[VIDEO] Broker Dials Dealers to Negotiate a Corvette ZR1 Without Markups

Oct 24, 2026

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[VIDEO] Broker Dials Dealers to Negotiate a Corvette ZR1 Without Markups

If you’re lucky enough to find a new Corvette ZR1 sitting on a dealership lot, don’t assume the price on the window sticker is what you’ll actually pay.

In fact, you might need another $100,000 just to get the keys.

That’s what one car-buying specialist discovered when he contacted 22 Chevrolet dealerships across the country in search of one of the hottest Corvettes on the market.

Robbie, who operates Fetch Auto, a company that locates vehicles and negotiates purchases for clients, documented his nationwide search in a YouTube video.

His mission was simple: Find a new Corvette ZR1, preferably a 3LZ model in red or yellow, without paying an outrageous ADM or additional dealer markup.

Simple, that is, until he started making phone calls.

At one Florida dealership, Robbie found a yellow ZR1 advertised online for $244,975, including fees.

But when he spoke with a Corvette specialist, he learned there was a catch.

The dealership wanted another $30,000 above the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

When Robbie questioned why the additional charge wasn’t reflected in the online listing, the salesman blamed the dealership’s computer system.

The salesman eventually offered to reduce the markup to $25,000, but insisted that was his absolute bottom line.

Robbie decided to keep looking.

Things didn’t get much better.

Another Florida dealership had a red ZR1 advertised for $242,734, but a salesman informed him that the actual selling price included a $50,000 premium.

When Robbie questioned why the markup wasn’t disclosed online, the conversation became somewhat heated.

“Market adjustment price does not have to be on the website,” the salesman insisted.

Robbie disagreed, questioning whether the dealership’s advertised pricing practices complied with federal consumer protection requirements.

Then came an even bigger surprise.

At a Texas dealership, Robbie inquired about a Corvette ZR1X, the hybrid all-wheel-drive version of Chevrolet’s ultimate performance machine.

The car had already been sold, but the dealership offered to locate another one.

The asking price?

A staggering $100,000 over sticker.

“Lord have mercy,” Robbie responded.

Another dealership quoted him $338,050 for an incoming ZR1, also representing a $100,000 markup.

By then, the $25,000 premium offered by the first Florida dealership was beginning to look like a bargain.

But Robbie wasn’t ready to give up.

As the calls continued, another problem became apparent.

Many of the Corvettes advertised online were already sold, often to customers who had placed orders months earlier.

Other dealerships had lengthy waiting lists for future allocations.

One salesman told Robbie his dealership had approximately 20 customers waiting for a ZR1, but estimated that only a handful would ever receive one.

An allocation, Robbie explained, essentially gives a dealership the opportunity to order a Corvette from Chevrolet.

Without one, even a customer willing to pay a substantial premium could face a lengthy wait.

Eventually, Robbie began concentrating on finding a dealership willing to accept an order at a reasonable price rather than purchasing a car already in inventory.

That strategy finally paid off.

A salesman named Robin, working at a Chevrolet dealership in North Carolina, offered to place Robbie’s client on a waiting list.

The dealership required a $2,500 deposit, which would be applied toward the purchase price.

More importantly, Robin was willing to discuss selling the car at MSRP.

After Robbie submitted the desired specifications, the salesman confirmed the deal.

The Corvette would be sold at sticker price, plus a $675 administrative fee, taxes and registration.

No $25,000 premium.

No $50,000 market adjustment.

And certainly no $100,000 markup.

Robbie even asked the salesman to put the pricing agreement in writing.

Robin obliged, documenting that the purchase price would be MSRP plus the $675 fee, taxes and tags.

There was just one catch.

The Corvette wasn’t sitting on a showroom floor waiting for its new owner.

Delivery could take approximately a year, possibly extending into the 2028 model-year production cycle.

Fortunately, Robbie said his client wasn’t in a hurry.

By the end of the video, the two sides had reached an agreement on pricing, with Robbie preparing to present the details to his client and arrange the deposit.

Still, after contacting 22 dealerships, Robbie had accomplished something that initially seemed nearly impossible: finding a dealer willing to sell a new ZR1 without a five- or six-figure markup.

His experience offers a valuable lesson for Corvette buyers.

If you absolutely must have the latest high-performance model immediately, be prepared to pay dearly for that privilege.

But if you’re willing to shop nationwide, make plenty of phone calls and wait for your Corvette to be built, you might save enough money to buy another pretty nice Corvette.