How to value a wide body conversion?
 

Youve got 2 C6s, same mileage, condition and options.

How much more can I expect to pay for the one with the wide body (both front and rear)?

One looks like this:

Attachment 48355958

The other one looks like this:

Attachment 48355959

Not much really, the value is in the eye of the buyer. I have a widebody and I would like more if I ever sold it.
I would need to find a buyer who is looking for exactly what I did to the car and they find value in it for them.
It is expensive to do, but I didn't do it with resale in mind, I did it for me and to make what I wanted my car to be for me.
Not a lot of help I know, if you see the value in the widebody offer a little more than the other one.
Also check to see why they did it, was it an accident car and thats why they did it.

I would not pay more for a conversion car. I personally would probably avoid it all together. I would pay more for a grand sport.

I have been doing this for some time now, and I have never expected to get back what I put into a car. You won't get anything extra on a trade in. On a private side it comes down to what the buyer is willing to pay. A knowledgeable Corvette buyer knows what the cost is and if they like the wide body look, then you may be able to add a few dollars to the book value. So it really comes down to, do you like the looks of the wide body better then the base model? If so pay a little more over the book value, but I would not expect anyone to pay the cost of the conversion.

I agree. Not much extra, if any. If I'm a buyer, I'd offer the same as a normal base car.

Depends. Was it converted at the factory??

Just a few questions that I would ask-
Are the conversion parts all oem? If not, who are they from?
Is the paint blended or is it a "butt" match?
Why was the conversion Done? Was the car wrecked?

What ????????

A factory widebody is called a GS ,ZO6 or ZL1 lol lol

Many good comments here and reflects reality. In doing something like this conversion, you really have to think like a buyer as part of your decision, unless you really don't care about selling someday. And, that is understandable and acceptable too.

Conversions like this turn the car into a Frankenstein from the perspective of service and maintenance. Some of the questions brought up are typical questions from a buyer's view and, unless you're not a very smart buyer, you're going to ask questions such as - accidents, OEM parts, how much/many of the original parts have been changed/converted? But, as many buyers would decide - just walk away and look for another car. So, there is no way to conclude otherwise, your buyer audience will shrink down a lot and you probably won't like the buyers' profile of those left who will consider a purchase like this.

As far as Frankenstein, I can tell you I would put my car up against any used C6 out there, and can tell you that mine would outshine them in every aspect of the car, to paint, fit, finish, looks, mechanics, interior, everything. Mine looks better than new and runs better than it came from the factory. It's not for sale, and I didn't convert it with value from a resale point.
Basically what I am saying is, don't listen to people that tell you to run from a modified car. Car guys, like me, do things right.
There are a lot of people on here who have seen mine and can verify what I am saying above.

I would pass on one that someone (don't care who it was) converted.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with some of your points.
First just how does a wide body conversion make it a Frankenstein as far as service and maintenance are concerned. While this is an expensive mod it is not a Frankenstein conversion. I have seen a lot of them and I have not noticed a shade tree job. After all all the parts are nothing more then unbolt the original and add the new parts. My '07 is a rear wide body and if you look at it you cannot tell that it is not factory. Paint match and I have the base coat, tint coat clear coat, which is even more difficult to match. I do agree, that questions from a knowledgeable buyer would be to ask why, but if the answers match, I would not walk away.

I totally agree!:thumbs:

:iagree: You don't know the history of the car and the reason for the wide body conversion. Hopefully it was not due to a wreck. Spend the extra dollars and find a nice GS or Z-06.

I wouldn't pay much more for a wb converted vette but I wouldn't shy away from buying one. If it had the right miles, color, condition and price, I would grab it.

What I don't care for are cars with performance mods. I don't want modified engines of any kind. There are plenty out there that would buy them though.

It seems kinda strange how so many folks here do actually convert there base C6 into wide body cars .... but, on the other hand, they would not buy one that's already been converted (even if it was done very well).

Don't make a lot of sense to me.
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Disclaimer: I have a GS, so this whole situation don't effect me .... however, the idea of not buying a base car that has already been converted into a wide-body, but being ok with spending all that extra money to do it yourself just don't make sense to me.

Oh well, maybe I'm missing something here ...

But, would you consider installing any performance mods on your C6 that was perfectly stock when you initially bought it?

whats funny is that it is only body parts and you can see how they look and fit and paint work, but they get so worked up over that, but you could buy an unmolested one and the guy thrashed the hell out of the car and the engine and tranny are on it's last legs. :crazy2:

So, let's set up a hypothetical, unless you think that this could not possibly happen.

So, I buy a base model 05 car that has been fully converted with all the body parts from a 13 GS. Paint is perfect, the quality of the work is undeniable. I love the car and thought I made a pretty good deal, because, even though I paid more than I should have for a similar base model, It was less than a wide body would have been if there was a widebody in 05.

I am sitting at a light and the woman driving the car in front of me almost slid through a redlight so she backed up, but forgot she left the car in reverse. Light turns green and she launches in reverse right into the nose of my converted, widebody 05. Destroys the front bumper and cracks both left and right fenders. No problem, I'm fully insured.

The body shop says damage is only cosmetic so it is just a matter of ordering a front bumper and front fenders for an 05 base model. I say - "Wait a minute! You have to order parts from a 13 GS model, not an 05 base model." The insurance company says - "Wait a minute".....

Funny you should ask.

The Carfax reports a rear end collision...