wrecked now what
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: cary nc
i would love to have the 15,000 my car is insured for. if it got wrecked i would rather it got totalled than have to be repaired. i would never consider buying it back and having a salvage title. even though its a corvette, in the end its just another automobile.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 10
From: NorCal
Take the money...
I've been through this with a '66 GTO 389 tri-power. Had it 5 days in '71 and got rear ended hard. Insurance offered me $600.-, $200.- more than I paid for it.
Silly me, I had it fixed and that POS was never the same. ended up blowing the engine, fixed it, and sold it for $400.-, the kid that bought it rolled it on the freeway and totaled it again. Karma...
TAKE THE MONEY!
Silly me, I had it fixed and that POS was never the same. ended up blowing the engine, fixed it, and sold it for $400.-, the kid that bought it rolled it on the freeway and totaled it again. Karma...
TAKE THE MONEY!
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 468
Likes: 20
From: Warrenton VA
Unless you have the resources and desire to do a resto or resto-mod, I'd take the 14k, use the money that I would have put into the resto and couple it with the claim. I agree, 14+k can get you some really nice cars right now, or at the very least, can get you a fantastic starting point.
You buy the car back for that 4k and you are now stuck with a car that's been wrecked and might end up having more problems from the accident than you're aware of. Can of worms scenario.
Am truly sorry to read about your car, good luck on your decision. You'll have to report back on what path you choose.
You buy the car back for that 4k and you are now stuck with a car that's been wrecked and might end up having more problems from the accident than you're aware of. Can of worms scenario.
Am truly sorry to read about your car, good luck on your decision. You'll have to report back on what path you choose.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 535
Likes: 87
From: SW Ohio
Sorry to hear about your car.
2 weeks ago I bought a 75 for $3,500 garage find not running. I have had 6 Vettes since 1970 .
14 K can buy you a nice C4 or a cheap a C5 depends on what you like. About a year ago sold my sweat C5 for $12K & had spent just spent 6 grand on it that year.
Just my thughts
2 weeks ago I bought a 75 for $3,500 garage find not running. I have had 6 Vettes since 1970 .
14 K can buy you a nice C4 or a cheap a C5 depends on what you like. About a year ago sold my sweat C5 for $12K & had spent just spent 6 grand on it that year.
Just my thughts
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Conundrum !
Totaled my 75 insurance company says it's worth 14000$ I can buy it back for 4000$ What do I do. Everything on the car worked but clock. The front end both fenders are gone bumper gone ,hood is okay but will not open, fan is in radiator,motor runs but sounds really bad. It has no rust any where,put por 54 on frame.New o-ring brakes New master cylinder,newly repadded and recoverd seats, New bumper on back. Headers ,New carb L48 with good paint. Do I take the$ and buy a different vette or fix the one I've spent so much time working on and having fun with . It's a lot harder to make up my mind than I ever thought it would be.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
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Pro
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 508
Likes: 36
From: Ia
I have thought a lot about what I would do if the 77 gets wrecked... Even with how messed up mine is, I would probably be on the 'fix it' side of the fence.
So, What did the specialist say?
Last edited by Madhatr; Aug 23, 2014 at 08:18 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 147
From: S Nevada
It would have to be a very special car for me to buy it back and repair. Id take the full amount and let the insurance company deal with the wreck. You could get a darn near perfect late C3 for 14k.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 6,196
Likes: 58
From: Denton, Texas
Hey, I feel your pain. Any pictures? Last year (October 2013) my '72 was wrecked pretty bad. I contemplated the same thing, but I chose to stick with it. So far I have over $10,000 in repairs and am far from done. Money wise I …shou..could have bought another C3. But I am more than happy to still have my Orange Crush. I never intend to sell the car, and I am glad that I kept it.
I hope you can keep it.
I hope you can keep it.
Last edited by Brandons72vette; Aug 23, 2014 at 10:23 PM.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 741
Likes: 46
From: Hebron IN
The things you listed are general maintenance for any car that age. Did the car have some kind of show quality paint job or a really hopped up engine and drive train? Has it been in the family since new and you dreamed of driving it since you were a kid?
If there was nothing special about the car, take the $14K and run. No one in their right mind would pay $4K for a totaled '75 when you can buy very nice, never wrecked cars for $5K to $7K. At $14K, I'd be celebrating and shopping for a chrome bumper car.
As for parting it out, you'd never get half that $4K back. There is nothing rare about any body parts and just about every mechanical item can be bought at Autozone for next to nothing.
If there was nothing special about the car, take the $14K and run. No one in their right mind would pay $4K for a totaled '75 when you can buy very nice, never wrecked cars for $5K to $7K. At $14K, I'd be celebrating and shopping for a chrome bumper car.
As for parting it out, you'd never get half that $4K back. There is nothing rare about any body parts and just about every mechanical item can be bought at Autozone for next to nothing.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
Here is my 2 cents, I would keep and fix it up if my Dad or Grandfather gave it to me. If not I would still buy and part out the car. You will make out more and you will be able to buy a new car to you maybe even better than what you had before.
Plus when you take it apart you will see all of the problem areas and will know where to look when buying the new to you one. Hope this helps happy hunting for the new one.
Plus when you take it apart you will see all of the problem areas and will know where to look when buying the new to you one. Hope this helps happy hunting for the new one.
Even if you plan on keeping the car, It will still have a salvage title that will always affect the value.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 93
From: Bellmore NY
Another vote for taking the money. Im sure your car was exceptionally nice but think about this: Could you have ever realistically sold your car for $14k?
Im sure you would have rather that this incident had never occurred, but if the car were stolen, you'd be in a similar scenario, except that car would not be available for purchase back from the insurance company.
Try to think of it as selling the car for $14k.
Im sure you would have rather that this incident had never occurred, but if the car were stolen, you'd be in a similar scenario, except that car would not be available for purchase back from the insurance company.
Try to think of it as selling the car for $14k.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 111
From: Tolland CT
Only reason I'd buy it back would be to fix it for sentimental reasons. There would be the salvage issues to think about. Maybe there's a way around this?
I doubt I could part mine out if it were totaled. My wife wouldn't be happy having the carcass around. I'd rather take the money and move on if I wasn't going to fix it.
I doubt I could part mine out if it were totaled. My wife wouldn't be happy having the carcass around. I'd rather take the money and move on if I wasn't going to fix it.