What's going on with mid-year prices?

[John D.]

Can someone provide some advice on where the best show or venue is to purchase a mid-year coupe. I've been turned off by what I've encountered on the internet, E-Bay, and some of these so called Corvette "dealers". Is there an upcoming show or event, such as Bloomington, that has a good number of mid years available. I'm looking for a nice car that will be driven often.

I'm getting desperate and afraid if I wait much longer I'll be priced out of the market. What's the deal with prices? Are they becoming over inflated?

[ronnie robertson # 36786]

In retrospect..

When the midyear prices were $1,200-1,500, I thought they were only worth $1,000. Soon, the prices were $2,500- $3,000, and I thought they were only worth $2,000. Then they were $5,000 - $7,000, etc.; $10,000- $12,000; $15,000 - $25,000; $30,000 - Who Knows. My advice is to find a car you like and BUY IT!
PS. If someone asks, "What will you take for that car?"; You better not price it unless you want to Sell IT.

[Justin N.]

Re: mid-year prices!

John,
Check the outlining areas of major cities for "them" stashed away properly in garage and storage facilities, and NOT properly stored outside under covers or rotting away under trees and vegetation. Ask around and put out the word you are interested. You'll find one if you look hard enough! I like to find the ones in despair, the resto projects. There's a unique feeling about bringing something back to life. These are also the only ones I can afford. I had to practically beg, borrow, and steal to get my 67 coupe. I'll included some photos of a collection, a college autoshop teacher's collection, tomorrow. He's got 3 '57 Chevy's, 66 Corvette coupe, '57 T-Bird, '69 Camaro Z-28, '69 El Camino and more in his front yard. Stay away from the Corvette Specialty dealers and Keep your eyes peeled!
Justin #41362

[Jim W.]

Re: What's going on with mid-year prices?

John, No need to panic. There are increasingly more cars for sale out there than people with the cash to buy them. And IMO this will continue to your benefit. Take you time, scour the major Corvette events that you can get to and be ready! Good luck. Jim Weeks - Member #2978

[Tom D.]

I agree with Jim - At some point, we all will...

At some point, we will see a peak, but year by year. Depends on the average age of those who love the particular model & year that you are looking for.

Tom Dingman
4889




Mich. chapter site

[Loren L.]

I guess I don't agree with Jim - for the

past five years or so, my mantra has been that "A mid-year that moves itself is worth 15K" - in the past 18 months, I've changed that to 25K. Your
only HOPE to the contrary is to find an owner that has been living in a cave
........

[Gerard F.]

Take a look in the Driveline magazine. *NM*

[John L.]

Re: What's going on with mid-year prices?

What year, power train, coupe or convertible, and price range are you looking for. No offense meant with the following statement - It is possible that your expectations may be way off. Prices for these cars have skyrocketed in the last two years.

[Larry S.]

Re: What's going on with mid-year prices?

Just jump in the water is fine.

You know just last year It seemed the topic of the vette forums was that as we get older the midyears and straight axles would fall from grace as the model T's and model A's did and would lose value.

I have a 66 vette allready and I am building a 62 car right now.

Let me tell you since January I have received more visits and phone call suggesting I sell the 66. I cant sell my 66 because I would never be able to afford to purchase another one.

I purchased my car in 2000,at that time the so called experts told me the prices were sky high and I missed the boat by a couple of years.I was going to pay TOP dollar for a car and if I went to sell later on I may not be able to recover my purchase price and I will be stuck with an over priced car, The so called experts are the ones now trying to convince me to part with my 66.

Any ways I dont think these cars will ever fall from grace as the T's & A's did. I think they will always apreceate in value,I just think that the prices have to level off some and not have these giant spikes that they have had in recent years.If I was looking for an affourdable vette that will appreceate I would look into the big block C3's I think there selling at bargin prices now.

Good luck in your search,

When looking for my car I scowered the local bylines and thats how I found my car.

[Edward M.]

Re: What's going on with mid-year prices?

I remember hearing Chip Miller talk about Corvette prices many years ago. He said something like, "You can't pay too much for a nice Corvette, you may just be buying it too early."

I have kicked myself many times for not buying a nice 56 (NOM) for $9000. I thought the car was only worth about $7000. This was in the mid 1980s. Just one of the many cars I would have bought if I had known then what I know now...

[John H.]

Re: What's going on with mid-year prices?

If you look around the "For Sale" sections of the various on-line Corvette forums, you'll notice far more "Wanted To Buy Midyear" posts these days than ever before, and the "Midyear For Sale" cars that are honestly represented and priced are selling VERY quickly; more and more people with cash in their pockets are out there now wanting to buy the midyear they couldn't afford in the past, and that's the demand that's driving up prices - more buyers chasing the same number of cars for sale.

[Werner R.]

Re: What's going on with mid-year prices?

if xke jags are any indicator, the price spiked sometime in the eighties as i recall. i sold my 1973 v-12 for 14 k in 1979, extra clean original. the spike was about 46 k and then settled back to the 30's the last time i looked. at least for the jag there was a bubble, so i do not believe that all good and beautiful sports cars are destined to keep going up. maybe the c-2's will, maybe they won't. buy it because you like it, not as an investment.

[Joseph R.]

Re: What's going on with mid-year prices?

I too have been looking for a C2, concentrating on local cars that I can look at, unlike EBAY. Recent finds - 63 Vert, driver NOM should paint $25,000 & same seller had 64 coupe, needs total restoration, orig motor, knockoffs $27,000. 63 coupe driver NOM knockoffs should paint, $27,500. 65 vert, nice ready to drive, big flares, NOM big block, $27,000. Nothing decent (running)under 20K.

[Roy B.]

Re: What's going on with mid-year mouses??

I have thought of selling my 67 coup but every one wont's 427,7000hp and mine is a mouse 350HP . It seems that every 67 is a BB vett out there going for $100.000 and up. So I'll just keep driving and eating my cheese

[Joseph T.]

Re: What's going on with mid-year mouses??

There are great buys in Hemmings every month! Be cash ready..so when the right car surfaces you can act immediately. Do your homework and watch out for rusted frames.