RE: Damaged/repaired 540/6spd purchase?? Why!!

["Rodney Moore" <m6bigdog@xxxxxxxxx>]

Dave,
It is your money.
IMHO, don't do it.
Why do you think a damaged car was available at action?  Original owner
didn't think it was worth anything after the repair?
I assume neither did the insurance co.
Since you were not involvement in the repair, you have know idea of the
extent at which the body shop went to rebuild vs hide the damage done to the
car.  The main body electrical harness run through the driver side rocker
panel.
Most Auto Body Shops and Insurance Companies want to just hide the damage.
Therefore, minimal expense and maximum profit in performing the actual
repair.  It is good to determine that a vehicle was damaged prior to
purchase. Since you know that, why would you purchase damaged goods, when
you can't attest to the quality of the repair?  I know the Auto Body
business has a reputation of doing just enough to keep the consumer from
seeing their shoddy work, taking two damaged cars and making one, taking a
salvaged vehicle and making a clean title, etc.
Run don't walk away.

My 740 got rear-ended with 6K miles on the clock.
One highly recommended body shop would not estimate the job at more than
$5500, they wanted to bondo/body filler everything.  They didn't want to
challenge the insurance adjuster!!
Two other would estimate the repair at $8500, with a quarter panel
replacement.
I chose one of the two shops that estimated the repair at $8500.  The Shop
that was owned by a BMW dealership, certified by BMW NA and only repaired
BMWs.  I visited the body shop at least weekly (50 miles away) to advise
them on what was an acceptable repair. They were able to paint-less dent
repair the rear quarter panel, replaced the balance of the damaged sheet
metal (trunk lid and apron, etc.) with new.  No bondo anywhere and no
re-manufactured parts.  The final bill was $10k and some change.  The
insurance company didn't even balk at my insistence for a quality repair.
Out of pocket $0.
I still have the car and I am unable to tell it was repaired, not even when
I look under the trunk trim panels.  I know because I took the trim panels
off before I took the car in for repair and I installed them after the
repair.

I also had a 92 GMC Typhoon that T-Boned a car, that ran a stop sign.  $6500
in damage.  I had the body shop install all new sheet metal.  Both front
fenders, hood, new bumper, bumper mounts, etc, etc.  The adjuster wanted to
glue, bondo and use remanufactured parts. That one cost me $500 out of
pocket for a quality repair and the insurance adjuster was HOT because I
wouldn't let him cheap on my vehicle repair.  When I sold it in 1998 as 6.5
year old 70k mile vehicle it was worth top dollar at $21k, because it was
repaired vehicle rather than having the damage hidden!!

Should you want inexpensive you will only get a cheaply repaired car.  There
is only one opportunity to repair a car after it has been damaged, so don't
accept cheap, because it will always be a cheap repair even on a 540/6
speed.
Rod...

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