Vette's 2004 Guide to Corvette Prices

Welcome once again to VETTE Magazine's yearly Guide to Corvette Prices. It might be fair to call this last year a questionable one. The economy was down and unemployment was up, but the market has been regaining steam even before this article was written. It was an interesting year to say the least! Corvette prices, however, weren't as interesting as they have been in previous years--reflecting those past problems with the economy. While there were no major decreases, the increases were just as lackluster. But, don't let that keep you away from buying that dream Corvette, it's still a safer investment than most options out there. The late '50s and '60s bounced around some, jostled by some unseen force, while the Stingrays are still considered desirable and are priced as such--matching the C4's prices in many ways. Team VETTE's suggestion for this is, "Get a C3 while you can; they won't last at this price forever."

According to our expert sources, 2004 was pretty much as we stated it. The story for 2004 is: Early Vettes will be harder to get as the market returns to normal. With the soon-to-be-released C6, people unable to previously afford a C5 might have an easier time as a predicted increase in trade-ins takes place while the Corvette market shifts to the newest trend--especially with returned lease cars such as Editor Bob's '00. Prices on Third-Generation Vettes will continue to climb, and the entry-level Corvette buyer will have an easier time with the early-C4 market.

Now here's the standard fine print and quasi-legal disclaimers. In compiling this price guide, we've averaged prices that were sent to us from major Corvette dealers in different parts of the country. Bear this in mind as you peruse the following pages. Depending on where you're located, there may be a significant deviation in price for any given vehicle. What we've come up with is an approximate figure, not a set-in-stone number that eliminates the need for further research. Another point to remember is that the figures printed in various publications are asking prices. A car may or may not sell for what its owner thinks it's worth. It's a seller's market out there, and the more a buyer knows, the better.

UNDERSTANDING THIS GUIDE
Our 2004 Corvette Price Guide assesses stock Corvettes of every combination of model year, body style, and engine/transmission combination, and according to five different condition codes for '53-'82 Corvettes, three for '84-96, and two for '97-02. Extra dollars have been added for unrestored cars and for certain options. Where production numbers are available per our listings, we've included them. With the following charts, you should be able to arrive at a ballpark figure for the value of any stock '53-02 Corvette.
CONDITION CODES ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1: Fully restored with no wear. The engine, undercarriage, interior, and body are restored and appear as new. Or,unrestored, with the engine, undercarriage, body, andinterior cleaned but having no wear except caused by age.
2: Fully restored with minor wear. The engine, undercarriage,interior, and body are restored and appear almost as new. Or, unrestored, with the engine, undercarriage, body, and interior cleaned and showing slight wear from age.
3: Partially restored or good original. The body may have been repainted and the interior redone. However, the undercarriage and engine are not detailed for show.
4: Unrestored or an older restoration with obvious wear.
5: Unrestored with major wear. The car runs and drives fine.

NOTES:
1. This guide does not price cars with frame rust.
2. This guide does not price highly modified, customized, or incomplete Corvettes.
3. Correct vintage replacement blocks do not significantly lower value.
4. Big-blocks and high-performance specialty Corvettes must be documented with paperwork to be worth the prices listed below.
5. Slightly modified or incomplete Corvettes are easily value-estimated by subtracting the dollar amount required to return them to stock.
(All prices are in thousands, i.e., 8.5=$8,500)