Is this a dodgy car advert?

James Vette

James Vette

CCCUK Member
Link

The description doesn't add up. How would you import an '80 Vette and make a profit by selling it for 8k and why sell it straight after you import it? I was excited but obviously cautious. I'm not in a rush to own a Vette but I wanted something fun to drive and work on if need be to cheer me up after 2020... (y)

Oh yeah and it's allegedly 116,000 miles which is an added worry! 😅
 
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Alben78

Well-known user
If you know where to look and are not bothered by condition you can still find later model C3’s in the States for 3 to 4000 $$$. Import cost say £2500 and you have a quick £1500 profit. At 40 years these cars no longer need an mot and are sold as seen with no warranty so it’s buyer beware. Mileage is not so much of a consideration but condition is. Interior trim must be imported and chassis refurb could set you back a lot of money. Better to save up and buy a current uk car from a trusted source like a CC CUK member.
 
johng

johng

CCCUK Member
If he bought the car for $4000 that's only £3000, so there could be a £2500 profit in it. The advert doesn't look particularly suspicious to me, but I would view any secondhand car (particularly from this type of trader) with a great deal of caution anyway. What are you looking for, a car to drive, or a project to work on? At this price you are likely to need to do a fair amount of work. If you are mainly interested in driving the car, then Alben is right, you're better off buying a car that is already sorted from someone who knows Vettes. I did get carried away with a touch of "while I'm at it I-tis" but I haven't driven my car in over 3 years. How many cars have you looked at? Might be worth taking a look at this as an educational opportunity even if you then decide it's not what you are after.
 
Chuffer

Chuffer

CCCUK regional rep
I agree with the guys comments , it looks like a money pit to me based on the photos of interior and engine bay . Always beware of dealers out to make a fast buck by shipping in and then shipping them out quick . One wonders what hidden horrors there might be lurking under that shiny red bodywork ! That £8K asking price could very quickly double to get it sorted :(
 
Roscobbc

Roscobbc

Moderator
Got to be worth a visit. Sometimes an item seeming too cheap can put people off. Me, ill be concerned about the fsct that it hasn't been registered and if all the documentation is with it. Too cheap? - I helped an ex member advertise his 25 year owned '76 Vette early in 2020. This car had been laid up for a number of years and seemed to be in a similar condition to this one with a really nice body and paint job but ratty interior. Moving house he needed to sell.it quickly.
Advertised on here and elsewhere for £10k he didn't get one enquiry from CCCUK forum and a limited number of idiots from FB and other social media selling sites. Ultimately a trader 'type' from South London called him, did a bit of bartering over the phone, went later in the day with a trailer and bought it for £7.5k - A real bargain. Seller was only happy in as much as the car was 'gone' didn't get what he wanted but 'it was gone. I've been trawling the same ad's for a low priced automatic ULEZ compliant daily driver. It must be post 2004 and petrol. Easy one might think. There is a lot of crap out there. There are a lot of cars simply not selling presumably partly to do with the Covid crisis. Im guessing there could be quite a few 'desperate' sellers out there......perhaps your 'new' car?
 
Dazaa

Dazaa

Well-known user
Not a scam, late model project c3's are dirt cheap in the states, that car would not be worth more than 4000 dollars as it sits, because it will cost another 10 to get it to the state of being worth maybe 8-9. All late model c3's are over priced in the UK, they aren't rare or super desirable, better off importing one yourself.

Bear in mind, you will immediately need seat covers thats almost a grand there, then you'll wish you replaced the foam because the old one has sagged and the new covers will look wrinkled,, 300 dollars plus shipping and duty will end up being around £700-800. The weatherstripping will be knackered and leak so theres another £500, right of the bat almost 2500 on top of the purchase price just to solve 2 issues and you're left with a tatty worn out console and carpet. The brakes will probably leak if it's been sitting, price up new calipers, lines and maybe even a master cylinder, 4 figures there. Assume the tires are old and need replacing, the paint looks ok in the pics but is described as "not too bad" which means its driver quality and probably a ten footer. The centre console has been out before, it doesn't line up right and there are pieces missing, I can't remember if it's just light lenses on an 81 but it's a sign that more horrors will await you behind the dash.

Now you can see why thats a 4k dollar car at best.
 
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Dazaa

Dazaa

Well-known user
Some real world values for reference.

www.corvetteforum.com

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C3s for Sale/Wanted - 1980 Corvette coupe in MD - https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.corvetteforum.com-vbulletin/1128x752/80a_6420b28e7ca1249678a08d56ca0bb464edf9d6fa.jpg 350 L48, Turbo-Hydo 3 speed automatic, T-Tops, 150k miles, recent new weather stripping, Everything works including AC, Custom...
www.corvetteforum.com

www.corvetteforum.com

1981 Corvette Restomod - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion

C3s for Sale/Wanted - 1981 Corvette Restomod - 1981 Corvette Restomod 490rwhp/540rwtq 127,000 miles Originally California 4 speed with A/C Car has been a 13 year long project 427 Dart sbc ($8500) -Dart 230 heads -mechanical roller cam 259/268 -forged rotating assembly 10.2:1 -March performance...
www.corvetteforum.com

www.corvetteforum.com

1982 Collectors Edition [Southern Md] - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion

C3s for Sale/Wanted - 1982 Collectors Edition [Southern Md] - Selling my 1982 Collector’s Edition. Asking price is $11,500. The car is located near Leonardtown, Maryland I have had it since April 1992. When I got it she ran but the paint and decals had been pretty much burned off by the sun...
www.corvetteforum.com

www.corvetteforum.com

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C3s for Sale/Wanted - 81 Corvette pro street - Beautiful '81 corvette pro street, solid axle conversion kit by Autofab racing, 4 link, Strange 9 inch Detroit locker 4.88 with Wilwood brakes,Strange double adjustable coil over shocks. 406 sbc with Eagle crankshaft & rods, Dart pro 1 aluminum...
www.corvetteforum.com
 
kentvette

kentvette

CCCUK Member
I think JohnG makes the salient point - what are you looking for? If as you say, you want a car to drive at weekends and enjoy, and do a bit of work on, then I'd suspect that this is not the car for you - it looks like a fair amount of work may be required.

Better to spend more on a better car with a little less that is needed right away.

If you want a car that's going to be in 1000 pieces for a few years, and you'll get enjoyment out of that, then it may be perfect! And there are plenty of guys on here who really do enjoy that and I take my hat off to them - but I'm not one of them!:D:D

As I said before, the CCCUK Buyers Guide covers such things! ;)
 
James Vette

James Vette

CCCUK Member
Thanks for the comments everyone! I might view it but I don't think I'll buy it now because of the worries. If I view it and maybe test drive it then I'll be pleased as I've never seen one in person. I missed out on a white on red '80 for 11500 last year that was so sad as the owner had cared for it properly and it was pretty much perfect condition.
 
James Vette

James Vette

CCCUK Member
kentvette said:
You really do need to go and see it then, and as many others as you can before you think of buying one. You may be lucky with the first you view, but it never does any harm to see more.
Click to expand...
When I saw my dream car '69 a few months ago and got to drive it (only out of the warehouse) it was even better than online. :cool:
 
A

Alben78

Well-known user
When I bought the replacement for the '78 I must have viewed about a dozen cars before I found "the one". Even resorted to taking a pair of ramps and a piece of carpet with me to get a good view of the underside. The more cars you see the more likely you are to know what to look for and where to look for problems. You really ned to research all the potential problems with a 40 year old car - some are more important than others and some are walk away problems like Birdcage and rear chassis rot. Just remember on these cars all the replacement parts must be imported by someone and that costs.
 
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