Many reason for choosing new or used I always by new and realistically it boils down to what you want and what your are willing/able to spend.

 

My argument against buying new (especially a GM) car.

It seems almost all of their cars come with latent defects that are resolved in the first few weeks by the initial purchaser. This has been true for the last 3 new GM cars/trucks I've purchased over a period of 10 years. During the same time I purchased Acura, Nissan, and a Jeep. All had no issues.


Having been that guy many times, it puts a sour taste in your mouth when you buy a new car and that happens.

I've purchased 4 used corvettes and all have been spectacular. In fact only the 2014 has been to the dealership, and it was the newest.
1997 with 78k -- no issues at all, 30k miles over 10 years. However service history showed many trips to dealer during warranty period
2007 Z06 with 14k -- No issues, except the LS7 valve drop rumors
2008 LS3 with 30k -- No issues 10k miles over 2 years.
2014 only had 2700 miles but there were still a few defects to be worked out.

Even knowing all that, I had planned to hold out for 2016 or 2017 and keep the 2008, until I found exactly the car I wanted sitting on a dealer lot with 2700 miles.

 

I usually like to buy used, but this time I will be buying new..Big fear of picking up someones problematic or beat on C7/

 

Not sure how relevant the age is as long as it isn't a car from some high school kid with a wealthy father. I'm 45 and my dad is 70. He is much more aggressive with his C7 than I am with mine.

 

Couple thoughts having bought new and used Corvette. I like the idea of saving $ hence used comes into play. Remember Corvette is a sports car and many drive them hard, track them and crack them up. You don't want to buy a problem someone is dumping. Dealers put lipstick on pigs so buyer beware. Whatever savings gained from buying used can evaporate quickly if you buy an abused car. The only used Corvettes I bought were from people I knew and had direct knowledge of how the car was used and maintained. If I was going to buy a Corvette from a dealer it would likely be a Chevy/GM Certified car. Pay some more but you get more piece of mind and warranty. If I plan to drive the car hard and take it to Walmart parking lot I would buy used if I am going to keep the car and pamper it I prefer new. New gives you the latest model improvements and full warranty. It will also be newer when you sell it and that might help recoup some of the discount you might get on the used car purchase which will be older and a multiple owner car when you want to sell. All things considered I would buy a new end of year model when new model year cars come out which is what I did. Got new car,warranty and saved $.

 

I was lucky and found a 2016, Z51, 3LT, 8spd, chrome wheels and many other options with 700 miles on the odo. It was GM certified so I got the remaining GM warranty plus an additional 1 Year (from Sept 2015 when it was first sold). It was more than $10k below the original MSRP. So far, it is a perfect car and everything works exactly as designed, as desired, and as anticipated (it now has 1200 miles on the odo). They are out there. Take your time and find what you want.

 

Years ago I had a friend that owned a Chevrolet dealership. One day I showed him the brand new Cadillac that I had just bought for business use. At the time I also had a 930 Turbo.

Seeing the Cadillac, my friend said, "Even I never buy new cars. Why would you buy new? Let someone else take the 15-25% value hit. Be patient. Wait for the one you really want as you did with the 930."

I bought our 2013 CTS V new because we got $10,000 off sticker. I bought our 2002 C5 vert when it was 9 years old with 19,000 miles. The guy was proven trustworthy through other car deals and when he said that it was flawless and showroom new, I bought it off eBay sight unseen. Turns out he was completely truthful. But I shopped for 7 months and looked at dozens and dozens of C5's on the Internet and many others in person.

One has to be patient. One also never buys a boat new and one should only buy a performance car new when searches prove fruitless. But never start with new as the only option being considered. That's egocentric buying.

Last year I found a 2014 C7 with 5K, MSW shifter, Comp Seats, ZO6 grill, ZO6 style carbon spoiler and intakes, and several other nice upgrades for $62,000. The guy had almost $90K in the car and had just taken delivery on a maxed out C7 ZO7. Only problem was he ordered the 2014 C7 Z51 without Mag Ride which was a non-starter for me.

When we decide to do another search, I guarantee there will be a similar deal out there with a full warranty. Still not sure if it would be a ZO6 or a Z51. Doesn't mean that we won't buy new, just means that new would have to be a heck of a deal after a patient used search failed to produce what we specifically want.

 

Bought a used 2014. Mostly because I wanted Lime rock green. I searched for several months trying to find the option combo I was looking for. Found one bought used with less than a 1000 miles the Chevy dealer owner and son (in his 30's) drove for another 12k.

Figured they had the means and location to properly service.

 

There is nothing like a NEW car.

 

I have bought my last two used (c6 &c7) and both were about 1 yr old and had less than 5k miles on them but I like to buy in the winter if I can. The dealers want to move inventory from cold weather states (especially used as its not getting any newer) and I have gotten amazing deals doing it this way, had them both trucked out to me. One I got from Cleveland Ohio and the other from Minnesota, I live in AZ. Both had been sitting for months and could not be driven in the snow in those states. Took me 45-60 days for the right ones to come up but when I sold my c6 after 5 years of ownership, I only lost $2k in value on it! I paid cash for the 'used' c7 because I had so much from that sale.

Staying ahead on values becomes a game to me as I get older and try to make the best financial decisions in everything I do. I picked up my 2014 last year, 2k miles on it, z51 3lt w/ every option on it just about in the exact color scheme I wanted for $60k. It had sold for $78k 7 months prior. I was going to barely be able to get a new z51 1lt w/ almost no options for $60k. Instead I have mag ride, heated and cooled seats, 2 roofs, nav and of course, the all important garage door opener! Cant get that on a 1lt lol! Best of luck in whatever you decide to do.

 

I only buy new but also keep my vehicles until they die.

 

Buy new cause you cannot replace the feeling of breaking her in and her feel will always be tied to how you drove her in the first 5000 miles

 

When buying used, I like to do the math. For example, if a used (comparably equipped) car with, say, 5k miles is selling for $10k less than a new one, that equates to $2/per mile - that's pretty significant. Most leased cars have a $.15-.$.5 cost for excess milage. Yes, the newer car will sell for more than the older car at resale. As such, you will recoup some of the additional cost of the newer car at resale. Assuming the newer car sells for $5k more than the older car at resale, the net is still $1/mile.

 

Yours is the smartest reply on this thread. Value is the name of the game. Exercising patience pays off huge in the end. Buying a virtually new vehicle or boat a year old at the right time of year (winter) is the only way to buy unless money means nothing. Let the original owner take the depreciation hit, not you . Look at all the virtually new C7s for sale on this forum. Nothing feels better than to buy the right car at the right price!

 

If you can get employee or supplier pricing, buy new--if not find a really great low mileage C7 and jump it if the price is right.

 

Thank you Steve. I am trying to make up for all the dumb financial mistakes I made in my 20's and some of my 30's on cars, lol. When I bought my wifes Lexus 5-6 yrs ago I did the same thing, waited till the right one came in off a lease w/ 23k on the clock, specific options and colors she wanted and got a CPO warranty to boot. Car got new tires brakes and I had them put on a new steering wheel due to some leather issues. Car sold for $43k new and I got an optioned out Lexus for $25k. Just about like new. That car now has 100k miles on it, has never seen the shop and she likes it today as much as she did the day we got it. If you can save $10-$20k PLUS on every car you buy, that is a lot of money over time and if you are patient and smart about it you can get the exact car you want with MORE features than you would of had new. In a lot of cases you will have just as good a warranty and like others have said, someone else may have gotten the bugs worked out as well if there were some.

To each their own but I like to live debt free for the most part and I enjoy nice vehicles and toys. If I can have the extras in life and it does not cut into what I would pay anyway, I will do it every time. There are some things I wont touch used but I have had great experiences in finding the right, gently used cars. I always smile to myself when people think we have these really expensive cars (3 total and a camper) but the fact is, most of what I own was no more than their Honda or Dodge may have cost new. The c7 was the most I ever spent on a car and as I said earlier it was because I made $30k on my c6 after 5 yrs of ownership, having bought it for $32k used in 2010 and just added that to the cash I had, staying ahead of the value curve.

 

I started with purchasing new but now I only buy low mileage used like this one!

 

Mike you and I are cut from the same cloth. I'm 64 and never had a car payment in my life. I always bought lightly used cars (luxury and sports cars) in cash; I once bought a two year old boat that was lightly used and sold for $72k for $39k ; used it for three years and sold it for $37. Got to enjoy it for relatively free! My logic being if I had to take out a loan I couldn't afford it. Bought my first new car, a Mercedes just a few years ago when money wasn't an issue. Like you I live debt free and it has made all the difference. Paid my house off in15 years and now I can buy virtually anything I want. I've learned that you can be quite happy with relatively little money....its debt that causes most of the problems in life. Enjoy your vet!

 

We were going to get a new Z06 but backed off to 2016 Z15 A8 3LT. It is scheduled to be on the truck at Selman in Orange next week. Window sticker is just short of $76K, and with GM Employee and the new (just started) Conquest rebate we are getting $10K off window sticker. My wife wants to be the one who takes the plastic off the steering wheel, seats and carpet.

Last year they had a used 2014 Z51 with miles on it for $68,000, and were getting window sticker plus+ for Z51's. We decided to sit it out for a year rather than overpay for a used car or pay sticker or more for new. Patience apparently has paid off.

We've owned several new Corvettes over the years and in the last 3 years two new crew cab trucks including my 2015 Duramax. I've never had to have them "sorted out" as one poster said.

 

I think that feeling of seeing that first chip is weighing on me but didn't realize it until you said it- that feeling does suck!!