Welcome to another original and exclusive market feature from CorvSport, where we attempt to answer the burning questions those who follow the markets regularly ask: “Do no-reserve Corvette auctions really matter? Do they result in higher sales?” We developed this series to explore the dynamic between reserve and no-reserve auctions. Although our methodology isn’t perfectly scientific, the results thus far have proven to be insightful. After four bouts, the reserve auctions are winning and bringing more money. We have the complete bout summary after today’s matchups. Today’s feature, along with the majority of CorvSport’s digital content, is FREE and not behind a paywall. When any pop-ups appear, please click to dismiss them and continue enjoying the article.
For our fifth bout, we once again head to the most popular online sales platform for collector cars, Bring a Trailer. Our approach is straightforward: Find three pairs of near-identical Corvettes, one with a reserve, one without, and pit each duo against each other in our CorvSport ring for a three-round bout. Let’s ring that bell and get after it!
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In The CorvSport Ring: Bout #5
The No-Reserve vs. Reserve Corvette Battle
ROUND ONE
♦ In The No-Reserve Corner:
- 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible
- Miles: 17,926
- Date Sold: 9/03/2025
- Link to full listing
VS
♦ In The Reserve Corner:
- 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible
- Miles: 21,281
- Date Sold: 6/29/2025
- Link to full listing
♦ And The Round One Decision Goes To!
The RESERVE Corvette Wins!
- Reserve Sales Price: $56,000
- No-Reserve Sales Price: $51,333
- Reserve Bids: 29
- No-Reserve Bids: 25
- Reserve Views: 12,335
- No-Reserve Views: 5,853
ROUND TWO
♦ In The No-Reserve Corner:
- 2004 Corvette Z06
- Miles: 54,451
- Date Sold: 9/01/2025
- Link to full listing
VS
♦ In The Reserve Corner:
- 2004 Corvette Z06
- Miles: 37,389
- Date Sold: 6/07/2024
- Link to full listing
♦ And The Round Two Decision Goes To!
The RESERVE Corvette Wins!
- Reserve Sales Price: $27,000
- No-Reserve Sales Price: $25,101
- Reserve Bids: 12
- No-Reserve Bids: 17
- Reserve Views: 6,749
- No-Reserve Views: 8,923
ROUND THREE
♦ In The No-Reserve Corner:
- 1979 Corvette L82 3-Speed Auto
- Miles: 25,667 shown
- Date Sold: 9/05/2025
- Link to full listing
VS
♦ In The Reserve Corner:
- 1979 Corvette L82 3-Speed Auto
- Miles: 28,411 shown
- Date Sold: 1/09/2025
- Link to full listing
♦ And The Round Three Decision Goes To!
The RESERVE Corvette Wins!
- Reserve Sales Price: $20,500
- No-Reserve Sales Price: $15,777
- Reserve Bids: 23
- No-Reserve Bids: 18
- Reserve Views: 6,320
- No-Reserve Views: 4,919
*All pictures and information are fully credited to Bring a Trailer.
BOUT #5 Summary
Well, I sure didn’t see a reserve sweep coming! The reserve ‘Vettes are beating on the no-reserve ones. Did any of the results surprise you? How about that running tally, with the reserve Corvettes now up by five over the no-reserve ‘Vettes? Again, it’s worth noting that CorvSport recognizes this is not a scientific study and is primarily intended for entertainment purposes. While we attempted to find nearly identical models with sale dates and miles that are close to each other, the auction market databases do limit how perfect our comparisons can be.
In The CorvSport Ring: Running Tally
[Updated and archived after every episode–click each bout to see the whole fight]
- BOUT #1 High Sales Scorecard: No-Reserve 1 Reserve 2
- BOUT #2 High Sales Scorecard: No-Reserve 1 Reserve 2
- BOUT #3 High Sales Scorecard: No-Reserve 2 Reserve 1
- BOUT #4 High Sales Scorecard: No-Reserve 1 Reserve 2
- BOUT #5 High Sales Scorecard: No-Reserve 0 Reserve 3
- Running Tally: No-Reserve 5 Reserve 10
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