Well here's the deal this time, as this is the FOURTH time in 3 years I have seriously thought about selling the RS...

Friday afternoon my bodyshop guy and I took my LH gfx off the car because I had a few rust spots starting to peek their way up through the top of the gfx. I wanted to fix them before they got too big, because the rest of the paint is perfect. Well, you can imagine my shock when we pulled the gfx off and there was a HOLE in my fender! Its right where one of the 2 bolts behind the RS logo hold the gfx onto the fender. Put it this way...the hole and the amount rotted will allow me to literally punch my entire hand through my fender, all this under the gfx...meanwhile the rest of the body and the undercarriage are PERFECT (it was undercoated twice). Go figure...

So now once again, I am thinking that rather than dump yet more $$ into a 13 year old car that I may or may not have any interest in keeping in the least (due to the fact that I want an IROC and this car sure as hell ain't one), I am seriously thinking about puting it out on the lot and wholesaling it.

Here's the theory. My dad may be getting a company car in January, and he currently has a flawless, 97k mile '95 Grand Prix SE 3.1 4 door in dark teal metallic, with nice ARE 16" 5 spokes. The "actual cash value" of this car on a trade in is about 1,000-1,500 due to the mileage (note I am not saying "trade in" value, but ACV). My dad will sell it to me for this. Meanwhile, I can sell the Camaro for $2,5000-3,000 in a heartbeat I think, even in the middle of winter.

So I can sell my RS, buy a '95 GP and make at least $1,000. Thoughts? Ideas? What should I sell my car for, with no warranty expressed or implied? (It isn't that I am afraid to stand behind it, its because I don't want some 16 yr old blowing something up when he beats on it!). Should I give my car up? Help!!

I know I'm signing the RS's death warrant by selling it No one will ever take as good of care of it as I have...gimme some opinions guys. You can see it at http://www.geocities.com/jee89, and here is the list of new parts it has gotten in the last 10k miles:

-New Firehawk GTAs
-Battery and starter
-Front brakes and brake hoses
-Driver's side PW motor
-Radiator, thermostat, hoses and water pump
-Complete tune-up
-New idler arm
-The rust WILL be fixed properly on the LF fender

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Jason E

'89 Camaro RS
-Medium Grey Metallic
-2.8, A4, T-tops, 95k miles
-Hypertech chip, Accel 8.8MM wires and coil
-K&Ns with gutted airbox
-Alpine 60x4 with Boston 746s and RX97s

'97 Z28
-30th Anniversary package (white with orange stripes)
-LT1, M6, t-tops, 46k miles
-Xtant 403a 50x4 + 300x1 powering a 10" Eclipse Aluminum in a JL Stealth box, Boston RM6 fronts, Monsoon rears (temporary!!), Eclipse 5341R CD, All Monster's goodies...
Speed Kills...Wanna live forever? Drive a Ford.
Long Live #3...

 

Whatever makes u happy..but i wouldnt.

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1972 Chevy Chevelle "Malibu"
Hooker Headers, Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, accel 8.8 wires,Edelbrock performer intake Edelbrock Carb, Torque Thrust "D" wheels
Click here for my Malibu information
In Memory of #3 Dale Earnhardt

 

Well if you have seriously thought about selling your that many times then it sounds like your are looking for someone to try and keep you from selling. The feeling I get is that in your mind you feel you should sell, but are worried about seller's remorse. You just have to figure out which one you will be happier with. Me personaly i don't mind putting money it my all most 10 year old RS, becuase i really like it. At some point I would like to pick up an Iroc, but not at the expenes of my RS. I plan on having both.

 

Do what my friend did to his car...

Chip all the rust off, and sand the hole a little bigger.

Get fiberglass tape, and tape behind the hole.

Cover with bondo or fiberglassing material.

Sand the area smooth.

Tape the area off to prevent overspray onto the good exposed paint and spray.

Redrill the holes for the GFX, and put them back on.

Happy driving.

 

Oh, and it'll cost you next to nothing.

tape: 5-10$
spraypaint: 5$
sandpaper sets: 5$

Total cost: 15-20$ A little bit more if you take it to Maaco and have 'em lay down a couple coats of color and clear. They may ask 100$ to do the area, but if you tape off the entire side of the car thy should knock big numbers off that.

Heck, you could even use a combo base/clear touch-up paint and do it yourself.

 

Trust me unless your going form RS to Z28 you will never do it.. You might say you will, but other options will come up that will be nicer.. Hold off for the Z...

 

As much as I'd hate to see that '89 go, what BtchinRS said is just what I was thinking.

Jason, if it makes you feel better, you should see the rust on my car! I'm thinking of painting it blue so it doesn't stand out so badly! The outer lip of the rear right quarter panel is so badly rusted that you can see the inside of the lip (where it curves under)! I've got a hole behind the right rear tire, at the bottom, where the inner wheel well stops and the spare tire well begins. (You should see how rusted my tire iron is!)



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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

Just sell the **** for christ sake!

 

Leave it to Monkie to be the jackass when everyone else is giving sound advice. Keep 'em coming guys...I am interested to know what some of you would do in my situation. Keep in mind that within 6 months I will be attending grad school and will be commuting 75 minutes each way, 4 days a week. Which sounds better for that kind of mileage, a '95 GP or an '89 RS?

 

Dude if we have to talk you out of selling it for the fourth time then that kinda tells you something. Maybe you really do wanna sell it. So sell it!

 

Ok, put it that way and it sounds a little nicer I think this is actually the third time in 3 1/2 years, but who's counting

Here's the deal...Tom P and BitchinRS are right...I AM having seller's remorse...no question there. Why? Technically I'm selling a family member. Does anyone else here remember the day their car was picked up BRAND NEW? Was anyone driven to their first day of third grade in their third gen? Add to this the fact that third gens are and always will be my favorite car, and of course I have seller's remorse. Me without a third gen seems ludicrous right now...but fiscally, it makes too much sense to ignore, or at least not consider.

But here's the theory...I buy the GP, drive it for 2 more years. Then the Z is paid for, the GP has no more than 130k on it, and I will have the extra cash to go out and buy the 350 IROC I have always wanted, keep my Z and still have a decent driver. So I have a plan...just the thought is killing me, that's all.

I blame my Z28 on this If I had never gotten that car, I'd have my IROC now and it wouldn't be so hard to lose a third gen. But that goddamned car is just way too much fun to let go, or use as a daily driver...its a keeper.

I'll figure this out one way or another...thanks for the advice guys.

 

You have to expect rust if you drive the car in the winter. I would get rid of it and pick up a 4x4 if your driving it in the winter.

 

Jason my G0D man, come on. Ok here is a good idea, if you really dont wanna get ride of the RS then keep it. How? Take the tag off. Drop the insurance and drive it ONLY for fun cause if u get caught then they fu(k u up. Personally I would keep it and do a swap. Im doing that with my 92 RS. Its either a 3.8L turbo or a 400 SB. Still its staying in my line of cars. Come on man, I make $250 every two weeks but yet I have 3 cars. You can do it, but only if you want to.

 

Problems with that idea:

1) My neighborhood has covenants against leaving unregistered vehicles in your yard (no, I ain't kidding ) Even if I could, my parents would kick my *** for doing so.

2) I won't drive a car with no insurance. Just asking to have your license revoked.

3) I need the $$ from the sale of the RS to pay for another car. Could I afford to have 3 cars? Sure...but grad school is more important right now. Getting my dream job will net me as many RS's as I want in the long run

4) The $$ I would spend on a V8 swap may or may not make sense (still haven't figured that one out yet!!) when you compare it to the fact for a few thousand more I can get the perfect IROC.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts. I still have a month or two to decide. I know if I keep the RS, of course I will be paying to repair rust throughout time...I ain't stupid. The hole just caught me off guard on a car so clean otherwise. Knowing me, I very well may keep it again...it isn't looking that way right now though...

For now I'll continue to look like white trash, cruising around in a third gen with missing gfx and a big hole in it Gonna get an estimate to fix it tomorrow, and get it done right. I'll figure all this other crap out later...