would you buy a vert that was in an accident?

**flat-top** · 05-23-2012, 04:19 AM

so I looked at a 99 convertible in Lancaster PA. The car fax thing said it was in an accident in 06, had to be towed...that's 6 years ago.

The car pulls to the right. I was going to have a mechanic friend look at it...

someone said that a convertible takes all the stress from an accident to the frame, it doesn't get distributed through the car like a roof would do....

any input?

**JohnnyBs98WS6Rag** · 05-23-2012, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by flat-top

so I looked at a 99 convertible in Lancaster PA. The car fax thing said it was in an accident in 06, had to be towed...that's 6 years ago.

The car pulls to the right. I was going to have a mechanic friend look at it...

someone said that a convertible takes all the stress from an accident to the frame, it doesn't get distributed through the car like a roof would do....

any input?

It depends on what was damaged and who did the repairs. I'd never buy any car that had a salvage title (totaled) and was rebuilt in someone's driveway. My car was hit before it turned 1 year old, granny t-boned me in the driver's door, but I swerved away, skidded on gravel and jumped a curb. I was able to drive the car home, but it was pulling to one side. Damage assessment called for new front fender (cracked from the shock of going over the curb), door skin (crushed, but no internal damage to window mechanism), rear quarter panel (scratched/dented), 2 rims, front LCA. My swerving away from the impact prevented a substantial amount of side force, and the primary damage was limited to the skin, the rims & LCA (which hit one side of a wheelchair ramp as I jumped the curb). The floor pan / chassis did not yield.

Repairs were done by the local Pontiac dealer's body shop, alignment was done next door at the Honda dealer (alignment rack at the Pontiac dealer couldn't handle the 275mm width tires?? but Honda's could???). All work was done on a reference plate to make sure everything was aligned properly. I subsequently added KBDDSFCs to ensure chassis stiffness wasn't compromized. Car drives like new. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another that went through the same thing.

WRT the 'vert vs T-top strengthness, yes a roof adds stiffness, but not much strength. That little t-bar down the middle is strong along its axis and reduces fore-to-aft flexing very well, but it is thin and weak side-to-side and doesn't do much to reduce twisting forces. If the car was whacked hard enough to cause the body shell to yield, I wouldn't count on that t-bar to prevent damage to the chassis alignment. A hard-top is better at resisting twist, but most of the beef (on these F-bods) is in the center where the t-bar would be.

**Smittro** · 05-23-2012, 09:22 AM

I would'nt buy any vehicle that had been wrecked. But that's just me.

**Redrokit8** · 05-23-2012, 10:42 AM

First of all, you don't have a real separate frame on that car. It is a unibody where body shell and frame are all one.
I worked in the auto business for 45 years and I can tell you it can go either way. It all depends on who did the work and what materials were used. I've seen jobs where only a true experienced expert could tell the difference. And the majority of severe damage cases are butcher jobs because they were bought as salvage and the repair guy is looking for a grand slam home run.
BTW, any vehicle that has an accident report of any severity is most of the time worth no more than .50 on the dollar. That makes it enticing for the right car. There are ways to clean that report and title up in some states but that opens you up to another can of worms that could come back and bite you in the ass.

**flat-top** · 05-24-2012, 06:28 AM

i drove it again last night, and decided against it. it had a tap, (I know piston slap..maybe) leaked something infront of the right front wheel, everytime I turned right it made noises, the steering was difficult, made a loud bang underneath when I hit a bump....

didn't have a good feeling with the car...prolly for a reason.
thanks!!!!

**MikadoWu** · 07-28-2016, 07:12 AM

I know this is old thread, so this is more to those whom may look to the future.

I would buy another salvaged titled Firebird, under the right circumstances.

8 Years ago, I purchased a 2002 Firebird V6 Convertible. The price was only 3500 and only had 50,000 miles on it. I was upgrade my legs space for my kids from a 94 Chevy Z24.

Today, this car has 198,271 miles on it. Does it leak in the rain, YES. If I do not cover it in the summer rains, does it get mildew, YES. That said, the car was my daily driver for 6 years and I did almost zero maintenance on it. It has not gotten my son through High School, and his first year of college.

When I ask him if he wanted to look for another, clean Bird, he adamantly say NO. He loves the car he grew up in.

It is not often you get 150,000 miles and 8 years from a $3500. And I thank the Beak (nickname) ever day for helping get through some rough times.

Oh, 2 years ago, I purchased a older sister for her, a 2001 Firebird Conv't for my daughter and Last week I purchased me a 2001 Trans Am WS6 Conv't.

All, I can say is this. If the price is right, and you go over the vehicle, then maybe it just may be right for you.