in running condition?
IAm I just dreaming, or will the value go up some in 3 years for my car, as long as it's in running condition?
Yes, you are dreaming. Unless you have a low mileage 96 GS, you can expect that your car will be worth the same in three years. I'd not worry about value and just drive it.
There will be lots of parts in that car that are then 25 yrs old and have x amount of mileage on them. The radiator can degrade from just age, bearings can need replaced, bushings are drying out and getting hard.
Right now today, your 96 LT1 had 56,000. Mine has 19,000. Mine isn't going to appreciate in value to someone else. All the work I am doing to it will appreciate the value to me (and I will insure it accordingly) but people aren't going to pay more for it. Go back to the thread I started on the "Really cool 1990". Follow the links in it, get an idea of how much money was spent on that car that will run rings around your AND MY car, and reflect on how much it was sold for and is going to be sold for.
Just like today there are low mileage C4's available, in a couple years there will still be low mileage C4's available. A 15,000 mile car will always trump a 72,000 mile car. That is why I bought mine. A 11,800 mile car has had less wear and tear than a 50,000 mile car regardless of how careful the owner(s) has(have) been.
I own these two 96 roadsters, both LT1/auto, polo green has 42k miles and dark purple has 63k miles, both are very nice clean cars that are well taken care of, in three years when they reach 25 years old I don't think they will begin to increase in value.
I really enjoy my 1996 LT1 with 56,000 miles that's in good shape. It's currently over 22 years old and I want to keep it until it's 25 years old. At that point I'm going to put it up for sale, hoping the value will have increased on my "quarter of a century" old American sports car. My Vette will be the last year made of the C4s and will have less than 72,000 original miles on its original stock engine. Am I just dreaming, or will the value go up some in 3 years for my car, as long as it's in running condition?
When I bought my '90 in 2004, I thought the market had bottomed and they'd never be any cheaper.
Oops.
Here is some perspective. In 1975 we bought a highly optioned '63 roadster with 20,000 miles for for $3500. In 1987, we sold it for 25K. I bought my car for $6500 in '04, did paint and seats, and I'd be lucky to get 5K today.
All years of C4's are what they are. A cheap, enjoyable Corvette. I don't believe they will ever be collectable.
If you track car values it's very rare that car prices actually appreciate in any meaningful way compared to actual investing. Most of the time it's sheer luck that you have a car that sky rockets in value. For the vast majority of people this isn't going to happen. Even cars that may seem they appreciated over a 20 year period didn't really when you account inflation, storage, and maintenance. There are plenty of C4s more than 25 years old and no one cares. Very few C4s are actually desirable and even then it's probably not worth it. I have a LT4 CE with the z51 option. Pretty desirable as far as C4s go but I don't see the value in not driving it. If I really cared that much about the money I would have invested what I spent on my C4 in the stock market. It's just not worth having a C4 garage queen, unless you really enjoy looking at your car. Then by all means.
When I bought my '90 in 2004, I thought the market had bottomed and they'd never be any cheaper.
Oops.
Here is some perspective. In 1975 we bought a highly optioned '63 roadster with 20,000 miles for for $3500. In 1987, we sold it for 25K. I bought my car for $6500 in '04, did paint and seats, and I'd be lucky to get 5K today.
All years of C4's are what they are. A cheap, enjoyable Corvette. I don't believe they will ever be collectable.
Thanks for all your honest replies. My hopes and dreams of my Vette increasing in value when it hits 25 years old...have been thoroughly & completely crushed.
I'll try my best then to sell it for what I originally paid for it... or as close to that as possible. I'm certain that if I add a few STP decals on it that should help.
I'll try my best then to sell it for what I originally paid for it... or as close to that as possible. I'm certain that if I add a few STP decals on it that should help.
What’s the reason for selling it?
I own 4 C4’s with a combined value less than 25K. I could care less. I got 4 fun cars. Original MSRP on all 4 was over 125K.
Now, my Jag -Type.......that’s worth even less. But it does go in the snow!
10-03-2018, 09:31 PM
Will my '96 increase in value when it's 25 yrs old?
