QuestionJeff,
Thank you for volunteering your time. I am also an expert on this site under electrical problems and it takes time.
So thank you for your expertise.
I have a 1996 Corvette Coupe with Removable Roof. It has 66,000 original miles, I am the third owner and in my early 50s. NO hot rodding to this car.
I always wanted the C4 for the looks and I wanted it to drive, not as something to haul on a trailer.
It is the LT4, Grand Sport Engine, runs like new. I had it gone through at a Corvette Specialist shop as the Vin said it had an impact in it's life. They say no damage but cosmetic, and it was probably a mail box or something.
They even said they had never drove a car of that vintage that was so quiet, and drove like a new one, and wanted to buy it then a couple years ago.
But I spent 8 months finding the stick and wanted white with the tan leather, I think it is the class of all vetts, but my taste only.
I have had the cat convertors replaced with also the plugs and wires, all the roof and window rubber, oxygen sensors, body module computer, everything the warranty I bought for it don't cover.
I have had it on three computers to check out the codes and they are all clean.
I have the original manual and the Y platform manuals for it, plus all paperwork.
It has the stereo Bose with cd and tape and the tape rocks!
It runs like a damn new car almost, the auto mileage on the computer is at 19 plus and I just putt around town now and then.
I was going to drive it for a while and then collect it and store it.
Now College for my daughter is coming and the cost for that is out of sight.
It has some dings around the front license plate area, but nothing that looks awful, it was on my list next.
Now I read the LT4, the 1996 with the stick, and the 330HP, and being the last year is worth something.
I had no idea it was a big deal to have the Grand Sport engine, nor the 1996 was maybe so really popular.
I drove so many vettes in the 17 to 20 thou range with glued on mirrors and they were all crap. they rattle and banged, this one glides.
Gas mileage is so good it is the most fuel efficient auto I have. On the highway, and I don't get on the highway very much, it gets 40 plus!
The warranty has a lot of miles left but quits next year in May. Everything is fixed that is not covered, so it is like a full warranty but I doubt it will break, I have been told that the things that go wrong, with this year, have happened.
My question is sell it or keep it? There are no more I can find in the color and the stick is just as hard to find.
Plus the others I drove from a 1975 to even 2000 plus were run to death.
If I do sell it, should I put the money in cleaning up the scratched up front license plate area? Should I put new tires on it/ they are probably about 10,000 to 15000 left.
But they look great. Everything works, both seats are power, mirrors, rear defrost, all controls, lights, you name it, it has it and works.
Would you guess it will go up in value, or should I sell now while it seems to be wanted bad?
I can do either and it is not a matter of life or death either way, but I could pay for more college with the proceeds.
Or keep it and let it go up, or maybe it is done going up?
Or maybe I am the only one who likes white with tan leather?
It is a sweet car, but do I put some more in it [cosmetics] and get it back out of it, or forget the parking bumper dents, and sell it as a driver? There are only 2 within 250 miles of KC where I live.
If I do sell it, do you know where I should advertise it?
Thanks a ton for your time.
Will
AnswerWow.
I ask the usual inquirers for a detailed description of the vehicle's condition, and they respond "it's in nice shape." But like you said, you're a contributor here, so you knew in advance what I needed.
If you re-read your question, you'll have most of your answer. You're obviously in love with this car, and nothing else out there will ever replace it. The only LOGICAL reason for selling it is to fund your child's education. Is this your ONLY source for money, or are there other avenues? Loans/ scholarships/ borrowing against life insurance policies, etc... I just get the feeling that if you sell this car, you'll regret it the rest of your life. Can you ever find another Corvette this nice? From your description, I highly doubt it.
As to what it's worth, what it might be worth, is it worth selling now or later- I honestly don't know. Check eBay for the next few months to see what they're going for (you'll need to record the item number if you want to see what a car sold for after the auction has ended), and check numbers on NADA, Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds. The first two tend to be higher than reality; Edmunds' numbers are much closer to what they're actually selling for in the current market. I'd also search the Web for "Corvette forums" to see if you can post your question among other 1996 owners.
I can relate: I have a '96 Town Car Signature Series Touring Edition; that's a Town Car with all the performance/ heavy-duty equipment from the Crown Victoria police interceptor package, plus just about every option Lincoln offered that year. It is, without a doubt, the best car I've ever owned. It's no BMW, but it's handling is superior to a standard Town Car, it's reliability is bullet-proof, and the few repairs it's needed are rare and inexpensive (hey, it's all Ford parts). The dealer I take it to considers it a privilege to work on it, and every time I take it there I'm asked if I would consider selling it. Sound familiar? I won't part with this car for ANYTHING, and that comes from someone that used to trade out of cars like most people change their underwear. Like you, I just LOVE this car, and I simply won't part with it. On the other hand, I don't have a kid in college.........
On a side note, I was in KC a few years ago for the first and only time, for a truck convention. What a great town! I was on the KN side, around the Lenexa (sp?) area; our get-together was at the horse/ dog track right off the interstate. One of the few cities I'd consider moving to, if I ever had to leave Rochester, NY.
