C5Z Value Modded vs. Stock
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 329
Likes: 39
C5Z Value Modded vs. Stock
I have seen a lot of diversity in the for sale section & noticed the modded cars seem to be more desirable than a completely stock car & in most other venues it is the stock car that retains its value but not so much here. It looks like low mileage cars are trumped by well driven well modded cars.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 154
Likes: 35
From: Santa Cruz CA
I have seen a lot of diversity in the for sale section & noticed the modded cars seem to be more desirable than a completely stock car & in most other venues it is the stock car that retains its value but not so much here. It looks like low mileage cars are trumped by well driven well modded cars.
The other thing going on, is that C5s are entering the "track-day" price zone of under $10,000. So more and more, you'll be seeing younger people with modified C5's around. It's a fun time for the platform, the performance market is starting to blow up. I think the C5 is going to be entering a second golden age as a track star in the coming years.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 450
Likes: 65
For me, I was only looking for a "track day" prepped C5. I tend to modify every car I get my hands on and fully know how much it costs and how little you get back when selling.
I found a highly modified 02 ZO6 that had most of the desired mods for track use already done. It is a used car so I've had to do some maintenance but mostly no more than expected.
It all depends on what you plan to do with your car.
I found a highly modified 02 ZO6 that had most of the desired mods for track use already done. It is a used car so I've had to do some maintenance but mostly no more than expected.
It all depends on what you plan to do with your car.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 329
Likes: 39
I bought an 01 with 11500 miles on it changed all the fluids put some miles on it has a little over 13k now , no leaks of any kind everything works right & feels like a new car, I like it so much I want to upgrade to a c6z or c7 & no bites in the for sale section so I'm trying to get an idea of what its worth just the air cleaner was upgraded
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,932
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From: Here, There and Everywhere
Not all C5's with less than 25k miles will have fluid leaks. I have owned 3 C5's in the past 6 years. Every car I purchased has had about 10K miles on them at the time of purchase. Not a one of them has ever dripped a drop or had any issues at all. It does help if the car has been driven a bit. My current '02 C5Z had 10,300 miles on it when I bought it in 2013. It now has 16,400 on it and it is bone dry everywhere. I drive it at least every couple of weeks. It has held it's value quite well and is still worth pretty much what I paid for it. If well taken care of, the C5 is extremely dependable and a great buy for the money. A modded car is never a better buy than a stock one as you are never really sure what has "really" been done to it and by whom. Most modded cars tend to be beat on, that's why they were modded in the first place...to be faster than the other guy. One does not mod a car just for bragging rights. They do so to outrun others. Also, remember, a lot of folks that mod their cars, return them to stock before they sell them as evidenced by some of the parts for sale posts. Play it safe and buy a stock one and enjoy the ride! They are fast enough in stock form to begin with!
Last edited by MAD Matt; Dec 18, 2016 at 01:10 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2014
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From: The Lowcountry South Carolina
Modded or not, it's about tangibles: mileage, interior, paint, tires, interior. The intangibles are: auto/manual, Z06, time of year, mods. It's about the eye of the beholder and the depth of pockets, that will determine its value. Yes, mods (provided the mods are not euro trash or ghetto trash) can bring more bucks, buts it's silly (or ignorant) of one to use mods as the final determining point in establishing a sale price. BTW, mods are also items which bring pleasure to the ownership, not necessarily go-fast stuff.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
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IMO, it depends on just what you are looking for in a car. I tend to favor stock cars over modded ones, but if I were to consider a modded one, I would want to know exactly what was done, who did the work, receipts, and most of all have the car checked out by a trusted mechanic (preferably one that knows Corvettes).
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The mods are hit or miss. Simple bolt on aren't going to add any value. Head and cam or new motor.....maybe. basic forced induction on a stock motor, not so much, perhaps a bit of added value. FI and a built motor with supporting mods, certainly.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2012
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From: Fort Myers Beach Florida
Buy a stock car, it has value for obvious reasons. Buy and modified car and wonder what you get. An amateur mechanic mail ordered some parts to make an "improvement" from a questionable source. Will it ever pas emission testing again? Now it's lower to "improve handling", will it go up your driveway without sparks flying? Those fancy wheels look swell, do they rub or affect the speedometer and active handling now that you found a better size? Read the ads, $35,000 invested, will sell for $12,000 or best offer. But it has stripes, a spoiler and loud mufflers that say: "LOOK AT ME, I HAVE A CAR"! I'm not boring like the original cars. I make 600 HP, change my transmission, clutch and rear end annually and have receipts to prove it. If you live at the track or drive like the DUKES OF HAZARD buy the car with mods. OP asked about value? Obvious answer.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 154
Likes: 35
From: Santa Cruz CA
Buy a stock car, it has value for obvious reasons. Buy and modified car and wonder what you get. An amateur mechanic mail ordered some parts to make an "improvement" from a questionable source. Will it ever pas emission testing again? Now it's lower to "improve handling", will it go up your driveway without sparks flying? Those fancy wheels look swell, do they rub or affect the speedometer and active handling now that you found a better size? Read the ads, $35,000 invested, will sell for $12,000 or best offer. But it has stripes, a spoiler and loud mufflers that say: "LOOK AT ME, I HAVE A CAR"! I'm not boring like the original cars. I make 600 HP, change my transmission, clutch and rear end annually and have receipts to prove it. If you live at the track or drive like the DUKES OF HAZARD buy the car with mods. OP asked about value? Obvious answer.
C5's have amazing aftermarket support, with a lot of quality manufacturers. Most popular mods are bolt on, so there's not a lot to mess up unless the installers were completely incompetent. Just always be aware of what you're getting into, don't be the person who puts a loud exhaust on an auto corvette and then complains about drone.
