ProTeam Classic Corvette Sales

ProTeam Classic Corvette Sales is a Corvette-only dealer in Napoleon, Ohio, a small city in the northwest part of the state. According to the company's own website, it was formed in 1987 by brothers Terry and Fred Michaelis, and it describes its inventory as the largest collection of classic Corvettes in the world. That is the company's claim rather than an independently measured fact, though its site does say that nearly 150 cars are on display at any time.

Who runs ProTeam

The business is owner-run. Terry Michaelis is listed as president and handles sales, and the company says he has bought and sold more than 10,000 Corvettes over a career of more than 40 years. His biography on the site lists NCRS and Bloomington Gold involvement and says he was inducted into the Bloomington Gold Great Hall in 2014. Fred Michaelis is identified as a co-owner and, according to a 2012 profile in Corvette Blogger, oversees the restoration and body shop side of the operation. The company's site says the owners have been in the Corvette business for almost 55 years, which places their start in the early 1970s, before the 1987 founding of the dealership itself.

How the business works

ProTeam is a traditional dealer selling cars it owns, not a consignment house or a broker. The company says its stock is kept in climate-controlled indoor showrooms year round, and its FAQ refers to four showrooms in Napoleon. The company says it occupies about 60,000 square feet of showroom and restoration space. Its website does not advertise consignment, so owners hoping to sell through a third-party arrangement should ask directly before assuming it is offered.

What ProTeam sells

The focus is Corvettes from 1953 to 2010, with the bulk of the stock coming from the 1953 to 1982 era. The 2012 Corvette Blogger profile says each car is researched and documented before sale, and the company says a number of its restored examples carry NCRS Top Flight and Bloomington Gold certification, with some described as Triple Crown cars. It also lists project Corvettes for buyers who want to restore a car themselves. Anyone interested in this segment can browse our page of classic Corvettes for sale for a wider look at the market beyond a single dealer.

Buying from ProTeam

Buyers can visit, inspect and test drive in person. The FAQ says staff will put a car on a hoist so the buyer or the buyer's agent can inspect the undercarriage. Buyers who cannot visit can use the Offer to Purchase form on the website, and the company describes a few buying protections:

• Money back guarantee. The company advertises a 48 hour, 24 mile guarantee on cars shipped to the buyer. Project cars and cars rated #4, #5 or #6 are excluded, and its FAQ says the buyer pays shipping in both directions if the car is returned.
• Inspection. The site says vehicles go through a 100-point inspection before sale.
• Financing. ProTeam says it does not finance the cars it sells, but it refers buyers to banks and specialty collector car lenders.
• Shipping. The FAQ says the company rarely ships cars but can arrange enclosed, insured transport, with transit usually taking three days to two weeks after payment.

As with any purchase of this size, read the guarantee terms in full before paying, confirm the car's judging history and documentation, and review our guide to buying a classic car from a dealer before you commit.

Trade-ins, restoration and parts

The company says it accepts Corvette trades, though the FAQ says the trade-in car must be inspected in person at the Napoleon location, and it can help arrange transportation. ProTeam also lists restoration services and a parts department that shares the main phone line. Its site mentions a "Request a Vette" service for buyers looking for a particular car, and a free e-newsletter with Corvette news and events.

Reputation

The Better Business Bureau lists the business with an A+ rating and no complaints closed in the last three years. It is not BBB accredited, and the BBB profile shows no customer reviews. The BBB profile gives a start date of January 1, 1971, which differs from the 1987 date on the company's own site, so the exact start of the business entity is unclear. On Birdeye, the company shows a 4.4 out of 5 rating from more than 50 reviews, and reviewers there often mention the staff's Corvette knowledge and friendly service. Ratings on third-party sites change, so check the current figures before relying on them.

Visiting ProTeam

ProTeam is at 1410 N. Scott Street, Napoleon, Ohio 43545, with a separate mailing address at PO Box 606. The main number is 419-592-5086, and the toll-free line is 888-592-5086. The company's pages list weekday business hours and ask visitors to call in advance, and the hours stated on different pages of its site do not match, so confirm them by phone before making the drive.