1987 Convertible Fix or Sell?

[DPK]

E30+R3V enthusiasts I seek your insight as it’s wiser than mine for my current dilemma. Simply put I have an solidly refurbished and sportily appointed black on black e30 convertible with 149k miles. In 2015 at just 147k miles I had a reputable e30 shop in the Bay Area add in $15k in labor and parts to ensure a fun and tuned car. However, I got into an accident that caused supposedly $8k in body work and parts. I was T-Boned so the driver door and the rear wheel section were destroyed. Everyone was luckily fine, but glass was everywhere, door can’t open as impact apex was exactly where door and car/frame meet. Apparently convertible e30’s from 1987 (or perhaps all) don’t have ability to replace rear panel, so it’s laborious weldingg/metal + painting to fix . Frame thankfully is fine and mechanically Car is unaffected fine per a couple shops.

Question is do I pay the $7.5k to a body shop to fix this? Especially now it’s a salvage title car.

Perhaps cut losses and just get anothet e30 with way less mileage and a euro kit??

For full context here’s all the work + parts put into my e30

*period correct Apina shifter and stearing wheelilstien
*Black Turner pedal set
*DINAN performance chip
*Complete Transmission Pan gasket replacement
*R/R transmission for rear main seal
*front crank seal
*engine oil pan reseal with removal and reinstall of front sub frame
*front and rear Bilstein Sport shocks and Eibach Pro Plus Springs, spring pads and adjustable camber installation
*removal and reinstall and complete reseal differential assembly
*exhaust system reinstalled with Remus exhaust, new o2 sensors, and new CA 50 State catalytic converter
*new Front and rear brake pads and rotors
*new trunk and hood shocks

[mbonder]

You're in the wrong section for this question, should probably be in general discussion, however, my advice would be to find a clean roller and swap everything over. It's not worth fixing a t-boned car, simply because of the nature of the damage, the rear fenders are all part of the back half of the body and were never made to be replaceable.

California is home to many e30s that you can get for relatively cheap, find one with a broken timing belt and swap the better portions of your dead car into that turning 2 into 1 and end up with a nice car.

Also, if that's all the work you did on the car, you should find a new mechanic because $15k is steep! You've got some nice parts listed there, but I'm not seeing that kind of money warranted for what was done.

[Kershaw]

No you don't. If it's not your fault you go after the other person's insurance for everything you can, show them all the receipts for service, show them listings of sales on bring a trailer, etc. Get the money for a replacement.

If you're at fault, well, that sucks.

[flyboyx]

You're in the wrong section for this question, should probably be in general discussion, however, my advice would be to find a clean roller and swap everything over. It's not worth fixing a t-boned car, simply because of the nature of the damage, the rear fenders are all part of the back half of the body and were never made to be replaceable.

California is home to many e30s that you can get for relatively cheap, find one with a broken timing belt and swap the better portions of your dead car into that turning 2 into 1 and end up with a nice car.

Also, if that's all the work you did on the car, you should find a new mechanic because $15k is steep! You've got some nice parts listed there, but I'm not seeing that kind of money warranted for what was done.

this is probably enough advice to end this thread right here.

did you have the work done at the indie bmw shop in burlingame?

the money you spend on labor is an unrecoverable cost except perhaps you can use your receipts to beat up the insurance company.

no matter how nice the car is, if its wrecked across the door and quarter panel, it would be extremely difficult to get 1500 bucks out of it the way it is. consider it a parts car. do what Mbonder suggests and start over with a straight, rust free, clean titled car.

sorry this happened to you. i hope everything will work out in your favor in the end.

oh, and in the future, figure out how to do the work yourself so you don't get a 12 inch dick wrapped in sandpaper up your ass.

[KIRIEIW]

did you have the work done at the indie bmw shop in burlingame?

I hope your not referring to Paul at autohaus, that guys a THIEF!