Faux Midlife Crisis: The Fly and Not-Drive Edition

Backstory:

In October, I turn 40. I've always joked about having a traditional midlife crisis—buying a yellow Corvette, wrap around sunglasses, jean shorts, perhaps even a chain with some manner of medallion. You know. Really LEANING IN. Going full Fieri.

That joke was just that until the C8 was announced. After some light number crunching, and knowing my current lease was up around September... maybe I could treat myself under the guise of said midlife crisis? 

Since then I've had time to think(cool down?), and as a married man of two short years I thought it perhaps a wiser decision to buy myself an older vette with cash and then upgrade the wife's ride to something nice, modern and totally her choice. Because all the articles/posts on GRM make the C5 seem like one of the best performance-for-your-peso options since the original "answer," I started doing preliminary research. Well, that quickly turned into deep research… sick, obsessive, research. Reading old magazine reviews, forum posts, polling friends and family who have Corvette experience, and the most dangerous last step, viewing sale ads from all over the country. Wasn’t planning on getting into the search until next fall, but I figured why buy a toy just in time to store it? So here we are. 

First things first—my criteria. Manual trans, under 100k miles, black interior, and ideally less than $15k. For most of the cars I usually am into, that narrows things down to what, a handful of cars spread over a day’s drive, if that? Not this time. BOY HOWDY the internet is lousy with these things, even in the dead of winter.  Sitting in front of facebook marketplace, glassy-eyed and frozen, the only action that made sense to help narrow things down was to drive one. So I found a creampuff, a dark red over black vert at a nearby non-GM dealership, and the lady and I swung by this Saturday while running errands. The car presented very well but had some very vette-specific issues, and long story short I enjoyed driving it but the overall experience wasn’t what I’d hoped—where’s the electricity, the excitement, the gotta-have-it feeling? 

So either my wife is perfectly attuned to what makes me ME or she hit the breaking point regarding my endless yammering about Corvette nonsense(admittedly it was getting bad), but she said “hey, stop trying to rationalize an emotional decision. If you're going to buy a toy, get the one you want, the one that makes you feel something.” Better half indeed.

That night, aided by my emotional sherpa(beer), I found what I consider the one.

The Situation:

In a little over a week, I’m hopping a flight to evaluate a C5 that is essentially a track car with A/C and interior. While I have almost exclusively purchased stock vehicles and then done all the modifications myself in an effort to create my own vision, tailored to my needs—this car is not that. It’s ALL been replaced and/or modified… but somehow, to me, it’s perfect. What I would have done and more.

Thing is, I’ve only ever looked at cars I could buy and drive home with. While the seller can trailer this to me, eliminating that variable, it’s the in between I’m unfamiliar with. Which brings me to…

The Question for y'all: 

Assuming I like the car, it drives nice, and I want to buy it... what do I do? I've never gone to look at a car, agreed to buy it, and then left. Do I do all the paperwork down there, pay the man, then fly home with the title and wait? Do I provide some sort of partial payment and have both parties sign something to indicate my intent to buy and his to deliver? I know many of you have bought and shipped cars from all over so any help/insight is very much appreciated!

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One last thing, if all goes well, I’ll spill every one of the details and probably try to convert this into a build thread/progress update log. I just don’t want to jinx anything just yet.

Check with state DMV on temporary plates and coordinate when they are open. Maybe the plates stay on the car.  
 

See if seller and you have same bank (like Chase).  You withdraw and he deposits.  

Fly out and prepared to bail if it's crap.  Have seller send a million pictures and video so you aren't planning on bailing.  

Pay the man, get title and bill of sale and drive home.  

My personal policy is that I never, ever, ever exchange money unless I've seen the car in person. 

The 3 fly-n-drives that I've done, one was even better than described, but the other two had unlisted issues which we negotiated the selling price down to get the deal done. Every time I've been mentally and financially prepared to eat the cost of the plane ticket if things went South. 

I have to ask the obvious question here...what's preventing you from driving it back personally?

When I bought my FD, I did all the paperwork and money by FedEx and the seller stored my new car until the truck arrived a couple weeks later to transport it to me.  There's nothing inherently wrong with this if you trust the seller.

Partial payment/balance on delivery is another option -- depends on what you and the seller want.  I'm kinda surprised he's delivering it for you. :)  Whatever you do, put it down in writing and have both parties sign it so that there's no disagreement later.

calteg said:

I have to ask the obvious question here...what's preventing you from driving it back personally?

As is the case with a lot of the toys we buy ourselves, it comes with some spare accoutrements! It's also more racecar than not and while the weather in between FL and OH seems okay at the moment, I don't trust mother nature not to make that drive suddenly unbearable.

Codrus— I'm surprised as well, but the stipulation was "if I buy at asking price" which honestly seems fair to me. Seller doesn't give off any sketchy vibes whatsoever, and I've seen pictures of the car on his (very nice) trailer so it seems like the real deal.

I thought a "fly and not drive" was when SWMBO becomes She Who Must No Longer Be Obeyed? 

In reply to ebelements :

• Fly down and touch the car
• Purchase the car and make the transition of paperwork...you now own the car.
• Insure the car..you now own a car that is insured.
• Take detailed pictures before leaving town.  

From there on out, you have an insured car and let the insurance be your safety net.  If the car fails to appear then your car has been stolen and proceed as needed by insurance.  

Some trust is needed on the behalf of both parties.  Your trust would be backed by insurance as well.  

Another tip... 

This Jacksonville, FL based independent operator/shipper moved a car for me in the past and both me as the seller and another GRM'er as the buyer we very happy with him.  

Last 3 cars in 18 months, were distant. 

Boston

Reno

Scottsdale.

All 3 cars I paid $500 deposit. Reno/Scottsdale I flew there. Inspected in person, gave $, drove it back. 

Boston car was fully sight unseen. It has almost no miles. Stored, heated. It was for the wife. She had a VERY particular color exterior and interior. I paid full amount. Never saw/touched the car. Had Horseless Carriage pick it up and deliver it 5 weeks later.  No issues.  My only stipulation is the mileage of the day of the sale, is the EXACT mileage I want on the truck.

I did not want seller having a joy ride in my car, AFTER I paid for it. 

As for mid life crisis, new people who meet me, always comment on my sports cars as midlife. I tell them since I was 16, 2 seater or 2 doors cars is what I have always driven. When got married+kids, I added a few 4 doors, but never got rid of the 2 seater or 2 door for my DD. So it isn't a midlife crisis, if I have been driving the same thing all my life.

Good luck with the Vette. I have never bought a modified car. Not my thing. I usually like to do modifications myself. For me, unless car is 1 owner, all records, I won't touch it. Served me well. I am on my car #51. 43 in the last 11 years.

John Welsh said:

Another tip... 

This Jacksonville, FL based independent operator/shipper moved a car for me in the past and both me as the seller and another GRM'er as the buyer we very happy with him.  

Thanks John!  Great reco, I appreciate it.

In reply to ebelements :

You can also see his feedback on this site but you will probably need to log in to see them.  

mr2s2000elise said:

Good luck with the Vette. I have never bought a modified car. Not my thing. I usually like to do modifications myself. For me, unless car is 1 owner, all records, I won't touch it. Served me well. I am on my car #51. 43 in the last 11 years.

I've never owned anything this modified, nor do I posess the wherewithal to modify a vette this far. The original idea was to pick up something that would fall in line with your sensibilities, but I'm traversing new territory with this one. Something I didn't mention is that I'm currently in the middle of a home rennovation so buying something I won't need to modify is a bonus. If the purchase works out, rest assured I'll make sure everyone knows just how good or stupid the ownership experience ends up being. 

I'm almost more excited than anything else about it not being from the rust belt. 

Ditto what John Welsh said.

If its a licensed Florida car the owner will keep the tag, and sign over the title and hand that to you.  Then when you get home you will do a title transfer to your state, get new registration, title, and tag.  If you are a serious collector, then you are already registering all the collection in Montana.  

If its a highly modified car you probably don't want to do ~15 hours on the super slab even if the weather is nice (unless some magazine is paying you for the story   )

If you are buying a serious track day car, do you already have a trailer, or plans to get one?  Or is this car just going to be a Sunday driver?

ebelements said:

mr2s2000elise said:

Good luck with the Vette. I have never bought a modified car. Not my thing. I usually like to do modifications myself. For me, unless car is 1 owner, all records, I won't touch it. Served me well. I am on my car #51. 43 in the last 11 years.

I've never owned anything this modified, nor do I posess the wherewithal to modify a vette this far. The original idea was to pick up something that would fall in line with your sensibilities, but I'm traversing new territory with this one. Something I didn't mention is that I'm currently in the middle of a home rennovation so buying something I won't need to modify is a bonus. If the purchase works out, rest assured I'll make sure everyone knows just how good or stupid the ownership experience ends up being. 

I'm almost more excited than anything else about it not being from the rust belt. 

Yup I am in the middle of a huge renovation myself. I have a thread going here with progress.  I bid on BAT, during my reno breaks  Good luck with the Vette!

ebelements said:

The car presented very well but had some very vette-specific issues, and long story short I enjoyed driving it but the overall experience wasn’t what I’d hoped—where’s the electricity, the excitement, the gotta-have-it feeling? 

So either my wife is perfectly attuned to what makes me ME or she hit the breaking point regarding my endless yammering about Corvette nonsense(admittedly it was getting bad), but she said “hey, stop trying to rationalize an emotional decision. If you're going to buy a toy, get the one you want, the one that makes you feel something.” Better half indeed.

If I'm reading what you wrote, it sounds like you don't actually like the C5 that much. Shouldn't that be the end of it? Maybe a pure track car is a different story and you're valuing raw performance per dollar over pure fun (?).

I say this in all seriousness, go drive an ND which is located near some good driving roads. I suspect if you're anything like me, it will be a real kick in your butt in terms of what a street car should be and may recalibrate what you're looking for. Doesn't mean you have to buy it, but it might help you figure out what you want.

Purple Frog said:

If you are buying a serious track day car, do you already have a trailer, or plans to get one?  Or is this car just going to be a Sunday driver?

Leaning more towards the latter. Based on what I know about the car at this point, it's still very drivable as an actual car and because of that I'm going to try and daily it. While I have access to a trailer if I were to want to try my hand at motorsport, I know myself—the likelihood of that is very low. 

(absolutely love your build BTW)

Snrub said:

If I'm reading what you wrote, it sounds like you don't actually like the C5 that much. Shouldn't that be the end of it? Maybe a pure track car is a different story and you're valuing raw performance per dollar over pure fun (?).

Buddy of mine was DD shopping a year or two ago, and we went out and test drove EVERYTHING we could find with a manual. ND, BRZ, Camaro SS, Focus RS, Chevy SS, and maybe a Challenger? The ND, even with it's 150hp, felt night and day better than the BRZ and was the car I tried to push him to buy. He ended up with the 6MT SS sedan. 

Honestly, I really do enjoy the slow-car-fast thing. I've owned a number of Honda EFs and EGs, Mk1-4 VW GTI/GLI/R32s, an E30 318is and 325, as well as a super low mileage NA Miata that I threw a bunch of suspension at(and loved). I sold that NA because around the same time, I got into bikes, and when it was nice out, I would more often than not choose 2 wheels. Since then I haven't felt the need for a sports car as a toy—I'd found the purity and simplicity I'd been whittling all my cars down into. For some reason though, in the past few years the lust for something V8 and manual has crept in. Maybe it's the fact that the 6' poster of a Mk2 Cobra hangs in my garage, and every time I see it, it reminds me of the ride-along I had through the hills surrounding San Fran in an original 289 Mk1. Perhaps it's because I'm the slightest bit lazy some days, and don't want to put all my day-glo power ranger captain safety moto gear on, just because I want to scare myself a little on the way to work.  Could be I'm just being a giant child who wants to make vroom vroom sounds.
 

I did something similar when I bought my S2k in Florida - checked the car over, agreed on a price with the seller and agreed when I would pick it up. Left a deposit that was both big enough to show I was serious and small enough so I could walk away.

Returned a month later with an insurance card, met the seller at the bank with both used, he brought the car and title, we did paperowkr, printed a cashiers check right there and I went to the county tax place to get a temp tag, stuck the tag on and drove home. Just make sure that both states have a sales tax agreement so you don't end up paying twice. FL wants to get sales tax even if you take the car out of state.

ebelements said:

Honestly, I really do enjoy the slow-car-fast thing. I've owned a number of Honda EFs and EGs, Mk1-4 VW GTI/GLI/R32s, an E30 318is and 325, as well as a super low mileage NA Miata that I threw a bunch of suspension at(and loved). I sold that NA because around the same time, I got into bikes, and when it was nice out, I would more often than not choose 2 wheels. Since then I haven't felt the need for a sports car as a toy—I'd found the purity and simplicity I'd been whittling all my cars down into. For some reason though, in the past few years the lust for something V8 and manual has crept in. Maybe it's the fact that the 6' poster of a Mk2 Cobra hangs in my garage, and every time I see it, it reminds me of the ride-along I had through the hills surrounding San Fran in an original 289 Mk1. Perhaps it's because I'm the slightest bit lazy some days, and don't want to put all my day-glo power ranger captain safety moto gear on, just because I want to scare myself a little on the way to work.  Could be I'm just being a giant child who wants to make vroom vroom sounds.
 

We have very similar, if not exact car/bike background (except for the GTi/r32 - as you cant pay me to own a VW product).  

So I have lived 20+ years of slow car fast.  Once you get the power (as you are shopping now), whole another world will open up.  
Advanced congrats on the VEtte. Colour me jealous

ebelements said:

Honestly, I really do enjoy the slow-car-fast thing. I've owned a number of Honda EFs and EGs, Mk1-4 VW GTI/GLI/R32s, an E30 318is and 325, as well as a super low mileage NA Miata that I threw a bunch of suspension at(and loved). I sold that NA because around the same time, I got into bikes, and when it was nice out, I would more often than not choose 2 wheels. Since then I haven't felt the need for a sports car as a toy—I'd found the purity and simplicity I'd been whittling all my cars down into. For some reason though, in the past few years the lust for something V8 and manual has crept in. Maybe it's the fact that the 6' poster of a Mk2 Cobra hangs in my garage, and every time I see it, it reminds me of the ride-along I had through the hills surrounding San Fran in an original 289 Mk1. Perhaps it's because I'm the slightest bit lazy some days, and don't want to put all my day-glo power ranger captain safety moto gear on, just because I want to scare myself a little on the way to work.  Could be I'm just being a giant child who wants to make vroom vroom sounds.

I guess the other thing is it doesn't have to be a "slow" car, I mentioned ND because it does fun car sensations and driver engagement really well. Maybe you want a Cobra replica? Maybe you want a FRS/BRZ with F/I, or a NC with a 2.5L, or a hopped up E46? Maybe you just need a loud exhaust? I don't know the answer, but get something you really like. :)

I'm the exact same age as you and a year and a bit ago I went with a 6th gen Camaro SS, partly because I'd had a few really rough years before that and wanted somethig kind of special as things turned around. Not a mid-life crisis, but not entirely different either. Putting aside the hideous reliability/warranty issues, it did the sportscar stuff well, but after a while I realized how much the size and the bit of detachment took away from fun. The V8 soundtrack was fun for a bit, but it's impact faded over time.

UPDATE

On Feb 15th I flew down to Sarasota to look at/drive the car. The owner, Scott, is exactly the kind of owner I like to buy from—knowledgeable and straightforward. He gave me the history of the car, which was FAR more interesting than just about any other car I've owned(I might get into that at a later date), and walked me through the mods and his rationale for them. There was a lot of that grassroots motorsports trial and error refinement, all in the name of better performance.

Definitely not a show car or garage queen. This car has seen some stuff. For some reason though, that makes it all that more endearing. The look of the car is brutish and aggressive, but unlike most of the cars I own/build, was the result of pure functional need. 
 

With an LS3 swap and a dyno sheet showing 440whp I expected it to want to kill me, but honestly it's not that unreasonable to drive. Scott is about my height so the wide Sparco fixed back seats and steering wheel placement was perfect. The shifter (upgraded of course) is delightfully notchy and the clutch pedal, while stiff, has a great feel as well. The car rides stiff, but not crashy. Power is everywhere. With the "street wheels" (18x10.5 and 19x13 iForged Aero) you can drop a gear, mat the skinny pedal, and the car just hooks up and the world goes all wavy like an impressionist painting. 
 

Needless to say I fell in love. We made a deal and I left his house to drive straight back to the airport. What a weird feeling.

Today at 12:30 or so I leave town with a buddy (and his truck/race trailer) to meet halfway to pick this beast up. I'm beyond excited. More details later.

Congrats, looks fun :D

Very cool!  Sarasota is one town south of me.  I've seen that car listed on the marketplace and it gave me some tingles as well.  looks gnarley!

Nice!

I'm looking forward to my up-and-coming fly-and-drive in 2 weeks. 

There are two sets of wheels on the car.  Do you get both?