mjdecker

Congrats on your parent's purchase! My family has been 100% gm for a while since we got rid of the 88 Lebarron a few years ago (100% American since before I was born). This week we picked up a corolla as a rental car, till I buy a car. My dad's been driving the rental and I've been driving his 2000 Impala. I'm kinda worried that he may stray from American (much less GM) since he made a comment about gas going up to $5/gal and him saying that the corlla is fast and feels more powerful than his Impala (3400)

I'm getting around $4100 back from the insurance and I'd rather have it the easy way of just using that to pay for a car in full without having to deal with payments. One of my buddies's dad has a 95 Buick Regal coupe (3800 Series I) and said he'll sell it but didn't give me a price. I priced it out at kelly blue book at around $3k but I think he probably wanted more out of it. For V8s (FWD & RWD) I'd rather have something that wouldn't kill me in gas (while still have some power and a throaty idle, unlike 4cyls IMO) but I would love to own something with a V8 someday, just not sure if now is the right time (I was eyeing some 06 Mone SSs, too much for my blood as of now. RWD cars, this vehicle will be my primary driver so thinking realisticly, f-bodies, 80s g-bodies probably aren't really pratical. B-bodies (impala ss with floor shifter preferably) or maybe a Catera I might be able to justify in the winter. I had brought up to a dealer about leasing a Cobalt coupe and paying $250/mo is out of the question.

To my knowledge, the Monte SS Didn't get the Supercharged 3800 until 04 I think.. I saw an 01 SS that only had the regular 3800 in it. And they wanted $11,000 for it. Yeah, I've thought about that... The only achievas I saw that were locally sold were sedans and pre 94 models. I did find a 97 Grand Am GT coupe that had simular options to my car (black exterior).http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?t...01&aff=national I'm open to options... But I would perfer a GM 2 door with a V6. (Monte Carlo, Alero, Grand Am, Grand Prix, Regal, Cutlass Supreme, etc.)

Not interested.. simple as that.

Went out car shopping today as well. Took a look at this Grand Prix GTP coupe http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_...ng=en&cardist=9 This car is loaded except, power passenger's seat and sunroof/moon roof. Took it out for a test drive... even before starting the car the a/c / heating controls knobs looked out of place as if the were from another car. The driver's side window was sluggish going up/down. Passenger's side wouldn't even go down. The leather didn't seem ripped or torn. there was a little wear on the passenger seat near the door but that's about all I noticed. The passenger's side mirror was a bit sluggish. The heating works.. but couldn't get the a/c working due to that screwed up knob. Radio works, but the volume will not go down. I had it so loud I had to turn it off. When i finally drove it, the suspension was tight as a nail. The exhaust was throaty that I loved for it being stock (for now, if I choose to buy the car). The guy had mentioned about some brake noise before I went but didn't noticed it until the way back and it was a pretty loud squeal. I turned on a pretty wide open road and decided to gun it.. I nearly shat myself for the power After I turned around to head back, I noticed that it had a HUD.. that was a pretty sweet feature. I came back and mentioned to the guy all the things I noticed wrong with it. Told him if he fixes them and taking into effect the age and mileage of the vehicle I'm willing to pay $4000 cash. He said he's gonna have to clear it with the owner and give him a call back Monday. I had also told him I'd like a mechanic to look at it and he said that's no problem, just schedule it ahead of time. So now, I'm going to look into some other options but this first one I'm really liking if those issues can be taken care of. I have to mention that a lot of my friends have been suggesting a civc or something that I have no interest in. I'd looking for a FWD V6 GM 2 door coupe or a RWD/FWD V8 sedan/coupe. But when some of my friends are import lovers, that really helps when they're trying to give advice. I'll post more as I look at other vehicles.

Well we finally reached a settlement. Their insurance co. agreed on $4130:omfg: (maybe + tax, not sure), a lot more than I was expecting. I would have been happy with $2500 or $3k.. but damn..

Frame:

Well.. this is really crap here. The insurance co. estimated it at $1700 for the car's value so this just makes things worse. My dad is fighting with them to bring it up to $3k or so but hasn't heard back from them.

Well kinda good news.. There was an insurance agent over yesterday to take pictures and look at the car. Apparently we are keeping it but they are claiming it as a total and we a check for the car's value prior of the accident. One thing I'm really shocked is my dad some how talked them into calculating in everything I had on the car too (even though we are keeping it). So they said as long as we have orginal recipts for the work done they will add that in to the estimated value. I'm still waiting to hear back from them, but it looks like I'll be able to get some more stuff off my car and will be parting it out. My dad had made a comment on taking the money and fixing the car but when the frame's bent I don't think that's a good idea. I'll post again when I have more info.

Well, I got a few quotes from some body shops in the area. One body shop quoted it just under $6k, and the another quoted it just under $2500. Both shops said they would claim the car as totaled but the insurance company as final say so I'm still waiting to hear back from them. When I got out of work I called up a buddy of mine and took the car to his house, spent a few hours doing the following: -Put the steel wheels back on (with BRAND NEW tires) -Stock Tape deck -Stock Front speakers -Chopped off my stainless exhaust tips So I lost my springs, hood, and a few other things but I got some of the major items I wanted to keep. I'll let you guys know how it turns out with the insurance.

Well.. it's totaled... I'll post more info after I get out of work.

Thanks guys for the comments... Today I will be going to a few body shops for a few quotes. It's drivable at the moment, I got some bulbs, and clear red tape and I bungeed down the truck since it wouldn't close. The driver side exhaust looks like it was pushed down a bit but not sure. The frame doesn't look bent but I could be wrong. I'll let you guys know how I make out. If it is claimed as a "total", I'm just hoping that I will be able to get my $300 Pioneer cd deck, alpine speakers. and maybe the rims if possible.

Thanks for the votes guys!

Finally got some lowering springs installed this spring, ment to get these images up earlier but been waiting for some decent weather. The rear's not as low as I had hoped it would be but it doesn't look as 4x4 as it did before. The ride is certainly better, smoother, tighter I couldn't ask for more. And as promised here's a bonus that just happened today This happened right out in front of my house. I'm at my computer and I hear my alarm going off.. I look outside to see some guy looking at my bumper with his Dodge Ram pulled out a bit. I get outside, tell him that it's my car. He said it was his fault (no $h!), and he had "slipped" on the gas because he was "tired." My dad came out and called the police (one advantage of having a police station less than 50ft away). We swaped information, a report was done and I took pics. Here's that guy's truck: The horizontal bar at the far left of his grill is cracked and there's a small crack in his bumper on the right side along with several scrapes that would probably buff out.

After seeing the concept Aura earlier this year at the Toronto auto show, I was highly impressed on how stand out it is but I was worried on how watered down the production model may turn out. If I was in the market for a mid-sized sedan, I would take the Aura (in concept form) over a Mazda 6, Nissan Altima or a Volkswagen Golf. Now seeing the production model in photos, I must say I am impressed with the transition from concept to production (far better than the G6's transition) but there are a few details that would make this vehicle much more stand out than any of it's competitors. As previously stated by several members, the wheels need changing or at least have a non-cost option of some five spoke wheels available. The interior looks slapped together with the way the wood trim wraps around the radio/temperature controls, they need to flow together just like the Sky's interior does. A piano black trim could possibly welcome new GM customers as that is something the competitors do not offer. 6 speed autos with available manual transmission have to be offered. The Red line model, whenever that may come, should be more true to the concept including projector beam headlights (optional HID lighting), more aggressive front end, more unique exhaust (either outlets similar to the Sky Red Line or center exhaust from the Aura concept). Make these changes happen and I can say that my selection for my next car has been made. P.S. On top of those changes here are a few additions I would like to see but understand they may be unrealistic but I feel should be heard. - More body styles: 2 door coupe 3 door hatch 5 door hatch (similar to that of the Mazda 6 and Opel Vectra 5 door models)

I think you can do swaps for upgraded brake off a newer 99+ or W-body. But then you would need new wheels as the bolt pattern on those n-bodys are 5x100 vs 5x115. I'm not sure how direct of a swap they can be (if they are at all) but it might be cheaper getting from a junk yard. Just a thought :twocents:

I can't afford a gift for both of you guys so you two are going to have to share this one.

I take it that this is just a dream?

There's a possibilty of a family reunion (dad's side) out in Colorado (near Denver) on the week of July 4th. If it does happen it will be the first time I have ever flown (23years old).

I was actually legal the first time I drove, 16, just got my permit and my dad was with me. I drove his 1994 Buick Park Avenue we just got rid of a few weeks ago. Here's how it looked the day we got rid of it When i drove it it was in a lot better condition, no rust at the time and ran like a champ.

<--- Very confused I know in some states blue headlights would be Illegal, not so much Xenon blue but really blue that supposedly can be mistake for an emergency vehicle. Not sure as to why LED headlights would be considered illegal aside the color they project.

on a scale of 1 to 10.... I would rate these at a 9... if there was sound..... 15

Rims are too much for me.. but I do like the taillights covers (or maybe just spray tint, not sure). Any pics of the front?

I saw an ebay auction a while back for a 1999 Riv that had PA portholes and 2004 or so Chrome rims (PA/Lacrosse style) on it.. looked damn good in the pictures. Not quite sure how it would look on a white Riv.