This car rear ended a Tahoe with a receiver hitch. Impact was to the drivers side of center about 3" up on the hood. It bent the frame that holds the radiator (along with the radiator) back about as far as the fuse box. The radiator is pushed over and the drivers side of the radiator is pushed into the air intake/filter box. Needless to say, the hood, drivers fender and front bumper cover are messed up as well. Also, winshield cracked, airbags deployed and dash is shattered in places.

It appears the frame is ok (impact was high) but have been told off-handedly that because it is of unibody construction it can't be fixed. Seems like a shame because it only has 74,000 miles on it and I can go out there right now and the engine fires right up.

Any advice? Fix? Scrape? Sell as is? Needless to say, I only had liabilty on it. And my 19 year old daughter was the driver.

 

If you could post up pictures, it would be a lot more helpful to determine the car's condition as opposed to a written description. Are you able to do any of the repair work yourself? Once you pay a shop to do those repairs and paint work, which sounds extensive, you'll be buried financially. You'll have way more money in the car than it's worth, and you'd likely be better off replacing the car and selling this one for parts.

 

Can't post pictures yet....just joined today and I am on newbie probation.

 

ah grasshopper the use of photobucket is at your fingertips. got to photobucket, open free account, download pictures, copy img code to the post and picture will show.

 

I can tell you from experience, that liability only covered cars and teenage drivers don't always go well together.
Sometimes that spells trading a wrecked car for a pair of roller skates!

 

Or the shoelace express.....

If it runs, maby you could find one like yours that was hit in the rear and build one camaro from two. It might take longer to do, but if would be better in the long run if you do have a bent sub-frame.

Just a thought...

 

you would still need a shop to straighten your frame. that has to be done right. maybe you could strip the front end down, no body on the front. have the frame straightened, then repair it??? so sad.

 

I was gonna say find you another Camaro in need of a drive train and do the old swapparoo.

 

If you are replacing the car for her than part out the Z and buy a 96+ V6. Your rates are going thru the roof if she is on your insurance and there was any damage to the Tahoe. The Z28 is going to make those high rates even worse.

My daughter had two small fender bender in 12 months (neither more then $1000, both her fault, snow related and no ticket) The quote to insure my Z for me was about 4x my V6 (in PA it is assumed everyone in the house will drive the car at some point.) Once she got married and off my insurance the quote on the Z dropped to about a 35% increase over my V6.

 

Just a thought, but my friends 02 Z28 Anniversary edition got rear ended with what appeared to be minimal damage. He continued driving the car for awhile after until the shop could check it out. Upon their inspection, they totaled it. Your situation sounds like way more damage on a much older car. In my opinion, doesn't sound like its worth the repair.