Is It Fixable?

[Thatsweetstang]

Well... sad day last week, my 2007 mustang gt convertible was T-Boned. 16yr old kid saw a green light but didn't realize it was only green arrow to turn left and nailed my car. I had the car for a total of 'Drum roll' 2 days. My gf was taking the car to get insured and pictures taken to be added to our insurance. I bought this car outright cash for $4,500, my insurance told me SOL and the other driver doesn't have insurance. So I'm screwed big time, the kid already is getting his license suspended until 21 and his parents are just dirt poor, im not going to sue them. Do you guys think it is fixable? Damage done was; passenger door destroyed, rear quarter panel destroyed, rear end destroyed, rotor broken, caliper broken, rim broken. Getting a new rear end is no problem for me, getting a door also no problem, now... the quarter panel is a problem. Surprisingly I drove it quite a distance like this, before I lost all brake fluid but I was already back home. Car has 80k miles and is in 'was in' mint condition. Do you guys think a body shop can fix it? Ps my girl is ok, slight bruising on her face and hands but she is ok.

 

[Adieu]

With insurance you'd be getting a check instead of the car fixed. Without, you're in parting out territory.

 

[Noobz347]

You need to put a call into the insurance commissioner or perhaps consult a lawyer. My insurance policy covers any car I drive for a maximum of 30 days. Always has and I've been with them for 25+ years. I don't know that yours is the same but you need to know. Shove that policy down their throats while they write the check.

Oh... I think the car is finished though.

 

[RaggedGT]

I'd vote to look for a clean roller and swap all the good parts into it..
Sorry that happened to you brother,like Noobz said-my insurance has the 30 day policy as well-I'd comb through your declarations pages and get that check lol

 

[BlackBuggy]

At "insurance paid for" rates, it would definitely cost every bit of what you paid for the car to fix the car.

If you pay out of pocket, you may get close, but by then you will have spent more than the car is worth just to keep the car. My main concern would be frame damage being that it is a convertible and the car is tied together through the body and not through the roof and pillars.

I would seek a new insurance provider if they won't help you to cover the repairs. At the least they could cover the repairs and then raise your rates or drop you.

 

[Thatsweetstang]

My insurance would have no problem covering me. I bought this car cash for my girl and she doesn't share the same insurance as me, she is currently driving my old beat up 92 Nissan Sentra on some freeway insured liability crap. If I was in the police report or even in the car it would've been ok. My next big step forward is, I own the car, it's at my house. Might as well swap everything over to my 96 mustang gt that I still have in my garage. Turn a bad situation into a fun project. Or find a roller, I didn't think it was fixable but I've had experience with this before. I dunno if I mentioned but the car only has 80k miles on it, it fires right up which is so sad. Either route I go I'll take pics and post along the way. Either a nice roller or slam everything into the 96 gt

 

[Adieu]

A 96 GT with the guts donated from the wreck would be a sweet little ride.

 

[ABC]

I would chalk it up to a loss and salvage the parts unless there's some special insurance clause that allowed you to have insurance coverage before the insurance was added. I don't know of any insurance that does that. Either that or if you have the funds or know-how can have it fixed. The frame may be an issue as it would really effect your alignment all the time. You sound like a nice guy but you may want to think about getting what money you can out of the kid/family. $4500 ain't nothing to throw a stick at.

 

[don ruggles]

Sorry about our really bad fortune. I wouldn't try to fix it, but there ARE a lot of parts to sell off. That convertible top,if still good would bring good money.
I think the folks might be onto something about your former insurance maybe covering it? I hope you get something out of it.
Kudos for showing mercy to poor people, although they are in the wrong and the kid could've killed someone.
You can start disassembling that car and nibbling down on that 4500 dollar loss if your insurance won't help you.

 

[Thatsweetstang]

My insurance won't help at all. But it is what it is sadly. For now I'm putting a rear end in it. I've measured every spot I could to see if it was strait, I'm not a collision expert but the car seems to be really good. No crunch or bends on body frame, top still goes up and down and lines up with the front A-pillars. I haven't given up on this car yet Once I get the rear end installed I'm going right over to a body shop to get a quote on the rear quarter panel. I've found complete doors for around 200 bucks so not too bad, got a complete rear end with control arms, rotors, and calipers coming in for 300 bucks. The biggest thing is finding a good body shop that can fix the quarter panel and b-pillar/door jam. They'll half to cut it all out. I'm willing to pay 3-4g's since I already own the car. That'll bring my investment up to 8-9g's total on the car... that's about what it's really worth. It's either that or buy another one for around 9-10g's with the same mileage. That means I'll be spending around 14-15g's to get another one total investment with these cars , I'd rather fix what I got if I can. Last resort if it's a total loss is buying a v6 convertible cheap and swapping everything over which means regardless I need a v8 rear end.

 

[Bossed]

Sorry for your bad luck. It's hard to make a decision on whether to fix or part it out based on photos. But, if the frame/structural integrity is there, I'd say it's fixable for sure. The thing is whether or not you want to spend the money. Parts for those cars should be very reasonable. Best of luck no matter what you decide.