Terry Michaelis Shares Tips on Buying a Pre-Owned Corvette
We will soon be in the midst of the winter automobile auction season, and Corvettes available for purchase will be in abundance. Writing in a recent newsletter from ProTeam Corvettes, Terry Michaelis makes these recommendations if you are considering purchase of a Corvette at any of the upcoming auctions:
(1) Prior to purchasing any Corvette, create a pre-purchase inspection list, and make sure to include VIN tags and attachments; a title matching the VIN tag; an original body/trim tag; the Corvette's body and frame; engine stamp, casting numbers and dates; and documentation. This small step goes a long way to making your Corvette buying experience seamless.
(2) Buy the best Corvette you can afford today, because the Corvette you buy is the Corvette you'll have, or want to sell some day.
(3) Buy cosmetics - buy paint and chrome, unless you have a shop and knowledge to control your costs.
(4) Research - arm yourself with knowledge provided in the numerous Corvette publications. [Of course, one can learn a lot right here at CorvetteBlog. We recommend Keith Martin's Corvette Market for depth in this area.]
(5) Don't trade off cosmetics for a numbers matching drivetrain, because it will always cost more to restore (paint, trim, chrome, etc.) a Corvette needing restoration versus putting the proper numbers motor back in your vehicle, if that's your venue. Numbers have become secondary to cosmetics, and it's about time.
(6) Realize that Corvettes are old cars and they require more attention than that new Chevy or Ford sitting in your driveway (especially if they aren't taken for periodic "work outs".) [Well, probably not Ford.]
[ ProTeam Corvettes ]