Imagine spending a fair amount of money on a collector car, only to get it home and realize it needs another serious injection of cash to get it up to your standards? Based on the description for this pretty 1993 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, that’s exactly what happened to the seller who ordered an additional $10,000 in repairs before he even had a chance to enjoy this underappreciated muscle car. He paid $24,000 before identifying $9,767 worth of additional work. Some of it’s over the top, like having the bottom of the car dry-iced, but other repairs definitely point to the seller inheriting a car that evidently been neglected. Find the ZR-1 here on eBay where bidding has reached $23,450 with the reserve unmet.
The list of issues the seller points to is extensive. The HVAC and audio systems were finicky, the rear end had a pervasive oil leak, the reverse lights didn’t work, the cooling fans needed replacement, and it sounds like all the Bose speakers were blown. Overall, these are not significant issues for your average project car, but it sounds like the seller purchased the ZR-1 under the expectation it was in near turnkey condition and clearly found a laundry list of issues. Mileage is listed as being 68,000, which isn’t particularly high but is certainly long enough for deferred maintenance issues to creep in. Fortunately, the handsome hunter green paint appears to be in excellent condition.
The ZR-1 is one of those cars that is a brilliant package from an engineering standpoint, but sometimes gets overlooked due to the perception of the C4 chassis being a cheap car. The everyday C4 Corvette is a cheap car, at least compared to other muscle cars and collector vehicles. But the ZR-1 is in totally different arena, from engine development to active suspension to the array of technology on board that was highly advanced for the era in which it was made. The ZR-1 came into its own as part of an incredible class of early 90s supercars, and to this day remains one of the most affordable options while still offering blistering performance. On the interior, the seller replaced the center console cover and radio bezel with new pieces, including the shifter panel. He also replaced the external ambient temperature sensor and installed the correct factory harness instead of the spliced and chopped wires that the previous owner left for him to find.
The seller is right to feel miffed about having a special car show up with legions of undisclosed faults. I suppose that’s part of my resistance to ever paying big money for a car, as there’s a high likelihood I’m going to be disappointed in one form or another. If you keep buying beaters, you stand a better chance of being pleasantly surprised than not! The seller claims that despite all of the work he’s done, he finds the world of real estate investment more enticing and is selling the ZR-1 to pursue some investment opportunities in the built environment. Currently, the reserve remains unmet, and with the clean cosmetics and deep list of recent repairs, it certainly seems to deserve more than the current bid amount.
Not to say these cars aren’t decent performers, but the collector car world just hasn’t come around to these. Look at the market, a decent Buick GN goes for more money. This guy was hoping to jump on the collector train and went out and paid for some services that well were pricey dry Ice blasting? So now the bottom looks new? A new wiring harness? A good tech should have been able to sort out. He isn’t a car guy. I think he might recoup most of his money.
It’s called a “Test Drive” folks. Agreed, he’s not a car guy.
Test drive might not reveal all the issues you could find on a ZR-1 unless you are really knowledgeable about them.
Having owned a low mileage (32k) version of this car I can attest to the performance and handling. However it’s still a cheap plastic interior and has plenty of quirks. That said, I’m surprised the bidding is so high on a higher mileage car that still needs some sorting.
Nice color combination…
People need to remember it was a ZR-1 Corvette that broke the closed course land speed record way back in the 80’s. A little over 175 MPH for 24 hours.
“I suppose that’s part of my resistance to ever paying big money for a car, as there’s a high likelihood I’m going to be disappointed in one form or another. If you keep buying beaters, you stand a better chance of being pleasantly surprised than not!”
This is similar in concept to “It’s more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow”.
The current owner has realized there are even more problems with the car and wants it gone ASAP. Unless ZR-1 Guru Mark Haibeck is your brother-in-law, you are on good terms, AND you live within walking distance of his shop in the Chicagoland area, just walk on by. I’m pretty sure a money pit remains a money pit.
“Imagine spending a fair amount of money on a collector car, only to get it home and realize it needs another serious injection of cash to get it up to your standards? ”
Imagine?? Maybe I’m just getting old and crusty now but I would totally Expect that! As should anyone who buys an old car!
And he figured out real estate was a better investment huh? Again, something I would have taken for common sense but I guess some people need to learn.
I suspect we will see more and more stories like this over the next 5 years. And this one is relatively small beans compared to some you’re going to see.
Friend had a low mileage C4, the thing fell apart every time he drove it. Windows, headlight buckets, ECM (huge problems with the solder on the boards), interior trim, just a POS. Even though this one is a ZR-1 it just seems way too high given the performance gains weren’t eye opening IMHO. But as I’m not making the payment good luck to the new owner.
This owner’s story is probably very common, and a reason why I won’t buy a car without putting my hands on it first. So many of these issues would have been discovered by driving and playing with everything.
It’s all a learning process – even inspecting a car in person didn’t prevent me from buying a Corvette with birdcage issues.
At least they are being honest about the issues they had.
I have literally never bought an old car that did not need significant work and money to get it up to my standards. Never. And we’re talking over 15 vehicles.
I think a lot of these people have just never owned an old car. That’s about all I can think of.
If you ever buy an older car thinking you’re not going to have to put more money into it, well, you aren’t thinking.
I hate green cars
I hate beige interiors
I dont drive hard tops
And i invested in real estate and
Stopped working full time at 56
So, im not the guy that will buy this
But the engine looks awesome !
A lot of guys invest in cars and a lot of non car guys follow not knowing what they are getting into
The same applies with house flips
Tv has people thinking it only takes 30 minutes to make easy money!
What a joke …
Claudio, you say you don’t drive hardtops. So, what state do you live in?
Hi
Canadian in cold quebec !
A work truck cant be convertible but any fun vehicle that i own is a convertible
But i would gladly chop the roof off my f150
Ended: Dec 11, 2021
Current bid:US $26,100.00
Reserve not met
[ 47 bids ]
Located in:
Upland, California
Relisted:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=154744734261&vxp=mtr
Ended: Dec 18, 2021
Winning bid:US $32,100.00
[ 35 bids ]