[1]When the Chevy Corvette first hit the streets in 1953, there were those within GM who didn’t think the car would last more than a few years. Yet when it became clear that Chevy had a hit on their hands, the Corvette quickly gained future-classic status, and many collectors with the forethought bought Corvettes and kept them off the road and well-preserved.
Since the Corvette’s debut 60 years ago, collectors have regularly bought brand new models, only to stash them away without any intention of ever driving them. Up on eBay [2] is a one-owner 1996 Corvette with just 662 original miles on it, making it one of the lowest-mileage C4 Corvettes in existence. But exactly how valuable does that make it?
That all depends on who you ask, though it is clear that the one and only owner went to great lengths to take care of this car. Not only has this Corvette never seen snow or rain, but the fuel in the fuel system is removed and replaced on an annual basis. The owner “carefully” exercises this Corvette every so often, but for the most part it is a show piece, rather than a daily driver. Hell, it even comes with the original seat covers and window sticker. In 1997, GM would switch to the all-new C5 Corvette, making this one of the last Corvettes of its kind.
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
With bidding reaching $28,600 without reaching reserve, one has to wonder if the owner doesn’t have some lofty expectations for price, even though it is one of the last C4 Corvettes ever made. After all, save for the fact that this 1996 ‘Vette is a convertible, there really isn’t anything special about it. Sure, it’s clean, and sure, the interior smells like new… but does that really make it all that valuable? C4 Corvettes just aren’t that collectible, unless you’re talking about one of the handful of ZR-1 models.
It’s hardly a collection centerpiece, and if it were up to us, we’d only buy this car if we were devoted C4 fans looking for a cool, clean, car show piece to drive on the weekends. As a collector piece, the value just isn’t there.