The Vette Net

The Vette Net (TheVetteNet.com) is an online Corvette brokerage with its home office in Sarasota, Florida. According to the company, Catalin "Ken" Mihai started the business in 1998 as an internet broker connecting Corvette buyers with sellers, and the site's tagline still reads "Connecting Corvette Buyers With Sellers Worldwide Since 1998." Web archive records show TheVetteNet.com online by late 1999. Mihai is listed as founder, President and CEO, and the company works with associate brokers in other parts of the country.

A broker, not a dealer lot

The Vette Net does not keep an inventory of its own. Its published policy states that the company and its broker associates "do not own or consign the vehicles listed." Instead, private owners list their Corvettes with The Vette Net, which writes up and markets each car, answers buyer questions and helps the two sides reach a deal. The sale itself happens between the buyer and the seller, with The Vette Net acting as the broker in the middle.

That model has practical consequences. Cars on the site are usually still with their owners, so they can be anywhere in the country. On a recent check of its listings on one large classic car marketplace, cars were located in Michigan, New York, Washington, California, Virginia, New Jersey and Florida. The policy also says the vehicle descriptions come from the sellers, that The Vette Net presents that information "as such," and that cars are sold "as is, where is" with no warranty implied. If a dispute arises, the company says it offers to mediate, and its terms name the courts of Sarasota County, Florida, for anything that cannot be settled.

Who runs it

Besides Mihai, the company's site lists Larry Karlo as its "Classics Specialist Broker," based in the Midwest, and Walter Cote as an associate broker in the Southeast. Many of the client testimonials on the site are addressed to Karlo. The Vette Net also invites other Corvette enthusiasts to apply to join its broker team.

The company says it is Lifetime Business Member #991 of the National Corvette Museum and was one of the first business sponsors of the Corvette Forum. Through its brokers, it says, it belongs to groups such as the National Corvette Restorers Society and the National Council of Corvette Clubs.

What it lists

The Vette Net deals almost entirely in Corvettes, and its listings are organized by generation, from the C1 cars of 1953 to 1962 through the current C8. It also keeps a "Special Corvettes" section for cars with rare or unusual features and a small "Other Classics" section. A recent snapshot of its marketplace listings showed 11 cars: 1955, 1958, 1965 and 1966 Corvettes, three C5s from 1999 to 2003, a 2013 Grand Sport, 2015 and 2017 C7s and one non-Corvette, a 1972 Ford Mustang Grande. Asking prices ran from about $20,000 for C5s to roughly $150,000 for a 1966 convertible, with some cars offered at "best offer." Shoppers can also browse classic Corvettes for sale from other sellers.

If the right car is not listed, The Vette Net says it will help a buyer find one. It notes that it does not trace the history of previously owned Corvettes or search for former owners.

Buying through The Vette Net

Because the broker does not own the cars, buyers carry more of the due diligence. The company's own policy recommends third-party inspections or certifications and says it will help arrange them, along with transport. Its site also points buyers to outside partners:

• Financing through J.J. Best, with an online pre-approval link.
• Insurance through a National Corvette Museum partner program.
• Transport, which it says it can arrange door to door, with an online quote form.
• International buyers, whom the company says it has served since 1998, including help arranging delivery abroad.

Before committing, confirm the VIN and title, ask exactly where the car is, and have an independent inspector look at it in person, since the description comes from the owner. Our guide on what to check before you buy covers the main steps.

Selling a Corvette with The Vette Net

Owners can list a Corvette with the company, and the homepage says listing is free. Sellers fill in a detailed data form covering the VIN plate, trim tag, original drivetrain, frame and birdcage condition, documentation and 1 to 10 ratings for dozens of interior and exterior items. The Vette Net then advises on which photos and videos to take. The company also offers to run a seven-day eBay auction for a seller, who pays only the eBay insertion fee. Its brokerage commission is not published, so ask about it before you sign up.

Reputation

The Vette Net has used the same name and website for more than 25 years. Its site publishes testimonials from buyers and sellers in several U.S. states and in Italy, Argentina, Canada, Australia and Dubai. We did not find a Better Business Bureau profile for the company, and we did not see star ratings on the major review platforms. As with any broker sale, judge the specific car on its own merits and get every promise in writing.

Contacting The Vette Net

The company operates from a home office in Sarasota, Florida, and does not have a public showroom. It can be reached toll free at 866-838-8363, at 941-586-9924 (also used for international calls and WhatsApp) or by email at [email protected].