This is what I'm checking out ...

[Cor66Vette]

'03 50th Anniversary Edition Coupe
<10k miles - yep, you heard right.
Other options besides the 50th Edition Package:
MN6 6 Speed
B84 Body Side Molding
C2L 2 Top Option

This is a second owner car (both were adults in their 60s). It is showroom condition and I am not exaggerating.

What are the thoughts on what is a fair price? Everybody wants a steal but I simply want to pay what's fair and reasonable- fair to seller and fair to me. I would pay more for a car in this condition so what the right price is for me isn't necessarily the fair price. When I see it I stop thinking with the head on my shoulders and start thinking with my "other" head.

Your advice is appreciated. Thanks a lot.

[Rich Z]

Well, that's probably going to be pretty hard to answer as it is very subjective. Everyone might have their own idea of what they are willing to pay for it and be happy about it. In a most cases the buyer wants to get something for as cheaply as they can, and a seller wants to sell something for as much as they can get. Ideally you hope that there is some overlap between the price point that is the MOST you, as the buyer, is willing to pay and the LEAST the seller is willing to sell it at. For each buyer and seller, that overlap zone (if it even exists) might be different.

I guess that's the art of negotiation. Trying to establish that zone and agree to a deal that puts the price closer to your side than the seller's side.

Since we don't know the asking price from the seller nor your preferred nor top price you are willing to pay, it's pretty hard to try to suggest to you what YOU may want. So personally, all I can suggest is to try to make a deal that YOU will be happy with. As a buyer, that's about all you really can do. You probably aren't buying from a relative nor a best friend that you would be overly concerned with making THEIR day with the sale. No, you don't want to screw someone over, but I would guess you are not doing this as a favor to the seller. If they don't want what you are willing to offer, then you either have to adjust your highest buying price or just walk away from it. When the dust settles, it's YOU that needs to be happy with the deal.

Seriously, I doubt the economy is in a state where this is really a seller's market for a Corvette, so I would doubt they have people waiting in line to make an offer on the car.

Wish I could offer better advice....

[donzee]

darn nice car!
I went on Edmunds that showed a 17300 privite sale price which supprised me, I would guess it should sale around 19500-20 K, my uneducated guess.

[haZZmaTTaZZ]

Originally Posted by donzee

darn nice car!
I went on Edmunds that showed a 17300 privite sale price which supprised me, I would guess it should sale around 19500-20 K, my uneducated guess.

I've decided to pass on an older model and have been looking at either a late C5 or possibly a C6. Running the features on both Edmund's and Kelly, there is a large difference between dealer/owner price and market value. Especially with dealers and Carmax even, there is at least a $4000 difference. The only factor that appears to drive the cost up is mileage. When I tried to sell my mother's Impala to Carmax with extremely low miles, they even underbid the trade-in value. In that case, mileage didn't matter.

So, I have a couple of questions if anyone could answer.

1. Is mileage the defining factor in determining purchase price on a newer Corvette?

2. If Edmund's or Kelly is way off base, is there another way to determine real market value on a Corvette?

Most appear to have a lot of the same features. Z06 appears to be about $2000 or more overall, same with convertibles.

[Rich Z]

Lower mileage Corvettes always seem to be in higher demand than those with high mileage in an apples to apples comparison.

As for determining REAL value, probably the best bet would be to search on Ebay for auctions that have ended and see what people have paid, or offered to pay, for a model you are interested in.

Push come to shove, the REAL value is only what someone is willing to pay for something. If no one wants it at the price being offered, it can't really be what the actual value is to anyone other than the seller's possible pipe dream wishes.