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Douglas Barton·
Auctions
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CorvSport Original: Are Corvettes Moving At The Dealer-Only Wholesale Auction?

Join us for an exclusive look into the wholesale Corvette market -- today we've teed up a mix of C7 and C8 Stingrays and Z06s!

We have a 2025 Z06 today with only 966 miles! Photo Credit: Manheim

We have a varied and eclectic mix of Corvettes for the 45th installment of our exclusive market series. It’s that time of year when many enthusiasts are taking their last ‘Vette cruises before they park them for the season. Will this translate into slower wholesale activity, indicating that dealers’ retail sales are calming down? We have your answers here, with insights from a retired used-car dealership owner with 17 years of experience.

Not only do we have our featured 7 Corvettes — an interesting mix of C7 and C8 Stingrays and Z06s — but we now have expanded wholesale market coverage. In addition to detailed data from our Top 7, we take the analysis a step further by including the total sales for the Dallas, Texas, wholesale market. And because this wholesale auction is the largest in the country, dealers from around the U.S. use its online portal to buy used Corvettes at one of the hottest auctions available — and Dallas’s sales results prove it.

Why is the wholesale market activity important to the Corvette enthusiast?

  1. When wholesale auctions are buzzing with Corvettes moving quickly down the lanes, it usually signals a lively retail market. In this kind of active used car environment, your room for negotiation may shrink—a key consideration if you’re in the market to buy.
  2. These reports also offer a behind-the-scenes look at the profit margins dealers operate with. Surprisingly, the gap between what dealers pay and the final retail price is often smaller than most people assume.
  3. Ultimately, knowledge puts you in the driver’s seat. The next time the market comes up in conversation with fellow enthusiasts, you’ll have the facts to impress.

What to look for at today’s wholesale auction:

  • How many Corvettes will our powerhouse sellers—Texas Auto Value (TAV) and GiveMeTheVin (GMTV)—move at today’s auction? TAV has four cars in the lineup, while GMTV is sending two across the block.
  • How do successful sales trends stack up between Florida and Texas—the two markets we track and compare? You’ll find our complete sales tracker, covering all 44 installments, just below today’s Top 7.
  • Will both of our C8 Z06s find buyers? Are the aftershocks from the fire-risk recall and stop-sale still casting a shadow on sales? We’ll be watching closely to see how these factors play out at today’s auction.
  • The Bigger Picture, NEW Expanded Data: Alongside our Top 7 Corvettes, we’re sharing the complete sales tally from today’s featured Dallas market. Out of the 27 Corvettes crossing the block at this major Texas auction, how many will find new homes? Which generation leads the pack? We break down all the details for you.

A Quick Review Of The Process:

CorvSport’s resident retired used-car dealership owner/operator handpicks the top Corvettes and draws on his 17 years of experience and industry access to provide market insights. The search is focused on the nation’s largest dealer-only wholesale auction, and all the Corvettes featured to date are from the Texas or Florida market. Why do Corvettes end up at the wholesale auction? Most are trade-ins that the dealer has decided not to retail on their lot. Some may also be repossessions or coming off leases. It’s also common for dealers to dump problem (or slow-selling) units at an auction. Lastly, there are popular wholesale super sellers who offer purchase services like Carmax, where they will buy the vehicle directly from you.

For Fun (and Insights):

Compare the MMR (estimated wholesale value) to the actual hammer price (if sold). It’s also interesting to compare the wholesale purchase price (if it sells) to the Cox Automotive estimated retail value, as this will give you an idea of the margins used-car dealerships are working with.

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[11/06/2025 Edition]

Top 7: Wholesale Dealer-Only Auction Activity Report

#7 — 2014 C7 Stingray Z51 Coupe 3LT

43,528 Miles

Condition Report: 4.3/5.0

Announcements:

Autocheck History Report: 3 owners, 0 accidents

MMR: $33,300

(MMR=estimated wholesale value, based on vehicle, miles, condition, and recent auction sales)

Historical Wholesale Averages

  • Past 30 Days: $30,100 (62,625 average miles)
  • 6 Months Ago: $36,800 (51,053 mi)
  • Last Year: $36,100 (32,134 mi)

Estimated Retail Value: $39,600

(Based on Cox Automotive retail transactions)

Auction Results: Sold for $35,250

(Insights: We are off with a bang, with GMTV selling its first C7! At nearly $2000 over MMR, this seller will be happy with the strong money. For some enthusiasts, the 2014 C7 equipped with the 6-speed automatic transmission is the more desirable year, due to being the last year before the problematic A8.)

#6 — 2014 C7 Stingray Z51 Coupe 3LT

28,503 Miles

Condition Report: 4.9/5.0

Announcements:

Autocheck History Report: 3 owners, 0 accidents

MMR: $36,900

(MMR=estimated wholesale value, based on vehicle, miles, condition, and recent auction sales)

Historical Wholesale Averages

  • Past 30 Days: $30,100 (62,625 average miles)
  • 6 Months Ago: $36,800 (51,053 mi)
  • Last Year: $36,100 (32,134 mi)

Estimated Retail Value: $43,200

(Based on Cox Automotive retail transactions)

Auction Results: Sold for $37,500

(Insights: This is big money for a first-year C7, but a true testament to the staying power of this generation. Despite being nearly identical to #7, this ‘Vette was sold by our other powerhouse seller, TAV.)

#5 — 2019 C7 Z06 Coupe 1LZ

5,955 Miles

Condition Report: 5.0/5.0

Announcements:

Autocheck History Report: 1 owner, 0 accidents

MMR: $75,200

(MMR=estimated wholesale value, based on vehicle, miles, condition, and recent auction sales)

Historical Wholesale Averages

  • Past 30 Days: $70,600 (13,268 average miles)
  • 6 Months Ago: $67,400 (22,796 mi)
  • Last Year: Not available

Estimated Retail Value: $81,800

(Based on Cox Automotive retail transactions)

Auction Results: Sold for $80,500

(Insights: This one is like the holy grail of Corvettes — the last front-engined manual ‘Vette, and a Z06 to boot! With a perfect 1-owner Carfax and 5.0 condition report, it’s no surprise she brought all the money. TAV hammers another one, and there’s no doubt there was a bidding frenzy on this unicorn.)

#4 — 2021 C8 Stingray Coupe 2LT

3,923 Miles

Condition Report: 5.0/5.0

Announcements:

Autocheck History Report: 1 owner, 0 accidents

MMR: $63,600

(MMR=estimated wholesale value, based on vehicle, miles, condition, and recent auction sales)

Historical Wholesale Averages

  • Past 30 Days: $60,000 (17,014 average miles)
  • 6 Months Ago: $63,000 (12,566 mi)
  • Last Year: $59,700 (15,281 mi)

Estimated Retail Value: $65,800

(Based on Cox Automotive retail transactions)

Auction Results: Sold for $64,000

(Insights: TAV moves another ‘Vette off to a new dealer, and once again, we are over MMR. Also, did you notice that the average value has gone up $300 over the last year? This is more evidence that the C8 used market is not “crashing.”)

#3 — 2022 C8 Stingray Coupe 1LT

6,824 Miles

Condition Report: 5.0/5.0

Announcements:

Autocheck History Report: 1 owner, 0 accidents

MMR: $59,400

(MMR=estimated wholesale value, based on vehicle, miles, condition, and recent auction sales)

Historical Wholesale Averages

  • Past 30 Days: $56,600 (20,666 average miles)
  • 6 Months Ago: $57,500 (17,675 mi)
  • Last Year: $57,300 (20,160 mi)

Estimated Retail Value: $65,000

(Based on Cox Automotive retail transactions)

Auction Results: Sold for $66,250

(Insights: Wow, this unit from TAV soared right past the MMR, to the tune of $6,850! Sure, it’s a Z51 with some nice add-ons, but no doubt this 1LT’s hammer price left some dealers scratching their heads.)

#2 — 2023 C8 Z06 Coupe 2LZ

5,218 Miles

Condition Report: 4.8/5.0

Announcements:

Autocheck History Report: 1 owner, 0 accidents

MMR: $95,000

(MMR=estimated wholesale value, based on vehicle, miles, condition, and recent auction sales)

Historical Wholesale Averages

  • Past 30 Days: $96,900 (3,020 average miles)
  • 6 Months Ago: $108,000 (4,988 mi)
  • Last Year: $112,000 (3,550 mi)

Estimated Retail Value: $109,000

(Based on Cox Automotive retail transactions)

Auction Results: Sold for $98,000

(Insights: Despite being an “off” color, this first-year C8 Z06 garnered good money, at $3,000 above MMR. Even more worth noting, look at the value drop from just six months ago — no doubt that the fire risk recall and stop-sale has affected the used C8 Z06 market.)

#1 — 2025 C8 Z06 Convertible 3LZ

966 Miles

Condition Report: 5.0/5.0

Announcements: Open recall

Autocheck History Report: 1 owner, 0 accidents

MMR: $129,000

(MMR=estimated wholesale value, based on vehicle, miles, condition, and recent auction sales)

Historical Wholesale Averages

  • Past 30 Days: $130,000 (2,762 average miles)
  • 6 Months Ago: $145,000 (1,242 mi)
  • Last Year: Not available

Estimated Retail Value: $138,000

(Based on Cox Automotive retail transactions)

Auction Results: NO SALE

(Insights: Our first no-sale is the only Corvette not being offered by one of our powerhouse sellers. It’s likely this seller’s reserve was too high, because ‘Vette buyers were at Dallas today!)

The CorvSport Takeaway:

We have another stellar sales percentage for those who think the used-Corvette market is cooling off, although our total sales in Dallas did drop from 71.4 to 59.3 percent. Additionally, we have another sub-$100k C8 Z06 — and only $17,500 more than our 2019 Z06! More proof of the C7’s desirability.

Both of our powerhouse sellers, Texas Auto Value (TAV) and GiveMeTheVin (GMTV), sold all the Corvettes we featured. Being from Orlando, I’ve always regarded the Central Florida location as the hottest auction in the country, but Texas has been kicking our butt — the full tracker is below.

The Bigger Picture, NEW Expanded Data:

1) 10/23/2025

28 Corvettes Offered at Dallas
20 Corvettes Sold at Dallas
71.4% Successful Sales Ratio

 

2) Today, 11/06/2025

27 Corvettes Offered at Dallas
16 Corvettes Sold at Dallas
59.3% Successful Sales Ratio

 

Total Dallas Sales By Generation (Since 10/23/2025):

  • C8: 18
  • C7: 11
  • C6: 6
  • C5: 1
  • C4: 0
  • C3: 0
  • C2: 0
  • C1: 0

See All Our Exclusive Dealer-To-Dealer Wholesale Transactions

Sales Ratio Tracker (click date for report archives):

Thanks for riding along with us on today’s Corvette adventure. We’ll be back in two weeks! Were you surprised by the 86% sales ratio? Become part of the CorvSport movement!

*All images and information are credited to Manheim Auctions.

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