After accident decision. Should I fix, sell as is or sell for parts?

[garycarr]

I was wondering if any of the frequent buyers/sellers or industry members would chime in on the following. I have a 2000 RT/10 that was recently in a accident. The car has front end damage and needs a new front bumper cover, radiator support, left side hood hinge, ac condenser, windshield and a few other bolt on parts including the driver side airbag. The hood has a very minor nick on the underside bottom of the hood that can only be seen by raising the hood and looking under the hood. The repair shop and the insurance company say it can be repaired. The car only has 11k miles and is completely stock.

My question is, which sale method is going to provide me the least amount of loss on my investment. If I fix it I can purchase the parts from JonB and save some money but will the car carry the accident stigma and bring less then selling as is plus the insurance check?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ricketts]

Do you plan on keeping the car? If you do fix it, and enjoy and it. I'm sure you can sell it for parts and make money, BUT that can a long drawn out process selling piece by piece by piece. Basically comes down to what you goal is with the car. Yes if it's fix it can hurt the value some, how much? Just depends on extent of damage, keep photos, etc so potential buyers can see. Saw you live in Lumberton, if you unsure of a bodyshop to take it to down in Lumberton I could recommend you one here in Fayetteville.

 

[DrumrBoy]

I would think that an insurance-paid fix will be the best economic decision....even if the car is worth a few thousand less someday when you sell it (because of the carfax accident citation). I think that only if you collect the insurance money, buy the car back for a song (sometimes hard to do because some insurance co's mandate that they go to auction) and endure the part-out process would you be better off economically.... If there's no significant frame damage, why not repair and enjoy?

 

[01sapphirebob]

If there's no significant frame damage, why not repair and enjoy?

I was thinking the same thing. As long as the frame is in good shape I say fix her up and drive her. Unless you don't want to own a car that has been in an accident.

 

[Catwood]

fix it yourself...it's not all that hard. Including the radiator support. They can be straightened.

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/637545-My-now-running-1999-ACR

 

[NI-KA]

Do you ever want to sell the car? The accident will only make it that much harder.

 

[Andrew2KRT10]

KEEP IT ! Let the insurance work for you for a change. Doesn't sound like bad damage. I think people get a little crazy sometimes worrying about the car not being "perfect" when they go to sell. i say fix it.

 

[Dom426h]

Wake up call. Over 50% of all Gen1/2 vipers have been in some sort of accident. Actually prob much more... Talk to the viper specialy salvage yards and you will be surprized at the data
Add to that a large % of viper owners repaint simply for cosmetic reasons such as:
-Chiped Front facia,
-Classic stress cracks in paint on fiberglass doors,
-Sidesills
-Some people even repaint the clamshell for Normal fiberglass aging that leaves wavey spots, bubbles, ect...

My guess is that more than 70% of all Gen1/2 Vipers have some sort of bodywork.

Since ive owned my GTS i have painted my front facia once and will prob have to do it again at some point. Also planning on replacing the windshield sometime as the small nicks from all my highway miles and trackdays are getting annoying. I have a small chip in my clamshell where it rubbs the headlight. That leaves me in the same boat as you garycarr.


How did you break the windshield and not damage the Clamshell hood? You are lucky. I say fix her and roll. But then again we are talking about a stock 11K car so the perfect car garagequeen thing might be your bag.

 

[garycarr]

I won't be keeping the car either way. I've driven it about 2,000 miles since I have owned it.

 

[garycarr]

The shop and the insurance adjuster says the frame is straight. I didn't drive it much before the accident so I see no reason to keep it. I just need to decide to fix it and sell it or sell it as is.

 

[garycarr]

Not sure how the hood escaped. The hand/arm is what broke the windshield. Not into the garagequeen type of car. Just have a 5 year old and a 7 year old and they hate riding in the trunk <grin>

 

[Cobraken]

I don't see the question. The car was not totalled. You have insurance. Fix it. When you sell it show the buyer the work order/receipt.

 

[JonB]

There are several "Rebuilders" out there who look for a car like yours that they can re-build and sell for a profit.

The diffrence between you and them is: They own the body shop, and their internal cost is half what your would be to fix it.

Since you dont plan to keep it, its just math:

What is the quick-sell Viper worth as-is?............................ +
What is the INSURANCE CHECK you will get for repairs +
What do you OWE on the Viper.......................................... -
What is the unreimbursed storage bill at the body shop........ -
________________________________________________________
Net to Gary Carr ............................................................. = ?

Alternatively, will spending the check on parts and labor and selling the car net more?

Are you talking to Kenny? Maybe you and he can "partner" on a rebuild-sale?


PS to DOM: we are usually in agreement..... but NO WAY are 70% of Vipers repaired! Nor 50% wrecked in some way. But 23% are GONE

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Would have to politely disagree with the figure of 50% of all Gen II cars being wrecked. We have seen a ton of cars over the years and the rumors about how many are wrecked leaving a showroom, right after , or relatively soon , are completely out of the realm of common sense. We , as owners , are not helping our own resale or anything else coming up with figures that no one has the ability to verify.

The main question the owner has, needs to be based on what the Insurance check is for? The amount could easily determine the best course and regardless of the amount the car will be worth less once repaired. So the simple answer is more information is needed , but as the owner says he really doesn't intend to keep it, it may be viable to sell as is and cash the Insurance money.

 

[NI-KA]

Knowing you are not going to keep it. I say get rid of it UNLESS you don't mind the hassle of repair and then the hassle of trying to sell it. The accident will make it incrementally harder to sell, since some buyers will factor the accident into there consideration.

 

[KNG SNKE]

The accident will make it incrementally harder to sell, since some buyers will factor the accident into there consideration.

They should factor it in. It is important.

 

[Venomiss]

Why not get a few quotes of what your Viper would be worth fixed with the accident history for your insurance?
Three would be a good number.

Show them what the depreciation price on the Viper will bring after the fix and see if the insurance would offer any reimbursement in that area.
Never hurts to ask.

If you are selling it then pop the $30 for a classified ad and contact the VCA Carolinas Region to see if anyone might be interested in your Viper near you.
Tom Sessions might be someone to talk to since you are from NC.

Good luck with it.

 

[aloushi]

since you're not keeping the car, my guess would be to take the insurance check, sell the car as-is, I believe you'd end up with more money than what the car is actually worth, at least this was the case in my car the only thing is I decided to keep my car as it too has low miles (12,000). Either way mine was very light damage that included a chunk the size of your hand broken from the front of the hood, both head lights, 1 fog light, radiator housing. Either way the insurance gave me a check and basically said do what you want with it. Tons of pictures available to show potential buyers (if I was ever to sell it which I have no plans to do so) that the car was repaired perfectly and to be honest with you with the right guy doing the repairs it will be stronger than original, lol he insisted i lift the hood and try to break that part back off to assure me the quality and strength, it held. Either way good luck...