Worth it?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2017
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From: Indiana
Worth it? 
on my 2001 firebird convertible I slid off of the road and hit a pole. My insurance totaled it and I would like to buy it back. Would it be worth it to buy a donor car to cut the quarter panels and to cut off what I need
That damage is more than skin deep. The trunk pan is certainly buckled. I doubt that even with low mileage a V6 is going to be worth sinking the $$s necessary to fix this. Indiana winters can suck. Are you in the NW near lake effect snows? It hasn't snowed sufficiently here for more than a week to make it slippery to drive.
Definitely took a good shot.. As the other poster stated, that's just the damage you can visually see on rhe surface. Not what lies under. Weather wise, I'm in NW Indiana and it's just been cold. Not much snow at all. Then again I'm still a bit west of the usual snow band area... and not too far from the IL/IN border.
Explain why you want it back, on face value I'm saying no. Even if you can do the work yourself I don't think the money is worth it. Part ways and buy another if you want one. The only reason to go through that kind of effort if there is some sort of attachment to the car that makes you want to hold on to that single car rather than that model car.
TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Winter Haven FL
If it's an ls1 car with a strong drivetrain and good interior I'd try to buy it back for up to 2k. Sell the interior, spindles with brakes, and any trim to rocoup some of the buy back price then yank the drivetrain for another project. If it's a v6 just walk away since the buy back price will be the same or more than what you can get back in parting it out.
If it's an ls1 car with a strong drivetrain and good interior I'd try to buy it back for up to 2k. Sell the interior, spindles with brakes, and any trim to rocoup some of the buy back price then yank the drivetrain for another project. If it's a v6 just walk away since the buy back price will be the same or more than what you can get back in parting it out.
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TECH Junkie
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From: Western North Carolina
Explain why you want it back, on face value I'm saying no. Even if you can do the work yourself I don't think the money is worth it. Part ways and buy another if you want one. The only reason to go through that kind of effort if there is some sort of attachment to the car that makes you want to hold on to that single car rather than that model car.
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Brett Foote Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 22
Likes: 2
From: Indiana
Explain why you want it back, on face value I'm saying no. Even if you can do the work yourself I don't think the money is worth it. Part ways and buy another if you want one. The only reason to go through that kind of effort if there is some sort of attachment to the car that makes you want to hold on to that single car rather than that model car.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 22
Likes: 2
From: Indiana
That damage is more than skin deep. The trunk pan is certainly buckled. I doubt that even with low mileage a V6 is going to be worth sinking the $$s necessary to fix this. Indiana winters can suck. Are you in the NW near lake effect snows? It hasn't snowed sufficiently here for more than a week to make it slippery to drive.
It would definitely NOT be worth it. Time for it to go into the big sheetmetal scrap yard in the sky. Do you what you need to do to get another solid car. That's a 5 grand job EASY, BEFORE you buy the car back. Why would you want to have possibly 6, 7, or 8 grand in a F'd up car that isn't worth anything.
How old are you BTW? That often answers a lot, no offense.
Oh, and what is the insurance company giving you?
How old are you BTW? That often answers a lot, no offense.
Oh, and what is the insurance company giving you?
I even think 5k is on the super low end of cost.....like macco paint job low. plus weather or not the top will still go down. can it be done sure and Im all for sentimental value ive had mine since I was 18. Im hard pressed to say I wouldnt be making the same considerations, but for what you will pay to fix that car you could literally buy 2 running ones. I dont know that my pride could make my wallet fork over that kind of money knowing the end result may not be the same car anymore. That rear quarter is perty mangled, to a point where the suspension could be affected.
V6, V8 who gives a ****. if the car has sentimental value, then sink all you want into it. nothing pi$$es me off more than when people say "it aint worth it". I hate when people tell me how to spend MY money.
if you can afford it, and you plan on hanging on to that car until the day you die, by all means, fix it.
if you can afford it, and you plan on hanging on to that car until the day you die, by all means, fix it.
I think 5K is low too, but I've been surprised several times here at how much cheaper body work is in other parts of the country.
bleepster - it's called an opinon *******, you've got one too, you just voiced it. I can't tell you how many cars I've owned that I was going to hold on to until the day I died. I own exactly zero of them today. Be realistic. Would you rather have spent 10 grand on a car worth 1K because of sentiment or spend 10 grand on a car worth ten grand? You'll regret the first choice 99.9999999999999999999999999% of the time.
Which is why I asked him how old he was. We mature as we grow older and tend to make better decisions. I might consider fixing it too if I was 17.
bleepster - it's called an opinon *******, you've got one too, you just voiced it. I can't tell you how many cars I've owned that I was going to hold on to until the day I died. I own exactly zero of them today. Be realistic. Would you rather have spent 10 grand on a car worth 1K because of sentiment or spend 10 grand on a car worth ten grand? You'll regret the first choice 99.9999999999999999999999999% of the time.
Which is why I asked him how old he was. We mature as we grow older and tend to make better decisions. I might consider fixing it too if I was 17.
AnotherWs6 - why you take my opinion so personal? was just a comment on how I feel personally. doesn't reflect anyone elses opinion. are you sure you aint 17?
not wanting a pi$$ing match - just stating my opinion. no name calling required. sorry if I struck a nerve.
My dad had a 1979 Suburban, trailering package, loaded. Had a 454 big block in it. was given to him by his father in law. started getting some rust and took it to a body shop - they didn't even look at it. said "it aint worth it" thats BS to me. If i had a million dollars to blow, and I am willing to blow it.....ON THEM.... why should they or anyone else care?
just saying
so - re-reading. my "it aint worth it" quote in my first reply wasn't directed at you. sorry it came out that way.
not wanting a pi$$ing match - just stating my opinion. no name calling required. sorry if I struck a nerve.
My dad had a 1979 Suburban, trailering package, loaded. Had a 454 big block in it. was given to him by his father in law. started getting some rust and took it to a body shop - they didn't even look at it. said "it aint worth it" thats BS to me. If i had a million dollars to blow, and I am willing to blow it.....ON THEM.... why should they or anyone else care?
just saying
so - re-reading. my "it aint worth it" quote in my first reply wasn't directed at you. sorry it came out that way.
Last edited by bleepster; Feb 9, 2018 at 10:37 AM.
12 Second Club
Joined: Dec 2015
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We can't make that decision for you, bud. If the car means a lot to you keep it. Honestly, in my opinion I had my Trans Am rear ended with that amount of damage and fixed it. Cost me a pretty penny too because I like and cherish my car and it means a lot to me. Today I probably wouldn't have made the same choice. Am I happy I kept it and fixed it, sure am, but if I got rear ended today I would go a different route. Imagine if I would have invested that money into a running car, I could have had a nice low mileage 6 speed C5... This is just my honest opinion, we cant tell you what to do. Only you can. 
TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 967
Likes: 53
From: Winter Haven FL
Ultimately you're looking at cutting off everything behind the doors and then finding another convertible and doing the same. Then you need to get it lined up perfectly and carefully weld it back together and hope you don't end up with screwed up suspension geometry or a bad seam in the floor.
After all that you'll find that depending on your state it may not be roadable. In my state a salvage title can be put back on the road after an inspection. A certificate of destruction can never be put on the road again. It's up to the insurance company to decide which one the car gets and from what I've seen it's pretty random.
After all that you'll find that depending on your state it may not be roadable. In my state a salvage title can be put back on the road after an inspection. A certificate of destruction can never be put on the road again. It's up to the insurance company to decide which one the car gets and from what I've seen it's pretty random.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Knappa, Oregon
Ultimately you're looking at cutting off everything behind the doors and then finding another convertible and doing the same. Then you need to get it lined up perfectly and carefully weld it back together and hope you don't end up with screwed up suspension geometry or a bad seam in the floor.
This is important because this is a convertible. Without a top, a convertible depends entirely on the strength of the lower body frame.
Be sentimental about your money. Take the insurance pay out and buy another car. You can get another F-body for way less than it will take to fix this car, and I don't think it can even be fixed.
Sometimes you have to bury your beloved dog. That doesn't mean it has to be your last dog.