That had to be a tough call, but good for you for trusting your gut. You'll find what you're looking for.

 

You have to listen to your inner voice, for sure. If it doesn't feel right, it isn't right.

Lots of naysayers here, but I'm thrilled with the condition of the '14 Stingray I bought through Carvana. It has 17K miles and I'm the third owner, BTW. Sure, it's a leap of faith to buy a car without seeing it first in person, but you can tell quite a bit by the photos, and they make it extremely easy to return if you're not satisfied. And hard to argue with the selection of cars available. The biggest thing for me was whether I'd really like the Velocity Yellow color (I'm a semi-introvert at heart) but it turns out I'm truly digging it! Yellow doesn't work for a lot of cars, but it makes the C7 look exotic, and I'm getting tons of compliments on it.

I'm sure you'll find the perfect C7 soon. Happy hunting!

 

I put the order in yesterday and woke up with a stomachache this morning They were also a pain in the neck with payment, insurance, etc. They wanted me to insure the car BEFORE delivery and prove it. Prove I had the money in my checkbook etc.
A big issue is that it was a Market Place car and the photos were blurry and poorly done....they didn't make you say "wow that's the car for me" I thought I saw something on the leather (could be the lighting) but there was nobody to question the possible blemish.

 

A big issue is that it was a Market Place car and the photos were blurry and poorly done....they didn't make you say "wow that's the car for me" I thought I saw something on the leather (could be the lighting) but there was nobody to question the possible blemish. I may return to Carvana for a car that is not on Market Place.

 

Yes, will take a little break from shopping...starting to get busy for me.

 

A lot of guys here frown upon buying a "used" Vette. I personally have never bought a "new" Vette (and I've purchased nine in the past 6 years). I just never understood why anyone would pay $80k for a car with 0 miles when I pay $55k for the exact same car with 7k miles (with that same new car smell)...but to each his own.

 

Problem is that the new vettes (@ MSRP) are cheaper than the used vettes. Try buying a used C7 right now. They cost way more than they did new.

 

I bought all my high-end sports cars used (5) with no issues. Now that Chevy abandoned the manual transmission I'll probably never buy a new Vette.

 

Exactly - the multiple owners thing really only applies to your typical, average commuter car where each progressive owner often does less maintenance as the car's value drops off a cliff. However even that isn't a hard and fast rule. I know every car I've owned has left my driveway in the same or better condition then I bought it. For example my wife's current Infiniti has new brakes, new tires, new trim pieces (inside and out), new headlights and new paint. Basically anything that looked worn out or faded was fixed (mostly DIY) because she loves the car.

 

Well if you want to check the options w/o waiting or paying that high museum charge you can get a window sticker for only $8 at Monroneylabels.com. Its a 8 1/2 x 11 sized window sticker but is pretty nice.

Yes that is a low availability car. Thank God I'm not a stick fan or a fan of the C7 conv fan. I had C4 & C5 verts but thought the C7 lost too many lines on its vert. Good luck as that is a tough find though I'm still against any 4 owner cars.

Very happy with your decision, I know it stinks but hopefully it is for the best. Also you can setup a search in Carmax and let them do the work for you, while you take a break from the hunt. Sorry for your struggle but I too had the same uneasiness with doing all that upfront information providing that Carvana demands. I'm old school but felt much more comfortable having Carmax deliver a car to my store and THEN I decide if I'm going to purchase it and THEN provide that info, not before.

Lastly know I too had that same sickness and horrible night right before I was going to get a beautiful car 2 years ago and backed out in the morning thinking it wasn't worth it making me feel that way. Well fast forward to last year and I found what for me is the best Corvette I've ever owned. Trust the same will happen for you. Good luck and send pics when you finally find and purchase the right car for you.

 

Wow, you hit them all Thanks for the tip on the window sticker, I went to the site and saved it for when the next car comes along. I've got several online sites updating me as new cars come on the market (or drop in price). I would agree that the couple has some beautiful lines. My 2005 was a coupe and I thought the removable top would satisfy me desire for a convertible, but it didn't. Being in southern AZ we have many top-down days. Thanks for your words of encouragement.

 

Just curious, but what were the two inspections at the dealership going to cost you?

 

Not sure if you're considering Carmax but i've sold them 2 cars, purchased 1 and I highly recommend them. I was impressed with their inspection process when i sold them mine, which made me more likely to purchase from them, and they have a 30day/1500mile refund policy as long as it's in the same condition.

 

Carmax is the way to go! I purchased my 2015 2LT from them . They lowered the price 1k while it was on hold. They gave me New headlight bulbs, a new windshield and a free tank of gas. I’d recommend going through them 100%

 

They quoted me a "pre-purchase" inspection for $160. I didn't go any further on what is covered, or if there was a more comprehensive inspection (as one CF member said, it was equivalent to a CPO inspection).

My deal is off the table for now so I didn't pursue the inspections any further.

 

I am considering Carmax and checking their site regularly. My buddy bought two cars (not Vettes) from them and was satisfied. He also raves about their service. I had a Toyota scheduled maintenance with them and it was a better price than the dealer.

 

Thanks Juju, I am considering Carmax. Good to see you had a positive experience. Years ago I test drove a Porsche they had on the lot and felt the car was a little beat up, but as I said in another post, my buddy bought two cars from them and was happy.

 

On the flip side however, after months of nationwide searches


I, who live near S.F., CA, bought a 2019 GS, M7, Vert from a dealer in St. Louis, MO. Purchase was based on four pics sent by the salesman as the Autotrader post had no pics yet. It was that new of a post. The car had been sold back by the original owner two years later. I jumped on it as it had everything I was looking for and then some just before the prices started going bonkers. Shipped it open carrier with "top bunk" preference (it was April). Didn't sleep for two nights! Surprise! The car was 90% wrapped in paint protection film (PPF). The dealer had no knowledge of the PPF before my deposit was accepted! Local estimate was $6500 - $7000 for the PPF. Love this car and, while you have to have a strong stomach for buying sight unseen, it can be really rewarding. Just be sure to do your research and know exactly what you want. The PPF literally turned a fair deal into a very good one.

 

In the thread's recent lean towards CarMax, I second that vote. Their inspectors seem to be quite competent and though their prices are on the high side, I don't have any complaints with the two Vettes I bought through them.

Oddly enough, I'm the ONLY person "ever" who has ever bought Corvettes from the Jackson, MS store-- going back through 4 sales people (totaling 12 years' memory at CM Jackson) . No complaints at all.

Even more of a contrarian idea--I ran CarFax and the GMVIS (aka, "WorkBench Service" report) and CF reported that the 23,000-mile 2003 Z06 I bought in 2012 had 9 (count'em- 'nine') previous owners. I replaced the valve springs upon delivery. It was trouble free until I replaced the harmonic balancer, clutch, torque tube couplers and master brake cylinder at 86,000 miles. Now it's got 126,000 on it and all I've ever done aside from what I mentioned is change oil and tires.

It's been an iron horse; I attributed the "excessive 9-owner" history to the terrible 2008-09 economy (4 owners between '07-2010; two for less than a year). I wouldn't sweat a multiple owner car especially if they were stacked up since ~February 2020 when Covid first started the media panic and economic meltdown. There's untold millions living beyond their means who're selling everything down to the kitchen table to make ends meet. Some of 'em could be Corvette owners, too.

 

The $80K car with 0 miles, is not the same car with 7K miles, for $55K.

Because you aren't concerned enough with how the car was previously used, and wanted to pay less. Many get surprised in a bad way when they learn some of the truths of what they bought used. But it's too late to reverse the sale.

Buying new also permits custom ordering it exactly how you want to. Corvettes are often subjected to very harsh driving and mods as well. BTDT
The difference between new and near new age wise is not that great in terms of dollars. Used cars aren't eligible to Lemon Law. This is a very big deal at times. Previous accidents cannot be discerned when buying used. Buying new wipes out just about all those downsides. Besides, some ppl aren't tied to a budget when purchasing a Corvette, and actually enjoy the experience of buying new, and delight in the history associated with ownership of the car from Day 1.