Possible car swap. Thoughts
#2811880
08/22/20 10:48 AM
08/22/20 10:48 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,776 St. Louis, Missouri area
Cometstorm
OP
"Beat It"
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OP
"Beat It"
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,776
St. Louis, Missouri area
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OK..;.. Wife and I have a beautiful 2012 Challenger SXT Sport Plus with 17K garaged miles. We bought it new, and wife adores it. However, I've been getting the vintage Corvette itch lately. We used to own a 1986 Vette years back, but wife would hardly drive it because it was a manual. She hated those stops on hills! We are not fans of the later model Vettes for a variety of reasons. She's always had a love for the "fender hip" era Vettes, and couldn't care less about horsepower. I'd like to see her get an automatic Vette that she wouldn't be afraid to drive. I'm taking a hard look at the C3's. I know its a horsepower drawback, but just something about that era Vette. And I don't want to spring big bucks for an nice condition C2. So, there is a 1979 Vette listed locally. 34K garaged miles, original owner. Completely stock. It looks like a creme puff, but we are going to check it out tomorrow. L48 engine with most of the options available at the time. They want 19K, which is close to what I figure our Challenger is worth, give or take a couple thousand. While we could definitely afford both, garage space is the problem. We only have a two car garage, and she likes to have her Honda daily driver in there. So, its either keep the Challenger, or sell it and get the Vette (if it meets our approval). Another thought to enter into the equation: I would think the Challenger will continue to diminish in value with time, but the Vette would likely at least hold it's own. Or drop less drastically. I know its a personal decision, but I'd appreciate thoughts...;
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Re: Possible car swap. Thoughts
[Re: Cometstorm]
#2811888
08/22/20 11:10 AM
08/22/20 11:10 AM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,923 new berlin wisconsin
Mr T2U
master
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master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,923
new berlin wisconsin
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it's your $$$ do whatever pleases you.
in my opinion your challenger is a better car in every way over that corvette. the only difference is in 10 years in the future the corvette should be worth more than the challenger.
it will probably be easier but possibly more expensive to buy parts for the corvette than the challenger. the corvette will be easier to work on and maintain. the only complicated part is the carb on the car. finding experienced people to keep this in top shape is getting harder every day. the electronics might be difficult and more expensive to repair if it breaks on the challenger as time marches on..
insurance cost will probably be close to each other with comparable insurance coverage.
gas mileage difference would be irrelevant between the 2 cars.
as i said it's your $$$ do whatever makes you and more important the wife goddess happy. keep in mind as you age getting in and out of the corvette will be much harder than the challenger.
Last edited by Mr T2U; 08/22/20 11:14 AM.
perception is 90% of reality
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Re: Possible car swap. Thoughts
[Re: Mr T2U]
#2811895
08/22/20 11:25 AM
08/22/20 11:25 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,776 St. Louis, Missouri area
Cometstorm
OP
"Beat It"
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OP
"Beat It"
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,776
St. Louis, Missouri area
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Keep in mind as you age getting in and out of the corvette will be much harder than the challenger.
Funny you should mention that. Wifey brings up the same issue. I’m 67, no spring chicken... 6’1” 235 pounds too. My counter is that it would be driven quite seldom. Seat test tomorrow!
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Re: Possible car swap. Thoughts
[Re: 68_661charger]
#2811908
08/22/20 12:02 PM
08/22/20 12:02 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,372 Banana Republic
FM3AAR
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,372
Banana Republic
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I have a C3 vette (1972) that I've owned for 45 years. Updated to 383/Tremec TKO600. Fairly simple cars but tight to work on. If you consider buying, check for rust on the frame particularly the frame upkicks by the rear wheels, windshield frame rot (pull the kick panels and look for rust accumulating at the body mounts). The rear axle bearings need to be done correctly, not easy. We're both the same age. I also have a '17 Grand Sport. I find myself driving the '17 more and more and the '72 less because of the creature comforts of the '17. That Challenger looks pretty nice, V6? If you can only have one car, maybe look at a hemi version of the Challenger. Power and creature comforts together.
Last edited by FM3AAR; 08/22/20 01:39 PM.
“You’ll own nothing” — And “you’ll be happy about it.” K. Schwab
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Re: Possible car swap. Thoughts
[Re: moparjim79]
#2811927
08/22/20 12:50 PM
08/22/20 12:50 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,674 San Jose,CA
migsBIG
YouTube is my go-to news source
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YouTube is my go-to news source
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,674
San Jose,CA
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I had a friend also looking to get an early Vette car, but didn't want to deal with 'old school' tech. I convinced him to find a clean car and do a late model LS swap in it. This was, he and his wife can drive it, have a overdrive trans, lots of power, better gas mileage and since the model he got was a 75' it's exempt from smog inspection in the state. He bought the Vette non-running for $4500 and it's pretty clean. Looking for a low mileage LS wrecker for he swap. Some private shops around here can do the swap for around $2500 and you supply the parts. This way your wife keep her car and you get to have a fun ride. The trade would have sounded ok, but a 40+ year old car is going to need attention, no matter how nice it is. So to me, the swap is not worth making the little lady unhappy.
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Re: Possible car swap. Thoughts
[Re: migsBIG]
#2811942
08/22/20 01:29 PM
08/22/20 01:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,776 St. Louis, Missouri area
Cometstorm
OP
"Beat It"
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OP
"Beat It"
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,776
St. Louis, Missouri area
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Thanks for all the great info guys! They are all worth considering. Heck, I'm just a routine "car" guy.... jumping thoughts from one hour to the next! Latest thoughts: Still gonna look at the 79 Vette tomorrow. May as well follow it through, but the age, difficulty of maintenance, and ease of entry/exit are making me strongly reconsider. Newest update: Now have a appointment at a car plaza for Monday: 2017 SRT Hellcat, one owner, 15K miles, auto, no moon roof, Yellow Jacket with black hood/roof stripes. Nav, and most options. We do not want a manual. It is NOT a widebody. How much would that influence any of you? I'm not thinking necessarily a bad thing for us. With our two car garage, the wide swinging door of the SXT sitting next to another car. Well, ya gotta watch that! Even though the garage is somewhat oversized. They're asking 59K. I mentioned that's not much off a brand new one. And they gave me the "Well, its the end of the month. Our managers want to deal" speech... Blue Book and KBB are showing my SXT at about $12 - 14K trade, $15 - 18K private sell. For the record, the SXT had multiple, but slight hail dings about six years ago. It was a commercial, paint free repair (around $2K).... and there are zero signs of it. Wouldn't know it, but it probably shows on Carfax. On another note, I was at my local Dodge dealer the other day. No Hellcats, one Scat pack auto (new, 2020). Marked down from 49K to 40K. I could have chewed on that. It was a wide body. BUT, it was that puke dark green color. Could have chewed, but not swallowed....
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Re: Possible car swap. Thoughts
[Re: gtx6970]
#2811980
08/22/20 03:51 PM
08/22/20 03:51 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157 Mass
DAYCLONA
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
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Re: Possible car swap. Thoughts
[Re: blaze]
#2812122
08/22/20 11:50 PM
08/22/20 11:50 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,205 Park Forest, IL
slantzilla
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,205
Park Forest, IL
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As said before, check the frame on that Vette for rot. Another vote for it being waaaaaaaayyyyyyyy overpriced.
I rebuilt a '79 in 1987 for a buddy of mine and it already had a lot of rust in the chassis.
"Everybody funny, now you funny too."
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