When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Looking at purchasing a car that was apparently part of the GM buy-back program. Snowball's chance in hell but does anybody recognize this car as one they sold back to GM and can tell me the experience they had with it?
Have requested it along with all the buy-back and service documentation. Waiting on the dealer to provide that now. They said it had something to do with the front engine cover and that they replaced the cover. Based on some searching it seems there was an issue with oil leaks from that spot so it could just be an oil leak they couldn't solve.
I've received some of the documents from the dealer. The car was serviced at Dublin Chevrolet in Dublin, CA. Customer stated there was an oil leak. Dealership confirmed an oil leak from the front of the engine and appears to have dropped to motor and replaced the seal and re-installed. There's no indication that the issue recurred though, which I thought was part of the lemon law requirement. If that's really all it is, it would be a shame that the title is branded a lemon for that.
I've received some of the documents from the dealer. The car was serviced at Dublin Chevrolet in Dublin, CA. Customer stated there was an oil leak. Dealership confirmed an oil leak from the front of the engine and appears to have dropped to motor and replaced the seal and re-installed. There's no indication that the issue recurred though, which I thought was part of the lemon law requirement. If that's really all it is, it would be a shame that the title is branded a lemon for that.
In California a vehicle is eligible for a lemon law buyback if it was out of service for 30 days or more. The dealer could have drug their feet or there could have been a parts shortage, and the owner got fed up, especially if the car was new when it happened. And just because the GM bought back the car it doesn't necessarily mean that it was processed through the lemon law. GM can voluntarily repurchase the car without going through the lemon law process.
Beautiful car for sure, but if it does have a lemon-branded title, I'm not sure I'd want that hanging over my head. I'd always be wondering what I would eventually be able to get for it at resale time whenever that time might come.
Well, if the price is right and you were planning to keep the car for a long time…might be a great deal….what are the details, how much, how many miles, what is the warranty...
If it's been repaired and you plan on keeping it for a long time, it might be a good deal if the price is right. There are also awesome deals on new C8s so it may end up a better deal to purchase a new one.
I do tend to keep my cars for a long time and would plan to do so with this one as well - as a point of reference this would be replacing a 2006 z51 that I bought in 2009 and put 130k miles. It's only got 540 miles, and only about 10 of those since the motor was pulled and the front seal was replaced. It is discounted ~35k relative to similar mileage & equally spec'd car. It's just really hard to tell how much a lemon branded title hurts the value, I guess that's because it depends on the buyer. It doesn't help that the car is 800 miles away from me so I can't even put my own eyes on it.
I do tend to keep my cars for a long time and would plan to do so with this one as well - as a point of reference this would be replacing a 2006 z51 that I bought in 2009 and put 130k miles. It's only got 540 miles, and only about 10 of those since the motor was pulled and the front seal was replaced. It is discounted ~35k relative to similar mileage & equally spec'd car. It's just really hard to tell how much a lemon branded title hurts the value, I guess that's because it depends on the buyer. It doesn't help that the car is 800 miles away from me so I can't even put my own eyes on it.
Is the title actually branded as a Lemon Law Buyback or was it just a GM voluntary buyback? Sometimes GM will do a customer satisfaction buyback on a basically new car with a problem but it technically isn't a lemon law buyback.
Is the title actually branded as a Lemon Law Buyback or was it just a GM voluntary buyback? Sometimes GM will do a customer satisfaction buyback on a basically new car with a problem but it technically isn't a lemon law buyback.
Yes, the title is branded unfortunately.
Last edited by StrokedOutVette; Jun 2, 2026 at 04:36 PM.
Why can't you put your eyes on it? Buy a cheap round trip flight and be ready to buy. If it checks out, drive it the 800 miles home, and if it doesn't, use the return flight ticket.
It is discounted ~35k relative to similar mileage & equally spec'd car. It's just really hard to tell how much a lemon branded title hurts the value.
So, -$35k from the price of a comparable '23, and not -$35k off the sticker?
With 535 miles total, it might be a screaming deal.
If you want a Z06, a good deal.
If you don'twant/need a Z06, then a leftover Stingray for the same money might be better for you.
As you and others have said, it comes down to its warranty. Factory GM? Good until?
I asked AI on Google about the value of a branded title value hit...(take if for what it's worth)..
Lemon Buyback: Often devalued by 15% to 30%. Because the defect might be a persistent, unfixable mechanical or electronic issue, buyer hesitation is usually high. [1]
My guess is if you can prove to whoever you sell it to in the future that the problem did not reoccur, any hit will be at the lower end of the range.
Too many cars on the market to take a chance on a Lemon buyback. It's not always about the price. It's the hassle and aggravation of having a problem vehicle if it happens again. You will lose interest very quickly. Trying to sell it will not be easy.
Having just gone through a manufacturer buyback on a brand new vehicle due to an early electrical issue, I was ready to move on. Like others have said, an early issue could either be a one-off or the start of something more, just don’t know.
The bigger factor for me was that the vehicle is permanently titled as a manufacturer buyback, which can hurt resale down the road. While you can get a great deal on one, it comes with some added risk.
For a brand new “toy” that was meant to be fun and stress-free, it just wasn’t something I wanted to take on again. There are plenty of C8s out there, keep searching and you’ll find one that checks all the boxes.
Last edited by HOGSONTHEROAD; Yesterday at 11:44 AM.
Does anybody recognize this lemon?
