BarneyZ

also, has anyone seen studies done about this?
Examples:
HTC vs Coupe
C1vsC2vsC3
MSRC vs non-MSRC

tadda

Thankfully, I never buy cars with resale in mind.. I get what I like...

joeking

NPP exhaust.

Rapid Z

Go to KBB.com. spec out the used value of a 2022 C8 and see what options they provide as adding extra value.

gdb069

Look at it from the buyers perspective:
The decision to buy used rather than new is based on cost ie. saving some money so the cost of the car is paramount.
Coupes and HTC have similar new car demand and probably depreciate at the same rate so thats a tie. However, used the HTC will cost more. People purchasing my used cars have asked what options it had (convertible?, Z?) but then came to look anyway and the number one factor became condition for price. I could sell a non-conv, non-Z much cheaper. All other options are money losers.

Options that retain low or no value can determined by low desirability of the option. If you look at the production stats you can determine the features least desired.
2022-CHEVROLET-CORVETTE-STINGRAY.pdf (corvettemuseum.org)

I would avoid the bottom 4-5 colors for resale.
Put stripes on a car, mod the spoiler, add carbon fibre, color the seats, GT/2/Comp seats, change the wheels, PPF, decorate the interior, NPP, etc etc and a car without, for $1000 less will get bought faster.

Greg00Coupe

Don't think it matters. Its all relevant. Take one of the most requested options Z51. I don't know the cost right now... north of 5 or 6K?

But I did trade my non Z51 car in and was downgraded $2,700 on the pricing websites. Still got a great trade in value and the dealer will be selling the car and adding some margin.

kromdom

When I was searching, the following options bumped up the price vs comparable cars without it: HTC, 2LT, Z51, magride, front lift

/Bear/

I agree that's a big one. I don't know of anybody who wouldn't want NPP exhaust, and I'm sure there are plenty who wouldn't buy a used C8 if it didn't have it.

Red rag

Agree with colors. A great color combo is probably most important for me. I think the rest is subjective depending on the person looking to be the new owner. We can go back and forth on this forum on a multitude of options, but at the end of the day everyone wants a sharp looking car. When I shop for a corvette, my theory is they should all be convertibles since mine is a toy, so I don’t even consider a coupe. Just look at the options you can click on Autotrader to narrow your search and those are the most popular criteria. I don’t see stealth interior, NPP, etc. even though they may be important to some.

1 STING

I assume the 2LT trim will be the most popular due to its features and cost.

As for options, there are too many factors, scenarios, and individual tastes to determine the popularity of specific options combinations.


George

tadda

Agreed...I think this is a fairly good metric to determine desirability...

For the past few years now the top 4 options / take rate has been:

Torch Red / 2LT / Z51 / Coupe

Rky Mtn C6

If it's that important, take a look at Kelley Blue Book, and see what options they identify as adding value to the car. When I buy a car, I option it out the way I want it, and not how I think somebody else may want it years down the road.

Ron_Attleboro_MA

Why concerned about resale value?
I smile thinking the C8 flippers are losing money.
And wait till the 2025 C8 price increases come next fall. Somebody has to pay for UAW.

sshallen

Give/take.

Color "A" is common. Many buyers to drive demand and price. But color "B" is uncommon, and some buyers will pay more when they finally find one.

Keep in mind. Likely 50% of used Corvette buyers wouldn't know Z51, from MagRide, from LT2, from the LT package on dad's Silverado, from the RS package on their daughter's leased Trailblazer.

They know it's a purple '23 they can afford, it has or is lacking convertible top, and it looked amazing in the photos. Not much more.

I'd say spec what YOU want and ride the resale roulette wheel when the time comes. Do you really want to pay for an option, knowing AT BEST it delivers 50% resale, or take a color you don't like?

hyprsprt

In my opinion the option that will hold the value the best is the HTC( I think most prefer the convertible) and the least will be the NPP exhaust ( most people change them for aftermarket)

23/C8Z

imho complete opposite.

HTC will delrecidepreciate at the same rate as the coupes.

And anyone looking at a corvette is looking for NPP. Its the thing you can use all the time and it instantly changes the appearance of the car inside and out.

1LT will lose the least pct of msrp.

The top 3 colors retain best value.

If you're thinking about those things don't lose sight of the fact that you're buying the car for you to enjoy.

When spec'ing out my C8Z it was alot more than I ever wanted to spend on a corvette. My two prior Z06s were 97k and 99.5k so jumping up to the same 3LZ spec was going to cost me 30% more. A tough pill to swallow.

But I weighed the option out if NOT having what I wanted vs a 1 or a 2LZ and said no way.

I saw people spec'ing out 1LZs I know why they did it. But imho if they can afford the 2 or 3 they're fooling themselves not having the niceties on the inside that you don't need but you want. In a toy.

Best of luck.

Even the most basic corvette is still a corvette. And its probably the best value to buy new of any sports car.. especially come resale or trade time..

3LZR21U

AYM may be in the bottom for take rate, but there's no way in heck it is going to take it on the chin for resale value. That might have happened with the C7's when Hertz went ****-up, but no way for C8. The used market cares even more for flash and pizzazz than the nearly-70 demographic that seems to care for monochrome when they buy new. So the brighter the color, the more it will help resale. SWG, Cacti, Caffeine, Zeus Bronze--these are the kinds of colors that will do the worst on resale, imho.

Don't blame me. Blame GM for offering such tepid color options.

Apart from that? MRC. Front Lift. And then to a lesser extent things like SR's with body-color trim, 3's with non-black interior panels, etc.

Zaro Tundov

^^^^^^This nails it, I’d also add performance exhaust. Get it in red, white, gray or black. Black interior is safest and shows the least dirt.

However, all options depreciate so if you want to lose the least money then buy a used C8 that’s three years old and you’ll avoid the initial precipitous drop in value.

kromdom

I like how you think (great minds do think alike ) since I actually did just that.

Garret

He said interior, not exterior