Thoughts on "collect-ability" ?

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BadgerBlu

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I bought a bone stock used C6 this summer and I'd like some feedback on the possibility of it gaining value down the road as a collectible car and if it's worth keeping it stock for that purpose.
It's an '07 C6, Z51 package, LS2, automatic, targa top in atomic orange. They made less than 3000 world wide in that color, and even less with the Z51 package, and the number with targa top might even dwindle more.
It's got about 77,000 kms so it falls under the daily driver category more than serious collector at this stage.
I don't know much about Corvette collect-ability, I mean everyone knows about the holy grail '63 split window etc.. so wouldn't mind some feedback.
Thanks.
 
I don't believe that any of the more modern Corvette's will appreciate much in the future. If it is a special ZR1, first or last serial number car of the generation then yes possibly. I say enjoy it for what it is and make it your own as you desire. Happy Motoring!
 
This might not be the answer you want to hear, but most modern cars that are mass produced will likely never have that much collectability in the near future. You're going to have to keep the car for a long time, in stock form, in near new condition, with no more significant miles on it than it has now, and if it ever does get collectable, you'll either be too old to enjoy it or long gone. If that's what you enjoy doing with your car, great, but if you more enjoy just using the car, you're better off doing that. While the colour and option combination might be rare, and might make it more desirable in the Corvette community, it's still on a car where thousands were produced in that model year and even thousands more in that generation, so it's not rare when compared to cars where only a few examples exist and likely won't make it more desirable to the general car community. The nice thing about C6s is they've eaten a good chunk of their depreciation, so if you keep the car in good shape while also enjoying it, you won't lose that much money and you may even see it level out.

A lot of the price raising in collectable cars is driven by dumb reasons like price inflation of the auctions, dealers, and collectors who aren't enthusiasts who enjoy cars for how they drive and are designed, but as an items of value to be collected. Moderns cars that are appreciating tend to be special cars from special times, and also example of things we may never see again, such as anything Italian with a V12 and a manual transmission, the first Ford GTs, stuff like that. 4th gen Toyota Supras are going up because of the Fast and Furious franchise. Porsche 930 and 993 911s are going up because the Porsche snobs like air cooled.
 
Chiming in, my opinion continues the trend of, "Not going to happen."

Looking at the history of Corvettes, since the C2, the only vehicles appreciating in value are ZR1 models, special, extremely rare versions, or cars with a history (owned by a celebrity, was a race car, driven by someone special, etc.).

The only C3's that have value, that I can think of off the top of my head, is the L88 - a strictly "off-road use only" version with a 550hp race engine. Only 196 were ever built and now sell for $1-3 million.

The only C4 that is appreciating at all is the ZR1 - albeit not very much.

I can't think of any particular C5 that has any significant value today, aside from the "first" and "last" made. Pace car versions don't have much, if any, value over a standard trim.

The C6 simply isn't old enough to appreciate in value at all.

One day, I'd love to collect cars as an investment. In doing this though, what I've learned it you typically want to buy a 20-year-old car that has a special place in popular culture, in as original condition as possible, then sell it a 5+ years later. The reason for this is because these cars were pin-up models for kids when they were new. As those kids turn into adults and get some expendable income (hah, not happening these days), these are the vehicles they want to buy.

For example, a 1994 Supra Twin Turbo with about 7,000 miles on it sold for $121,000 in January of this year. When new it would have been around $50,000 USD ($85,000, adjusted for inflation), but when it was 20 years old (2014), it would have likely been worth around $80,000.

The C6 you purchased is more than likely going to depreciate a lot before it gains in value, if it ever does.
 
If I were to pick a Corvette to buy today, as a "collectible," it would be a 2000 C5 with under 20k km on it, possibly a FRC, since this was the only year they were built and they made 2,060 of them. Definitely with a manual transmission.
 
BadgerBlu said:
I bought a bone stock used C6 this summer and I'd like some feedback on the possibility of it gaining value down the road as a collectible car and if it's worth keeping it stock for that purpose.
It's an '07 C6, Z51 package, LS2, automatic, targa top in atomic orange. They made less than 3000 world wide in that color, and even less with the Z51 package, and the number with targa top might even dwindle more.
It's got about 77,000 kms so it falls under the daily driver category more than serious collector at this stage.
I don't know much about Corvette collect-ability, I mean everyone knows about the holy grail '63 split window etc.. so wouldn't mind some feedback.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Have to agree with most of the above chatter. Some models and years are certainly more collectible than others but appreciation in value for most C3 through C7 won't happen for a very long time, if at all. Depending on what you paid for your C6, the most you can likely hope for in your lifetime is it holding it's value somewhat but as someone mentioned, this would mean keeping the mileage in line. I agree with turbozig. Make it your own and drive it. Very few of us look at our Vettes as an investment.
 
Well, thanks guys. Really appreciate the input, it's pretty much in line with what I would have thought. I just needed some reinforcement because there's some things I'd like to tweak and I didn't want to do something I'd regret down the road. I didn't buy it to be collectible, it's for enjoyment, and that I'm doing.
 
almost every car will eventually appreciate in value, it's just a matter of time and availability.

C4's are starting to tick upwards. Not very quickly, but they are starting to climb.

Successive generations will likely do the same. I would suggest the C8 will appreciate faster and sooner than most, simply because it is such radical departure from all Vette's that came before it.

One need only look to the C3 for a potential worth path most vette's will follow. The C3 came out oh so long ago and sold like gangbusters. It also had a super long production run and a "gagillion" of them were pumped out. Shortly after the C4 came out, you couldn't give a rubber bumper Vette away. Popular or not, they just didn't command a high price point. A lot of that had to do with the smog era engines they had in them as much as the rubber bumper look.

But then a funny thing happened; the prices starting ticking up years after the C3 went out of production. These days, the rubber bumper cars are still not mega-collectable high dollar cars, but you can't buy them cheap anymore. You're looking at somewhere in the 15-30G range to get a nice one. People who grew up in that era and couldn't afford one are now searching for the car they couldn't buy when they were young. Now they've got money and and they're willing to "belly up" to get the car they wanted and couldn't afford. It like a "bucket list" sort of thing.

The C4 is "sort of" following that path. They cranked out a bazillion of them, there were some ultra high performance models and shortly after they weent out of production, you almost couldn't give them away. Now, the prices are starting to rise. Just like the C3. A regular "run of the mill" C3 or C4 is never going to command the top dollar, but they are climbing.

Now the C5/6/7 generations may have a little harder time following that pattern. It has nothing to do with the cars, they're fine examples or RWD ultra performance cars. the problem I see that C5/6/7 cars will have to overcome (to become collectable or valuable, which are not necessarily the same thing) is that the generations that grew up with them are far less interested in cars and far more interested in tech like computers, iphones, etc. Cars to recent generations are not a hobby or lifestyle, they're appliances. There are some out there who are still gearheads, but no where near as many as when I was growing up. When they get "nostalgic", they go looking for an "Apple II", an "NES" console or a "Simon". I'm guessing this will keep the prices relatively low and may also drive down the prices on the 60's collector cars as well. In fact, there's already a noticeable "softening" in the price of the 60's collector cars. They're still stupid overpriced in my opinion, but the dollar they command is weakening every year.

But, as far as what car to buy now?

Whatever strikes your fancy.

Buy it, drive it, enjoy it and then do whatever with it. Collect-ability or resale? Meh, give that a pass. These cars are meant to be driven and enjoyed. Can't do that sitting in a garage, afraid to scratch the damned thing. not only that, for aC5/6/7 to get some "collectability" it's going to take decades. LIkely longer than you will live. So just buy what you like and can afford and go wear out some rubber every chance you get.

:)
 
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Once they are 40 years old the top models MIGHT appreciate in value. With our old COPO 427 Chevelle, they eventually took off but only because there were only a few built with about 13 coming into Canada. None of the newer Corvette models are exactly rare. Most of us won't be around to see them collector cars. Go out and enjoy them. We certainly are with ours. We bought it seven years old with 13,300 miles on it for less than half of list price. That is awfully expensive depreciation but we got a basically new car. Why save it for the next guy Enjoy it.
 
While I watched the final C7 Z06 Manual to roll off the line sell at Barrett Jackson for $1.7Million, Mike Joy made a good point.
He said....since Ferrari quit making manual transmission cars, the prices have been rising, for those cars equipped with a m/t. He stated, if you have a C7 now, with the m/t, "hold onto it".
Time will tell.
 
AxeZ06 said:
While I watched the final C7 Z06 Manual to roll off the line sell at Barrett Jackson for $1.7Million, Mike Joy made a good point.
He said....since Ferrari quit making manual transmission cars, the prices have been rising, for those cars equipped with a m/t. He stated, if you have a C7 now, with the m/t, "hold onto it".
Time will tell.
Click to expand...
Interesting. The way things are progressing, the manual transmission will become collectible long before the car itself would have.. :thumbs:
 
Rruuff Day said:
Interesting. The way things are progressing, the manual transmission will become collectible long before the car itself would have.. :thumbs:
Click to expand...
The way things are progressing, a person who knows how to operate a manual transmission will become collectible long before the car itself would have....
 
EJChevy said:
If I were to pick a Corvette to buy today, as a "collectible," it would be a 2000 C5 with under 20k km on it, possibly a FRC, since this was the only year they were built and they made 2,060 of them. Definitely with a manual transmission.
Click to expand...

EJ maybe I am reading what you said wrong but they made 4013 C5 FRC in 1999 as well.
 

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