C8 Z06 Prices Are Downtrending (Will They Dip Below MSRP?)

Whether you’re looking for a C8 Z06 or a Stingray, it looks like the monumental markups on used C8 models are exiting the chat.

Corvette fans are no strangers to massive markups over MSRP when it comes to C8 models. That’s especially true for C8 Z06 models. We’ve seen sky-high numbers come courtesy of delays in production, the great chip shortage, supply-chain issues, and the UAW strike. It seems that through all things thick and thin, people with an abundance of money just really want their things right this minute. That’s not news to anyone. What might be, though, is that recent downturns in the sale price of Z06 models might just be signaling the end.

According to Classic.com, the average sale price of a C8 Z06 for the past month as of early March was $150,333. That’s a pretty drastic downturn from just six months where the average sale price of a Z06 in September 2023 was $183,363. Let’s take a look at the factors contributing to the steady decrease in the sales price of the Z06 and check out trends for the standard Stingray models as well.

Will Z06s be under MSRP any time soon?

Classic states that the all-time-high sales price for a Z06 is an eye-watering $282,000. Remarkably, the average sale price was over $200,000 for the majority of 2023. Undoubtedly, the massive sales numbers stemmed from the limited rollout of the Z06. Everyone wants what they can’t have and the restriction of resale voiding the warranty on Z06 models did not stop resellers. Of course, dealerships didn’t shy away from massive markups, either.

Now, though, the Z06 isn’t the hard-to-get commodity it once was. There’s no shortage of them hanging out on dealership lots and classic supply and demand has caught up. As miles continue to rack up on the ones on the road, we’re likely to continue to see the average prices decline. Of course, the market is fairly unpredictable and any number of outside influences could lead to a myriad of outcomes, so take our thoughts with a grain of salt. We’re not likely to see any incredible sub-$100,000 resale prices any time soon, but we do think the Z06 is going to level off around or slightly below MSRP. We’ve got good reason to believe that, too. That reason is called the C8 Corvette Stingray.

C8 Stingray Pricing Trend and the Incoming ZR1 Effect

Upon its initial release in 2020, the C8 Corvette also saw a pretty substantial period of selling over MSRP both at dealerships and on the secondhand market. Classic reports that the highest sale price of a C8 Stingray was $187,000 back in January 2022. However, compared to the C8 Z06, the average sale price of Stingray models has stayed relatively flat. It, too, is seeing a fair downtrend in the past few months with the current reported average at $84,788. If you average the starting MSRP of each trim level of both convertible and couple models for the 2024 model year, you wind up with around $80,000. Considering all options and packages, it’s safe to assume that the average sale price of $84,788 is pretty close to the average MSRP.

On the surface, it seems pretty obvious that the premium for having one right this minute dwindles as Chevrolet continues to produce more and more of them. It’s hard to believe that we’re already four years into the C8 Corvette’s production, but in that time those with go fever and the wallets to back it up have gotten their wishes and those patient enough to wait for a delivery at MSRP likely have them by now, too.

With mass E-ray deliveries on the horizon and the incoming ZR1, we’re likely to see another slight dip in the sales price of standard C8s. On to the latest and greatest, right? However, despite the Z06 taking a performance back seat to the incoming top-of-the-food-chain model, we’re probably not going to see a substantial dip in pricing for them until the availability of Z06s reaches the same level of flooding as Stingrays. If you’re willing to wait a couple of years to save, you might be in for a treat.

Photos: Chevrolet