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Wow, a big deal over nothing! That crack is pretty superficial. I doubt the chassis or driveline integrity was compromised in any way. Glad to hear the insurance worked out well.
Maybe it's not just the crack that worries GM engineers. A significant amount of material has been abraded away from the casting. Welding the crack doesn't fix the fact that the metal is thinner in the area around the crack, especially toward the rear where it turns upward. The second picture makes it easier to see that it's thinner.
Maybe it's not just the crack that worries GM engineers. A significant amount of material has been abraded away from the casting. Welding the crack doesn't fix the fact that the metal is thinner in the area around the crack, especially toward the rear where it turns upward. The second picture makes it easier to see that it's thinner.
GM engineers didn't look at this failure, IMO. They are not going to get involved in a specific accident! Looking at the location of this failure and the fact that this member has a large bend that goes around the exhaust pipes (see the pic made by the OP below as to it's location) it appears to me it's main function is as a transmission support.
Of the 35 pages of repairs on a C7 frame in the 2014 four Volume Service Manual I have, it has many parts shown that have an important structural function. I put a pic below of the main one in this area that is above this thin member. This is a limited list compared to what would be in the manual purchased and used by body shops.
In addition, those concentric circles next to the crack are the GM developed resistant spot welds. One has no metal removed, the others a small amount. Does not look like a lot of material is "missing." If needed, after properly repairing the crack, could always plug weld a 3/32 inch thick cover plate to reinforce the area. Doubt it's needed as there are safety factors built into the design.
SIDE ISSUE: Look at how the dealer jacked the car! No wonder I bring my own jack pads and change my own oil etc! One is totally in the wrong location!
The owner took this picture of the location. Note the member bends around the exhaust pipes. IMO it is serving mainly as a transmission support.
This is a large box shaped structural member that goes straight from one side of the perimeter frame to the other. GM has repair procedures outline.
Wow, a big deal over nothing! That crack is pretty superficial. I doubt the chassis or driveline integrity was compromised in any way. Glad to hear the insurance worked out well.
I fact the insurance company had the car listed as salvage with a value of $75,000 and a repair cost of $7,600! That no doubt followed a GM approved remove and replace the member (not needed IMO) and parts of the car would need to be removed to access!
So why total the car?? Did the insurance adjuster have a son who wanted a new Corvette?
PS: I was looking at several crashed Harley's at a large company that was in town that stored totaled cars/trucks/motorcycles for insurance companies from all over the SE ready for a once a week auction. Found out from my insurance agent, who has a Harley, that they often total them and give the owner a depreciated value then send the bike to auction. They put a minimum acceptable price that is often over what they paid the owner! Watched one sit in that location for over 4 months. Don't recall what it sold for but my agent said someone will pick it up to sell off the parts! Harley gets very high prices for parts and dealers even more for repair!
With motorcycles it's crazy, most folks are looking for the Harley VIN plate! You can build a bike pretty cheap with after market frames and V Twin motors from S&S etc. But not worth much on resale. But with a Harley documented VIN tag, way over priced!
Since this thread is still active and has some bad information in it, let me try to clarify a few things for those who are interested:
First, insurance laws vary between states. Every state is different. Never believe anything you read on an Internet forum if it deals with laws, titling cars, insurance, etc. Yes, not even from me.
Second, if the insurance company totals your car, generally speaking (i.e. who knows what your state does?) the DMV will issue a new title, marked as "constructive total" or "total loss" or something like that. Even if you (the insured) buy it from the insurance company, the title is still reissued. It's the law. Again, your mileage may vary depending on where you live.
Third, if a car has been declared a total loss, you can not get comprehensive insurance on it, AKA "other than collision". Depending, natch, on where you live.
As for the OP, I'm glad it all worked out OK for you.
A friend had a C7 Z51 that he took to the drag strip. Part way through his first run, he probably hit a small spot of oil or coolant that had dumped onto the track. (I don't know how much of the nannies he had turned off) He spun 180' across the other lane and went into the concrete wall, mostly sideways but also partly backwards. He described his speed as about 60 mph but I don't know if that was "lost it speed" or "impact speed." He received two broken ribs but the car didn't look too bad, body damage to the left-rear and the trunk hatch was a bit misaligned.
No insurance coverage because of the track use, he didn't even tell his company. He was hoping to get it fixed for $10k-15k out of pocket which I thought was way optimistic, but I don't repair damaged cars for a living.
After having the car examined by some local shops, none of them would try to repair it because of frame damage. He sold it to someone in a private party sale for about 1/4 of its previous value. I'm told that the car was back on the street within a month, with a clear title because it had never been officially totaled.
Buyer beware.
A friend had a C7 Z51 that he took to the drag strip. Part way through his first run, he probably hit a small spot of oil or coolant that had dumped onto the track. (I don't know how much of the nannies he had turned off) He spun 180' across the other lane and went into the concrete wall, mostly sideways but also partly backwards. He described his speed as about 60 mph but I don't know if that was "lost it speed" or "impact speed." He received two broken ribs but the car didn't look too bad, body damage to the left-rear and the trunk hatch was a bit misaligned.
No insurance coverage because of the track use, he didn't even tell his company. He was hoping to get it fixed for $10k-15k out of pocket which I thought was way optimistic, but I don't repair damaged cars for a living.
After having the car examined by some local shops, none of them would try to repair it because of frame damage. He sold it to someone in a private party sale for about 1/4 of its previous value. I'm told that the car was back on the street within a month, with a clear title because it had never been officially totaled.
Buyer beware.
Would help other potential buyers of that car if you posted the VIN for it.
Would help other potential buyers of that car if you posted the VIN for it.
Originally Posted by Gearhead Jim
I have no idea of the VIN. If the previous owner is a member here and wants to post it, he can do so.
So, we can be absolutely certain, with bids that high, the buyer has a plan to wipe that title clean, and some unsuspecting buyer - hopefully no one on here - is going to own a frame damaged vehicle, that GM says is non-repairable, for a price far higher than the vehicle would ever be worth.
At some point, the government needs to prohibit the sale of total loss vehicles. And as incentive for insurers to do the right thing, they should be held liable if a car they sell as salvage hurts or kills someone because of the original damage.
So, we can be absolutely certain, with bids that high, the buyer has a plan to wipe that title clean, and some unsuspecting buyer - hopefully no one on here - is going to own a frame damaged vehicle, that GM says is non-repairable, for a price far higher than the vehicle would ever be worth.
At some point, the government needs to prohibit the sale of total loss vehicles. And as incentive for insurers to do the right thing, they should be held liable if a car they sell as salvage hurts or kills someone because of the original damage.
Keep in mind that the car I mentioned in post #128 is not the one originally discussed here, I just posted the info as another "buyer beware" story.
It's even possible that whoever bought that damaged car did have a way to repair it properly that would take too much labor time to be worthwhile for a commercial shop.
But even with a good shop and proper documentation, I've had other cars that were never quite the same after being repaired.
Last edited by Gearhead Jim; 10-19-2017 at 10:33 PM.
And as incentive for insurers to do the right thing, they should be held liable if a car they sell as salvage hurts or kills someone because of the original damage.
And how could a company (as a seller of a salvage car) insure that no one ever drives it again? The only thing I can think of is to crush it.
And if you do that, the salvage value goes from $15K (for example) to $15. And who do you think pays for that? Us. All of us, in higher insurance rates.
And how could a company (as a seller of a salvage car) insure that no one ever drives it again? The only thing I can think of is to crush it.
And if you do that, the salvage value goes from $15K (for example) to $15. And who do you think pays for that? Us. All of us, in higher insurance rates.
In general you have a good point. In this particular case it’s a minor crack. IMO probably in a none critical member whose main function may be to support the transmission. (See my post #124 above, an others in this thread.)
Not GM’s repair proceedure of remove one of the 100+ members welded together at Bowling Green and weld in a replacement, but IMO (and several others) simply grinding the crack to sound metal and making a weld repair would be sufficient! Could be done with the car on a lift!
Would be ridiculous to crush this car! Considering what caused this crack, running over a very large rock, and if the main function of this member, that bends over the exhaust pipes, is to be a transmission support, might drive the car the way it is without any repair! But an overhead TIG weld (or Pulsed MIG) on a ground clean surface would take under an hour!
https://www.iaai.com/Vehicle?itemID=25910048&RowNumber=1
this vette cost already 44K!!!! auto auction will charge about next 2k for it fees, shiping about 1K, broken parts 7K. So somebody gets 2017 GS, produced in 2016, with 10K miles on it, for at least 54 grands, with salvage title, and still cracked frame. You can get clear carfax ones for 55 grands. I would like to know what is the buyers idea.
Last edited by smola; 10-28-2017 at 12:57 AM.
Reason: didn't finish
09-17-2017, 07:41 PM
I fact the insurance company had the car listed as salvage with a value of $75,000 and a repair cost of $7,600! That no doubt followed a GM approved remove and replace the member (not needed IMO) and parts of the car would need to be removed to access!
auto auction will charge about next 2k for it fees, shiping about 1K, broken parts 7K. So somebody gets 2017 GS, produced in 2016, with 10K miles on it, for at least 54 grands, with salvage title, and still cracked frame. You can get clear carfax ones for 55 grands. I would like to know what is the buyers idea.