Updated 3/22…I’ve updated my review to 3 stars since the dealer did reach out afterward, offered to fix the AC, and was willing to honor my original offer. However, the process to get there wasn’t what I was hoping for, so I’ve decided to move on to another car. That said, the dealer is willing to work with you.
Initial review:
I had planned to buy a beautiful used C7 Corvette Stingray and worked closely with a salesman over a 7-day period (asking price $44,405). The dealer was 3.5 hours away, so I wanted to make sure everything was just right before making the drive. When I arrived, I was greeted professionally and was excited to take the car out for a test drive and get a pre-purchase inspection from a reputable Corvette dealer in the area. The showroom was immaculate, and all the cars were perfectly detailed and ready to be shown. The salesman said they take great pride in their reputation and the quality of their cars, and at that moment, it definitely seemed that way.
After the pre-purchase inspection (which I paid $335 for), the dealer I took it to discovered that the AC was not blowing through the main vents at all (only to the windshield and feet). The repair estimate was $3,542, as it required removing the entire dashboard to fix the vent actuators. I showed the salesman the repair quote and lowered my offer to reflect the repair cost, plus another $500 off (since I wasn’t going to pay full asking price anyway). They declined, saying something that surprised me:
The salesman said, “My boss says we were offered $44,000 wholesale by a local Chevrolet dealer up the road, so that’s our final price.”
That raised some concerns for me—was the Chevy dealer being sold a car with a known AC issue, or was the next customer going to unknowingly discover this expensive repair later? Either way, I declined and walked away, disappointed in what could have been a much more transparent and positive experience.
For a high-end dealership, I expected a thorough inspection before putting a car on the lot—especially one at this price point.
