It’s going to be a while before you can walk into your local Chevy dealer and drive away in a 2014 Corvette. Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated Corvette model in history, the C7 has been the subject of rumor, innuendo and threatened lawsuits for the better part of the past two years.

Now, you can even bid on a 2014 Corvette on eBay. You’re not actually bidding on the car, which isn’t expected to drop before mid-2013, but rather on a chance to be one of the first buyers. On the plus side, we suppose that means you get to pick your own colors and options.

Exactly what you’re getting for your money isn’t entirely clear from the item’s description. The bid is just for your deposit on the car, of which 10-percent is described as non-refundable. At the current bid of $4,250, backing out of the deal will cost you $425.

We see a few red flags here. First, the seller (who, admittedly, has a 100-percent positive feedback rating) appears to be a private party and not a dealership. Are you bidding on his guaranteed place in line for a 2014 Corvette at a dealership? Does he work for a Chevrolet dealership with a guaranteed allotment of new Corvettes? How many spots in line are ultimately for sale? None of this is clear from the ad.


Rendering of 2014 Corvette from eBay ad

Rendering of 2014 Corvette from eBay ad


Maybe we’re the paranoid type, but the thought of sending money to someone you’ve never met to hold a place in line for a car that hasn’t started production yet seems like a bad idea to us. If you really want to be the first on your block with a 2014 Corvette, we’d say that striking up a conversation with your local Chevy dealer is probably the best place to start.