As we approach thirty installments of CorvSport’s exclusive wholesale market reports, we possibly have the most varied mix of Corvettes to date, ranging from a 1978 Pace Car to the high-revving C8 Z06 masterpiece. To add to the variety, we have a built C7 Grand Sport with a crazy wrap, and a clean 1987 C4 with some old-school gold BBS-style wheels–my favorite from the time period! As a reminder, the following wholesale market report contains actual dealer-to-dealer results from the largest dealer-only auction in the country. [Author’s Note: This article is FREE and not behind a paywall. If/when any pop-ups occur, please click to make them disappear and continue enjoying the article. One requires two steps–first, the arrow on the left, then the x on the top right.]
For a deeper dive, we have our full archives below, but in a nutshell, we started in Florida, and over 16 installments, 30% of the Corvettes were hammered off to a new dealer. We felt Florida was underperforming and wanted to heat things up, so we moved to Texas. And the Lone Star State has not disappointed, with a stellar 62% successful sales ratio.
A Quick Review Of The Process:
In preparation for each installment, I start a list of Corvettes from that week’s runlist that catch my eye. As a retired owner/operator of a used car dealership, I’ll use my 17 years of experience (and industry access) to give you insights into the market. My search is focused on the nation’s largest dealer-only wholesale auction, and all the Corvettes featured are from the Florida market. Corvettes end up at a dealer-only wholesale auction for many reasons, but most are trade-ins that the dealer 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.
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.
[3/27/2025 Edition]
Top 7: Wholesale Dealer-Only Auction Activity Report
#7
1976 C3 Stingray Coupe Base
