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Corvettes
I have been a Corvette fan ever since I knew how to identify them as cars (I was about 4 years old when I said I wanted one). The time has come when one might be available for cheap (no money out of pocket). The question I have is this: the car is a 1986 model. It has the 5.7 engine (of course), an automatic trans, 107,xxx miles and is probably on the ratty side of average (maybe definitely on the ratty side). Is any 1986 Corvette that runs and drives worth, say, $3500? What do you think? Jul 22 14 07:46 pm Link Does it pass inspection? No oil leaks? Antifreeze clean or has oil n foamie? Smoke? Tiers have uneven wear? $3500 isnt bad. Jul 22 14 07:59 pm Link The F-Stop wrote: I don't know about inspection because it has QQ tags on it (it doesn't have to go through inspection). I didn't notice any smoke. I am yet to check the tires, oil and/or antifreeze. I'd check it much more thoroughly before taking it in trade but I'd like to have an idea what it might be worth at a bare minimum. If it's only worth $1200 perhaps, the deal isn't worth doing. Jul 22 14 08:06 pm Link What are qq plates? Check the antifreeze for oil to see if the manifold gasket is blown. Just ask a service station to run an inspection for ya. They'll charge ya but its worth it. Jul 22 14 08:08 pm Link The F-Stop wrote: My fault. LOL QQ plates are for collector and/or antique cars in NJ. To qualify, a car must be at least 25 years old, can't be driven more than x miles in a year, can't be a person's daily driver (they have to have another car), etc etc. Because of these things, a person can get collector insurance that drops dramatically in price because a person won't be driving this car much (a guy I know has these plates on a 1988 or so Mustang and pays $200 a year for insurance). Jul 22 14 08:11 pm Link Same for n ny antique plates, historical plates. But what fun is it if you arent going to drive it? Buy a junker with a blown engine then, itll make the same oil stain in the garage. Jul 22 14 08:14 pm Link I'd be getting the car in trade for something else. I'd sell the car and use the money for something else that will make me a few bucks (hopefully). I need/want to know if the car is probably worth what I'm trading it for and probably (hopefully) more so there is some wiggle room on the price of the car (in case it's hard to sell). Jul 22 14 08:17 pm Link Checking eBay "Sold Listings" is a pretty good way to determine market value of just about anything, IMHO. http://www.ebay.com/sch/Cars-Trucks-/60 … ld=1&rt=nc Jul 22 14 08:17 pm Link Yeah there are a few sites to check for market price on it. Jul 22 14 08:19 pm Link If the body (no rust) and interior are good. Mechanical parts are easy to fix or be replaced. Jul 22 14 08:24 pm Link Vettes are fiberglass Jul 22 14 08:32 pm Link roger alan wrote: That is something I didn't think to do. Thank you. Jul 22 14 08:36 pm Link Probably the 80s but which model had the digital dashboard? That never really took off for modern cars as an asthetic Jul 22 14 08:42 pm Link Decent price - BUT>>>>> RUST. (Yeah - quiet out there... I know the body is fiberglass) I have seen some from road salt states where the underpinings are gone *like push a screwdriver through them gone* (I looked at a mid 70's one that looked great on the parts you could see - and you could yank off some of the lacework of rusty metal under it.) If you are getting this in payment for something - there should be no issue checking it out with your mechanic to insure that you are getting fair value. Get it checked out and if no problems - coool. fun to drive - most of the electrical gremlins were worked out by then. The 84 with the new body scabbed on the old framework was a nightmare of epic proportions for gremlins. Decent gas mileage. Finally, the one thing I did find - is that if you have a vette - they assume you can afford Vette parts - and some of them are breathtakingly expensive - so, having it in good mechanical condition is a must. Jul 22 14 08:55 pm Link Lovely Day Media wrote: No. Not if its "ratty". Jul 22 14 09:02 pm Link Lots of Corvettes sell for surprisingly low prices. My brother recently bought this one for $5,000 in pristine condition. I think it's 1994. Definitely not ratty.    About 2 months later he found another one just like it, except with black interior and bought it for less. Can't remember the price, but it was something like $3,500 - $4,000. Same year, same exterior color, convertible. It was non-op and sitting in a hanger for about 10 years, but he was able to reregister easily. It started and ran well without much effort after sitting for so long. Jul 22 14 10:15 pm Link Click Hamilton wrote: That is a nice car. If I had my choice, it would be a 1993 40th anniversary car, but I don't really have that choice here. Maybe some day I will. Jul 22 14 10:45 pm Link On the other hand, when I go to cruise nights and car shows, I also see people asking $20,000+ for their Corvettes. Corvette people LOVE Corvettes. There's no doubt about that. I think it's a pretty cohesive group. I think the market is still pretty dead for collectible classics and fun projects. A little cash goes a long way. Jul 23 14 12:30 am Link It's my opinion, but the C4 was the most uninspired design that came out of the Corvette factory. If I were buying, $3500 is too much. I'd look for an older model C3. Yes, you might have to pay more for one, but the C4 and even the C5 just looked too generic "sports car" to me. The C3, C6 and now the C7 are unmistakenly, unapologetically, uncompromisingly Corvette. But if it's your dream car, get it. Even if it's a project car, you're going to put in the time and the money to make it what you want it to be. Just be sure to purchase one of those books about your model so that when things go wrong, and they're sure to, you will have a path to fix it. Jul 23 14 04:06 am Link Watched an '84 get dragged out of a Yard for $400.00. With Paint, the Seats replaced and minor mechanical work the Car was resold for $6,500. 1986 reintroduced the Convertible on the Corvette and were Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replicas. Jul 23 14 04:24 am Link Good Egg Productions wrote: It's not my "dream" car but it is possibly available and at the right price (no money out of pocket). Given a choice of years, I'd likely choose 1967 first followed by 1970 and then 1993 (but only if it were a 40th anniversary ZR1 car). This one is on the horizon and may well become available. Jul 23 14 05:35 am Link Fifty One Imaging wrote: Out of curiosity, do you know what that paint job cost someone? Jul 23 14 06:01 am Link Lovely Day Media wrote: No clue, the Buyer owns a shop so cost to Him was minimal. Jul 23 14 06:09 am Link I just want to say I like your taste!!! Jul 23 14 07:52 am Link My thing is more Porsche than Corvette but what we always recommend is a Pre Purchase Inspection by someone who really knows that model car. Check with local Vette club and they may either know the car or have a member who can either do it or recommend a good shop. The problem with high performance cars is that they can run great compared to other cars and still have a lot of expensive problems and of course a lot depends on how you drive it, like it is your baby or you just stole I  Jul 23 14 09:08 am Link Ol' Yellar (pictured below, underneath Miss Bunny), says they quit makin' "real" Corvettes in '72 . . .  . . . well, not really, but the 80's weren't particularly kind to the marque, lots of electronic (expensive) demons in those years . . . if you can get it for cheap, and it's mostly intact, you'll most likely be able to flip it for $3.5-5k without too much trouble . . . if there's any electronic, fuel injection or transmission bugs, I'd run like the wind the other way . . . SOS Jul 23 14 09:32 am Link sospix wrote: I think 72 was the last of the best too. Jul 23 14 11:50 am Link Kevin Fair wrote: I'm currently workin' on a '68 L89 . . . even more rare than the L88 . . . jest not as much HP . . . Jul 24 14 07:51 am Link My favorite old Corvette engine from the days of carburetors: http://www.superchevy.com/features/sucs … 79-engine/ It's what I have in my truck now, with upgraded electronic ignition and a new Edelbrock 650cfm (in favor of my dual feed 780 Holley from the days when gas was cheaper and my foot was heavier.) If anyone likes vintage classic Holly's from the late 60's, I have one available in pristine condition. Jul 24 14 08:14 am Link Click Hamilton wrote: Great engine, and hard ta kill . . . I've tried . . . Jul 24 14 08:31 am Link Kevin Fair wrote: If I was going to buy ANY Vette from 1963 on, past the split window it would be a '67, hands down. Very good run from that year. Jul 25 14 07:45 am Link That particular body style has yet to really see any upside in value compared to most of the other versions. I would think $3500.00 for below average 86' vette would be above average price. Jul 25 14 07:54 am Link |
