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Hi, I am hoping for some advice/suggestions/comments... So this is my Firebird. It's a V6 and has 180,000 miles (speedo and odometer stopped working a couple months ago) but as you can see not a single door ding, just a chip out of front ground effects (that FlexSeal tape works great on a white car lol). Here's the back. Exhaust tips are rotted off and I want to get some that just look nice. I don't want to mess with the exhaust too much because it sounds badass the way it is, sounds like a V8. Here's the front. It needs painting, hood is misaligned, and headlights are a nightmare despite doing TopDown's kit. I just need to do it again now that I know how (sure wish I did that mark the exact spot with a Sharpie step the first time!) Here's my really clean interior! PO took seats out and had professionally reupholstered. I had custom floormats with Firebird made. Driver window only works by pushing down then pulling it back up, car wash is a shower too. I have a new in the box motor but its the regulator i need. Pioneer CD stereo with an Alpine power booster bolted to the rear quarter panel inside the locking compartment, subwoofer in trunk. Dash pad and headliner are perfect. I sanded and painted visors and they look good! No a/c, seized compressor that must be fixed. I live in the desert where it reaches 125 degrees in the summer. Last pic. Someone hit me three weeks ago and insurance co. deemed this car a total loss So guys, what do i do? I had Hagerty insurance with full coverage and $0 deductible collision and comp. with an agreed value of $3500 so I get that less $653 salvage value. So I have an even more worthless car than I did that needs $6000 in work ($4800 damage appraisal). Mistake to keep it? Do I just suck it up and pay for the repairs? I looked at others for sale and they are going high right now!
I don't know how post write off ownership works in your area, but for me, it just means a safety check yearly. Pop the hood and inspect for structural damage as a start. The hood gap looks good on the passenger side so it doesn't look like anything shifted. If that's all well, then you're only short a white fender, GFX, and nose, which are going to be nothing to track down and install. Turn signal lense style isn't specific to 91-92 if I'm not mistaken, so that'll be an easy find too. Your car should take minimal effort to be pretty again!
If the title part of it becomes too much of a headache, then you have at minimum, an excellent parts car.
If you enjoy the car, I'd just fix it and keep it. But I definitely wouldn't pay someone $4,800 to fix it, as the car will likely never be worth more than $4,500 or so even in tip-top condition to the right buyer. You should be able to source a decent used fender and front bumper for well under $1,000, even if you have to pay shipping. As long as there's no damage to the front suspension or subframe, I'd just get it fixed cheap/half-assed and drive it. Definitely helps that it's White, a cheap paintjob will be hard to notice unless it's inside.
Ask for less ? That's what I did...as long as it was less than 30? percent of the value of the vehicle... etc.. .or something. where the pay out was below the totaling amount.
You'll lose money fixing it but youll keep the car and wont have a salvage title...but youll need to get the parts yourself or pay a shop etc...
Id fix that myself and leave the ins out of it. Definitely not worth totaling, mostly cosmetic damage. I doubt the brace under the top of the fender has much (if any) damage.
I'd keep it. Buy the parts yourself and see if you can find a painter that does some moonlighting to fix you up. You'd still be money ahead. That's a super easy fix.
That car is clean as hell.... that would be such a shame to total it for such a tiny bump....
I've never done this, but I wonder if you could go to a local college or technical school with an autobody shop and ask whoevers in charge if the kids can fix it for just material cost?
You're taking a chance with inexperienced hands... but if spending big money isn't an option, it could be worth a shot?
No way I would scrap that car for that damage, as ThePain mentioned if money is tight I once had a technical school repair/paint a rear bumper on the wife's old Civic we used to own. All it cost was material and a kid got to learn a trade. The only downside was it took a few weeks for them to do it and the job wasn't perfect but its better than before, white is also a forgiving color for a beginner.IIRC.
I have also used the Car-Part.com once for a painted bumper on another car, it had to travel across the state and cost me a fee for it to move from yard to yard but it was still cheaper than having a pro paint a aftermarket bumper. If its within driving distance of you that is a great option to save some $
Thank you everyone for the replies. I found a guy that will fix and paint the front half of the car for $1K if I bring him the body pieces BUT I do actually fear there is structural damage. After driving it a few times since the accident I see the steering wheel is not straight when I'm going straight and when i hit bumps it feels like i hit ice, car is hard to control, scared to even go the speed limit on freeway. Will taking it for an alignment reveal or correct frame, suspension, steering issues? Also, do I need new fasteners to attach the fender/bumper or can i reuse the old ones? Can I get away with just replacing the fender and GFX or will the bumper not attach properly the way it is?? I will take some better close up pics of the dent and gaps between parts and post later. Thanks again for all the help guys!!
Thank you everyone for the replies. I found a guy that will fix and paint the front half of the car for $1K if I bring him the body pieces BUT I do actually fear there is structural damage. After driving it a few times since the accident I see the steering wheel is not straight when I'm going straight and when i hit bumps it feels like i hit ice, car is hard to control, scared to even go the speed limit on freeway. Will taking it for an alignment reveal or correct frame, suspension, steering issues? Also, do I need new fasteners to attach the fender/bumper or can i reuse the old ones? Can I get away with just replacing the fender and GFX or will the bumper not attach properly the way it is?? I will take some better close up pics of the dent and gaps between parts and post later. Thanks again for all the help guys!!
Sounds like you just need an alignment...could be the wheel got whacked out of spec.
I doubt a hit like that would cause frame damage or anything that cant be compensated for through an alignment.
Check all your body lines to see if something on the other side is amiss or crooked...the headlight on the driver side doesn't even look like it moved at all.
"I found a guy that will fix and paint the front half of the car for $1K if I bring him the body pieces"
So you find a fender and he'll sand the bumper and paint everything?
Not bad. can't tell if the bumper is repairable or not though. Looks ok so im assuming it just needs paint work.
05-27-2021, 12:13 AM
So guys, what do i do? I had Hagerty insurance with full coverage and $0 deductible collision and comp. with an agreed value of $3500 so I get that less $653 salvage value. So I have an even more worthless car than I did that needs $6000 in work ($4800 damage appraisal). Mistake to keep it? Do I just suck it up and pay for the repairs? I looked at others for sale and they are going high right now!
