Save Big With A Used Corvette

General Motors recently unveiled the all-new 2020 Chevy Corvette, and as you might guess, it turned heads right away. For many people, there’s a dream of owning this all-American performance car, but it may just be out of financial reach. But why buy new when you can buy used? There are plenty of used Chevrolet Corvettes out there that are in pristine condition and cost a fraction of the original asking prices. Going with one of the many used Corvettes on the market will give you a better bang for your buck. But which Corvette should you go with? While just about any model year will save you money over the current 2020 release, some are significantly cheaper to buy, maintain, and drive. Here are just a few of the options you should keep an eye out for.

1984 C4

This is a moment in automotive time where cars started to lose the overly aggressive curves and instead went with a flatter, harder-edged looks. You’ll find this with just at just about any car made during the time period, from the Pontiac Firebird to the DMC Delorean (which, unless you’re looking to put a Flux Capacitor into it and deck the car out Back To The Future Style we’d recommend not buying one as it has some of the worst maintenance problems). The straight-lined design continued over into the 1984 C4.

The truth of the matter is you could begin to see the ironing out of these curves in the later C3 designs, but beginning in 1984, the Corvette turned into an angular vehicle. Due to this look, some car collectors have bypassed the mid-1980’s Corvettes. However, this means you have the opportunity to save big.

Mid-1980’s C4 Corvettes used engines more powerful than the C3, tipping the scales around 350 horsepower. However, the improved suspension and handling make this car far easier to drive (and smoother) than just about any Corvette made previously. And you can easily find one of these Corvettes for under $10,000. If someone told you it would be possible to purchase a Corvette for $7,500, wouldn’t that sound pretty good?

1975-1980 C3

Did you ever see the movie “Corvette Summer” with Mark Hamill? Well, the Corvette in that movie was a 1978 Corvette. Sure it had crazy hood scoops, exhaust, and other alterations made to the car but stripped down, and you have a late 1970’s Corvette.

During this time period, the body style didn’t change all that much. There are a few tweaks here and there, but, for the most part, they all look similar. But here’s the thing about Corvettes of that time period. The drive to put in the biggest, most powerful engine, had fallen by the wayside as fuel embargoes and other political issues were driving up the cost of gasoline. Due to this, the engines put into the American performance cars of the time were a bit underwhelming, and these model years are no exception as depending on the trim and year you go with, you’ll likely end up with an engine putting out between 165 and 230 horsepower.

But here’s the beauty of buying a C3 Coupe from that time period. You can easily purchase one in excellent condition for around $10,000. With this price, perhaps you’re satisfied. You own a Corvette, and that’s all you ever wanted. Or, you could invest another $5,000 into a more powerful engine and pay to have it put in. That way, you’ll have a classic Corvette with a modern engine at around $15,000. Not too shabby.

1963 C2 250

You probably didn’t expect to find such a classic Corvette listed on this list now, did you? Well, first off, it is more expensive than the other two models. You could probably buy one of each and still pay less than this Corvette. However, we’re looking at this used Corvette in comparison to what a modern version will cost you.

The standard trim C2 250 Corvette from 1963 will likely cost somewhere around $40,000. It might be a bit lower; it might be a tad higher. This depends on how well the body has been maintained, the miles, and a few other basic features. However, this Corvette is a true beauty. It’s a classic, and it will turn heads wherever you go. Yes, the 250 horsepower C2 might not have the kind of engine performance or modern handling of a brand new Corvette, but we can almost promise you there won’t be a single person around who’s not envious of your 50-year-old Corvette. Sometimes it’s more about the visual design and the way a car looks than just the kind of engine it’s running under the hood.

Let’s say you did come across the C2 427 version of the car (which uses a 427 horsepower engine). How much would this set you back? Well again, it does depend, but you might end up paying $60,000 give or take (which isn’t all that different from what you’d pay for a new, near-base trim package).

Here is one other tidbit you need to consider when it comes to buying a Corvette such as this. Even with the base C2 250 with a lower price point, as long as you don’t drive it into the ground, this particular car will not decline in value. What you pay for it now will, in all reality, be the minimum of what you can ask for it later, should you decide to sell it. And, in most cases, if you were to purchase the car, only put a few thousand miles on it per year, and then decided to sell it a decade from now, you’d almost certainly make money off of the purchase. Now, ask yourself how many modern cars could you say that about? Outside of buying exclusive, limited-edition models, the only way this ever happens is when you’re dealing with a classic.

Always Test Drive

This is just a little pointer. If you’re buying the Corvette from a private seller, you’ll want to follow through with several inspections and checkups, but even when buying from a GM-approved lot, you need to test drive it. Driving older Corvettes, especially older models, can take some practice. These Corvettes might handle differently from what you’re used to, so you need to get behind the wheel before laying down the cash, just to make sure the used Corvettes you’re considering fit your driving needs.

Buying Your Dream Car Doesn’t Need To Be So Expensive

Think back to when you first fell in love with the Chevy Corvette. Was it when you were a kid, and you saw one drive down the street in front of you? Perhaps you caught it in a magazine or in your favorite movie. Wherever you first saw and fell in love with the Corvette won’t take away from buying a used model. After all, it wasn’t the current model that made you want the performance car so bad. It was one made possible decades earlier. So why not buy a model more in line with when you first fell in love with the car? Whatever you decide to go with, just know that there are plenty of used Chevrolet Corvettes on the market, and one may very well have your name on it.

You might not run into many classic Corvettes while car shopping, but one from the last decade or two is sure to pop-up on many used car lots. If you want to discuss purchasing a used Chevy Corvette, or another used model, contact us at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet of Buford, GA.