I completely disagree like 110% (w/ the resale part, I agree its the best C5Z to get)

You buy a 70k mile C5Z for $19-21k drive it for a few years & get close to or eclipse that 100k mark, I'm sorry but unless you happen upon the perfect buyer all you got on your hands (especially if its modded) is a has been sports car w/ a lot of miles under its wheels that'll probably be worth $15k today's world, if you're lucky.

You drive the 11k mile car for a few years after you get tired of it & wanna sell you paid $27k for it I'm pretty damn sure w/ 40k on the clock (and that'd be ALOT - think about it starting @ only 11k) you still will have a "low mileage" example of a C5Z worth more than likely $23-25k, am I wrong here? No. And this just becomes more and more true every day/every year as 100K mile C5 vettes become a dime a dozen, more used C6's hit the market, and more and more C5Z's get crashed. Mileage & condition almost always go hand in hand & even when they don't, there's no "fixing" the FACT that one car has higher miles & another doesn't. More asses of sweated in the seat & more greasy palms have gripped the steering wheel and more rocks have chipped the paint. Period.

Be honest....what is my '03Z worth today's market 27,500 miles headers/intake/tune/MGW/new Nittos/clear bra/bluetooth radio/new JL speakers (point is all tasteful mods that may not add but certainly don't detract from the price)?? If you don't think I could get the same or damn near close to the $24,500 I paid we're speaking different languages.

 

My '04 Z has 11,800 miles, headers, CAI, MGW shifter, and lots of other cosmetic goodies. $25k would be a laughable offer, but those who are desperate to sell may budge. I'll be selling mine this coming summer, and then it's on to the next.

 

To be honest, there's not a lot of difference in your two scenarios.

#1 I drive the car for "a few years" (not sure how many that is, but I will guess 3). But I have spent 19K on this car and had the use of it for three years and only "lose" 4K. That comes out to less than 4.00/day for the use of a corvette. I think that's pretty good.

#2 I drive the car for three years as well. If I get your low end of 23K for the car, I am at exactly the same place as the above scenario, paying 4K for the use of a car for 3 years. If I get the high end when I sell, I paid less than 2.00/ day to drive the car, but my initial cash outlay was 6K-8K more.

So either way, you aren't coming out too bad, IMHO.

Shakey

 

I see what you're saying, but what I was getting @ is the "intrinsic value" of a C5Z w/ 0-50,000 miles isn't too far off, but prices/value start to drop like a rock north of 75k

If you're STARTING @ 10-20k miles you stay in that "sweet spot" of value for much longer, and w/ the miles climbing on ALL C5's, C6's w/ lower miles hitting lots @ similar price points, & fewer C5Z's available, that value proposition for the low mileage car becomes stronger every year that passes.

On the other hand if you aint gonna keep it very long I agree doesn't matter that much....however as I thought I pointed out, your car or mine is w/ less than 30k on the clock has pretty close value to what we paid after driving for 4k/year for 3 years, buy one that is a few grand cheaper initially once it gets upwards of 85k+ it simply isn't the "same car" - to "vette guys" maybe they look past the mileage, but the fact of the matter is low miles = smiles

 

Mark,
Bump to $26 K and tell him you are all done. He'll take it.

 

Not quite yet...

 

I disagree, i have seen some higher miles, they are out there, maybe for $30

 

Maybe for a really high mileage example. Late model, low mileage C6Z's are still pulling anywhere from $40k-$60k.

 

You can buy an 07-08 C6Z w/ average mileage for $35k cash in hand all day long

 

Quite possibly. I was referring to low mileage, late model cars though- as the OP was looking at a C5Z with those same qualities. 2010+ Z's with less than 30k miles are holding their value very well. Once you introduce wear and mileage, it's a different game altogether.

 

Unlike some of the owners here, who may not be as informed as a recent or prospective buyer who has been studying the current C5Z market heavily, here is my assessment of values:

2002-2004 Z06s, clean (not mint) and mileage below 50k: $20-25k
mileage between 50k and 80k: $16k-$20k
mileage 80k+:$14k-18k
Mint condition/garage queen: Add $2-4k (only worth it if you plan to keep it a garage queen, not as a driver).
2001 Z06: Subtract around $3k from above figures.

Don't forget that asking prices do not equal selling prices (people always negotiate down), just like with homes. If you want to see a real market analysis, do an ebay search for z06's and use the "sold listings" filter to see actual selling prices:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Cars-Trucks/...Corvette%20z06

If someone can find better market data of actual selling prices (versus anecdotal, one-off example of asking prices), I'm all ears, but I think this actual data closes the case.

 

paid 25k 1 year ago for a 2003 z06 with 5k miles. bought from Chevrolet dealership. i purchased mine in the winter. i believe winter prices tend to fall a little more.

 

Awesome find.

 

As someone who spent 5 months searching for an '02-'04 Z06, I completely agree with these numbers. I looked all over and tried emailing dealers and comparing their prices to KBB and NADA. My goal was to find something around 100K miles around $15-17K. Not a single dealer budged on price, even with Zs sitting on their lots for 6 months and asking $17-19K.

I then went onto a private sale and lowered my mileage range and raised my budget to about $20K and 50-75K miles. I found a great garaged '02 with 70K miles and Forgestar rims with a couple of mods with an asking price of $21k. I got him down to $20K and was happy with that. After dealing with dealerships that wouldn't budge, the quality of the ones with higher miles was moderate at best, but their asking price was still in the $16-18K range. The clean ones with super low miles were all $25K+. The immaculate ones with low miles were all closer to $28K.

If you haven't looked at what's on the market for the C5Z in a while, I suggest you go to cars.com and autotrader and just take a glance at what's available. You'll see a range of cars, but it's fairly consistent with what they're asking price is. And NONE of them go down in price. Trust me, I drove 6 hours away and looked at 5 the first time I decided to go talk to dealers face to face and it's like they all call each other and agree to not drop their prices to undercut each other. The guys that get deals on their cars, those are great deals that you really have to seek out. Those kinds of deals are rarely out in the open or last very long once they're on the market.

 

I have yet to see one for $28K. I have seen a 2006 with 92K miles and pretty whipped for $31K. I've also seen a 2006 with 118K miles in pretty good shape for $31.5K. Hence "not quite yet"...

 

Here is one near me for 28K. But it has high miles and the heads haven't been addressed. That one scares me.


http://lynchburg.craigslist.org/cto/5778701820.html

 

Always buy the best car with the lowest miles that you can imo.

I guess I did pretty good with mine after reading these prices. I paid $28k in 2009 for my 03 Z TR/mod red interior with only 7k on the clock and it was a one owner car traded back to the Chevy dealer. I know show 14k on the clock and have never done anything to it at all except oil changes. I still have the original tires on it, but don't drive it much.

I would push real hard at $25k if that is what your wanting to pay. The weather it turning and I don't think he will find a buyer at $28k or it will at least take time. The dealer wanted $34.5k for mine back in 09 and I realized to them it was just another used car on a new dealers lot that they wanted to move. Don't get caught up in the drama of it being a Corvette and you will do better. Good Luck!

 

Just picked up my 04 Z for $26K from dealer - new tires/filters/fluids/battery --- 23K on the clock. (It is my dream car, had 100% everything I wanted, no compromises)

Keep this between us but I would've easily paid $28K for this car.

If you really dig the car...perhaps $28K is the number...otherwise try the old 'let's meet in the middle' tactic while promising to provide the car a good, loving home

Ruger

 

I paid 23K for my MY 04Z a little over a year ago from a dealer. It had 56K miles on it with CAI and Corsa exhaust. It is in excellent condition inside and out, so I think I did ok. Sure, I have seen better deals since then, but I'm ok with what I paid.

Shakey

 

Just paid $24k for my 2003 50th anniversary z06. It had 19.8k miles on the odometer. Clean, stock, and well maintained. I had to do the fluid drains and swaps myself but no biggie. Deal of a lifetime!