Thats Totalled?

Got a fun call while sitting in class yesterday. The Focus that was once called repairable by two different estimators is now a total loss. I knew it had some damage to the floor, but apparently on the third estimate they determined it could not be straightened and replacement of the floor pan would exceed the value of the vehicle. So after waiting all month for my car to get fixed, and going back to school three hours away from said shop I have no car!

So now the search is on for a new car. I prefer rwd, manual transmission but there are a few front drivers that are still tempting me. My price range is 6-9k Here is my list as it sits now.

LS1 F-Body RSX (base tends to have way fewer miles) Celica GT-S Mustang GT (99-04)

I checked insurance premiums and the rsx and celica will push me up $100 more compared to the muscle machines.

$100 a year or a month?

What about an FD?

There's no FD's for under $10K that aren't parts cars.

Look into 04 GTO's. 350HP/390TQ LS1, nicer package than the F-Bodies, and they are newer/lower mileage, plus cheap insurance. Nice ones for $8K all day long up here.

See what the buy back is on the car, I am certain you can resell it and recoup some of your losses.

Attach a chain to the tie down hook on the side that has the floor buckle, attach other end to a tree, go!

What caused that damage?

93celicaGT2 wrote: $100 a year or a month?

6 Month, so an extra $200 a year over the imports. The focus was cheapest to insure.

P71 wrote: There's no FD's for under $10K that aren't parts cars. Look into 04 GTO's. 350HP/390TQ LS1, nicer package than the F-Bodies, and they are newer/lower mileage, plus cheap insurance. Nice ones for $8K all day long up here.

I'd LOVE one. Can't find one any where less than 12-13k on the east cost. At least I can't!

TJ wrote: What caused that damage?

Stopped focus + 2007 Tahoe doing about 40mph. He barely had a scratch.

Nitroracer wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote: $100 a year or a month?

6 Month, so an extra $200 a year over the imports. The focus was cheapest to insure.

So the imports cost $200 more a year than the muscle cars? I'm starting to get a little confused.

If the imports are more....just keep in mind that you'll probably save that much in gas.

If you really want a GTO like P71 suggested airfares can be had cheaply and I'm sure there's plenty of GRM people who would give an example a good going over. I went 4 hours to get my BMW and 6 to get the Wife's Volvo, bought 'em both just off pictures on the web, but with the protection of a CPO warranty.

Fly out here and drive back. I'll pick you up at the airport.

Black 04 M6 for $10K

P71 wrote: Fly out here and drive back. I'll pick you up at the airport. Black 04 M6 for $10K

I was about to call BS on that, I was thinking BMW.

I didn't realize GTOs were that cheap already though.

In reply to P71:

uggghhh . . .that reminds me of my former GTO . . .

Nitro . . . buy it

If I could find the right goat I would go get it, but $10 is still more than I can go.

Going to look at this on saturday, 55k miles garage kept.

I just went through this with the Trooper. It was nowhere near mechanically totaled (I drove it away from the crash scene and back and forth to my dad's several times recently) but the state of SC says if the cost of repairs is over 75% of the value of the car, it's totaled. I browbeat the insurance company out of the value of the vehicle plus some for my aggravation and kept the truck. The title is now stamped 'SALVAGE' but what does that hurt? It runs great and is paid for; I have repaired it, threw on a couple of boneyard upgrades I had been considering anyway and am now driving it every day again. Plus I made a few bucks off the deal.

What can you buy that back for? If it is enough to pay it off and pocket some cash, I would just keep it.

Buyback + another non-SVT focus to swap the SVT bits over?

Tyler H wrote: What can you buy that back for? If it is enough to pay it off and pocket some cash, I would just keep it.

Yeah, as long as the frame is straight "totaled" is just an financial idea. Keep the car, make money off the fact that they totaled it, and do what ever you want knowing you never have to worry about re-sale value again.

MCarp22 wrote: Buyback + another non-SVT focus to swap the SVT bits over?

i like this idea.

A focus hatch is like what 2 grand for a nice one now a days....

sounds like a deal. depends on what the buy back price is though

I'll look into the buy-back value when Travelers insurance has someone on the phone I can understand.

I don't tend to hold onto cars more than a year or two so Im leaning towards taking the money and running, since the re-sale value will plummet.

I could swap the svt parts onto another foci, but I don't have the time or space to work on that right now. Im off at college and the car would be parked in the backyard at home.

See what the buyback price is from the insurance before you completely walk away. Someone here may buy it from you.

MrJoshua wrote: See what the buyback price is from the insurance before you completely walk away. Someone here may buy it from you.

yeah, plus about a bazillionty-five on that. i heart SVT focus, especially one with a salvage history.

i'm looking for a replacement for my '96 probe GT, which will hit 220k miles this week and is starting to suffer frequent breakages and or stuff just being worn the berkeley out. i want to keep it and turbocharge it and do the mods required to put a MS3 LSD in it, but my current life situation probably dictates just selling it off and buying something else. SVT focus is on my very short list, although I'd prefer the 5-door.

AngryCorvair wrote:

MrJoshua wrote: See what the buyback price is from the insurance before you completely walk away. Someone here may buy it from you.

yeah, plus about a bazillionty-five on that. i heart SVT focus, especially one with a salvage history. i'm looking for a replacement for my '96 probe GT, which will hit 220k miles this week and is starting to suffer frequent breakages and or stuff just being worn the berkeley out. i want to keep it and turbocharge it and do the mods required to put a MS3 LSD in it, but my current life situation probably dictates just selling it off and buying something else. SVT focus is on my very short list, although I'd prefer the 5-door.

I can please has your Probe?

Jensenman wrote: The title is now stamped 'SALVAGE' but what does that hurt?

the only problem with a salvage title is (assuming you didn't know when you bought it) there is almost zero trade in value

after my "big" wreck in 98 I bought a '93 Accord Coupe (great car) but it had been totaled six mo. after it was originally bought... nc titles don't (or didn't in '99) indicate that a car is a salvage... when I went to buy my Integra they offered $1k on a car I had paid $6k for a yr earlier... sold it privately for quite a bit more than their offer

My 2.5rs race car is a salvaged car. Alignment was fine, but you can see the bends in the trunk floor pan. Best $750 I ever spent. An afternoon with a hammer and you can barely tell there was ever a problem.