ProTeam Corvettes

[Mike Cobine]

I was surfing thorugh the ads in ProTeam's web site tonight and noticed a lot of "appears to be real" notes when they mentioned matching numbers. Did they get in some trouble over saying "original engine"?

I also noticed that several were listed as "blank pad". I don't ever remember any of their cars being anything listed like that before.

And as strange as it seems, their once out of sight prices seem to be really not too bad on several cars I looked at.

[Warren F.]

Re: ProTeam Corvettes

Mike:

I've been getting Pro Teams subscription rag for sometime now, since my visit to their location in 2001. Their ads have been written with that phrase since then.

[Mark #28455]

legal woes

There was a big shakeup about 10 years ago with the mileage issue - dealer buys car, told it's original miles, sells it to someone who later does a title search and discovers it's a higher mileage car and sues the dealer (dealer has the "deep pockets"). Since then, most dealers have been very cautious about promising anything!

It's a sign of how pathetic our system has become. Unless THAT dealer clocked the odometer, they shouldn't be liable. When you buy a 30 or 40 year old car, you are buying the item as you see it, no more no less. Read Pro-team's ads (the small print) they always have some disclaimer that says the auto is described to the best of their ability as to how it is currently equipped - no GUARANTEE that it's an original 435 HP car.

Can't say that I blame them!

Mark

[Mark #28455]

Re: legal woes

By the way, I bought one of my cars from them, they were very helpful, even put the car on a lift so I could check it out. The prices were a little higher, but where else can you check out 200 cars and only take one trip. You pay a little for convenience but save a lot of time.

[Rich G.]

Re: ProTeam Corvettes

I also visited them once. They appear to be good guys. Once again, you must be an educated consumer. My friend is a very knowledgable collector and he has bought at least 2 cars from them. He spent a lot of time researching and examining the cars. I'm sure they are like everyone else. They get some great cars and some not so great cars. It's up to the buyer to separate them.

I thought they might be going into the Lobster business with their recent "Market Price" strategy.

Rich Giannotti

[Mike Cobine]

So is ProTeam Corvettes a recommended dealer now?

The reason I ask is that in years past, there were lots of tales of "used car salesmanship" so to speak, not to mention the glorious TMCS past.

[Rich G.]

Re: So is ProTeam Corvettes a recommended dealer n

Mike

I don't think I'm smart enough or experienced enough to judge a dealer's reputation. My position with them is that if they had something I wanted, and if I thought it was as represented and if the price was reasonable with respect to the current market, I would buy from them. Having said that, I currently own 3 Corvettes and the only one I bought from a dealer is the C5 ZO6. I did look long and hard at all of the dealers before I bought my first 66 a few years ago. I can see that a novice visiting any dealer will probably get "the used car salesman"(Sell the sizzle, not the steak) routine, but my experience watching the deals my friend made with them indicated that they respected his knowledge and stood back while he made his inspection. I suppose it depends alot on the individual salesman, but after all, it is how they make a living.

Unique Corvettes used to be near me before they moved to Florida. The local rap was always "prices too high, I know a guy who knows a guy who bought from them and this and that was wrong etc. etc." Meanwhile, they had some real nice cars. Some, not all, but they were there. I used up some of their salesman's time and never bought from them. They were always helpful. JMHO

Rich Giannotti

[Rick A.]

Re: So is ProTeam Corvettes a recommended dealer n

Mike,

I bought my 1963 Z06 from ProTeam several years ago. Did my "due dillegence" before I even arrived to look at the car. I then spent several hours going over the car, and made an offer. Terry and everyone I dealt with were above board with me. Would highly recommend ProTeam to anyone. But, you must know what you are getting yourself into - they are in the business of selling HIGHLY SOUGHT after automobiles at a profit.

[Mike Cobine]

Thanks, everyone

I've gotten a lot of comments.

Most are of the order that they are like every other used car dealer, buyer beware. Do your homework, take someone who really knows their stuff, and practic reason and you will bring home the Corvette you always wanted. Walk in naive and ... well, you know.

A few said that their experience was good and they would do it again (and several had), with some of them having little experience in Corvettes. As most of us know, the first-time Corvette buyers are the most susceptible to getting a bad deal, regardless of who they buy from.

A few also wrote to say that they had not forgotten some of the less than favorable dealings with the TMCS legacy.

With that in mind, it is off to check their supply of cars.

Thanks again.

[Clare Carpenter]

TMCS ?? What's that ? *NM*

[Mike Cobine]

Re: TMCS ?? What's that ?

Terry Michaelis Corvette Supply. This was Terry's second venture into Corvettes in the '70s. (His first was supposed to be selling used Corvettes.) To his credit, he really helped Corvette owners in ways most could only hope for. Before him, there were few reproduction parts places. You want carpet, J. C. Whitney sells it, and that was what it was - carpet.

But with incredible growth came incredible problems and many vendors and customers are still around who use TMCS as a replacement for #$&%%@#. Supposedly, he made more money, and lost it, more times than most Corvette vendors have ever made even once. Of course, a lot is folklore to an extent and the stories are often more colorful that the truth.

[John U.]

Re: TMCS ?? What's that ?

Those were high times in the Vette world. The '78 pace car hype was still fresh. Anyone with a relative at GM was looking to score one if that relative was eligable for a Vette that year. A co-worker's wife was able to put in for one so he ordered up a '78 Silver Anniverary.

American iron ruled and Corvette was on the top! I joined NCRS around that time, I was around 22 yrs old and driving a '70 roadster. The movie Corvette Summer was releasing at TMCS's first open house at his new headquarters. I drove down with two other Vette heads from Michigan.
He published a nice catalog to wish with. Other vendors I remember dealing with were Last Detail and Wilcox Chev. Ecklers too.

Thanks for renewing the memories

Later,
JU

[Joe R.]

Re: TMCS Leading the Pack

NCRS Members,

Since I have been a member of NCRS a long time and remember Terry M. very well, I would like to put in my two cents.

All the time I dealt with TMCS I had nothing but great service, great prices and great products. Terry M. is one of the reasons that the reproduction business has grown and so has the supply of great parts for your Corvettes. He alone forked out the money to find dies and purchase dies for the infant reproduction business. I believe the Corvette Hobby owes a debt to Terry M. and people like him (Al Knock to mention one).

Since Terry M. has been selling Corvettes, I have sent him many customers and they always have said they got what they paid for. I have called and asked for the description on cars before and was given honest apprasials every time. I have also been told that the car in question was not the car the customer was looking for.

Yes, prices for great Corvettes at Terry's place are high but I have never heard anyone complaining about the price Terry paid for a Corvette. He pays high dollar at auctions and private sales as well.

Terry and his associates will tell you that you should buy the best Corvette you can afford. Good advise! Those are the cars that will appreciate to a higher level than all the rest.

Nuff said,

JR

[Mike Cobine]

Re: TMCS Leading the Pack

Yes, Terry Michaelis made a big change in how Corvettes were driven, enjoyed, and maintained. I remember many pulling out fresh carpet they had from places like J. C. Whitney and buying new from TMCS. Seat covers were actually like the originals, rather than "fits 63-'67".

And the hype, all the showmanship, it was all part of TMCS. Much of it benefitted us as much as him. While you hear tales of gloom from many who had financial headaches, I'm not sure that there weren't about as many with the crash of Bloomington and other problems that have happened. Still, they pack Bloomington.

An aquaintance who was an attorney in LA explained costs once. He had a staff of 10 people. He had to rent an expensive office, because an inexpensive one implied to clients he wasn't any good. He was the only source of income, and had to support 10 salaries plus rent plus costs plus his own salary after all else was paid. So you think his rates were high? In terms of supporting an entire company, they were just making it.

The same is true no doubt of ProTeam. They pay a lot for cars. They have to travel to get those cars. They have to pay to get them back. They have to pay to get them ready for sale. They have to pay their rent and the salaries of every employee.

And they can't do that if each car is only a $1000 profit.

No one here would walk into their local dealer of any brand and think the guy is going to give them this super deal with no profit without them asking or doing their homework. Yet, they seem to think Corvette dealers should.

Simply put, buying a car is not like buying a hamburger at McDonald's. It is a long-standing game where the dealer is out to sell it as high as possible and make as much money as possible and the buyer is out to buy it as cheaply as possible. Somewhere in the middle, you meet. Anyone expecting otherwise watches too many Saturn commercials.

[Rob A.]

Re: So is ProTeam Corvettes a recommended dealer n

I recently expressed interest in one of their cars, then suddenly the next time I looked at the car(1 week later) on their website the price had been reaised $10K. I have a friend who had a similar experience with a car he was interested in.