Looking to buy a c6 grandsport
01-12-2018, 06:13 PM
#1
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Looking to buy a c6 grandsport
Hey everyone I'm looking to buy a c6 grandsport and had some questions. The grandsport that I found is 2012 torch red manual transmission with 69,700 miles, and has the 3LT option. Haven't seen the car yet going to check it tomorrow. By the pictures it seems to be in very good condition. It has had 2 owners. Car is original from Redmond, WA. Autocheck shows it to be clean besides it having lien. Dealer wants $27,577 for the car. Does that sound like a good deal if the car is in good condition?
I have done a lot of research on what to lookout for and found a post by USER OMEGA (https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...a-used-c6.html) on what to look for when looking the car over. So far the only expensive issue I have come up with is the harmonic balancer issue, and clutch master cylinder issue. I doubt that the last owner did much maintenance to it and I have no way to really tell. I'm just going off of accucheck and the dealer will show me the carfax tomorrow. Is there any other major things I should be looking for? I've read a lot on the ls3 being a very stout motor so I'm not to worried about the car having 69,000 miles, but if you guys think this may be to much then let me know. I have had a 98 Camaro SS with 140k miles and literally beat it on it every time I drove it and the engine never skipped a beat and now my brother is enjoying it. I can't spend more than 30k so I'm forced to buy a higher mileage car. Really don't want the base c6 either because I love the wide body and I've only seen one grand sport in my area so it would be nice to have a car that's kind of rare lol.
I have done a lot of research on what to lookout for and found a post by USER OMEGA (https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...a-used-c6.html) on what to look for when looking the car over. So far the only expensive issue I have come up with is the harmonic balancer issue, and clutch master cylinder issue. I doubt that the last owner did much maintenance to it and I have no way to really tell. I'm just going off of accucheck and the dealer will show me the carfax tomorrow. Is there any other major things I should be looking for? I've read a lot on the ls3 being a very stout motor so I'm not to worried about the car having 69,000 miles, but if you guys think this may be to much then let me know. I have had a 98 Camaro SS with 140k miles and literally beat it on it every time I drove it and the engine never skipped a beat and now my brother is enjoying it. I can't spend more than 30k so I'm forced to buy a higher mileage car. Really don't want the base c6 either because I love the wide body and I've only seen one grand sport in my area so it would be nice to have a car that's kind of rare lol.
01-12-2018, 07:01 PM
#2
Racer
That sounds like a very good price to me. I paid much more than that for my '10 3 LT GS but it had much lower miles at 26K. I think, if the car shows well and the Carfax looks good I wouldn't worry about the mileage. Your gut will tell you after you've had a chance to look it over.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
01-12-2018, 07:57 PM
#4
Race Director
Check the tires as that can be a $1300-1800 bill. Some owners like to put cheap crap on the car.
I wouldn't worry about the miles if the car was taken care of. It should have had the coolant flushed by now. Check the alignment as the GS can be a tire eater if you don't.
Price looks good, wouldn't hurt to ask a little lower. Definitely check for damage underneath as some owners will scrape them pretty good.
Are you interested in an extended warranty? If so make sure it has not been tuned. Dealer should be able to check that if he is a GM dealer. If he is a GM dealer I would make them certify that it has a factory tune.
I wouldn't worry about the miles if the car was taken care of. It should have had the coolant flushed by now. Check the alignment as the GS can be a tire eater if you don't.
Price looks good, wouldn't hurt to ask a little lower. Definitely check for damage underneath as some owners will scrape them pretty good.
Are you interested in an extended warranty? If so make sure it has not been tuned. Dealer should be able to check that if he is a GM dealer. If he is a GM dealer I would make them certify that it has a factory tune.
01-12-2018, 08:05 PM
#6
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Check the tires as that can be a $1300-1800 bill. Some owners like to put cheap crap on the car.
I wouldn't worry about the miles if the car was taken care of. It should have had the coolant flushed by now. Check the alignment as the GS can be a tire eater if you don't.
Price looks good, wouldn't hurt to ask a little lower. Definitely check for damage underneath as some owners will scrape them pretty good.
Are you interested in an extended warranty? If so make sure it has not been tuned. Dealer should be able to check that if he is a GM dealer. If he is a GM dealer I would make them certify that it has a factory tune.
I wouldn't worry about the miles if the car was taken care of. It should have had the coolant flushed by now. Check the alignment as the GS can be a tire eater if you don't.
Price looks good, wouldn't hurt to ask a little lower. Definitely check for damage underneath as some owners will scrape them pretty good.
Are you interested in an extended warranty? If so make sure it has not been tuned. Dealer should be able to check that if he is a GM dealer. If he is a GM dealer I would make them certify that it has a factory tune.
and the clutch master cylinder if it has an issue in the future would be covered under a special GM warranty policy for 10 years from original delivery date or 120,000 miles
01-12-2018, 09:34 PM
#8
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How would I be able to tell if the coolant has been flushed? Its an auto mall with one section being chevy so I'm assuming it's an actual chevy dealership. They also said they are authorized chevy dealer. I think the extended warranty might be to much extra for me. How much do you guys think I should offer? Good to know the clutch master will still be under warranty. The picture shows that the driver side bolster is torn, the steering wheel button and the push start have lots of wear. Other then that interior from pics look great. This car has been on sale for 16 days and it is about the cheapest one I found so I'm a little suspicious. The other thing is the whole auto mall get horrible reviews. A lot of people said they called and asked if the car was there and when they showed they didn't have the car. One guy was told by 3 people they had the car and when he showed they didn't have it. that dealer is 3 hours away from me I'm starting wonder if I should do business with them
Last edited by SSV8; 01-12-2018 at 09:57 PM.
01-12-2018, 10:22 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
In a few brief words, it is every bit as reliable as your Camaro, probably moreso. If you like it, and it has been well-cared for, buy it.
There is another on ebay, very nice car, no reserve, 28K right now, only 27K miles. Very clean.
Good luck with whatever you do.
There is another on ebay, very nice car, no reserve, 28K right now, only 27K miles. Very clean.
Good luck with whatever you do.
01-12-2018, 10:36 PM
#10
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I would love to buy a car off of eBay I always see good deals, but I'm always worried the car will come with problems and I wouldn't know what to do. Not sure how ebay handles damaged cars. Not sure if ebay will even help me out if I buy a car with issues.
01-13-2018, 12:17 AM
#11
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I don't know where in the country you are because you didn't finish filling out your profile but the price would be good around here.
01-13-2018, 12:47 AM
#12
That price sounds pretty close to me. Three months ago I paid $38K for a 2011 GS with the 3LT package, automatic transmission and 12k miles.
I believe the manual GS has the "dry sump" engine with a trunk mounted battery and several other things that make it somewhat unique.
Manual transmission cars are usually driven a little harder than automatics. Anyway I always drove them a little different. And as mentioned earlier, I would spend some time under the car looking VERY closely for leaks and damage.
The dealer should be able to check for all GM recalls and other work done under warranty. Don't worry about coolant changes, it's easy to do and doesn't cost much even if you pay someone to do it.
Good luck on your purchase and if this is your first Corvette, know that it won't be your last.
OBD
I believe the manual GS has the "dry sump" engine with a trunk mounted battery and several other things that make it somewhat unique.
Manual transmission cars are usually driven a little harder than automatics. Anyway I always drove them a little different. And as mentioned earlier, I would spend some time under the car looking VERY closely for leaks and damage.
The dealer should be able to check for all GM recalls and other work done under warranty. Don't worry about coolant changes, it's easy to do and doesn't cost much even if you pay someone to do it.
Good luck on your purchase and if this is your first Corvette, know that it won't be your last.
OBD
01-13-2018, 11:47 AM
#13
Race Director
How would I be able to tell if the coolant has been flushed? Its an auto mall with one section being chevy so I'm assuming it's an actual chevy dealership. They also said they are authorized chevy dealer. I think the extended warranty might be to much extra for me. How much do you guys think I should offer? Good to know the clutch master will still be under warranty. The picture shows that the driver side bolster is torn, the steering wheel button and the push start have lots of wear. Other then that interior from pics look great. This car has been on sale for 16 days and it is about the cheapest one I found so I'm a little suspicious. The other thing is the whole auto mall get horrible reviews. A lot of people said they called and asked if the car was there and when they showed they didn't have the car. One guy was told by 3 people they had the car and when he showed they didn't have it. that dealer is 3 hours away from me I'm starting wonder if I should do business with them
Ask Dennis about the price for an extended warranty as he is real fair. You wont' find it cheaper so then you can decide.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...lan-gmepp.html
If the previous owner had it maintained at a GM dealer then they should be able to pull maintenance records. Ask for a car fax and you can see its history.
My concern with the coolant change is not that it is relatively easy/cheap to do but it indicates if the previous owner has been doing regular maintenance since it is required at 5 years. Since it is a 12, it may or may not have been required while the previous owner had the car.
01-13-2018, 01:09 PM
#14
Le Mans Master
Did you look at the one on ebay?
01-14-2018, 02:31 AM
#15
Just one thing of many to look for.
Examine the fluid in the clutch linkage master cylinder reservoir. High rpm shifting can cause fluid to get scorched. Do a search on the ranger method to change fluid. Condition of fluid can indicate how the car may have been cared for.
Examine the fluid in the clutch linkage master cylinder reservoir. High rpm shifting can cause fluid to get scorched. Do a search on the ranger method to change fluid. Condition of fluid can indicate how the car may have been cared for.
01-14-2018, 04:08 AM
#16
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Sorry updated my profile, but I'm in Northern Cali. Modesto California to be exact. I looked at the car on eBay and it's an auto I'm looking for a manual. So what do you do if you have a problem with a car you buy on eBay? Spending 30k on a car sight unseen just scares me to much to try it.
So so I checked out the car today, and I realized why it's still sitting on their lot. As I pulled up I saw the car and it looked beautiful as I got closer I saw a whole lot of scratches, hard water stains, dings, and dents. It had a clear bruh that was peeling off. Every wheel had pretty bad curb rash. The front bumper (black plastic part) was all scratched up. Passenger fender was starting to oxidize. For a car that was being sold by an authorized chevy dealer they didn't even clean the engine bay to make it look appealing. Open the door and the driver door had a little hitch in it when opened all the way. Interior pieces were a little bruised up. It also seemed like it wasn't idling totally smooth I could feel/hear the idle going up and down, but when I looked at the rpm gauge it was just barely moving up and down time to time at the stop light. Don't know if that's normal as I've never driven a corvette. I took it for a drive and the seller was an older guy, but he was really nice kept telling me to punch it so I drove it pretty hard. He took me to some place which had a round about and told me to run it around the round about so I could feel the g force so I did it was pretty fun. Had the back end slide out, but the car was quick to correct itself with a little steering. Absolutely loved the car so much fun to drive. I had to force myself not to buy it because I know all those issues would end up bugging me. Hopefully I find one soon! Thanks for the help everyone!
So so I checked out the car today, and I realized why it's still sitting on their lot. As I pulled up I saw the car and it looked beautiful as I got closer I saw a whole lot of scratches, hard water stains, dings, and dents. It had a clear bruh that was peeling off. Every wheel had pretty bad curb rash. The front bumper (black plastic part) was all scratched up. Passenger fender was starting to oxidize. For a car that was being sold by an authorized chevy dealer they didn't even clean the engine bay to make it look appealing. Open the door and the driver door had a little hitch in it when opened all the way. Interior pieces were a little bruised up. It also seemed like it wasn't idling totally smooth I could feel/hear the idle going up and down, but when I looked at the rpm gauge it was just barely moving up and down time to time at the stop light. Don't know if that's normal as I've never driven a corvette. I took it for a drive and the seller was an older guy, but he was really nice kept telling me to punch it so I drove it pretty hard. He took me to some place which had a round about and told me to run it around the round about so I could feel the g force so I did it was pretty fun. Had the back end slide out, but the car was quick to correct itself with a little steering. Absolutely loved the car so much fun to drive. I had to force myself not to buy it because I know all those issues would end up bugging me. Hopefully I find one soon! Thanks for the help everyone!
01-14-2018, 07:44 AM
#17
Drifting
Been "casually" looking myself for a '12-'13 GS to replace my low mileage '05, if the right deal comes up I may bite. Around here most decent low mileage (20-30K) high optioned GS's are going for $35K and up, some into the low $40's. Good luck on your quest!
01-14-2018, 08:11 AM
#18
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OP, couple of things. If you find what looks like a nice used vette and the price seems too low there is usually a good reason just like you experienced here. There are a lot of gently used Corvettes out there you just have to be patient, every time you look at one you will learn a little bit more about these cars. Look at a lot of them and buy the nicest one you can afford that checks all your boxes.
You say you want a manual trans car, bravo good choice you won't be disappointed! As far as the dirty clutch fluid and the ranger method, you can google that and get a wealth of info. Basically the design is flawed and the slave cylinder pulls clutch dust into the fluid turning it black with contaminants. I looked at several used vettes and all of them had clutch fluid that was filthy, including the car I bought. Very few vette owners are on these forums or are aware of the problem or the "ranger method". Don't let the dirty clutch fluid turn you away. If the clutch and shifter work fine you can quickly clean up the clutch fluid and keep it clean.
Don't get in a rush, keep looking until you find the right vette for you, good luck!
You say you want a manual trans car, bravo good choice you won't be disappointed! As far as the dirty clutch fluid and the ranger method, you can google that and get a wealth of info. Basically the design is flawed and the slave cylinder pulls clutch dust into the fluid turning it black with contaminants. I looked at several used vettes and all of them had clutch fluid that was filthy, including the car I bought. Very few vette owners are on these forums or are aware of the problem or the "ranger method". Don't let the dirty clutch fluid turn you away. If the clutch and shifter work fine you can quickly clean up the clutch fluid and keep it clean.
Don't get in a rush, keep looking until you find the right vette for you, good luck!
01-14-2018, 10:48 AM
#19
Racer
Check the For Sale Forum here everyday. Maybe even twice or three times a day. There are dozens of cars listed in all configurations, equipment, prices and conditions. I bought my '12 4LT GS with 12,850 miles from a forum member three weeks ago for mid $30's. The car is nicer than I imagined it could be. I feel like I have some kind of recourse by buying from a forum member. So far I can't find anything to complain about.
01-14-2018, 11:37 AM
#20
