Looking for some opinions / predictive reasoning on what the resale value of the following car will be in 2017 or so without getting hung up on particulars, just looking for a general feeling of where the value is headed.

2003 z06 Quicksilver.
35k miles.
Excellent stock condition.

 

I've been watching the market on c5z's for nearly the past 6 years and finally pulled the trigger on the cleanest 04z I could find recently. Even today, with these cars are still nearly "supercar" performance so their value has not depreciated all that much. I believe the values of the cars will still stay strong between $20-25k if it's a clean one.

This is all speculation of course but GM really nailed the performance with these cars.

 

Everything said above about the car is true. Everything above about the future value is speculation.

Also this is true, undisbutably: If you don't drive the car, keep it wrapped in plastic, and wait 5 years, it will be worth more than if you drove it all that time.

But what fun is that?? Cars are depreciating assets, period. Buy the car you can afford (one), like (two), and will enjoy driving (three) and have some fun with it. Otherwise, have fun buying for an investment, counting your mileage and worrying about every new scratch, nick, and swirl.

 

Thanks for the input.

I had very clean speedway white Z that I sold about 2 years ago. The 01 doesn't have the value as 02-04 to some people but still it was a rare and nice car. I sold it for 23k as I recall but not immediately, I had to realist it several times on craigslist which reaches quite a few folks around here.

Now I'm looking at a 03 silver Z with 16k miles. It's 25 and no negotiation because the guys says it's worth that. I think he's right but it feels a little high to me, I guess because I let a nice one go 2 years ago for less..

Shoot me straight here, is 25K the high water mark for a stock Z with new tires and 16k miles? in three years will I be able to pull 22k out of it?

 

lot depends on what happens with c6 values and the c7

3 years out, if the c6z and grand sport start selling high 20s with mid mileage it would probably have an effect. if they don't it should have less of one

c5 values have been tricking down very very slowly the past few years. unless something upsets the market it's doubtful they will be selling more than a couple to few thousand less than today

 

I agree. The value will probably go by what the c6z starts selling for. If c6zs are selling for 28-30k with mid milage why would someone pay 23-25k for a mid milage c5z. The price will depreciate of course but I highly doubt you will lose more than 2k if you are buying right now.

I'm currently looking at a yellow c5z with 40k miles, stock, super clean and new tires. He's my dads friend so he's selling it to me for 19.5k. I hope any one else planning to sell there c5z doesn't plan on going so low. If everyone starts dropping their prices then the market will drop.

Some advice for those who are thinking about buying a vette, if you like it but it. Don't think to hard about depreciation or you'll never be happy buying a car. Hopefully pulling the trigger by the end of the week on my Z.

 

I think prices have been steady if not increasing a bit over the past few years.

The recession made the prices go WAY down and they have since recovered a bit.

That being said, I think 2013-2014 or so will be a relative peak and the prices will start going back down soon. (of course I bought my car in summer 2013, I always seem to buy high and sell low)

 

depends on the year. if that's an 01 with 40k miles 19.5 is actually moderate to slightly high. i have seen those go as low as 17 with 18-19 being average

if it's an 04 it would be a screaming deal

 

the wildcard i'm wondering about is the c7

right now a 2008 coupe can be had in mint condition for 30k

in 5 years if a 2014 coupe can be had for 30k it's going to get a lot of people {including me} thinking the c7 isn't so bad

but, as others have said, you don't buy a c5 to worry about a few hundred dollars a year of decreased value. the only historical example we have is the c4 and with those, nice cars still sell, beaters are what sell cheap. yes there are $5000 c4's but they aren't nice and usually need a restoration

 

I feel they have been dropping a bit over the last year, and I would imagine it will continue just a bit. But like said earlier, if the c6z keeps dropping these will drop.

 

I have owned three 2004 Zs and one 2003 Z. I have watched the subsequent cars. My thoughts are these:

The 04 Zs were as close to perfect as Chevy could get. Sure, it is not as fast at the C6Z and the C7Z, and the brakes are not as good as later cars, but for the C5 sequence it had the best synchros and forks, valve springs, susp settings, fuel system, no TPMS (making adding track tires a cinch), and was fast and reliable. Unique look, too.

C6 Zs, cool and fast as they are, have had the grenading engines, as have all C6s. Can be modded, but stock they have issues, at least on a track. The TPMS made track tires and rims more of a challenge. The C6Zs had a less than ideal dry sump. Had to wait until '09 to get the big tank, etc. And, with a few mods a C6 can look just like a C6Z. The big brakes with the padlets were strange (Will never understand why Chevy just didn't put a good set of Brembos on the C6Z).

We have yet to see what the C7 Zs are all about.

If you have an 04 with low mileage and a fairly rare set of options, and you keep it low mileage and in good shape, I think it will go up in value at 20 years. Will it go up a lot? Hard to say, but while slower, it was just a better car than the C6 Z in several ways. That said, if the C6 Z drops precipitously in price (and all indications are the early years are doing that) it may drag the 04s down with them, at least for a while.

Now, in 2044, a 2004 C5Z with 12,000 original miles, in pristine shape, and with some rarity in color and options, will be worth a ton. Why? Few new, gas-powered sports cars will be available then, and the 2004Z will be a great expression of what we all used to love before electric cars and mass transit took over. A lightweight, (relatively) simple, pure American sports car.

 

It's an 02, still not bad!

 

Pretty much top dollar on that car now although there are some asking a lot more. It would depend upon how many miles you put on it, and what you do with it in the next few years.

 

Out of curiosity, why do you want to know about the value?

Having 2 C5's and 2 C6's that includes an '04 Z and an '08 Z, reliability is everything. I don't know if the C6 Z has good value or not. To me it does not. GM dropped the ball on the quality front. I beat the **** out of each vette and the '08 Z engine failed twice. The other C6 I had exhibited no-start problems that pissed me off. Quality from GM will/has gone downhill. We already see that in the news and with the C6 Z.

There are so many variables. Get the car that you like and consider it an expense of the past. It will be much more enjoyable that way. Never being bothered about its worth and just reaping excitement rowing through the gears on/off track and showing off the car is where the value is to me.

I'm looking at the '04 C5 Z06 for reliability (LS6 baby!), but want to swap the regular geared T-56 transmission as I like the gearing better because the pull lasts much longer

 

The low milage C5Zs are holding their values quite well in the Southeast.

03-04 are the most desirable. 03 Because of 50th anniversay badges and key chains. 04 because of last year and the Commerative edition.

01s are the least desirable due to the advances made on the 02 and up.

In Atlanta, GA

A low mileage pristine 03 Z06 is between 24K low side and 28 high side. This is under 35K miles.

A low mileage pristine 04 Z06 Commerative is 25K to 29K under 30 K miles.

I expect they will come down in the next few years due to the C7s. I have no desire for a C6 except Grand Sport. I would put a C6 Z06 on here as well, but hearing about too many engine reliability issues.

The real Vette dogs as far as resale are the C4s. Even the C3s in good shape are selling for more than the C4s.

In 2017, we will probaly see about the same prices for the C5 Z06s as today, only due to inflation. Of course if the economy tanks and the market gets flooded, all bets are off.