This is a 2003 C5 Corvette with a professionally rebuilt engine and transmission. It’s got 210k original miles, but the owner claims the car is in near-mint condition aside from the rebuilds. He’s asking for $12k cash, firm. Texas car prices are crazy high right now, so I wonder if this is a good deal. Any thoughts?
I get that it’s got a new motor and trans, but with 200k miles on the chassis, I’d be replacing all the rubber parts. It could have maintenance records, but I’d want to see them before I spent that kind of cash. It has a clean Carfax, but he’s asking for top dollar. Get a professional inspection before buying a 210k miles, drivetrain-swapped Corvette.
@Niko
Yeah, I’ll definitely get an inspection done before pulling the trigger. Better safe than sorry!
As someone who knows nothing about cars… it looks like a steal! But tbh, I have no clue 
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I never mess with anything that’s listed as ‘selling for a friend.’ It could be a great car, but you might run into trouble getting the title transferred or sorting out registration. Even if the seller’s legit, you could be left waiting for their ‘friend’ to sign off on stuff, and then you’re stuck with a car you paid for but can’t drive.
Who puts in a new engine and transmission and then sells it? Red flag. And yeah, ‘selling for a friend’ makes it even sketchier. Just my two cents.
Yeah, ‘selling for a friend’ often means it’s a flipper or someone who goes through cars fast. If you buy it, check it over thoroughly and get a mechanic to look at it.
‘Selling for a friend’ is the only real red flag here for me. It gives the seller a way to dodge questions like, ‘When was the last time the diff fluid was changed?’ But if everything checks out, it’s got a clean Carfax, and there’s documentation for the rebuilds, I’d go for it.
It’s an automatic, so I’d pass.
I wouldn’t touch it.
Oh, I forgot to mention, it’s got headers and a cam kit too.
Manual? Yes. Automatic? Maybe.
The license plate is a bit much for me, but aside from that, it’s probably got a stack of service records if it’s been in the hands of a Corvette enthusiast.
Seems like a bad idea unless you’re just buying it for fun and it’s a really good deal.
UPDATE: I ended up getting a C4 Corvette with 60k miles and it’s in near-perfect condition. Picked it up for $9k cash.