What should I do with my totaled car?!

[wyeto]

I spent about 7 months of my life swapping a built forged engine a built trans with a quaife diff and a gt2871r into my speed3 after the engine blew. 600 miles after I got backed into by a truck and they called my car totaled.

One shop gave me a huge estimate (11k) that totaled it out and another that inspected it much closer said its definitely not totaled (6k all new oem parts).

They quoted me 2.5k to fix the rear quarter panel and I have sourced two passenger side doors that are already white for 175 a piece! But they are from a regular mazda 3 hatchback.

I let them total the car because I was in a pinch for money and moving at the time so I took 13k and got to keep the car.

I have been going back and forth on what to do with the car.

Option 1: Sell the whole car as is. Would break my heart after I spent 7 months of my life and upward of 7-8k on parts doing a full rebuild. Would be less time consuming but I'm not sure I would get what I want for the car and parts in it.

Option 2: Part out everything. Would probably take a lot more time and effort but might be worth the struggle if I could sell everything.

Option 3: Swap full engine and trans into a clean title Speed3 or Speed6 that is being sold as a mechanics special. Would require a shit ton of work but might be a good idea if I want to drive a clean title car. I could part out my car too and what I dont need from the new car and could probably do ok.

Option 4: Repair current car. If the normal mazda 3 hatch doors fix I could get the whole thing fixed for really cheap. There is a chance that the body shop could find more damage on the car and it could get me into a hole (as this car has already done) and I could end up losing money and the car is a salvaged title so resale is pretty fucked and since I'm in Cali I would have to go back to stock because I transfered titles and get it smogged, have headlamps checked, and have brakes checked by the California Highway Patrol. This would be my course of action if I didnt have to smog it but it could end up wasting a lot of time, money and effort nothing.

What does the community think I should do?! I have thought about all these options a lot and its tough for me to decide.

[mxlplx71]

i would repair that car

[wyeto]

Originally Posted by mxlplx71 i would repair that car

I agree with this for many reasons my friend.

It just might be a bitch to take it to the chp if I dont fully stock out when they do the inspections because in theory they could bitch at me for my fmic, fuel pump and jbr intake (with cobb carb sticker mod lol) but at the same time they might not even give a shit who knows.

Can anyone confirm that the doors from a speed 3 and regular 3 are the same?
I'm about 90% sure they are. I remember hearing that the two cars are identical from behind the front clip.

[anavrinIV]

If there's no chassis or suspension damage I'd fix it. Replace the doors outright, fix the quarter.

[mxlplx71]

leave most of the fmic on and put the stocker on for a day

[Natey]

Which shops did you go to? I'm in santa cruz too, and might know someone who wont bend you over for the body work

11k is ludicrous.

[wyeto]

Originally Posted by Natey Which shops did you go to? I'm in santa cruz too, and might know someone who wont bend you over for the body work 11k is ludicrous.

Thats what I thought.
That shop was Russos collision center and to be honest they seemed like crooks. Everyone there kept trying to take my car from me after they totaled it even though I insisted I was going to keep it. They tried to tell me if I wanted to buy it back from insurance it would b 6-7k when in reality is was 2300.
I think they had plans to part it out and sell the parts or fix it themselves and sell it. Either way I was happy to take the money from totaling the car and keep my car and say fuck you.

The other shop who gave me the 2.5k for rear quarter quote was freedom body shop. I am just afraid it they start working on it they could find more damage and it could cost more.

Another thing is I just moved to San Diego. My car is still at the parents house back in Santa Cruz so I'd have to get it shipped to work on it becasue there is nowhere at my parents house to work on it.

[wyeto]

Originally Posted by Natey Which shops did you go to? I'm in santa cruz too, and might know someone who wont bend you over for the body work 11k is ludicrous.

are you the guy that lives on eastcliff with the awesome rx7 and the yellow protege?
if you are just know that every time I go by your house I break my neck looking at your rx7. Thing is beautiful.

[g00s3y]

I think you should sell it to me for $500.

[wyeto]

Originally Posted by g00s3y I think you should sell it to me for $500.

Ha I would have said the same thing about 8 months ago...
*5000 and maybe I'll think about it.

[Natey]

Originally Posted by wyeto are you the guy that lives on eastcliff with the awesome rx7 and the yellow protege? if you are just know that every time I go by your house I break my neck looking at your rx7. Thing is beautiful.

Haha, thanks!
I'm serious about the body shop though. There's a place called Perrigo's that's downtown. Those guys will do killer work, wont charge you an arm and a baby's leg, and are a cool, HONEST bunch.
Tell em Nate with the RX-7 sent ya.

[wyeto]

I'll have to check them out it just makes it complicated being 500 miles away hah. Maybe I can send em pics.

[wyeto]

Still weighing my options at this point.
Its $300 + to get my 3 towed down to where I am which I will have to do sooner or later. Then I see this on craigslist https://losangeles.craigslist.org/ws...228380609.html

Some food for the thought.
It would be a lot of work but really cool to have my engine in a speed 6 and its pretty reasonably priced.

[aviator79]

Enterprise full size pickup truck for $79 + tax = $91 + $55 uhaul trailer ~$200 with gas.

[MS3Shadow]

or free towing when you have AAA.

[Djohns]

Dropping that setup in a 6 would be pretty cool because awd and all. And if it's already built the possibilities are endless

[alan1592]

I vote for the speed6 option. MS3 -> MS6, FWD -> AWD, White -> Black... Rebirth...

[wyeto]

Originally Posted by aviator79 Enterprise full size pickup truck for $79 + tax = $91 + $55 uhaul trailer ~$200 with gas.

I've looked into this and its just not worth it. Its about 500 miles. I would have to fly up there and get my parents to pick me up which would be $100 minimum, like you said 91 for a truck and uhaul trailer I thought was 70 but either way then gas for 500 miles while towing a car and you get extra charges because I would be dropping it off at a different location plus its a waste of my time so that makes the 300 to ship it look pretty good.

Originally Posted by MS3Shadow or free towing when you have AAA.

Even with the gold membership I have they only go 100 miles per tow.

Originally Posted by Djohns Dropping that setup in a 6 would be pretty cool because awd and all. And if it's already built the possibilities are endless

That's what I'm thinking.
I know it'd be a lot of work but now that I have swapped one mazdaspeed engine it might make it go a lot quicker.
Only thing that concerns me is the craigslist speed 6's "electrical problem" it could potentially have a working running engine or it could have even more damage.

[wyeto]

Originally Posted by alan1592 I vote for the speed6 option. MS3 -> MS6, FWD -> AWD, White -> Black... Rebirth...

Hahaha that literally just made me laugh out loud.

"from the tattered ashes rose something better, faster, stronger... and with more spinning wheels"

[wyeto]

Well I called the owner who turns out to be a car dealer to find out some more information as to why the car wont start and he said he took it to the dealership to have them diagnose it for him.

I guess the car was also repossessed ha... interesting

He was like all used car dealers "oh I assure you everything is fine, probably an easy fix"
Maybe I am biased because I hate them all.

I had him send the service report over



It said in the report, bare wire connection at camshaft sensor then goes on to say crakshaft sensor recommended for replacement to begin. Dont know if they were getting mixed up or if it was both but again interesting...

[aviator79]

Originally Posted by wyeto I've looked into this and its just not worth it. Its about 500 miles. I would have to fly up there and get my parents to pick me up which would be $100 minimum, like you said 91 for a truck and uhaul trailer I thought was 70 but either way then gas for 500 miles while towing a car and you get extra charges because I would be dropping it off at a different location plus its a waste of my time so that makes the 300 to ship it look pretty good.

$300 is def good.
I recently used enterprise to get an ms6 and got a 1500 ram for $91 and trailer for $55 and then just gas. Pickup and return at same location. So gas would be expensive for u but idea was no per mile fee so thought it might be worth it.
I just tried to do it again today and all rams are in recall and Ford's that they had don't have a hitch so had to rent uhaul pickup and pay $0.59 per mile but still only about $150 as only did about 120 miles.

Good luck.

[akurma]

My vote is to fix it! the damage doesn't look bad at all! i bought my Speed3 totaled and don't regret a damn thing, take a look through my thread if you need motivation

Rescued a Genwon speed3

[brandon3212]

FIX IT

Take my opinion with a grain of salt because I have no issue with driving a less than perfect car. If it was mine I would get the quarter panel fixed, buy 2 used doors from the wreckers and have the car wrapped or dipped. The cost of paint in body jobs is HUGE, when you eliminate that you save piles of money.

EDIT: It's not that surprising that when you get work quoted that your paying for yourself it's allot cheaper than the same work done through insurance. Body shops love to screw insurance companies, it's been happening forever.

[chance91]

Sell that shit. TO me :-D

[wyeto]

Originally Posted by akurma My vote is to fix it! the damage doesn't look bad at all! i bought my Speed3 totaled and don't regret a damn thing, take a look through my thread if you need motivation Rescued a Genwon speed3

I have seen your thread and am very very impressed.

Originally Posted by chance91 Sell that shit. TO me :-D

I wouldnt be opposed to it if the price was right.

[chance91]

Originally Posted by wyeto I have seen your thread and am very very impressed. I wouldnt be opposed to it if the price was right.

2009 Speed 3 with 68,000, right? Gt or non? Shoot me a pm and let me know, maybe we can work something out.