300Z - fix, sell, or sue?

[RPMS]

Heya, folks!

 

I need some sage advice, gut reactions, and learned wisdom. Everyone has something to offer, so please don't feel like your advice wouldn't be valuable just because you don't own a 300Z.

 

One of my friends has a normally aspirated 1991 300Z 2+2 that he is looking to sell, and wants to know what it's worth. It's automatic, white in color, and has a leather interior. T-tops, Bose, working A/C. The car's in fair shape, with good paint and a smooth running engine. It has 171,000 miles, and it has a few apparent problems: There is a substantial oil leak, probably from the cam covers. The driver's seat has a tear in the bolster next to the door, and one of the rear speaker covers has a dime-sized tear in the fabric covering. Otherwise, the interior looks quite serviceable. The body has two small creases in the right rear fender about 12" long.

 

Now for the kicker. The car was in an accident about six years ago, and the front clip in front of the shock towers was replaced by Grubbs Nissan (or their agent). The metal is now ripping loose where the front of the shock tower meets the fender, and you can see through to the road via three 2" tears in the metal.

 

He wants to sell it instead of fixing it. Does anyone want to give me a ballpark on what he should expect to get for it? He loved the car when he felt safe in it, and my personal thought is to get everything pushed back into position, welded and braced from inside the wheelwell (to avoid removing the engine again), and to enjoy the car some more.

 

What do y'all think? Sell or fix? Too late to sue the dealer for what was apparently a shoddy repair?

 

Thanks,

 

Scott Ferguson

1974 260-Z

[Tim240z]

Call the dealer and talk to them first.

I really hate the litigious nature in this Country. Find out which bodyshop did the work and find out what the warranty on such a repair is. If it was fixed via an insurance claim, talk to the insurance company, and find out what can be done. I would imagine such a repair should last the life of the car....

 

Tim

[Sumo]

A clean lower mileage car would fetch him around maybe $4k to $5k. With the repairs you state and the mileage and previous accident, you're looking between 3-4k with the repairs. Dont shops usually guarantee their workmanship? maybe they'll do a compromise and fix it.

[RPMS]

Actually, the "or sue" option was something I threw in at the last instant to get a few more folks to read the post. Yeah, it's bait-and-switch in the finest tradition. But your responses did get me to think about mediation. To me the repair should be a lifelong one, but some shop owners see differently. Perhaps with mediation, something could be done along the lines of "we remove the engine ourselves, and the body shop fixes the broken metal at no cost", that sort of thing.

 

Anyone else have any good ideas?

[datsunlover]

Well, it's been my expiriance that after a major 'hit' of the sort this car would have had to take to require the stated type of work,AND the fact that it is now starting to fall apart, I would be wary of buying it..

For ex; I believe my truck was in a colision before I got it, and while it looks ok, it always has a pull to the right, and a slight shake/vibration at speed. No amound of work, alignment, or replacement parts will ever get my truck back to the way it should be. (no shaking or pulling) I've tried, trust me. After a vehicle has been hit, it's never the same again. Things wear out faster that they should, things flex/squeek, ect. Sure, anything can be fixed.. but to get this 300zx fixed AGAIN and properly this time, you'll probly have to spend a few $$$..