It just keeps getting better and better...
 

Dropped my car off yesterday at Pristine Motorsports for the previously mentioned front rust repair.

Got a call today. Seems a PO has had a major hit in the font end and instead of repairing it properly, he really did a major hack job on it. You don't even want to know all the things he screwed up on the original rebuild. This is what eventually led to the rust, among other things.

Well, it turns out that I need to have my whole front end replaced from the struts forward. He has to basically pull off the entire area and heave it into the trash pile and weld on a new one. I think he called it the front clip. In addition to that, the previous repair job included a bad attempt at straightening both front struts, which were bent. These should have been replaced right then and there, but they weren't. I have to do that now.

What a mess. This is all going to cost me...are you ready for this...$3,700!:eek:

I know, I know. I should have had a PPI. It's water under the bridge now, so there's nothing I can do about it. I even did a Carfax and it checked out fine with no accidents (HA!)

The good thing (if there is one) is that Richard at Pristine says he can get the car back to the way it should be, and I trust him. He's done jobs of this magnitude before.

So now I wait.

I feel sick...http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/pukey.gif

-Scott

PPI before buying, $100. PPI after buying, $3700. I'm not familiar with your situation, so it is hard to know where you are coming from. The PO specifically repaired his car for a buyer like you. I realize the need to vent. I just hate to see your incident be used as an example for others to get a PPI. But it should. Now you have a car that is going to cost $4000 more the you paid for it, but be worth significantly less. I can't see any good that come from this and you should be concerned that the car can even be aligned correctly. Might be better to stop before you lose even more.

I can definitely serve as the example of what <I>not</I> to do.

As for the alignment, I've had the car for four months now and it's actually been aligned perfectly by Hergesheimers. It drives so straight that I can take my hand off the wheel for a mile and it doesn't even think about drifting. I found all this damage because I had been looking at some rust in the battery area and when I sent it in to be repaired, the truth reared it's ugly head.

I trust that Pristine can keep it aligned when they put on the new front end. I believe the piece being replaced is <I>ahead</I> of the front strut towers.

-Scott

Hey Scott, try and find a silver lining in this process if possible. Personally, if I needed a new front clip, I'd consider adding some fiberglass panels. Also, if the struts were bent, now is the time to replace them with something better or have them rebuilt if they are bilstein. Bilstein only charges an extra $10 to replace a bent strut shaft.

Another possibility is to think about buying a roller instead. If you have the time and inclination, you could take the best of your car and another roller and build something even better! Check out the classified section for roller possibilities.

Just trying to brainstorm for you, hope it all works out ok!

Thanks Brian.

-Scott

if you paid for the carfax, dont they have a guarantee that comes with it for the major stuff like accidents, i'm not sure what the deal is there but might be worth checking out

After repairs by a proper shop the car will be as good as new - after all it will have fresh metal rather than 20 year old street fatigued metal. It sounds like Pristine knows what they're doing - I wouldn't worry so much about the alignment - once the car is pulled on a frame machine it's going to be fine. If you keep the car another 5 years - that's only $800 a year to have a completely new front end. Not really a bad deal.

Just be careful of the "while I'm in there's" ;) That's what'll really get ya!

Pristine is a good shop.

Tough break, like you say. But they'll do a good job.

I would yank it and take ot to TRE. I bet they can do it cheaper. This is just a little more involved than a front pan replace....no??? I am not sure if an 84 cab is worth a "perfect repair". I would budget $4k take it to TRE, I bet he can do the repair and put in a racy suspension for that. I am sure Pristine is very good but it sounds like they are a high line repair place. This car is a driver not a museum piece. You just need it to look good from 10 feet, be safe and not eat up tires. Do you care if it wins concours!!! Ok you can do what ever you want :-))

I wonder where they will find a complete front section like that? I suppose a wrecking yard. Thats got to be expensive.

One good thing, I was wondering why the car was rusting like that. an 84 really should not do that. Now you know! If you have the change it will be really nice and you will be really happy driving it when it comes back. Imagine your confidence now.

Tough luck bud. Been there myself, I call my race car "Pandora"...

Carfax is a joke, save your money. When I sold one of my old Lexus, the Carfax showed no incidents. It had been crashed 3 times involving (amongst other things) replacement of 2 doors, hood, fenders and 3 wheels.

Clean history, .........right !

I've had similar bad experiences with Carfax...using one of my daily drivers as a "test" ( knowing it was involved in a near write-off accident).....which came up "clean"...

Yeah right.....

Wil

Hell you could knock that out yourself in your own garage with just a couple of beers! Or at least a couple of Gruppe B'ers could!:D
http://www.gruppeb.org/users/upload/images/DSCF0538.JPG
http://www.gruppeb.org/users/upload/images/DSCF0539.JPG
http://www.gruppeb.org/users/upload/images/DSCF0540.JPG
http://www.gruppeb.org/users/upload/images/DSCF0548.JPG

I would think about getting a second competent opinion if for no other reason to make it easier to shell out that dough.

didn't the bent struts and poor repair show up during the alignment?

I disagree. I was very interested in a car and was told NO accidents. I did a Carfax and it revealed an accident. All of a sudden I hear "Oh, yeah, that's right" from the seller.

It is merely one tool and not the be all end all of a car's history.

There is a frustration I have with Carfax. I have an '85 911 and cannot get a Carfax on it. I've tried several times over the years. There's no reason it should be unavailable....or is there????

same thing happened to me :( The front of my '74 is all jacked up, found the welded seam a month after I bought it. The good news is that my tub is so damaged that its allowed me to do all sorts of GruppeB experimentation on it :)

The point I ( and others) were mking about Carfax is that it may show up "clean" when it isn't....

Surely...if it shows up with a "prior"....then it gives you some useful information..

In other words, it'll help to show defects when none are expected....but not necessarily the other way around.

Wil

I'm getting a bit of flack from my wife about this. Understandably. I called Pristine and told them to put it back together so I could take it home. Looks like I'm going to have to save the cash for the job (instead of the 'ol plastic).

-Scott

hmm...I know how these things can end up. :cool: