WTB: Fairway Green (also, need advise!)

**Phace** · 07-28-11, 10:30 AM

From what I can see, there are two ways to go about this:

Find a '97 - '98 Fairway Green. I don't care about Mods, HP, Transmission, body style. I prefer the lighter color interior than the black, but it's not a showstopper. What matters most to me are the color (needs to be clean and sharp), the overall look of the car, and how it drives.
Find ANY reasonable c5 and have it painted.

Any other options I didn't think about?

So, I'm thinking it's probably cheaper to find the original color due to the age of the car, but it's easier and probably more expensive to find any C5 and have it painted.

Does anyone have experience with this kind of thing? What should I expect to pay for these options (1 or 2).

If I go for #1, any tips on finding that rare pre-loved car?
If I go for #2, which years/types should I be looking for? Which ones should I avoid? Anyone get a repaint or have suggestions on this?

If someone is selling a C5 with possibly some paint issues but otherwise a good car, I might be willing to check it out with the intent to have it repainted. I live in Central Florida and this would be my first Corvette.

I have a nice '03 Honda Odyssey. I'm getting about 21 MPG. The Corvettes can do better. The Ody drives smooth and it's a great practical vehicle and seats 7. I can fold down the back seats and remove the center seats and haul around 4' x 8' plywood. I don't use it so much now to move the kids around now that my wife got her CRV.

You'll see that I didn't put torque, or horsepower, or 0-60 times, or (insert performance topic here) into the mix. I just want something that looks as phenomenal and that gets the decent gas mileage of this car. I'd get the tires that improve mileage and ride quality and road noise. It's going to move no matter what, eh?

Thanks for reading!

**Yoda** · 07-28-11, 11:08 AM

Phace Welcome to the Corvette Action Center Community

First, forgive me, but just where the heck is Oviedo

Ok more serious... I did a quick search of a couple websites that I use that are non dealer or used dealer generated but more of a search for vehicles in general that are for sale on the internet anywhere

I got one hit and here it is: Rare Fairway Green / Black interior 30,000 miles

Welcome aboard enjoy your hunt for your dream Corvette

Bud

**Toms01** · 07-28-11, 12:04 PM

Fairway Green is a beautiful color and with the Oak interior is a great combo. They didn't make many of them. I can't say for sure what kind of price you'll have to pay to get one...obviously model, condition, options and miles plays a part in that. But I will say that a friend of mine recently bought an 02 coupe (Magnetic Red/black) with 83K on the clock in very nice condition for $14K.

A decent paint job can run you $7-12K. An over the top one can cost $20K and up. I think I'd be looking for an original Fairway Green if it was me.

**Phace** · 07-28-11, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by Yoda

Phace Welcome to the Corvette Action Center Community

First, forgive me, but just where the heck is Oviedo

Ok more serious... I did a quick search of a couple websites that I use that are non dealer or used dealer generated but more of a search for vehicles in general that are for sale on the internet anywhere

I got one hit and here it is:

Orlando Area, Central Florida.

I tried searching on that site and couldn't get the results as specific as you did. I got 250 pages +

I looked at that one you linked, but without a picture I'd need to see it in person. That price would have to be negotiable (which is a nice way of saying they must be nuts): Kelley shows it for 17,750. Edmonds shows it for 10,750. We all know Kelley is the Dealer's Hope website while Edmonds is the reality website.

I saw some Ebay results. Most of the listings are with a HUGE reserve price which is never met- it's a nice way to see what the market will bear. There's a nice one in WI, but it's been listed several weeks and they want too much for it.

*sigh*

**catbert** · 07-28-11, 04:06 PM

They are out there. Just saw a green 21,000 mile 97 on Autotrader. The guy wants a ton of money for it, but as a buyer, you have to educate him...and forget a $12,000 C5. If it seems too good to be true.....

**Phace** · 07-28-11, 06:27 PM

That same one was on Craigslist and Ebay for 25k last week. I've been watching it. Still, it's up in WI and I'm in FL... That adds to the cost, to me.

**catbert** · 07-29-11, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by Phace

That same one was on Craigslist and Ebay for 25k last week. I've been watching it. Still, it's up in WI and I'm in FL... That adds to the cost, to me.

If you want a rare bird like that, chances are you'll not find it close. You may get lucky, but you may have to travel. Besides, road trips with a new car are great!

**Phace** · 07-29-11, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by catbert

If you want a rare bird like that, chances are you'll not find it close. You may get lucky, but you may have to travel. Besides, road trips with a new car are great!

I expect to travel a bit. The thing that bothers me is the risk- What if it has issues they didn't disclose? I expect to trade in my odyssey at some point, it would be best if the one selling the 'vette accepted the odyssey for a reasonable amount thereby making the cash outlay smaller. I'd need to arrange a mechanic inspection up in the area. All of this is made more difficult the farther away from Florida it is. LOL. Even in Florida, as big as it is, if it's not within a couple of hours of Orlando, it'd be a pain. Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, Ft. Myers, no problem. Tallahassee? Pensacola? Wow. Atlanta? Double Wow. It's a full day drive just to get there.

To involve the Odyssey requires the drive up with it. There's one about an hour east of St. Louis (in Illinois, with 130k miles). Imagine flying to St.Louis and then ... ? take a bus there? I'd better have the car after that otherwise I'm stuck an hour east of St. Louis without a car.

Meh. All of this practicality. I just want the car. lol.

**catbert** · 07-29-11, 08:47 AM

You are looking at a 13 or 14 year old car. It may not be perfect, but it won't be a $60K investment either. It's a Chevy, not an exotic, and won't break the bank for most repairs. On the other hand, if I was looking at a 120K mile car, I'd be gun-shy too. There is a point of diminishing returns on a small up-front outlay. I'd rather pay $20K for a 20,000 mile car than $10 for a 120,000 mile car - ANY DAY. As far as trading your Honda - probably won't happen, unless you are working with a dealer.

If you find a car that meets your criteria, offer to pay the owner's expenses to deliver it to you. If he/she is confident enough in the car to drive it to you, it's probably OK.

**Phace** · 07-29-11, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by catbert

If you find a car that meets your criteria, offer to pay the owner's expenses to deliver it to you. If he/she is confident enough in the car to drive it to you, it's probably OK.

Ok, can you explain that? What exactly is this? How much do you think that would that be?

**catbert** · 07-29-11, 04:24 PM

Huh?

**Phace** · 07-29-11, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by catbert

If you find a car that meets your criteria, offer to pay the owner's expenses to deliver it to you. If he/she is confident enough in the car to drive it to you, it's probably OK.

I don't understand this, and I'm not sure I know how this would work. First, I assume there's a car transport service which costs something. Second, how does this play into the confidence of the seller?

**Toms01** · 07-29-11, 07:05 PM

I think what Catbert was getting at is, the owner/seller driving the car to you and then you paying his expenses. If he is willing to do this (drive the car across country) it would show his confidence in the car.

**catbert** · 07-30-11, 07:51 AM

Originally Posted by toms01

i think what catbert was getting at is, the owner/seller driving the car to you and then you paying his expenses. If he is willing to do this (drive the car across country) it would show his confidence in the car.

bingo!