Looking to buy my first vette and need help on what to look for. I found this one online and it's about 4hrs away. What issues should I look for and questions should I ask. This seem like a good price? Thanks for the help

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/2812254140.html

 

The best advice I could give you is to pull the codes through the DIC. The ones with an H are past codes and the ones with a C are current. Make note of them and clear them. If there were any current and the owner will allow a 15-20 minute test drive, check the codes again upon return.

If you do a search you can find the process for pulling codes and a list of them to print and have with you. If any codes reappear and you still want the car, use these to negotiate your final price.

Other than that, just look at the things you would normally look for on any car of this age and mileage.



Also, I believe he made mention that the TPMS(tire pressure monitoring system) was not working. On the early models, these are a little more expensive to repair/replace.

 

a good rule of thumb in buying a c5 corvette:

buy the one that is selling for the most you can spend, not the cheapest you can find.

i would not buy this corvette.

 

That's just it though, I like this price point. I'm on a tight budget honestly.

 

this falls into the cheapest you can find category.

the off color front clip alone would make it fail imho.

 

Where are you from?

Personally I think this car is worth looking at myself. But I did notice the shift **** is turned a bit, but that's most likely not a deal. Someone probably had an after market **** on it and took it off.

 

I'm in Kansas city, 4hrs from the car. I noticed the **** too and the seat. Not deal breakers for me. Especially if I offer 11k and go from there..

 

I doubt you can get for 11, 12 maybe. 11 may be a good starting point, depending on how good at negotiations you are. I typically set my top dollar and offer that. If they balk, I walk.

Yeah, Im in the Columbia area myself. lot of family in KC.

PM vettemanJack and ask for his buyers guides. He generally offers them to all new potential owners anyway. He doesn't mind, real good guy.

He's from Ashland, a couple miles south of Columbia. I would send you the ones he sent me but I can't get them to act right for whatever reason.

But I do think this car is worth looking at of that's your budget. The guy mentioned a few things common to C5's and said they were not an issue so he at least knows what he's talking about, IMO.

If I can be of any help PM me. Good luck!

 

I've got a bunch of Word files on the C5, including a Corvette Buyers Checklist that might help you out. If you'd like a copy, just PM me your e-mail address.

 

Best advice is to inspect as many vettes as you can. This one is ok, but not 13k. Notice the drives front fender and how it's not aligned and is also pulled away from the body at the door seam. Reach/crawl under look and you will see that the lower fender/rocker fastener is broken/loose/damaged at that fender. The front has seen some parking blocks also. The shifter will need replaced or re-glued. The shifter is glued onto the shift. It seems it has broken loose. Seats worn, parking brake boot worn, roof seal looks dry and cracked on driver side. This all will cost money. I've seen better go for this price. Go check it out, but also go out and inspect some others. Take your time, this one isn't the deal of the century, so don't feel rushed.

 

good advice. Go look at several and test drive them. The more you look the more you can make an informed decision.

 

I noticed the fender as well. I'm just having a hard time finding anything.nmost stuff in my price has a huge amount of miles or is an auto.

 

More miles than I'd like... http://blackstarmotors.com/Vehicle/1...11361135351500

 

Have you checked autotrader.com, cars.com or here on the forum for other vettes for sale close to you? I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the one you are asking about. But, it doesnt hurt to have more choices.

 

Ya, I've checked both. Everything is higher than I can afford. If its in my range, it has a ton of miles.

 

Looks clean, front nose paint means little where i live a weekend drive with all the gravel the nose could be repainted annually, along with the windscreen. Bring it in to a reputable GM store and have them to a complete inspection, ask the mechanic if he considers it a good purchase. This will give a real good idea seeing as you are not familiar with Vettes, then you can decide. The seller writes a good advert and sounds like a straight shooter which is important in my view. When buying used you are always gambling..good luck. Greetings, Rob

 

I've talked to 2 corvette guys, including my grandpa, and they said its to high of miles. Afraid ill be nickle and dimed the entire time I own the car.

 

I'd be leary of this one, it's well used and appears to have some body panel misalignment(s) as well as some previous paint work and some current paint needs.
The mileage isn't too bad for it's age if it had been cared for (I can't imagine that someone was diligent about engine maintenance and not about the remainder of the car)

 

87K is not that many miles for a modern day car to include a vette. This is the thing. Almost all vettes will require some work and money, there's no way around it. Whether it has 20K or 200K.

You'll hear stories about how trouble free a certain vette was and that's true, some are completely trouble free. But you have to take that with a grain of salt. It all depends on what people see as trouble free because most people expect things to go wrong or they don't mind spending money or working on them.

I have personally never had a car I didn't have to spend money on. Period! I put 5K into my last vette that had 57K on it when I got it. Some things I had to do and others I wanted to do. But I got the vette when it was time to replace or repair components the PO neglected because the car was no longer his focus. Time has as much of an effect on compnents as use does. My current vette has needs as well that I'm going to have to address.

Could this car nickle and dime you to death, absolutely, but it may not either. But if it does or doesn't, the miles have nothing to do with it. Trust me on this. There are many folks here who well over 100K, over 150K and even up to 300K.

I know we still use the 100K mile threshold to judge cars, but that's really old school and no longer applies. Without looking at this vette you have no way of knowing what condition it's in or how's it's been cared for. Bottom line, don't buy a vette if you expect it to be trouble free. My 2 cents and change.

 

That's 90% of C5's.