[rhit_rs]

Two weeks ago I was in an accident with my 92 RS. The insurance company valued the car at $6100 (new paint, 1 yr old engine, lots of maintenance, etc). The estimate from the first body shop in Indianapolis was $5700, but the insurance company didn't want to pay to have it fixed for fear of finding additional damage. Now I have the car plus a check for $5500 (value of car minus deductable and scrap value plus cost of tax on buying a new vehicle) and the car. It is wrecked on the front left side. It needs a new front end, drivers side fender, hood, and part of a front left frame rail.

I took the car back home to the shop that just painted it because I trust them to do good work. Their labor rate is a little higher. They quoted around $4000 for labor and paint assuming I find a suitable donor car for all of the parts. I've found a couple options on parts cars - a 91 RS body here in Indianapolis that look good in the pictures for $500 and a complete 92 Z28 (77,000 miles, 305 w/ T-5) wrecked on the passenger side for $1200.

One option is to buy a parts car and pay the shop to fix it. Another is to sell the car - apparently there's been some interest at the body shop. I'm also considering parting the car out. I could sell quite a few engine parts, brand new (1 month) front koni yellows, 3 year old koni yellow rears, LS1 style front brakes, PBR rear brakes, brand new front steering parts (I don't think they were damaged), 18x8.5 chrome iroc style rims, addco sway bars, plus some interior and 5 speed parts.

I'm pretty much on the fence. I'd like to keep the car - it's been my baby for 3+ years and I've put a bunch of time and money into it already. I'm also having second thoughts about keeping it long term and this would be a decent opportunity to move on to something different (I've had my eye on bmw 318ti's) or more reliable. I won't really have a good place or time to work on a car over the next couple of years while I tackle grad school.

What are you guys' suggestions? If I get rid of the car will I regret it forever? (can anyone speak from experience on this one?)

Thanks!

Josh

[rhit_rs]

So it's decided...I'm selling the car in one piece. The buyer offered $2300 for it and I accepted. He and his 14 yr old son are going to fix it and the kid will presumably get it when he turns 16. I'm picking up a front clip sans the nose cover for the guy tomorrow and meeting him at the car on Saturday. I have no doubts that the car is fixable and if I had the time and a place to work I would think hard about doing it myself.

The car does not have a salvage title or anything like that. Thankfully the insurance didn't officially total the car since the estimate was less than what they valued the car at.

I'm finally coming to terms will selling the car. It's been fun, but I'm looking forward to driving something different. It helps that I think it's going to a good home. I think I've almost overloaded the owner with the information I've given him over the phone of what all I've done to the car, but I've kept good records and he shouldn't have any problem finding any parts he might need.

Thanks for the suggestion TB. I don't think I'm in the market for another f-body (I think mine looked better than any newer ones).

I'm leaning towards a late e36 or early e46 bmw. I'm addicted to RWD manuals now and rumor has it their suspension and steering are pretty good. Do you guys have any other suggestions on what cars I should look at? I'd like a G8, but that's a few years down the road. I might make a separate "what car should I buy?" topic now that this one has come to an end.

Thanks again to everyone for their input. It's been tough to come to terms with but life goes on. I'll have to go back through some auto-x results archives and save them so that I can tell my kids one day that I beat a such and such in an old camaro. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)