Even if it has been whacked and fixed....

Post #24,904 by folkert 1/19/02 10:30:38 AM 1/19/02 10:15:02 PM Reply	Even if it has been whacked and fixed.... What really matters is the QUALITY of the repairs... I have owned many a "salvage" vehicles, and there is a tremendous difference in QOW or Quality of Workman^H^H^Hpersonship (PC I know... bleh). Fer instance I looked at a 6 month old 92 Taurus SHO... nice car inside and out. Only thing it was a salavge. It was 10K being 6 months and 5K miles on it. FAR below what it should have been even for that. I know the owner of a Ford Dealership here in GR, he said anytime I have a questionable car, bring it on in he'll have it checked on a the measurement machine, whilst I wait. I did, I bought the car, I Just gave it to my Mom as I bought a new car again. What really struck me about the comments coming from the body repair guy doing the work (whom I know also) led me to believe nothing but good. Things he pointed out: 1) Welds done to the point of making them look "stock", though done with MIG 2) Panels being shrunk and flattened properly after being "bent" and "bent back" 3) OEM quality repair part and panels being used 4) A partial clip (front right) being done in such a way as to not compromise the integrity of the unibody frame. 5) Quality of the spray job, was not OEM type, but was excellent. 6) The car had one major flaw in it, it measured closer to the spec than an "off the truck" car. So, if you can get an honest shakedown of the car... and it is liveable by you.. get it!!! `greg, curley95@attbi.com -- REMEMBER ED CURRY!!!` In 2002, everyone will discover that everyone else is using linux. Linux: Good, fast AND cheap. Failure is not an option: It comes bundled with Windows. ** "Two rules to success in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know." - Sassan Tat Edited by gfolkertold Jan. 19, 2002, 10:15:02 PM EST Expand All History
Post #24,933 by Ashton 1/19/02 3:40:36 PM Reply	Thanks, a good reminder that there are indeed car people who both know and perform. I used to know a master frame / alignment guy, and he mentioned some of the points you did - but I guess that I most often expect less. Now. One thing in my favor - whatever were the machinations, the 'event' wasn't sufficient to total the beast, in opinion of whatever inspector.. hence the weirdness. Besides, the general paranoia about any body damage seems to work in favor of those of us willing to at least consider the matter more carefully. TANSTAAFL but sometimes.. ya get hors d'ouevres. I recall a series of articles in The Motor Cycle (Brit weekly of another era) which began with a picture of a really ratty Calthorpe that looked as if it'd been stored in a bat cave. Piece by piece they demonstrated the fine art of restoration.. somewhere I may have saved the lot. All sorts of cute tricks to straighten, reproduce, refinish. When they finished, it was fully functional and looked better than good (they weren't trying for museum grade IIRC). But the hours.. {sigh}. It was indeed another era. (Still, even today a Vincent would be worth such attention - almost cost effective.) Ashton who needs to remember not to get attached.. to this project: once you WANT it to work/somehow: RIP objectivity :(
Post #24,971 by wharris2 1/20/02 11:54:44 PM Reply	Quality repairs (Sorry, I am just getting my fix of the LRPG in) My car was T-boned by (believe it or not) a tow truck. My coworkers were all confused as to why there were TWO tow trucks at the intersection. One was the offending truck, the other was to carry my car away. So far, it's been OK (but god dang, 6000 in repair work? Insurance company paid, but begawl. At the time I did sorta hope it got totalled, but I guess the repairs cost less than totalling. :=( ) But yup, these things are important to look for in used cars. "Beware of bugs in the above code; I have only proved it correct, not tried it." -- Donald Knuth
Post #24,990 by boxley 1/21/02 9:42:25 AM Reply	more on salvaged cars after saying hullo at 80 mph to six other vehicles in an intersection as well as a brick retaining wall by the gas station. (friend driving I missed this one) he purchased another 1970 charger sans running gear and front end cut both in half and made one servicable unit out of them. Looked good drove straight all by eyeball and feel. My bud is a master craftsman with his hands, carpentry, mechanics etc. He just doesnt care to do it for a living. Too busy living life I guess. thanx, bill My Dreams aren't as empty as my conscience seems to be
Post #25,032 by Ashton 1/21/02 9:07:10 PM Reply	Master craftsman maybe.. But anyone driving through Any 'intersection' at 80 ain't "living life" - he's a menace to all. You don't do 80 'cept on Interstates and.. those precious few remaining legs of normal roads in between ANY 'intersection' these will have. In my judgmental humble opinion, that is. There are no 'accidents' - (save the 1%? mech failures Not due to idiot non-maintenance) - just, usually dumbth of this kind: which took out SIX OTHERS ??? Charger ? As judge I'd sentence him to slammer time + nothing larger than a Geo Metro - for life. Some folk stay 12 for life - should drive cars which limit their damage to their IQ. Ashton Nemesis
Post #25,033 by Meerkat 1/21/02 9:28:32 PM Reply	Similar to what they do with motorcyclists... in so far as a learner rider can only have a bike with <= 250cc engine. If it were practical, limiting the power/engine size of bad drivers' cars could be a good idea. On and on and on and on, and on and on and on goes John.
Post #25,092 by boxley 1/22/02 9:33:58 AM Reply	Why did you assume it was his fault? :) Actually he was doing 80 (too fast I agree) to an intersection on green when a drunk decided he had time to cross the red light. 6 cars was richochets off the first one. There is no such thing as an accident, all such things are errors in judgement. thanx, bill My Dreams aren't as empty as my conscience seems to be
Post #25,118 by wharris2 1/22/02 12:51:05 PM Reply	Well, 80mph would be a contributing factor Even if (technically) it wasn't his fault. "Beware of bugs in the above code; I have only proved it correct, not tried it." -- Donald Knuth

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