I dont get the c3 vs c4 values

I am not complaining. I just do not get it.

I have a c4 ,my second. I love the body of a 1980-82 c3. But I do
not see how my car is on ebay and bidding around 17-18grand with 19000
documented miles and you have automatic late c3 cars for 15 grand.

Aside from being more difficult to get in, I do not see a comparison
between a 81 C3 corvette with 60 - 80 thousand miles and a 1996 c4 lt4
6spd.

So enlighten me...... without being insulting.

Thanks

Ralph wrote:
> I am not complaining. I just do not get it.
>
> I have a c4 ,my second. I love the body of a 1980-82 c3. But I do
> not see how my car is on ebay and bidding around 17-18grand with 19000
> documented miles and you have automatic late c3 cars for 15 grand.
>
> Aside from being more difficult to get in, I do not see a comparison
> between a 81 C3 corvette with 60 - 80 thousand miles and a 1996 c4 lt4
> 6spd.
>
> So enlighten me...... without being insulting.
>
> Thanks

You must REALLY be upset with C2's going for $30k to $50k then!
Supply and demand, mixed with a little nostalgia, what else?

Ralph wrote:
> I am not complaining. I just do not get it.
>
> I have a c4 ,my second. I love the body of a 1980-82 c3. But I do
> not see how my car is on ebay and bidding around 17-18grand with 19000
> documented miles and you have automatic late c3 cars for 15 grand.
>
> Aside from being more difficult to get in, I do not see a comparison
> between a 81 C3 corvette with 60 - 80 thousand miles and a 1996 c4 lt4
> 6spd.
>
> So enlighten me...... without being insulting.
>
> Thanks

You must REALLY be upset with C2's going for $30k to $50k then!
Supply and demand, mixed with a little nostalgia, what else?

the C-4 in my opinion do not look as attractive as the C3. People are not
buying these cars for "everyday use" though the may get used
everyday....sounds like that doesn;t make sense. What I mean is most people
buying these cars buy them for the LOOK that they like NOT whether they can
throw the kids and wife in and go out to dinner.

Also lot more of the C-4 around than the C-3 thus higher value for the C-3

"Ralph" > wrote in message
om...
>I am not complaining. I just do not get it.
>
> I have a c4 ,my second. I love the body of a 1980-82 c3. But I do
> not see how my car is on ebay and bidding around 17-18grand with 19000
> documented miles and you have automatic late c3 cars for 15 grand.
>
> Aside from being more difficult to get in, I do not see a comparison
> between a 81 C3 corvette with 60 - 80 thousand miles and a 1996 c4 lt4
> 6spd.
>
> So enlighten me...... without being insulting.
>
> Thanks

the C-4 in my opinion do not look as attractive as the C3. People are not
buying these cars for "everyday use" though the may get used
everyday....sounds like that doesn;t make sense. What I mean is most people
buying these cars buy them for the LOOK that they like NOT whether they can
throw the kids and wife in and go out to dinner.

Also lot more of the C-4 around than the C-3 thus higher value for the C-3

"Ralph" > wrote in message
om...
>I am not complaining. I just do not get it.
>
> I have a c4 ,my second. I love the body of a 1980-82 c3. But I do
> not see how my car is on ebay and bidding around 17-18grand with 19000
> documented miles and you have automatic late c3 cars for 15 grand.
>
> Aside from being more difficult to get in, I do not see a comparison
> between a 81 C3 corvette with 60 - 80 thousand miles and a 1996 c4 lt4
> 6spd.
>
> So enlighten me...... without being insulting.
>
> Thanks

First off, eBay prices can be a bit crazy at times. Remember the what was
it, $700 Owners Manual for a 1967?

But overall, they give a reasonable picture of prices, if you average
several of the same basic condition.

Most late C3s I've seen have been averaging around $10,000. Sure you may
get a low mile immaculate '78 Pace Car or someone has a restored '82 CE in
the mid to high teens, but most are lower.

Corvettes have never been about practical. People buy them because of
emotion, and emotion does not follow blue books or NADA guides or whatever.

After all, what sense is it to pay $65,000 for a '66 big block that any C5
can blow away and you can buy for $40,000 or less? Any C4 on a stretch of
twisty country roads will run off and hide from it. Yet, do you see people
paying $65,000 for a restored '89 or '94? Maybe for 4 of them.

People buy them for memories. In the '70s, the '63 began an incredible
climb, from an average street price of $1800 around 1972 to around $15,000
by 1978. Why? Part of it was that those who were 10 and 12 in 1963 and
fell in love with it were in their twenties, had decent paying jobs, and
could buy their fantasy now. And they did.

Why did the '67 435 hp go nuts? Because many who had always wanted one were
rich enough to have them in the '80s, and they bought them. And with the
rise, many "experts" told how these were "investments" so many more jumped
in on it and prices went higher.

If these had been stocks, the FTC would have been involved for stock
manipulation, because the "experts" were really hyping their stock to get
others to buy them and make outrageous profits.

And if you had ever owned a 435 hp, you'd know they are a high maintenance
item and are not a really great car for what most of us like to do - drive
around. They are great at the stop light and the gas station, where they
help dent the National Debt, but if you want to have a good time cruising
around or weekend drives, any small block is much better and the 390 hp is
better still.

This is also why Corvette Price Guides are something you can only take as a
reference, and not as carved in stone, because the true price of any
Corvette is how much someone is willing to hand over at that moment.



"Ralph" > wrote in message
om...
> I am not complaining. I just do not get it.
>
> I have a c4 ,my second. I love the body of a 1980-82 c3. But I do
> not see how my car is on ebay and bidding around 17-18grand with 19000
> documented miles and you have automatic late c3 cars for 15 grand.
>
> Aside from being more difficult to get in, I do not see a comparison
> between a 81 C3 corvette with 60 - 80 thousand miles and a 1996 c4 lt4
> 6spd.
>
> So enlighten me...... without being insulting.
>
> Thanks

First off, eBay prices can be a bit crazy at times. Remember the what was
it, $700 Owners Manual for a 1967?

But overall, they give a reasonable picture of prices, if you average
several of the same basic condition.

Most late C3s I've seen have been averaging around $10,000. Sure you may
get a low mile immaculate '78 Pace Car or someone has a restored '82 CE in
the mid to high teens, but most are lower.

Corvettes have never been about practical. People buy them because of
emotion, and emotion does not follow blue books or NADA guides or whatever.

After all, what sense is it to pay $65,000 for a '66 big block that any C5
can blow away and you can buy for $40,000 or less? Any C4 on a stretch of
twisty country roads will run off and hide from it. Yet, do you see people
paying $65,000 for a restored '89 or '94? Maybe for 4 of them.

People buy them for memories. In the '70s, the '63 began an incredible
climb, from an average street price of $1800 around 1972 to around $15,000
by 1978. Why? Part of it was that those who were 10 and 12 in 1963 and
fell in love with it were in their twenties, had decent paying jobs, and
could buy their fantasy now. And they did.

Why did the '67 435 hp go nuts? Because many who had always wanted one were
rich enough to have them in the '80s, and they bought them. And with the
rise, many "experts" told how these were "investments" so many more jumped
in on it and prices went higher.

If these had been stocks, the FTC would have been involved for stock
manipulation, because the "experts" were really hyping their stock to get
others to buy them and make outrageous profits.

And if you had ever owned a 435 hp, you'd know they are a high maintenance
item and are not a really great car for what most of us like to do - drive
around. They are great at the stop light and the gas station, where they
help dent the National Debt, but if you want to have a good time cruising
around or weekend drives, any small block is much better and the 390 hp is
better still.

This is also why Corvette Price Guides are something you can only take as a
reference, and not as carved in stone, because the true price of any
Corvette is how much someone is willing to hand over at that moment.



"Ralph" > wrote in message
om...
> I am not complaining. I just do not get it.
>
> I have a c4 ,my second. I love the body of a 1980-82 c3. But I do
> not see how my car is on ebay and bidding around 17-18grand with 19000
> documented miles and you have automatic late c3 cars for 15 grand.
>
> Aside from being more difficult to get in, I do not see a comparison
> between a 81 C3 corvette with 60 - 80 thousand miles and a 1996 c4 lt4
> 6spd.
>
> So enlighten me...... without being insulting.
>
> Thanks

The 1963 as first of the midyears is valued high, as is the 1967 as the last
of the midyears.

However, only the 1953 as first of a series is valued high, and that is as
much due to it being the first Corvette as anything. The 1968, 1984, and
1997 are not high compared to others of their series in any way.

On the last of a series, the 1962, 1982 are not any special value compared
to the others. The 1996 and the 2004 are, but only because they are still
in the normal depreciation slope were a '96 is worth more than a '95 which
is more than a '94 which is etc.

The 1963 as first of the midyears is valued high, as is the 1967 as the last
of the midyears.

However, only the 1953 as first of a series is valued high, and that is as
much due to it being the first Corvette as anything. The 1968, 1984, and
1997 are not high compared to others of their series in any way.

On the last of a series, the 1962, 1982 are not any special value compared
to the others. The 1996 and the 2004 are, but only because they are still
in the normal depreciation slope were a '96 is worth more than a '95 which
is more than a '94 which is etc.

On 18 Nov 2004 20:23:29 -0800, (Ralph) wrote:

>I am not complaining. I just do not get it.
>
>I have a c4 ,my second. I love the body of a 1980-82 c3. But I do
>not see how my car is on ebay and bidding around 17-18grand with 19000
>documented miles and you have automatic late c3 cars for 15 grand.
>
>Aside from being more difficult to get in, I do not see a comparison
>between a 81 C3 corvette with 60 - 80 thousand miles and a 1996 c4 lt4
>6spd.
>
>So enlighten me...... without being insulting.
>
>Thanks
===========================
I would never Insult another Corvette NUT...

But I own a 95 black on black 6 sp with both tops...And I also own
64 72 76 & 79 Corvettes.... all were in shows this summer so they are
all in damn good shape... The 79 is an Automatic the others are all
Manuel...

NOW.... The 95 is NOT repeat NOT the car I take out to have fun in..No
question it gets up and goes, but it lacks any mechanical feeling...by
which it really does not "feel" like a machine....at least when
compared to my sharks...It also almost never turns a head...whereas
any of my sharks turn a lot of heads...

When comparing performance...well the 95 is at or near the top...when
comparing fuel mileage it is absolutely at the top ..by a wide
margin...BUT truthfully the 95 is nowhere near as much fun to drive
the hell out of on the back roads....

When you come to Value...well the 95 is most likely worth a little
more then my 79 and my 76 at this time...it is depreciating...the 76
is just starting to appreciate and the 79 is flat..holding its own...

Insurance for the 64 72 76 & 79 (total of all 4) is just slightly more
then what I pay for the 95 alone... Tags for the 95 cost me 70 bucks a
year..(Vanity.. IO NO 1)! the other (all with Historic tags) cost me
under 20 bucks each...

Now I also turn my own wrenches....and honestly the 95 is not that
difficult (computer not included) but all of the others are simple and
easy cars to work on... and parts are generally cheaper also...

Guess it boils down to the fact that I really enjoy being in a machine
and not just riding ....can not explain it really.. but my excuse the
French...ASS feels the difference and I smile a lot more driving the
older one....BUT NONE are 1/2 the car the 95 is...and that 95 is not
1/2 the car a C5 is................

Bob Griffiths
68 SS 396 Heeled
64 & 72 Corvette Rag tops
76 79 & 95 Corvette Coupes...

None for sale...getting an itch to add a C5 to the fleet...which will
fill up the garages...