Once in every collector’s lifetime, it’s essential to own a Corvette. That’s a sentence that went through my head the other day. Perhaps you’ve thought the same thing. Well, here’s our chance. This 1988 Coupe model, as seen on ebay, is starting out with an asking price of just $10 grand. Not a bad entry point for a car that’s at least a little bit practical for daily use despite also fulfilling a dream. If this is for you, then made a “Best Offer” to try to pry it out of the seller’s hands just a bit cheaper than his full price, and head the The Colony, Texas to claim your prize.

I’m thinking of this as a low-investment ask, not a mortgage-the-house-for-a- split-window 1963 model, one of the most beautiful cars ever made by any manufacturer, domestic, exotic, or foreign. (Of course, as we know, sometimes those categories overlap one another.) You might even pretend you’re driving a Ferrari when you spy the red-exterior, saddle-interior color scheme, and you could certainly do a lot worse than the low-slung body and quad round taillights which hearken back to earlier eras of Chevrolet’s long-running Vette model. What you might be surprised at, however, is that the market is kind of crammed with other, similar models, some of which are even cheaper than the present example. Who knew?

What you’re gaining with this car is an all-original configuration, inside and out, and super-low mileage (just over 20,000) from two owners. As a Texas car, this red roadster is unlikely to have any rust on the chassis and other places which do host the tin worm even on a fiberglass-bodied car. What might be hard to maintain over the years is the 1980s-style electronic dashboard, but assuming it continues to function, you’re going to enjoy the video-game styling it offers.

Mechanically, there’s least one need, and that is a coolant leak at one of the intake manifold gaskets. The seller dismisses this as normal for the generation represented, but I say why not fix that? For one thing, it shows care and attention to detail. For another, it means that a new owner doesn’t have a nagging worry, or even the need to take what is to him or her a brand-new ride to the garage as soon as it arrives home. What a way to detract from the thrill of finally owning the iconic American sports car! But if you’re inclined to host a copy of this dream in your driveway, this 5.7-liter V8 beauty with three of four original tires and an automatic transmission on board might be a good one to peruse.