GTA88

Forgive me, moderators, please, for posting in Tech, but no one would see my post if I posted it somewhere else

My 88 TransAm GTA has been hit in the front left, and needs a new front cover (the nose piece) a new fender, and possibly a new left headlamp assy. The estimate from a body shop, for all new genuine GM parts, was $1,500. The body guy said my insurance would be more lenient on me in not totalling it, if I want to keep it, since the other guy is at fault, not me.

I have 143,000 miles on it. The paint was new, I think, when I bought it 3 years ago, and the paint still looks new.

The wing is getting cracked here and there.

The only pre-existing dent is a very small one on the driver's door. I have the gold wheels too, which I think are $100 apiece.

I have Allstate insurance, whom I may have to resort to if the other guy drags this out too much longer. The body shop guy said Allstate has become the WORST insurance company for consumers now.

Would you pay $1,500 for a charcoal grey GTA with 143K, new paint, and only a very small dent in the door? No mods, just stock, engine very clean. Radio works.

Thanks

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88 GTA Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

ColinOpseth

only if it was TPI..

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Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

Bort62

I would say Your car, Prior the incident, would be worth approximately 2500-3000 In the Condition You describe.

But Then again, It really all depends on where you are and how hard you try to sell it.


If You can, Total It and Keep the car, Thats what My insurance let Me Do.

That way You can Part it out, and find a new One w/o signifigant body damage for the Money you get.

Or You can take the Money they Give You, and Repair it.


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60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver 14.82 @ 91.1 (faster than Ed)
Reader's ride -> My Ride

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

[This message has been edited by Bort62 (edited July 16, 2001).]

camaroguy99

It would easily go for that down here in socal. MY '88 camaro was 3000 w/305 TBI. and that was one of the lower cars in the auto trader.

GTA88

>> Originally posted by ColinOpseth:
only if it was TPI..


Yes, it is TPI.




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88 GTA Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

ColinOpseth

well, considering then that a TPI setup is worth 500, 1500 for a compelte car isn't that bad..

i wouldn't let them total it, though, because then everytime you try to sell it you HAVE TO SAY UPFRONT that the car is a write-off, it will cut the price you can get for the car later by 30% atleast!

just get the car fixed right, if oyu have to front some cash over and above so be it, atleast you'll have a sweet paint job and a straight body, right?

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Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

Brian K

1500 for a GTA with a small dent, heck I would pay that especially if it was TPI... GTA are rare and they rock...

West Coast GTA Man

Keep the car man! You will be sorry if you get rid of it. From what you say, it doesn't seem too bad with damage. Try finding parts at salvage yards, you pull it places etc. Fix it yourself, and pocket some money.
Later
Mike


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(Gran Turismo Americano) "The Ultimate Firebird"
Smokin 1989 GTA- Bone stock except for exhaust. (no catalytic-stainless pipe into Flowmaster 2 chamber).

Guest

Sounds like minor damage to me, get the car fixed up and keep it.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

Hmm. Sounds familiar.


I paid $950 for my GTA with 130k miles and the damage you see. It needs a repaint and the interior is thrashed real bad. If you like your GTA, pay the $1500 to have it fixed.



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The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

GTA88

The ins will pay for the $1500. I just wanted to be sure it wasn't totalled.

That battleship grey is an interesting effect ! Nice clean garage too !

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88 GTA Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

Ozzy88GTA

I would say let them total the car, then the insurance company might let you buy it back for a small amount and if you have money left use it to fix it. These cars are getting hard to find and it doesn't matter if it has been hit. Mine was totaled too from a hit on the front right corner and it is back on the road.
Look at a lot of the older cars, they are being restored from the ground up and some are just strip down piles of junk when they start. Many of them are selling now for a few 10Ks. You might have to get a "Rebuilt" title, and it has to be inspected by the state when you want to put it back on the road. It also has to have all emissions control stuff in it. All this may not apply to your state but might be worth looking into.
If you like the car, keep it.
BTW, what is it with people wanting to hit our cars on the front right corner.

GTA88

Probably depends on the book the estimator uses for these things. But Kelly Blue Book online lists my trade in value at $2,050. Pretty close to the $1,500 bodywork estimate.

The cleaned up, pretty dealer retail is $4,600 and the private party price is $3,165. I sicked the cops on the guy who hit me, and gee, what a coincidence, the next day (today) I get a call at 7:45 a.m. from his insurance company. The adjuster is supposed to be calling me soon. He asked me if the car was driveable, and I said 'barely' since the mechanic who had it (same guy who hit it !) never fixed it totally. I hope the engine condition doesn't affect what the adjuster says about whether the car is 'totalled'. I am getting plenty paranoid about this whole goddarned thing. My mistake was taking to this a**h*le mech, who used to be really good and cheap, but who apparently has gone bad.




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88 GTA Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

Book value is considered to be the apraised retail value, not the wholesale (i.e. trade-in) value. That being considered, there's no way your car will be totaled.

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The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

TomP

I could get a $100 junkyard headlight, $100 bumper, and $75 fender, have the corner painted for a couple hundred, and be on my way with a sharp looking car. I'd say have it fixed. I've done much worse to my car (totalled in the 100% sense of the word), and it's back on the road, looking damn good for 217,000 miles!

Besides, if you were hit, you shouldn't really have to deal with your insurance company. The other guy's insurance company should be kissing your butt!

And for future info, -always- go to the cops... if the other guy wanted to, he could've said "oh thanks for not involving the police", then went to the police station, and filed a report saying that YOU were the one who hit HIM! Then you'd really be up hell's creek... with a damaged car and a lawsuit against you. If you can't get the cops to the scene, file a police report with the town ASAFP! It might seem asinine but the police will believe the first report the most; anything else with a conflicting story will seem suspicious.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

R.C. Righter

I doubt it's totalled. December of 99 I wrecked my 86 T/A. Front left corner was hit HARD!! Hood, fender, nose, headlight, core support, etc. The insurance company paid a total of $2700+ for the repairs and had me in a rental car for roughly 60 days. I seriously doubt it's totalled.

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R.C. Righter
86 Trans Am