Hi folks
My 94 Camaro 3.4L V6 34K orig miles was in a wreck Fri Jan 26. Insurance hasn't sent a claims adjuster yet. Does anyone here have experience, suggestions, advice, etc. with regard to what I can do. For instance, if the car is totalled I know I can buy it back. I wouldn't be trying to get the car back to orig condition, just to a safe, drivable state. I don't know if the frame is bent or how much of the body needs to be replaced but I do know the engine and trans are fine. After the accident I was able to start the car and drive it out of the intersection into a parking lot (about 80 feet). In that short distance I didn't notice any difference in drivability (no shimmy, shake, or pull) so I don't think the drive shaft, differential, or rear axel sustained any damage. I'd be acquiring parts from local pull-a-parts or other salvage yards. Please help me out with this as it was my daily driver and I need a car for my work commute. I have posted pics of the car on my Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stargazer452

Click on the pic to see a larger version. Click on that pic to see a partial zoom. If you want to see a full size pic, unzoom, click on the down arrow in the bottom right corner of the page (hovering calls it 'Download this photo'), then click 'View all sizes', then click 'Original'.

I appreciate your consideration in this horrible turn of events and thank you in advance for any help you can give.

Philip

 

93-95 v6s here are going for cheap. like 1500 bucks so i would hope to get a good payout from ins and look for another. not hard to bend the frame on these. cost to fix will most likely be more than car is worth. if its not bent and you have all the body tools needed to fix it then you may come out ok,

 

As Craby suggests, may be totaled.
If you keep the Camaro to fix, state DMV will more than likely issue a salvage title and this may make it harder to sell later in life.

 

Pretty much a sure thing it will be totaled even with the low miles. My '93 Z28 was totaled a few years ago with only minor damage, no actual body damage just paint and chips (small) in the windshield and a big dent in the oil pan that didn't affect the engines running ability. I got caught in a small mud slide during a thunder storm. I bought the car back, took it to MAACO and had the bumper repainted, lived with the pitting in the windshield and on the hood (colored turtlewax with the crayon did wonders) and drove the car a couple more years. The insurance company won't want to repair a car that old even with far less damage, I agree with others just haggle them for as much money as you can and buy another car, this one is way too damaged. Maybe you can find one cheap with a bad motor or trans but good body then buy yours back to swap your parts into it, you'd be way ahead of the game that way vs trying to fix that wreck.

 

Looks like the rear axle has been pushed back.

 

Have they given you the bad news? The one photo it looks like the B-pillar is damages. Add that to the rocker panel damage and the most likely un-body damage you are already well past the value of the car. Now add in the door replacement and with possible hinge area damage ,rear quarter and door jam repair its totaled a second time. Even if that was a low miles 2002 SS it would be totaled. Just look how the rear hatch fit was effected. I would guess the whole car has a banana shape to it.

You may love this car, but just let it go. There is to much structural damage that will need a frame machine or at least a way to accurately measure back to factory specs to get things right. Damage to A and B Pillars should be left to the pros as should uni-body structural members. If that rear hatch fitment is showing what a think it is showing that would total a 2018 v6.

Keep in mind the insurance companies first offer is just that an offer. If the accident was your fault it may be tuff to negotiate, but if it is not your fault and you are dealing with the at fault parties insurance company Laugh at there first offer and look offended when they say they are serious. Then say "Please find another one in that condition with those miles for sale and we will talk."

As for buying back you want to check your States laws. In PA here is how it works. Insurance company totals the car. They are in fact buying the car from you. They then re-title the car as for salvage only. You can buy the car back but it will have for salvage only title and can not be put back on the road. To convert a Salvage title to a reconstructed title is a pretty big deal. You need to photograph every area a damage and the photograph every step in the repair. If there is structural they are going to want to see pics of it on the frame machine. They are very detailed and the process is very expensive. This is normally only done on high value cars. We have what is called advanced inspection and the mechanic are train in both body work and mechanics. If there is any doubt the car is not as good or better then new it will fail. The other down side of reconstructed cars is getting insurance. Many lager insurance companied will not cover them and the ones that do will only give you liability.

 

Yeah they gave me the bad news, not in the least surprising. I did have the opportunity to buy it back, salvage only, for $361. Didn't want to say goodbye to the low miles engine and trans, but it was just a 3.4L and I don't have any place to store a wreck! My wife and I both work so I was in a hurry to find something else. Ended up finding a good condition 1998 Camaro, navy blue metallic, 3.8L (still a V6, sorry). T-tops that don't leak, 177K miles on an engine that doesn't leak or burn oil. Only mods done, by the previous owner, were headers and new exhaust after the cat. Got a good deal but I think the shocks/struts need replacing as there is a shudder at highway speeds over 65 mph that kind of goes away once you reach 80 mph. Any ideas? Not wanting a race car just want a safer ride for fairly cheap.

 

3.8 is a good engine and can go 300k if well taken care of. should be able to find a good base (v6) model for 2500 or so depending on where your at, less or more.

 

Shuttering at 2500-3000 under the load of highway speed can be a lot of things. If you didn't get a history on the car I would get everything up to date. Plugs. wires, fuel and air filters. I would even do primary O2 sensors. The shuttering could be any of the above but its good to have a base line so you know how old that stuff is. After that, it could be a dripping injector or a stick EGR valve, dirty or worn Throttle body.

 

is the shutter in the steering wheel seat of your pants or more the from the shifter. some things to add to ^^^ the gorn's post, ujoint, ball joints, tie rod ends, poor tire balance, poor front wheel alignment are some things that can make a vibration that can come and go although some will get to the point of doing it all the time.