Buying a used Corvette can be a tricky undertaking, as there are many criteria to meet and the price can be prohibitive. After seeing the price of some of the well-run models, the temptation to buy a Corvette that doesn’t run or one that obviously needs a lot of work can be great. However, cars with these problems may not save you money if you fix them yourself. After adding up the price of parts and other expenses, it probably would have been cheaper to buy the car that was in good condition in the first place.

The decision to buy a used Corvette in good condition means that a potential purchase should be checked for serious flaws, such as rust. Rust affects the underside of many used Corvettes and is only visible by going under the car to look. If there’s nothing to hide, a prospective seller won’t mind taking a look at the chassis, which is more prone to rust. While under the car, visually inspect the cross members and the vulnerable area in front of the rear wheels. The bottom of the front radiator support should also be checked for rust. If the mount is rusty, it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker, but the cost of replacement should be factored into the cost of the car.

When the rust inspection is complete, there are still more areas that will need to be checked. One way to see if the car ever had major damage is to look at the A-arm shims. Look for a lot of shims on one side and less on the other. This indicates that there is still something wrong with the car that has not been fixed. A lack of shims on one side and a lot on the other indicates some major issues, such as a bent crossmember. There may also be damage to the car’s suspension left over from the damaging incident in the past.

If the car has passed visual inspections, it’s time for a test drive. During the trip, the accessories and internal features should be checked and verified that they work correctly. Test the windows, heat and air, radio, seat adjustments, and any other internal features. Pay attention to how the car drives and the noises it makes. Some Corvettes have a clicking or hissing noise in the rear due to worn positive drive units. If the sound isn’t too bad, it may not be a problem that warrants expensive repairs beyond the addition of some positractive additive to the gear oil. If the noises are severe, you may justify a change in price to compensate for any repairs that may be needed.

More indications of hidden problems in used Corvettes can be found with a car body inspection. Most of the time, when a fiberglass panel is damaged, it is replaced, leaving little evidence of the damage. But by inspecting the front bumper, you may be able to tell if the car has been in a collision in the past. Notice the area of ​​the bumper that meets the fiberglass. If that area has ripples in the paint, it likely has been repaired from a frontal collision or other major trauma. Collisions of this type can cause invisible damage to the car’s suspension, which can be expensive to repair.