Hello. I've been lurking or this board a while and thought I'd join even though I don't own a Vette . . . yet. I have always wanted one ever since I was a little kid and I'm gonna try to get one now because I think it's time. Of course I can't afford a brand new $65,000 one, so it's off to the used car lots.

I found a 98 (Red with glass Targa top) at a local preowned dealer. He didn't have it on the lot yet but said it would be in Monday (tomorrow). He said it was a red one that looks amazing and was well cared for by one previous owner. He said he wouldn't have the actual miles till Monday (I'll call again to get that of course) because the boss took it and had it detailed and cleaned but that it was a "High Miler" and that is why he was able to offer it at (ballpark figure) $14,500 - $15,000.

I checked KellyBlueBook.com and was able to see that I should expect over 83,000 miles on it because that is the typical mileage for a Corvette of that year. I have been reading the threads and know that according to your posts and other forums that a Corvette is not your average car, but that they are well made and rarely have any real major problems (replaced engine or transmission) because they are usually well cared for due to how expensive they are. Naturally people put a lot of money into buying them so they usually keep the maintenance up pretty well.

I feel pretty confident that I should be able to finance this car and if taking good care of it, it should last well after I have it paid off even with the high miles (probably about five years from now) without any major (thousand dollar) problems. It will be a weekend driver for me because I am keepig my 2001 Mustang that has only 50,143 miles on it. I feel pretty confident that I don't have to be too worried about the high miles (up to a certain point). Am I right to feel this confident or should I be a lot more cautious? At how many miles should I say "No Thanks" and look elsewhere? He said that he could guanantee that I wouldn't find a better looking or running Vette for this price (typical carsalesman line).

Any advice for me (besides a Carfax history of course) for when I test drive it?

 

That seems a good price so I would look it over carefully. It could be really high miles, too, you don't know what that means. A '98 with high miles, to me, would mean 18K+ per year, or getting close to 150K.

Condition is more important than mileage, but if it were me and I was buying a used vette on a budget I'd make sure thatn somehow, if I had to, I could handle a major expense like a new engine or trans. even if it was uncomofrtable.