BuddhaFRC

If your pride still with the car and don't want to let it go just buy it back and swap everything into another c5 work done.. I know how hard it is to let go of something you put blood/sweet into. You can't let it hold you back.

JCox23

Yeah pretty much. Lol

JCox23

True. I guess well see what the insurance says next week. I do need the tranny rebuilt soon due to the extra power, but I'll have to do that on whatever I get next so that's not really a deciding factor.

kris6868

Yeah if i was you id hope they total it, just to get in a new one. An build one all over again. Espically if you have everything already. Hell if you could swing it get into a C6 ZO6. That be my first choice

JCox23

Believe me, if I could I would! I even know the exact one I'd buy but that's about double my budget. Just have to see what happens I guess

Aerovette

Having only been in this situation once, I'm no expert but this happened to me. I totalled my 95 (not my fault) and it was an unbelievable clean (undercarriage scrubbed with a brush and bucket type of clean) and I was paid $20k if I recall. I only paid $18 for it at the time so I was financially good, but I loved the car and it was very clean. I asked about buying it back and it would have been $16k leaving $4k to fix it. I could never be sure it would ever be right after it was fixed and more importantly, I lost my job about 3 weeks before the accident and needed the money. Worth mentioning is that they would not let me take a single screw or ANYTHING off the car, so unless you buy it back, all those mods are probably going bye-bye with the rest of the car.

JCox23

Well I certai ly hope that's not the case with me but if it does total out, I will buy it back regardless because I believe I can part it out and get my money back regardless.

vernonredneck

Swap out as much as posible before the insurance sees it they will not want to pay you for the mods or will only pay pennys on the dollar

Aerovette

My insurance company has the right to refuse coverage if an accident is not reported withing 2 working days. the exception being an accident that is not my fault and the other insurance company puts up an argument. If I did it, the clock starts.

Zr-1Mike00

Sorry to hear the bad news. Glad you are okay. This has to be a horrible situation when you have put so much time, money and effort into getting the car the way you want. I hope the path you choose goes well, there are a lot of options for you.

fendermender

Without seeing it I can't offer an opinion on fixing it. Couple things I did learn with mine. The frames are not easily straightened. Your guy needs to have adapters to mount the car on a standard type frame rack. I made my own. Anything with severe buckling will require sectioning.

On the other hand you got an estimate with all new GM parts. There is a huge difference between new and used stuff for these. For the price of a hood, bumper and couple headlights, you can pretty near buy a whole front clip with frame section used.

Vetteman Jack

And best of luck to you in whatever you do.

JCox23

Thank you all for your help. I forgot about buying Used GM parts I was just worried about getting aftermarket and then the fitment being ******. Especially on the front bumper. As far as exterior body panels, the only ones that will have to be replaced are the front bumper and then the right rocker because it's cracked. Everything else will be refinished. The estimate does include aftermarket radiator, condenser, left and right park lights, and a few other little odds and ends on the front suspension.

BWF07

Well you already have a quote on the repair cost. I would contact your insurance company and find out what they say. If it is a total, see what they will charge you to buy it back. Once you have all the information, then you can make a decision.

Dixiecrat

Did not mean it as criticism just making a statement, sorry you took it that way and good luck with your new build .

herZ06

Last September, my husband wrecked my (our-but I call it mine!) vette... The estimate was a little over 15k and the insurance company totalled it. It was a 2001 Z06, built motor, supercharged, etc. We ended up getting 18k from the insurance, got another car, bought the wrecked one back, and we are in the process of parting out the wrecked one and building the 2003 we bought to be even better than the 2001 we had. It's worked out for us better, it's just taking a little longer to get it all back together than I wanted to.

Good luck with your car, sorry to hear. I hope it all works out for you like it did for us!

ThumperNC24

I would push for a total and a buy back, swap the parts. You start with a clean car, no accident record and no possibility of squeaks, rattles, etc from the repairs.

I know a lot of cars with serious damage like that are never right again after the repair. Some are - others aren't.

JCox23

Well My insurance lady called me yesterday and it sounds like they're going to fix it. And the estimate got up to about $15.6 after I decided to go ahead and replace the exhaust. Just scratched it but now I can get new and sell old to help pay deductable.
I am very confident in my friend doing the work and he knows how meticulous I am about my cars so there's no doubt in my mind it will come out better than before the wreck. He does show car quality work. I can finally get rid of all those rock chips on the front bumper and rockers and hood! Almost the whole car will get fresh paint.
The more I thought about it the more I thought I would be screwed if it totaled out and have to buy it back. I think it would just be a major pain in the *** and I would end up getting stuck with a lot of body parts I couldn't sell or something. This way I can still keep all the work I've been doing to it and have it show quality just like ie been wanting.

fendermender

I think you are absolutely correct. Most of these buybacks I hear of end badly. Parting a car is a lot of work and a lot of stuff just doesn't sell. Fixing a total only makes sense if you can do it (or at least most of it) yourself. If it were worthwhile to pay someone, the insurance would have done it.


Glad to hear it is working out to your satisfaction and another C5 is saved from the salvage yard.

waddisme

Did you have car towed back to your house? Seems like that would be the safe place to keep it until all is settled. Keeps peoples hands off your stuff, plus you can start scavenging parts if needed.