KennyMeyer

Hey CF,

I've been looking to buy my 1st corvette in the past few months, and i came across a great deal on an 06 3LZ Z06 for $28,000.. The problem is the odometer reads 11k miles, but when the dealer checked it on the computer it came up as "True Mileage Unknown" which means the title wont be clean and will be labeled as TMU. The title isn't a problem seeing as i don't plan on selling it for a while, I'm 18 years old and lucky to have the money to get such a great car at a young age! The car is extremely clean and there is hardly anything wrong with the exterior as well as the interior. (pictures at bottom)

I'm not necessarily looking for a Z with little to no miles on it, but I'm also not looking to get stuck with a Z that really has tons of miles and is far from what the odometer reads! So how should i find out exactly how many miles are on this Vette? One thing i noticed was very dirty exhaust tips, could this be from high mileage?

Please help me out guys, it seems like a great deal, but I'd like you're input! Here's some pictures of the car..

Exterior looks great


Dirty exhaust tips!


Drivers side


Passengers side


Ls7 doesn't look too worn


Thanks in advanced guys!
Kenny

bullitt4110

Thats crazy cheap, and Im sure there is a reason why... One thing I noticed just looking at the pics is it looks like the radiator shroud cover has been replaced, those stickers look like the ones that come on GM parts from the parts department.

KennyMeyer

Hmm.. Could that mean it could have been wrecked?

vettluver

My gut feeling when reading your post is "stay away". The dirty exhaust tips are just from not being cleaned and cared for, and should be able to be corrected, and also not an indication of excessive mileage. I might be wrong, but I would assume that the computer has been tampered with and if the "True Mileage Unknown" will ever be able to be removed. I wouldn't want to be holding onto a car that had that label. Have the dealer perform a vehicle history check. That should give you an idea of at least a portion of the car's history

bullitt4110

Id do some serious research on the car and get it checked out, that price is about $10-13k low so Id assume there is a reason why. And 3LZ was not offered until 2008, so its a 2LZ. As for the mileage as far as I am aware that stays with the cluster so if the cluster has been changed there is really no way of knowing the exact mileage.

9c1ny

carfax it , should show registration/inspection/service dates/mileage, should help you figure out the real mileage

Mookster

As far as i know there is no TMU title. Its either gonna be salvage/theft recovery title with an exempt odometer. 3LZ wasnt available in 2006.

$28k is an awesome price tho, if i were you i'd take the car in for a PPI(pre purchase inspection) to a reputable shop. Have them check the frame along with everything else.

tim414

Run Forest, run.

If your budget is tight stay away. Those engines are $14,000 just to get one in a crate. Then install + $.....

Conversely, if you have the coin to buy it at that price and find a good shop to open it up. This car is far from no issues....like the thread above says, the shroud in the engine bay is rplment. I bet this car has had the HELL driven out of by looking at the pipes which appear engine is using oil. A little oil is ok, but.....could also signal ISSUE and catastrophic failure imminent if nothing done.

Can you handle that? If not,

Run Forest, Run

Jawnathin

Hmmm, lets see. Its a 2LZ w/ Nav, not a 3LZ.

I don't like the painted rear diffuser. Not a fan of the full width spoiler either. Looks like it got the upgraded Lloyd's front floor mats. OEM tires are still on. Might wanna see if they're an old set or recently replaced as that can cost some $$$. Some aluminum corvette letter inserts on the rear.

Nothing major there, all things that can be 'fixed' if its a problem. The Full Width spoiler may have been drilled though, so you might not be able to go back to the OEM ducktail. A ZR1 spoiler will also need a drilling, but it uses different drilling points.

Thats all I can tell by looking at it.

Would also be concerned about the radiator shroud and the stickers. Those look like the replacement part stickers. I'd check the front end to see whats been replaced or tweaked if anything.

Hector146

very beautiful

capevettes

GM/VIS maintenance history report and a Carfax is your friend. Probably a salvage/rebuild title. Price is way too low not to have severe issues which diminish it's present and future value. Spend more and get a clean, no excuses car.

pokerpro

I might be wrong about this but I thought those two toned seats were not available in 2006. If that's the case then there is a good chance it might have been in a front end wreck and were replaced. As they say "If it seems to good to be true it usually is".

FrankTank

The fact that you can't get the true milage in the car is a sign to RUN Forest RUN If you are on a tight budget and something happens to the car right after you buy it..you are up the creek with a nice car payment for a large paper-weight in your garage.

2 sayings come to mind.. one as quoted above " if it seems to good to be true it usually is" and " you don't get something for nothing"

There is probably a real good reason the car is priced that low.

Walk away on this one

Tigershark3

One thing I noticed.. If it's a 3LZ wouldn't it have the better carbon fiber center console instead of the painted? Like others have said: "if it's too good to be true....." $.02

MudZ06

as mentioned, 06's didin't come in 3lz.

tim414

screaminchevy

It looks like the front nose scoop insert is missing too, i can't quite tell without a dirrect look. but if that's the case, it makes me think it's been wrecked and the front end was replaced, which would also make sense for the replace radiator shroud. There has to be a way to pull the full history of the vehicle and really see what happend. I'm suprised the dealer can't give you more insight to this.

Find out the real story and report back. It could be bad enough it's not worth touching at all. however, if it's a savlage title and a good shop did a proper job with repairs, it could be a decent find. There's been a couple threads on here of guys rebuilding wrecked Z's and putting them back in fantastic condition. If it turns out that it wasn't that bad of a repair (heck it might even have a new LS7 from the frist one blowing up) then $28K is a cheap way to go fast! as long as you dont mind driving a Frankenstien.

At a glance i'd say walk away, especially if you cant get all the facts. but if you can find the real history then it might be worth it. If i had the oportunity to buy a 28k Z06 at 18 you bet your a$$ i'd hire a PI to find out everything about the car!

160KTS

I bet it's been in a pretty solid accident and either the computer was pretty messed up in the whole thing and replaced with a non-stock to that car one (the cluster with millage) or it was in a flood, OR the dealer is using TMU to lure you in to a car that is a salvage car from a bad accident. Stay away, save a few more dollars and get a 60k mile 06 that you know the history on. Totally worth it.

Good luck, I bought my Z at 19 and haven't looked back. You'll probably give up some stuff for the car, but it's worth it. Great cars.

PHXAZ06

I have a 2006 2LZ with Nav, with OEM 2 tone seats (red bolsters).
I also have the build sheet, but it's at home, so I can't provide the build code for it until this evening.

TX Tahoe Z71

Do you have experience driving such a high-horsepower car? Please don't take this the wrong way, but when I was 18, if I had this car (or any car with more than 300hp), I would have wrapped it around a pole or worse thinking I knew what I was doing. I thought I was a great driver, but looking back, I was very lucky.

But like others have said, I would steer clear, something doesn't smell right. Or at least do some serious research, put it up on a lift and have a mechanic take a look at it.