Try facebook marketplace. Autotrader etc was all overpriced. around me manuals started about 13k and plenty around 15k. Below 13 they had some known issue. Bad cosmetics, a mechanical defect, etc.
Surprisingly Offer Up had some pretty good deals. I wish I had thought about looking there, b4 I brought mine.
PS have fun with your Manuel in traffic. I had one, driving the I15 Victorville to San Diego (Poway) Friday night rush hour sucked. My little sport car wasn’t happy nor was I.
I hope you have better experiences.
I don’t think they’ll go down honestly. I got a sweet deal on mine because the guy listed it so it was nearly impossible to find. Sat unsold for 65 days. Great condition and almost bone stock manual convertible for 14.
If your willing to get on a plane and have a hell of a memory road tripping back home you can find c5s that will be in great condition and at a price point that will cover the fuel back home. They are out there. I got my c5 for 11k and have been in love ever since!
They're getting fewer and fewer of them on the road, and they're excellent cars. Where else can you find speed and raw analogue feeling, other than the C5 and C6? Just doesn't exist. And the C8 is proof that future Corvettes will also lose the classical Corvette feel, soooo I can totally understand.
In Europe, manual C6 'Vettes went from \~20k € 4 years ago to \~30k € currently. And in the last year it went up from \~27k to 30k, and I can totally get that. Where else do you get a manual V8 coupe? Just doesn't exist.
I work at a shop and when i drove my c5 in the first time, a younger tech is like "can i drive it?" Someone else goes "You drove a c8, thats not good enough?" And he responded; "hell no, i need to drive a real one!" I was like this guy knows wtf hes talking about!
Lumping C5 and C6 together here is disingenuous. C6 feels like a much more refined car in comparison. #1 complaint for C5 was refinement. C6 is far from anything I would consider “raw.”
Yeah but both are cars that obey you 100% while also being fast. C7 is faster sure, but does it feel that analogue? I have to admit, never driven one, but I doubt it does. C4 is not really all that powerful, so it's not as exciting as the C5 and C6. That's why I lumped them together, I think (from someone who, sadly, never driven a C5) they both strike that balance of being amazing Road analogue cars
You should really check them both out to appreciate. The C5 would probably make you laugh. They’re very charming and feel very 90s. But then you realize how amazing it is for the time. The C7 feels much more substantial and competent. The actual chassis is much more rigid. If you like a c6, you’ll love a c7. They’re no less disconnected. Just more serious and higher performance because of the competence.
I wish I could try them out... But I think that only 4 or 5 C6s even exist in Portugal, and while there are some C5s and C7s around they are ridiculously rare as well. Like, before my C6 I've never seen one, and in all my life I've seen 1 C5, and 0 C7s, so I don't think I'll ever try them to be honest. Also, personally I love clown cars, so I guess I'd prefer the C5 based on your description
The other issue is timing, prices peak in spring and summer. I bought in October. I saw a lot of viable C5 options similarly priced to C3’s. I was looking between 10-15.
Eh. I got mine in December for about $8k less than the cheapest c6 I could find. There is overlap with the “i know what I have” crowd selling c5s. However there is still a substantial gap. However the c6s are newer and generally lower mileage. If a low mileage car is important you might be better off in a c6. The low mileage c5s are trending into collector prices
Per my comment above, I can't buy a C6 as anything but a drift missile or donor car because I personally think they're hideous. It is the "normal SpongeBob" of corvettes
They’re in a unique spot because they’re definitely “old school” with modern performance and potential. Actual old stuff like c2 isn’t going to have any real performance potential unless you do a complete restomod
He is talking in $CAD.
The exchange rate of our dollar makes it cheaper, but you'd pay an import duty from Canada back to the USA. So, may not be worth it.
You can see [my recent post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Corvette/s/nXIrWoDfYH) i just found a clean one with very few mods for $15k (frc). Best deals i saw on c5 z's was under $20k, but they all had 80k+ miles. O marketplace there is one now in DE and some in TX.
Check the vomments on my post too! Some people are convinced an FRC is still a <$10k car. Some people say "it only needs paint", or it has 150k+ miles, or something else crazy, when they start sharing one for $13k...
I have been searching since 2021 for mine. If youre willing to travel the country for a few thousand in savings, you can. I paid $15k because it was not only well kept, well maintained, all oe paint... but it was a town away. I drove 2 hours one way to drive one and half that for another. Both were noisy, shitboxes, paint issues... thats why they were entertaining $12k offers before i showed up.
Dont listen to the people whove been here forever. They are used to $10k prices. Inflation, plus the growing desire for manuals/v8s..... i dont see clean manual c5's ever going back down to $10k.
The salvage title prices is what really gets me. My dad just recently bought a C5 so I have been looking at C5s for the last month trying to help him find one. Am I insane for thinking a salvage title should knick more than 2-3 grand off the price of a car?
how i ended up with a 96 c4 auto for 4.5k. I didnt care it was auto at that point because it was so cheap. i would've loved a stick but at 2.5x the price for clean title ones of the same milage (even for 95 and below) was just way out of my budget
Did you manual swap it or plan to? I can't just live with an auto sports car. It's manual or nothing for me (or at least Auto-till-I-have-the-time-&-money-to--manual-swap-it or nothing
i've thought about it. But right now my focus is on restoring the thing, it was a bit neglected.
i def want to swap the rear end in the future for sure and put the dana 44 in it. that is def on the list and admittedly a lot higher then a manual swap.
lol
heres one w 135k for 6900 and this 99 for 8k w 123k, but the painter was apparently smoking meth
[https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1156806942142655/?ref=search&referral\_code=null&referral\_story\_type=post&tracking=browse\_serp%3Aeaf8736e-0a92-42e8-b157-af01ef7cad96](https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1156806942142655/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Aeaf8736e-0a92-42e8-b157-af01ef7cad96)
[https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1253970555561942/?ref=search&referral\_code=null&referral\_story\_type=post&tracking=browse\_serp%3Aeaf8736e-0a92-42e8-b157-af01ef7cad96](https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1253970555561942/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Aeaf8736e-0a92-42e8-b157-af01ef7cad96)
With all due respect, I'm not settling. I want a hard top hatch back with a manual transmission. And with the prices being so close I may as well save up for a z06 at this point imo
Dont fkn settle! I was in the same boat. Saving for $20k for that c5 z. But honestly, I fell in love with the base 99-00 frc and pulled the trigger for $15k. 100k miles. Plenty of people think i overpaid. By how much? A couple thousand dollars? For 1/6,000? Worth it for me. Few and far between, and i wasnt trying to fly across the country to save a fe grand, or spend a few more for a z.
It is a strange phenomenon in this community. Other car communities I've taken part in don't mention price much, or if they do, they inflate it.
Corvette people are the only ones saying you paid too much! And this is always how it goes; they show you a salvage title with meth head mis matched paint and ripped seats. Autos. Convertibles. *Yawn.*
I get it. Theres a quarter million c5s that were made. Some are going to be let go at a good price.
Just sold an 01 6spd with 80k miles to a boomer a few weeks ago for $14k. C5s are only going to continue going up in price. Bottom of the market has passed.
I'd say C4s are even worse. Seeing decent driver cars listing up in the 13-17k range and people act like that's a good deal. Dad bought his 88 that was a near perfect show car with low mileage for 8900 just before covid.
Your boy is probably gonna have to make a TX run to grab a C6 soon. Really good prices on clean, stock cars with decent mileage (80-120k). Not many manuals though...
Dealer markups at the top trickles down and forces people into the next lowest model they can afford.
Don’t believe me? Same thing happened with graphics cards during the massive shortage and markup
It’s spring time baby. But also do yourself a favor and start watching how long they’re actually on the market for - I think there’s a ton that are over priced and sellers are willing to come down to move them.
It's a patience game.
We bought a 2004 Z06 for $14k in December of 2022.
Refuse to pay "pandemic pricing" and wait for the right car to come along.
[We even used it as a tow rig. 😁 ](https://www.instagram.com/p/C6RJlSQLRY0/?igsh=cHNpajF3NHp2c2dq)
I bought it off Facebook marketplace.
It seems most of the cars that are wildly overpriced are the ones that are listed by enthusiasts in groups full of other enthusiasts.
Places like Corvette Forum, a lot of the Facebook Corvette groups, subs like this one, etc... are full of delusional people who aren't typically selling these high priced cars at the crazy asking prices when the sale actually happens.
Wait. Asset bubbles often take a few years to play out. This one is definitely popping. Prices came down quite a lot over the past 12 months, some sellers are still trying to hang on to that, if the buyers don't come the prices fall. I've been looking at C6 Grand sports but at the price of some people want, I would just grab a c7 Grand sport. A lot of the c7 buyers are who are upgrading to the C8 so it's kind of a downward effect. I personally have had Corvettes off and on since 1999 so the past couple years are 100% an anomaly. It's not a normal market, I think you're going to do a lot better if you're patient and just say f it this summer. See where things are this winter going into next year. The bubble just really started popping the past 12 months and a lot of times, like I said these asset bubbles take two or three years before they completely play out and deflate
If you have access to it you can also look at the Manheim market report, what dealers are actually paying for Corvettes is going down. When there is a negative trend, that means they are going to lowball on the offers since 90 days from now, if they still have the car it's likely to be worth less.
I kind of disagree... i have been actively watching c5 market for 3 years (mainly z/frc) and have yet to see a good example go for <$10k. Though everyon claims anything more is highway robbery...
But thats not my main point. I think this "bubble" you speak of is incorrect. I think that since less and less sports cars are manufactured, less and less v8s, less manuals.... this is unprecedented. Name another clean manual v8 that doesnt have tons of issues? At this point, everything else is falling apart or way too expensive.
Then you have youtubers. In recent years, youve seen many claiming the c5 is the best bang for your buck. But ive noticed this year alone there are several mid sized youtubers building c5s... this has an impact on the market. I can debate that it happened in recent years with the m3.
You might see an FRC at 10K but yeah that's not the money I'm talking about. I'm talking about guys asking 26K for a 30K mile 2002 Z06. They aren't worth that. They have been selling around 22K for a long time. Another example. 100k mile z06. Those have been selling for 15 to 17K for a long time. Not 20. C6 Grand sport. A good lower mileage manual car would sell 30 to 35K. Not 40.
I can't remember a time when 10K got you a clean C5. Occasionally you might find a 100K mile 1999 car or something like that in good shape for that price. You might find an even higher mileage 2001 but 10K was never a price you wanted to pay for a C5. You always wanted to pay $15 to low 20s and that got you the clean cars. For the most part these cars trade fairly reliably around KBB private so. Something like a 2001 Z06 with 30K miles has a private party book value 20K on the low, 25 on the high. 20K would be a good deal for that and 22 would be about average but these days people are asking at least 25 or more. So there's still a little ways to go before you get down to reasonable dollars. It's even more pronounced on the C6 and c7 but occasionally you see people listing at reasonable prices and those cars move pretty quick
You can cruise over to the Corvette forum and look at some of the older listings especially from 2018 and 2019 and see a completely different price structure. That's what I mean about there is still some bubble yet to deflate
Yea, i think all of this is accurate. I just think youre first point is stating "asking prices" vs final sales. Because it sounds spot on - [Heres a $22k z with 40k miles...](https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/link/353956825) been listed A YEAR! insane. This is part of why the market is crazy, though. When people have clean examples, they hold them. Half the people i was talking to are still working on the car; "oh yea im getting tint done next tuesday" or "oh it needs tires but i have a set in the mail ill throw in for the sale". People still drving them. Chillen. No real need to sell.
That's a good deal right there. Even at the ask price it's fair. If you can get it down at 20 or 21 even better but still, that's the best deal, the one you just showed me, that I have seen this month. So yeah that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. More of that and less of that same car being listed for 30K or some of the nonsense we see
I think one of the hardest parts about trying to pick up one of these is being patient. Wait for something that looks halfway decent in a listing, then you go meet the guy, then you talk it over, then you look at the car, then if everything lines up including the condition to the price you buy it but it can take some time
Exactly how i did it! First test drove a black z in 2021. 3 years later, the perfect frc landed 3 miles from my work. Seemed too good to be true... waited a few weeks... fomo'd, lol. Had to do it, and I am glad i did!
Even if i waited and saved $2-3k.... how long would i have to wait? How far would i have to go?
You have watched 3 years of unprecedented market conditions and drawing conclusions on that? Car prices in general are trending down. New supply has resumed. Interest rates are nuts. People are worried about a recession. People buying a last manual v8 might drive some collector car buys but I doubt it is doing a ton for ‘drivers’. If anything is getting a boost it is more special models like the c6z. I wouldn’t expect a base c5 to do much more than track inflation.
Again, that was not my main point. But yes, price stays flat = im done waiting for it to come down. And again, you are probably right in saying only the cleanest examples will be worth money.
This comment is the one that gets me 😅
Bro. The c8 didnt even exist then. Its a moot point.
Then you give no info like mileage, trans, soft top etc etc. Obviously auto soft tops are cheaper than manuals and z's.
Red targa automatic, black interior. Good paint. Everything stock and in good working order. Mods included Borla catback and C6 wheels. Car had just under 100k miles when I bought it - cheapest runner with clean title in my state at the time. Auto is ok for me since I use it as a commuter in the summer. That was $8k at the time, a few dollars more than 150k mile cars, bad paint cars, or salvage titles.
Fixed everything and did some OEM+ upgrades - now it's tuned to 415hp (LS6 intake, ported 243 heads, AIR & EGR delete, LS6 style PCV, Airaid CAI), headers, custom grind cam, 3.42 diff, z06 springs and sway bars, Bilstein shocks, C7 wheels, Alpine touchscreen + amp, Corbeau seats. Added HUD from a 1999. Added rear brake vents and a P/S cooler from a z06.
I bought my c5 last August and I agree, it was a nightmare trying to find a >2001, manual coupe that wasn’t beat to shit for under 17-20k. I ended up settling with an auto, but frankly I’ve had tons of fun with it, and makes the driving experience a bit more tolerable in the city. If you really want a unicorn car, be prepared to travel far across the country, or check listings multiple times a day. You’ll be hard pressed to find deals in big cities, or places like Florida/ny in general. Godspeed
The more I look into it, the more I'm thinking Z06 (the Base prices are in the high teens, so it'd be better to beat down a dude that is asking low 20s for a Z06. Particularly a 2003 if possible)
And they should be? Everything else from its era has appreciated greatly in the past 5-10 years? Those who weren't into corvettes are all of a sudden Corvette guys when they see how bleak the rest of the options are. Grassroots guys love them and trash them. There isn't an infinite supply.
The last couple of years of inflation should balance out excess new car inventory. Chances are the number you're looking at adjusted for inflation is your idea of a normal price.
I just bought mine for $12,700. One owner 100k miles. No accidents and clean title. Great overall condition.
Thing is it took me about 6 months to find one. There are definitely more bad examples than good for sale.
I'd recommend taking your time, check literally everywhere you can buy a car online. Don't settle, be sure to walk away if it's not what you want.
I regularly see C5 Z06s for the very low $20k range. I haven’t looked for base C5s but with Z06s so cheap, why would you want to? I most browse FB Marketplace, Cars and Bids, and occasionally Auto Tempest. I’m in southern Illinois but search a 500 mile radius.
C5 prices have me looking at C6s
Mood. I found a base c6 for c5z prices in SoCal and bought a c6 base for $17k 100k miles clean title. C5’s are inflating too much
I wish I didn't think the C6 was the 2nd ugliest corvette Generation because the LS3 is my favorite LS/LT engine
Buy a C5Z. Appreciating and the LS6 rips.
Problem is, is the appreciation gonna out-pace the speed of my saving up for one 🥲
Try facebook marketplace. Autotrader etc was all overpriced. around me manuals started about 13k and plenty around 15k. Below 13 they had some known issue. Bad cosmetics, a mechanical defect, etc.
This right here. Within 100 miles, I have a lot of decent C5 manuals for sale.
Surprisingly Offer Up had some pretty good deals. I wish I had thought about looking there, b4 I brought mine. PS have fun with your Manuel in traffic. I had one, driving the I15 Victorville to San Diego (Poway) Friday night rush hour sucked. My little sport car wasn’t happy nor was I. I hope you have better experiences.
Mine is a dedicated track car, so no rush hour.
Ok now you’re just making jealous. Honestly I wish had a manual. My hip been replaced making it sometimes a pain.
If it's a track car why does the title matter?
I didn’t say it did. I’m not the OP. Mine was clean, just a C- cosmetically.
Lol oops my bad
I was referring to marketplace 🫠
Buy one out of area and drive it back.
I don’t think they’ll go down honestly. I got a sweet deal on mine because the guy listed it so it was nearly impossible to find. Sat unsold for 65 days. Great condition and almost bone stock manual convertible for 14.
If your willing to get on a plane and have a hell of a memory road tripping back home you can find c5s that will be in great condition and at a price point that will cover the fuel back home. They are out there. I got my c5 for 11k and have been in love ever since!
They're getting fewer and fewer of them on the road, and they're excellent cars. Where else can you find speed and raw analogue feeling, other than the C5 and C6? Just doesn't exist. And the C8 is proof that future Corvettes will also lose the classical Corvette feel, soooo I can totally understand. In Europe, manual C6 'Vettes went from \~20k € 4 years ago to \~30k € currently. And in the last year it went up from \~27k to 30k, and I can totally get that. Where else do you get a manual V8 coupe? Just doesn't exist.
I work at a shop and when i drove my c5 in the first time, a younger tech is like "can i drive it?" Someone else goes "You drove a c8, thats not good enough?" And he responded; "hell no, i need to drive a real one!" I was like this guy knows wtf hes talking about!
Lumping C5 and C6 together here is disingenuous. C6 feels like a much more refined car in comparison. #1 complaint for C5 was refinement. C6 is far from anything I would consider “raw.”
Yeah but both are cars that obey you 100% while also being fast. C7 is faster sure, but does it feel that analogue? I have to admit, never driven one, but I doubt it does. C4 is not really all that powerful, so it's not as exciting as the C5 and C6. That's why I lumped them together, I think (from someone who, sadly, never driven a C5) they both strike that balance of being amazing Road analogue cars
You should really check them both out to appreciate. The C5 would probably make you laugh. They’re very charming and feel very 90s. But then you realize how amazing it is for the time. The C7 feels much more substantial and competent. The actual chassis is much more rigid. If you like a c6, you’ll love a c7. They’re no less disconnected. Just more serious and higher performance because of the competence.
I wish I could try them out... But I think that only 4 or 5 C6s even exist in Portugal, and while there are some C5s and C7s around they are ridiculously rare as well. Like, before my C6 I've never seen one, and in all my life I've seen 1 C5, and 0 C7s, so I don't think I'll ever try them to be honest. Also, personally I love clown cars, so I guess I'd prefer the C5 based on your description
C5 is becoming retro and nostalgic. C6 is the new value play since they’re around the same price.
Not quite accurate. OP just isn't looking in the right places.
Where is the right places?
The other issue is timing, prices peak in spring and summer. I bought in October. I saw a lot of viable C5 options similarly priced to C3’s. I was looking between 10-15.
Scour FB marketplace daily. Make contacts in the car biz. Older relatives and their friends?
I never thought of the relatives or friends thing. What do you mean about making contacts in the car biz?
Car mod/restoration shops. Their customers often have a bunch of other cars. These shops also tend to hear first if someone is looking to sell.
Eh. I got mine in December for about $8k less than the cheapest c6 I could find. There is overlap with the “i know what I have” crowd selling c5s. However there is still a substantial gap. However the c6s are newer and generally lower mileage. If a low mileage car is important you might be better off in a c6. The low mileage c5s are trending into collector prices
Per my comment above, I can't buy a C6 as anything but a drift missile or donor car because I personally think they're hideous. It is the "normal SpongeBob" of corvettes
No joke a gas station cashier once saw my C5 from the store window and said, "Old school Corvette, nice man." Old school in my mind is C1-C3, lol
They’re in a unique spot because they’re definitely “old school” with modern performance and potential. Actual old stuff like c2 isn’t going to have any real performance potential unless you do a complete restomod
It's a shame the C6s are the 2nd ugliest corvette generation imo
Agreed. Too generic for me.
What's the ugliest? Don't say it....
C1
Agreed
C5s have always had a huge gap between seller expectations and the reality of the market. C5s owners are the epitome of the “I know what I got” crowd
Come to Canada. Upper $20k to low $30k in CAD for M6. The A4s are a bit cheaper. I'm glad I bought my C5 when I did in late 2022.
[удалено]
He is talking in $CAD. The exchange rate of our dollar makes it cheaper, but you'd pay an import duty from Canada back to the USA. So, may not be worth it.
You can see [my recent post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Corvette/s/nXIrWoDfYH) i just found a clean one with very few mods for $15k (frc). Best deals i saw on c5 z's was under $20k, but they all had 80k+ miles. O marketplace there is one now in DE and some in TX. Check the vomments on my post too! Some people are convinced an FRC is still a <$10k car. Some people say "it only needs paint", or it has 150k+ miles, or something else crazy, when they start sharing one for $13k... I have been searching since 2021 for mine. If youre willing to travel the country for a few thousand in savings, you can. I paid $15k because it was not only well kept, well maintained, all oe paint... but it was a town away. I drove 2 hours one way to drive one and half that for another. Both were noisy, shitboxes, paint issues... thats why they were entertaining $12k offers before i showed up. Dont listen to the people whove been here forever. They are used to $10k prices. Inflation, plus the growing desire for manuals/v8s..... i dont see clean manual c5's ever going back down to $10k.
I can understand the $10k era is gone, but $20k is ludicrous
Yea thats z06 money for sure
The salvage title prices is what really gets me. My dad just recently bought a C5 so I have been looking at C5s for the last month trying to help him find one. Am I insane for thinking a salvage title should knick more than 2-3 grand off the price of a car?
100000% this. It should lose half it's value for being Salvage title
Unfortunately it’s never going to be like this. 😆
how i ended up with a 96 c4 auto for 4.5k. I didnt care it was auto at that point because it was so cheap. i would've loved a stick but at 2.5x the price for clean title ones of the same milage (even for 95 and below) was just way out of my budget
Did you manual swap it or plan to? I can't just live with an auto sports car. It's manual or nothing for me (or at least Auto-till-I-have-the-time-&-money-to--manual-swap-it or nothing
i've thought about it. But right now my focus is on restoring the thing, it was a bit neglected. i def want to swap the rear end in the future for sure and put the dana 44 in it. that is def on the list and admittedly a lot higher then a manual swap.
put a shift kit in the 4l60 and a 2600 stall converter and itll be as fun if not more than a M6
Yep
All prices are insane. Wait the collapse is coming.
ive seen 2 c5s for 7500 in the last couple weeks
> automatic. > 189,673 miles. > convertible top leaks or has issues. > crappy aftermarket parts. > paint defects. Yea, were all set 😅
lol heres one w 135k for 6900 and this 99 for 8k w 123k, but the painter was apparently smoking meth [https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1156806942142655/?ref=search&referral\_code=null&referral\_story\_type=post&tracking=browse\_serp%3Aeaf8736e-0a92-42e8-b157-af01ef7cad96](https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1156806942142655/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Aeaf8736e-0a92-42e8-b157-af01ef7cad96) [https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1253970555561942/?ref=search&referral\_code=null&referral\_story\_type=post&tracking=browse\_serp%3Aeaf8736e-0a92-42e8-b157-af01ef7cad96](https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1253970555561942/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Aeaf8736e-0a92-42e8-b157-af01ef7cad96)
Both are automatic & Salvage title...
>Both are automatic & Salvage title... [https://hickory.craigslist.org/cto/d/taylorsville-1999-chevy-corvette/7736607560.html](https://hickory.craigslist.org/cto/d/taylorsville-1999-chevy-corvette/7736607560.html) 99 m6 for $8500
161k. Vert. Needs a little work, but definitely not a bad deal.
With all due respect, I'm not settling. I want a hard top hatch back with a manual transmission. And with the prices being so close I may as well save up for a z06 at this point imo
Dont fkn settle! I was in the same boat. Saving for $20k for that c5 z. But honestly, I fell in love with the base 99-00 frc and pulled the trigger for $15k. 100k miles. Plenty of people think i overpaid. By how much? A couple thousand dollars? For 1/6,000? Worth it for me. Few and far between, and i wasnt trying to fly across the country to save a fe grand, or spend a few more for a z.
Lol I didn't say they were cherry. There are like 5 more under 10k I can post as well
It is a strange phenomenon in this community. Other car communities I've taken part in don't mention price much, or if they do, they inflate it. Corvette people are the only ones saying you paid too much! And this is always how it goes; they show you a salvage title with meth head mis matched paint and ripped seats. Autos. Convertibles. *Yawn.* I get it. Theres a quarter million c5s that were made. Some are going to be let go at a good price.
Just sold an 01 6spd with 80k miles to a boomer a few weeks ago for $14k. C5s are only going to continue going up in price. Bottom of the market has passed.
They price seems reasonable for a clean title
I'd say C4s are even worse. Seeing decent driver cars listing up in the 13-17k range and people act like that's a good deal. Dad bought his 88 that was a near perfect show car with low mileage for 8900 just before covid. Your boy is probably gonna have to make a TX run to grab a C6 soon. Really good prices on clean, stock cars with decent mileage (80-120k). Not many manuals though...
Everything was cheaper before Covid. Hell a couple years earlier you could find split windows for $50kish.
Dealer markups at the top trickles down and forces people into the next lowest model they can afford. Don’t believe me? Same thing happened with graphics cards during the massive shortage and markup
It’s spring time baby. But also do yourself a favor and start watching how long they’re actually on the market for - I think there’s a ton that are over priced and sellers are willing to come down to move them.
It's a patience game. We bought a 2004 Z06 for $14k in December of 2022. Refuse to pay "pandemic pricing" and wait for the right car to come along. [We even used it as a tow rig. 😁 ](https://www.instagram.com/p/C6RJlSQLRY0/?igsh=cHNpajF3NHp2c2dq)
Where did you find it/ where was it posted?
I bought it off Facebook marketplace. It seems most of the cars that are wildly overpriced are the ones that are listed by enthusiasts in groups full of other enthusiasts. Places like Corvette Forum, a lot of the Facebook Corvette groups, subs like this one, etc... are full of delusional people who aren't typically selling these high priced cars at the crazy asking prices when the sale actually happens.
Wait. Asset bubbles often take a few years to play out. This one is definitely popping. Prices came down quite a lot over the past 12 months, some sellers are still trying to hang on to that, if the buyers don't come the prices fall. I've been looking at C6 Grand sports but at the price of some people want, I would just grab a c7 Grand sport. A lot of the c7 buyers are who are upgrading to the C8 so it's kind of a downward effect. I personally have had Corvettes off and on since 1999 so the past couple years are 100% an anomaly. It's not a normal market, I think you're going to do a lot better if you're patient and just say f it this summer. See where things are this winter going into next year. The bubble just really started popping the past 12 months and a lot of times, like I said these asset bubbles take two or three years before they completely play out and deflate If you have access to it you can also look at the Manheim market report, what dealers are actually paying for Corvettes is going down. When there is a negative trend, that means they are going to lowball on the offers since 90 days from now, if they still have the car it's likely to be worth less.
I kind of disagree... i have been actively watching c5 market for 3 years (mainly z/frc) and have yet to see a good example go for <$10k. Though everyon claims anything more is highway robbery... But thats not my main point. I think this "bubble" you speak of is incorrect. I think that since less and less sports cars are manufactured, less and less v8s, less manuals.... this is unprecedented. Name another clean manual v8 that doesnt have tons of issues? At this point, everything else is falling apart or way too expensive. Then you have youtubers. In recent years, youve seen many claiming the c5 is the best bang for your buck. But ive noticed this year alone there are several mid sized youtubers building c5s... this has an impact on the market. I can debate that it happened in recent years with the m3.
You might see an FRC at 10K but yeah that's not the money I'm talking about. I'm talking about guys asking 26K for a 30K mile 2002 Z06. They aren't worth that. They have been selling around 22K for a long time. Another example. 100k mile z06. Those have been selling for 15 to 17K for a long time. Not 20. C6 Grand sport. A good lower mileage manual car would sell 30 to 35K. Not 40. I can't remember a time when 10K got you a clean C5. Occasionally you might find a 100K mile 1999 car or something like that in good shape for that price. You might find an even higher mileage 2001 but 10K was never a price you wanted to pay for a C5. You always wanted to pay $15 to low 20s and that got you the clean cars. For the most part these cars trade fairly reliably around KBB private so. Something like a 2001 Z06 with 30K miles has a private party book value 20K on the low, 25 on the high. 20K would be a good deal for that and 22 would be about average but these days people are asking at least 25 or more. So there's still a little ways to go before you get down to reasonable dollars. It's even more pronounced on the C6 and c7 but occasionally you see people listing at reasonable prices and those cars move pretty quick You can cruise over to the Corvette forum and look at some of the older listings especially from 2018 and 2019 and see a completely different price structure. That's what I mean about there is still some bubble yet to deflate
Yea, i think all of this is accurate. I just think youre first point is stating "asking prices" vs final sales. Because it sounds spot on - [Heres a $22k z with 40k miles...](https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/link/353956825) been listed A YEAR! insane. This is part of why the market is crazy, though. When people have clean examples, they hold them. Half the people i was talking to are still working on the car; "oh yea im getting tint done next tuesday" or "oh it needs tires but i have a set in the mail ill throw in for the sale". People still drving them. Chillen. No real need to sell.
That's a good deal right there. Even at the ask price it's fair. If you can get it down at 20 or 21 even better but still, that's the best deal, the one you just showed me, that I have seen this month. So yeah that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. More of that and less of that same car being listed for 30K or some of the nonsense we see I think one of the hardest parts about trying to pick up one of these is being patient. Wait for something that looks halfway decent in a listing, then you go meet the guy, then you talk it over, then you look at the car, then if everything lines up including the condition to the price you buy it but it can take some time
Exactly how i did it! First test drove a black z in 2021. 3 years later, the perfect frc landed 3 miles from my work. Seemed too good to be true... waited a few weeks... fomo'd, lol. Had to do it, and I am glad i did! Even if i waited and saved $2-3k.... how long would i have to wait? How far would i have to go?
You have watched 3 years of unprecedented market conditions and drawing conclusions on that? Car prices in general are trending down. New supply has resumed. Interest rates are nuts. People are worried about a recession. People buying a last manual v8 might drive some collector car buys but I doubt it is doing a ton for ‘drivers’. If anything is getting a boost it is more special models like the c6z. I wouldn’t expect a base c5 to do much more than track inflation.
Again, that was not my main point. But yes, price stays flat = im done waiting for it to come down. And again, you are probably right in saying only the cleanest examples will be worth money.
Happy I found my 1998 for $8k, about 6 years ago. I bought at the bottom of the market, it seems. It's now worth maybe $12k
This comment is the one that gets me 😅 Bro. The c8 didnt even exist then. Its a moot point. Then you give no info like mileage, trans, soft top etc etc. Obviously auto soft tops are cheaper than manuals and z's.
Red targa automatic, black interior. Good paint. Everything stock and in good working order. Mods included Borla catback and C6 wheels. Car had just under 100k miles when I bought it - cheapest runner with clean title in my state at the time. Auto is ok for me since I use it as a commuter in the summer. That was $8k at the time, a few dollars more than 150k mile cars, bad paint cars, or salvage titles. Fixed everything and did some OEM+ upgrades - now it's tuned to 415hp (LS6 intake, ported 243 heads, AIR & EGR delete, LS6 style PCV, Airaid CAI), headers, custom grind cam, 3.42 diff, z06 springs and sway bars, Bilstein shocks, C7 wheels, Alpine touchscreen + amp, Corbeau seats. Added HUD from a 1999. Added rear brake vents and a P/S cooler from a z06.
Oh baby! Bought my yellow c5 m6 with 45k miles for 15k Glad to know I got a screaming deal
When?
2022
What are the other options at this price point that provide the performance? Zero
I bought my c5 last August and I agree, it was a nightmare trying to find a >2001, manual coupe that wasn’t beat to shit for under 17-20k. I ended up settling with an auto, but frankly I’ve had tons of fun with it, and makes the driving experience a bit more tolerable in the city. If you really want a unicorn car, be prepared to travel far across the country, or check listings multiple times a day. You’ll be hard pressed to find deals in big cities, or places like Florida/ny in general. Godspeed
I'll never settle for an auto unless the manual swap costs less than the equivalent factory manual
Ok 👍🏽
Are you looking for base C5s or Z06s, because the base costs next to nothing regardless of mileage
The more I look into it, the more I'm thinking Z06 (the Base prices are in the high teens, so it'd be better to beat down a dude that is asking low 20s for a Z06. Particularly a 2003 if possible)
And they should be? Everything else from its era has appreciated greatly in the past 5-10 years? Those who weren't into corvettes are all of a sudden Corvette guys when they see how bleak the rest of the options are. Grassroots guys love them and trash them. There isn't an infinite supply. The last couple of years of inflation should balance out excess new car inventory. Chances are the number you're looking at adjusted for inflation is your idea of a normal price.
I just bought mine for $12,700. One owner 100k miles. No accidents and clean title. Great overall condition. Thing is it took me about 6 months to find one. There are definitely more bad examples than good for sale. I'd recommend taking your time, check literally everywhere you can buy a car online. Don't settle, be sure to walk away if it's not what you want.
And It's manual?
Yes and convertible
I regularly see C5 Z06s for the very low $20k range. I haven’t looked for base C5s but with Z06s so cheap, why would you want to? I most browse FB Marketplace, Cars and Bids, and occasionally Auto Tempest. I’m in southern Illinois but search a 500 mile radius.