kingman said:
My 96 Lt1 is better then any other C4 made with the stock V8 as far as build. It was the final year of the C4 run and it has all of the refinements period.
But it's not ever going to be a must have vette where somebody is going to part with serious money unless l wait and keep it to the year 2025 and keep it as a garage queen.
The reason is that it's not unique and in today's world it's only a so so performance car compared with what is offered today. Forget tomorrow.
The C1's and the C2's will continue to climb along with some of the C3's and the special editions like the ZR-1's G.S.'s and the Z-06's. The rest of them will appreciate but at a much slower rate if any. I also like the Lt-4's.
All of the collector editions are real neat but will only bring a little more unless it's a vert. The vert's will always bring money, not serious money.
But don't hang your head low because we still love our vettes and that's enough for us. It's not what it's worth as long as it still bring's a smile when you get behind the wheel and hit the gas.
Enough said!!!!!!!!!
Alan
p.s. I'm not bashing the vette, just hate to see so many owner's that have mental masturbation over how much they think that they will get when they sell it.
Also if it's not stock it's worthless to the collector unless it was modified by a serious well known tuner. The greenwood packages are worthless to a collector but l think that they are neat looking anyway.
I am really not sure where you are getting all that from. ZR1's, Grand Sports, and Z06's are not appreciating. When they start to appreciate, they will bring the rest of the C4 market up (the Z06 will make the C5 market go up). Just like a 1967 427 convertible brings the value up of a '67 327 coupe. They are not that much different, and if you can't afford 100,000+ for the '67 roadster, 30k for a basic coupe doesn't sound bad at all.
Also, thinking that 'stock' is what is needed to have good value is off too. factory original corvettes (as well as other classics) are losing ground in value every day to 'resto-rods'. People realize more and more that it is tough to keep up with traffic with 30+ year old technology. If you wouldn't put bias ply tires on a new car, why would you put them on your classic car that is worth more than a new car??
The corvette price curve has been very U shaped for many years. in the last few years it is more backwards J shaped, in that the old cars are worth more than the new ones, but the trend will continue. after some time on the bottom of the curve, the prices will go back up. There will be a point in time where a 1984 corvette is worth more than a 2004 corvette because it will be more desireable. There was a point in time when no one wanted the '68-'73 vettes because they have chrome bumpers... now they are a hot item. The same will probably prove true about the '84 but for it's boxy but smooth lines, and its digital dash.
Even after all that, a 1984 corvette is not a bad performer. it handles better than any corvette older than it, and is faster than most of them too. it will run 100+ and not hesitate for a second. Even though the technology is so old, it still has better performance parts than most 'regular' cars do today.
Last but not least, late model Corvette values are
mileage based for the time being. There is no other single factor that helps or hurts C4,5, and 6 values more than miles.
8000 is to expencive IMHO. Gaskets, leather and rubber most likely all need replacing.
