The Corvette

I am fighting the continuing struggle over whether to keep the Corvette or sell it.  All the rational analysis says that I don't need a car that spends three months of the year under a car cover, because I can't get it in and out of the subdivision in deep snow.  I should sell it, and put the capital to better work.

But there days like today where I take the top off the car to drive home, with the Carpenters CD playing, and I say, "I love this car too much."  There is something about this car that can make the adrenalin pump when I drive it one way--and make the world one giant peace and love festival with the fresh air and sunlight in my hair.

It's not rational.  I'm taking it in tomorrow because there are oil drops on the driveway near the rear differential.  Since I had two of the three seals replaced a couple of months back, this is going to be warranty work if it is the same problem.

I just had the front brakes replaced.  The BPMV unit needs replacing (about $2600), but the temptation on days like this is to repair it.  I rationalize such an expense because if I do sell it, it is far easier to sell the car with the ABS, Traction Control, and Active Handling Systems working.  I doubt that I would get the full repair cost back out if I sold it in a year or so--but I love this car so much!

I suppose if I could get a private sector job again, with a private sector salary, it would be an easier choice to keep this expensive tart of a car.

UPDATE: The gaskets may be covered under warranty--but it was almost 9000 miles ago that I had the rear differential problem fixed, so the labor won't be covered.  That makes it easy to decide.  I'm getting this fixed in the next few days, and then it is gone.  I've put the Corvette up on boise.craigslist.org. 

I'm asking $13,500 for it--which is below the Fair condition Kelly Blue Book private party value for it.  In every respect except the BPMV, it qualifies as Good condition, but that BPMV repair knocks it down a lot.

UPDATE 2: No, even the gaskets won't be covered.  If someone doesn't call me up and show some interest by Saturday morning, I'm going to start hitting car dealers then to see what I can get for it.  One of the local car salesmen I know and respect tells me that Kelly Blue Book trade-in valuation for Fair condition is about what I can actually get from most dealers.  That's fine.  If I spent the money to get the BPMV and the differential leak fixed, I might indeed get $15,000 from a private party--but trade-in Fair is about $12,000, so I could spend most of that difference on the repairs.  Life is too short for dealing with car repairs.