'98 'vette for sale, 3500 original miles!
 

I was out tooling around lunchtime in the 'vette (picking up fertilizer at the Home Depot, 'vette's make great trucks) and I passed another C-5 in Silver, I gave the guy the wave, and pulled into Avanced auto to get my son's oil. The guy in the 'Vette pulled in after me, and asked if I was interested in the car. It appears the car is for sale on consignment at a little used car lot across from my High School, and yes, the car has 3500 miles on the clock. The car (coupe) has all options, silver wagon wheels, lexan blue roof, and looks in like-new condition. The owner wants to get $18K out of it, the dealer is listing it for $25K, I made him puke when I told him I bought the '04 with 30K for $28.5.
The name of the place is called THE STOP-IN-LOT, and is located in Waynesboro, VA. If anyone wants me to look at it in detail for them, let me know, I can walk to the lot during lunch. I think there is a bit of "wiggle room" on the price, don't you? BTW, the car's exterior is silver, with charcoal (sports seats) trim. Just for kicks, I looked the car up on Edmunds, $16.6 trade, $21.6 retail.

John

In other words, the dealer is grossly overpricing that vehicle.

The owner is stupid for going for trying to sell the car on consignment. He is waisting his time. He wants $18k out of the deal. All he has to do is list the car for $18,400 in the autotrader, answer his cell phone and boom within 2 weeks the car is sold at 18k (this assumes the owner doesn't care for making more $)

People will buy corvettes easier from private parties.

How has the vette not seen dried up seals by driving 3500 miles in 9-10 years? Although buyers will be attracted to this deal like bees on honey.

:iagree:

I'd be a bit worried about the 31/2k on a car that old. Sounds weird. :crazy: High RPM could cause disaster.

I'd be concerned about a car that old w/ only 3500 miles. IMHO it sat too much in one spot. $.02

I hear you on that, I'd rather buy a car with "normal" miles at a reasonable price, than an 8 year old unused car, it seems like you are "asking " for trouble. Just this year we got rid of my wife's Bullitt Mustang, '01, 13K miles. I had to replace a set of plugs due to backing it in and out of the garage . I convinced her it was killing the car having it sit, so she agreed and we ditched it and kept my '04 Mustang with 30K, I felt better about the driven car, even though we owned the latter since new.

John

I would not buy a car with that mileage and those years. I see a lot of leaks coming up.

I was thinking good deal @ $18,000.

Not sure about the leaks...
Many vette owners drive their cars minimally.

18K seems like a deal, and who knows if the car SAT all those years, it might have been driven a couple hundred miles a year.

Either way, it wouldn't take too much checking to see if seals and boots are in good shape.

I'd put it on Ebay motors and let it sell that way.

I have bought 6, 8, 10 year old passenger cars all my life. Never bought a new car, except for company cars. Probably bought and kept 20 cars in 30 years for self, wife, kids, sister, other relatives, etc.

I have never had a problem with low mileage cars. One 64 Caddy had sticky rings, and it burned a little bit of oil. 64 Lincoln had dried seals in tranny. It would sometimes take a second to go into gear. Toronado, Marquis, 4 Lesabres, Celebrity, Cadillac, etc. Most of these were 5 to 10 years old. Some had 6000 to 25000 miles on them.

I was trying to buy a beautiful 2000 Sedan de Ville with 17k on it earlier today for a daily driver.

Maybe I am just lucky. On the other hand, I do ask a lot of questions; I check things out thoroughly; I pull maint records, etc.

Ed

I've got to think that the seals and all would be just fine. It's not like we're talking about some 71 Vette that's been sitting in a barn for 20 years. It's a modern car made with modern gaskets and materials that, from the sounds of things, lived in a nice garage under good care. If I were in the market and could get that thing for 18K, I'd do it in a heartbeat. :cheers:

:iagree: :yesnod:

I bought my current '99 Coupe last Feb '06 with only 1658 miles and haven't had a problem.

I have a 99 and only have 18,500 mi. on it. It still runs like new and I have had no leaks and no problems, just the oil changes and thats it..I drove the car in the beggining only 800 to 1,000 miles a year ..as I couldn't drive it every day do to my kids and job.;) ..Now I try to drive it as much as possible:thumbs:

:iagree: The owner would get 19 k easily on this site. Why should the dealer make 5 k on the car?

There are a lot of lowball price throwers on this sight and I do not agree it would be an easy sell at 19K.

I think he could easily get $19-20k from the right buyer on this site. If I were him I certainly wouldn't screw around with trying to let a dealer sell it for me.

:iagree: I guess he was just thinking it would be easier and more convenient to put it on consignment and let the lot take care of everything.

Price is right for that car with those low miles. :yesnod:

If I was looking for a car I would by that one in a heartbeat, have it checked out and enjoy it. Funny, many here recommend people buying cars with over 100,000 miles. Give me the low mileage one anyday.

But what if this car had been in one of those "bubbles" all those years:toetap: Wouldn't that be like a new car?

sounds risky
 

Nice price for the mileage, but why not driven ???

:iagree:

Fool me once....
 

Cars with special mileage high/low have the same problem..How were they cared for by the owner. Low milage cars still need to be regularly serviced by time not mileage. High mileage cars need additional help as the car ages. All internal parts of an engine were designed to be lubed by the engine running not seating. Long periods of a car seating are not good. Example is the A/C, by now the seals are cracked if the car was not started and the a/c run on a regular schedule.

:willy:

If the car was a vert auto, I think I would seriously look at it, and work that price into the reasonable range. I'm sure there might be some minor issues from sitting, but really being garaged and all, the interior and paint looked and smelled showroom fresh. I told the dealer at his earliest convenience to check on the battery and make sure it hadn't leaked.

Although, my wife reminded me WE HAVE TOO MANY CARS/BIKES and I've been a good boy and started dropping $1K principal on our mortgage each month. So if I'm a good boy and pay the mortgage off in 7 years could I use that cash on....a C-6 Z06? Or maybe, a C-7? H'mmmmmm.


John

I agree on a few points:

The seals aren't going to dry up and spring leaks. If the car is garaged and maintained (proper air, oil changes, etc) there shouldn't be any issues.

Any serious buyer would gladly pay more than the joke kbb and Ednmunds prices as they can't compare and extremely low mile car to an average mileage of 80k miles.

Even if a buyer paid $3k over the "book values" they would be so far ahead of the game as they would not have to incur many of the sunk maintenence costs, wear and tear (paint, glass, interior, etc) of a higher mile car. Especially a car like a Vette that could have been driven extremely hard for 20k miles. I looked at a Vette with 20k miles and the GM service records were staggering and the car was clearly driven hard will close inspection and backed up my the records.

The "Drive it like you stole it" quote is cool, but not for the next owner. :crazy:

JMHO

Don't get me wrong. The cars are meant to be driven and built for speed. It doesn't matter what it is; if driven (as meant to be) things are going to break/wear out in time. More so if driven hard for a long time, something is going to break sooner.
Not my opinion, fact. ;)

Sounds like a good deal for someone. :)

I bought my 99 a year and a half ago with 3,300 miles on it and paid a whole lot more than that. It now has just over 12,000 on it with out 1 single problem. I did buy it from a dealer but on the other hand did drive away with a 3 year 36,000 mile GMAC warranty. Compared to the $66,000 they wanted for an 05 vert at the time I felt I stole the car. :D

:iagree:

If the Car has high mileage, everyone screams "the mileage is toooo high" If the Car has LOW mileage, everyone screams "the Mileage is toooo low!"
I've bought BOTH high and low mileage 'Vettes, I JUST bought a 2000 with 3300 miles on it and it's run absolutely problem free for the last 2 months...and I bought a 67 with 212k mileage once, it had problems but they were problems I EXPECTED to encounter with such mileage. I have a 73 C3 right now that has 88k on it, but you'd be hard pressed to find evidence of those miles, it's so clean you can eat off it.The simple Truth of the matter is that regardless of WHAT you buy, check it out and don't buy it unless you feel good about the purchase, be that Car, House..or even the Girl you're going to Marry! :thumbs: (this last one can REALLLLY cost you if your not careful!!)

~Maverick

If had the $18K to spare, I'd be on a plane today. And would probably be driving the Vette home tomorrow. IMHO, that's a real bargain..... :thumbs: