What is a wrecked C5 Vette with an auto worth?

http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/cto/4761056221.html

This is at a local dealer and I already sent a $4k offer. I figured I would ask what you yahoos would think. I am SURE that an 18k mile vette is worth more but I wanted to lowball to start.

Your offer sounds about right.

My wife is going to kill me but for 4k I will risk it.

7-10k based on parts value and low mileage.

They said they want to sell quickly. Go there with a trailer and see how quickly they want it gone.

Just realized that they don't tell you a phone number or what dealer (I know cause I am awesome). I might stock by there later.

The address number is on the door in one of the pics and there are a bunch of new Kias in the lot, so it didn't take long to find the dealer. If you want it I'd swing by and make a cash offer before someone beats you to it!

4k is the max id pay for that. I dont think that it would be an especially cheaper road to go down at 4k and fixing it vs buying one of the 10k ones and just spiffing up the stuff that actually shows objectionable wear. 18k miles means just about nothing to me considering how many 100k+ ones are out there that need very little anyway.

I agree with the others. Bring 4K and your trailer, betcha you go home with it !

Fixed it is probably a 15 -18k car.

Probably worth a little more than 4 in parts but repairing them can add up if vette specific parts are damaged. If you get it on a rack and the undercarriage isn't destroyed. It might be a good buy at 4k.

Probably with cars like this is its hard to think of everything that is missing/damaged until you start reassembling it and the small stuff can add up.

Bumper and fender is a few hundred plus paint, But then add in rad support, headlights, brackets, intake etc and it starts to add up. Hopefully no frame damage.

What worries me is they probably paid next to nothing for this how come they don't want to fix it and make a nice profit.

That car is hurt more than it looks like at a glance, but given the low miles it could be worth fixing. The only bonded panels on a C5 are the rockers; everything else bolts on. They are cake to fix. However, the yellow car above is going to need work on the front frame rail and probably on the driver's side in the corner behind the front suspension. This one is also a low-option car and someone has already swapped the thin-spoke wheels for earlier wagon wheels.

In reply to Opti:

More like it got wrecked on a test drive and through some insurance screwery it makes sense to sell it cheap rather than probably rebuild it on a salvage title and dump it for 8k with thousands into the rebuild.

I talked to the dealership and I heard the word "9500" and laughed and walked out. They have my number if they come to their senses. I looked at it though and I think 3500 is my limit. The entire front half of the car needs to be replaced.

Might be a good donor for an Ultima GTR but needs to be sub 5k for sure....were they even willing to negotiate?

I didn't try. This dealership has a reputation as being sly and greedy. I will let them set on it a while. It won't move if they actually think that it is worth 9k.

In reply to singleslammer:

Last I checked 9500 is about what its worth in fair condition.

Sad thing is I dont know if there is much over 6k in parts there. Early LS1s are already somewhat outdated, not a Z06 or a 6 speed car so a lot of the drivetrain is pretty undesirable, since the stock stuff is really trouble-free, half the car is missing, interior parts are probably worth some jingle, hatch, rear fenders, rear bumper cover, etc worth $150-200/ea.

I looked at buying a ratty supercharged vette to part out and make mine supercharged, but for $11k for a complete running supercharged car, there just wasnt enough meat on the bones to buy it, have the hassle with putting it back to stock or parting it, selling it, just to get the SC I wanted for my car.

And as far as being worth 15k fixed, maybe if it had a clean title, otherwise thats a $10-12k car all day in running shape.

93gsxturbo wrote: Sad thing is I dont know if there is much over 6k in parts there. Early LS1s are already somewhat outdated, not a Z06 or a 6 speed car so a lot of the drivetrain is pretty undesirable, since the stock stuff is really trouble-free, half the car is missing, interior parts are probably worth some jingle, hatch, rear fenders, rear bumper cover, etc worth $150-200/ea. I looked at buying a ratty supercharged vette to part out and make mine supercharged, but for $11k for a complete running supercharged car, there just wasnt enough meat on the bones to buy it, have the hassle with putting it back to stock or parting it, selling it, just to get the SC I wanted for my car. And as far as being worth 15k fixed, maybe if it had a clean title, otherwise thats a $10-12k car all day in running shape.

Yah at 15k I was assuming it would have a clean title. If it's a salvage title I'd say around 10k also. When looking for mine I saw a handful of salvage title cars and the all seemed to be at 9500 to a little over 10k.

LS1s were only in the Fbodys and vette so they are still selling higher than the more common gen 3 stuff. My salvage guy is getting around 2k for a good one. Maybe 800 -1 for the torque tube. 600-1000 for seats. Then lots of parts in the 150-300 range like body parts, gauge cluater, wheels, trans, dash bezel. Could probably get 4-5 in parts but I doubt 9500 even if you sold it all.

considering you could buy a running one with higher mileage I wouldn't even consider it, at least a higher mileage car has the chance to have some of the common issues sorted.

Problem with vettes is some people think they are gold. Saw a red FRC with worse front end damage than this and around 100k miles and the guy wanted 10500 and I see clean l98 c4s for over 10k.

What if they got a bunch of calls from various numbers low balling it at $3500? Think that might help you out?