The end (UPDATE - asshole located)

[EfiniX]

I shopped the car as-is a bit and no one came close to a value I would need to see to sell it in one piece. Know I know at first-blush that sounds like I'm just another mook who doesn't understand the intrinsic value of this dying breed. Please understand that like most project cars, I won't come close to recovering the money, time, and love I put into this car. And it does kill me to pick it apart, but it's a folded-up unibody that even with the best work, would likely never drive straight again. There's just so much going on here. I mean I was only 200-miles (and 2-weeks) detached from over $2,500 in engine and cooling work when the car got creamed. I never even got to run my new intake mani and cam at WOT. So sad...

Maybe it's a consolation that the strongest interest in the motor and tranny so far would put what is a rolling shell back on the road? I hope so. The car has a DNR/DNI and is an organ donor, so barring a VR4 angel, it's headed to that big rally in the sky.

Quoting FlyingEagle:
I think Curtis may have a point.

Can understand parting ways, and parting out, but consider leaving everything in the shell, complete.

Pull the upgraded motor and things that wouldn't be stock that lurk in the engine bay.

Somebody could put it all back together.

When my Colt got hit at right angles, I was surprised the front coupe style doors had no issues with opening and closing and the frame from the windshield back was unscathed.

My Colt was not worth pulling straight and everything got crushed in the engine bay, including the 4g15 that had just been rebuilt some months before. Completely rebuilt. Rusty car, first foray into the Mitsubishi world ....

So, consider that someone may want to buy the complete car and do the body work. It never hurts to try and could save oodles of time on your end.

 

[FlyingEagle]

I hear you and totally understand where you are coming from.

We have three sides to camps here: Build and save, tear down and cut losses and or make profit, and those that get stuck in the middle - and maybe get to drive them at some point too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[EfiniX]

So, after weeks trolling craigslist and auto auctions, you'll never guess what I found...

Asshole

For reference, here's the piece of car that got left behind (with a part number that narrowed my searching considerably)



and a detail of the car



I've already had all of the conversations I need to have (my insurance, their insurance, and the police), and things are shaking out fairly well. Doubtful any charges will be brought, but it's assured that the owner of the car will be living with an insurance rate increase for the foreseeable future. The owner story goes like this:

She said she wasn't the driver - I believe this since the car was spotted a few weeks later on the road being driven by a man
She said the driver said he left a note - demonstrably not true, which will be confirmed when State Farm gets a copy of the police report

Of course, this doesn't suddenly make the car "alive" again, but it does give me a fair bit of closure.

 

[Jesus_Negros]

That bitch is done, part it or get a clean shell to swap stuff over to. Sorry for what happened though.

 

[EfiniX]

Oh yeah, we're done here. Glad to get as much as I did out of my insurance. Again, keep your receipts and work history!

 

[boostme]

At least you ok and wasn't in the car or whatever you know. To me, if I was into off road, this is a perfect candidate or road race.

 

[Hittman]

Great sleuth work sir!


Quoting EfiniX:
So, after weeks trolling craigslist and auto auctions, you'll never guess what I found...

Asshole

For reference, here's the piece of car that got left behind (with a part number that narrowed my searching considerably)



and a detail of the car



I've already had all of the conversations I need to have (my insurance, their insurance, and the police), and things are shaking out fairly well. Doubtful any charges will be brought, but it's assured that the owner of the car will be living with an insurance rate increase for the foreseeable future. The owner story goes like this:

She said she wasn't the driver - I believe this since the car was spotted a few weeks later on the road being driven by a man
She said the driver said he left a note - demonstrably not true, which will be confirmed when State Farm gets a copy of the police report

Of course, this doesn't suddenly make the car "alive" again, but it does give me a fair bit of closure.

 

[ktmrider]

VERY good sleuth work!

As mentioned doesn't bring her back but at the very least a bit of satisfaction that someone will be held accountable.

 

[curtis]

Well at least you found out who did it. Find a lawyer that needs everyones pants or go find the bitches new car bust out the drivers window and have a nice sh*t in her seat. Another idea is this click me. He who shoots the most the fastest wins.

 

[gvr4ever]

In my state, a hit and run automatically makes it 100% fault of the person who hit and ran. The owner of the car can identify who was driving. I know it won't bring your car back, but you should be able to work with the Ins to get true value out of your car, or they can just replace it with some of the clean examples for sale, if they doubt the value of the car.

 

[EfiniX]

And on to the new rig...

 

[idreamidrive]

I am sorry for your purchase. Be prepared to have the car in at the dealer about every other month.

 

[EfiniX]

No worse than the Galant /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

In any case, I at least had the good fortune to get one with:

Two owners
A $4500 major service including intake cleaning 1000 miles ago
Most service records

Sure it will be a pain at times, but it also turns out I have an excellent BMW mechanic here in town as well.

 

[EfiniX]

Quoting idreamidrive:
I am sorry for your purchase. Be prepared to have the car in at the dealer about every other month.



I made it a month!

 

[FlyingEagle]

Brilliant. Update. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

 

[automaton]

I came so very close to buying one of those, but the potential maintenance/repairs threw me off. So, instead, I bought a 2007 Jaguar XF Supercharged... yeah, not so good on the maintenance or repairs. Beautiful, powerful, great cars, both of them. Just a nightmare in ownership. After sitting on the Jaguar for two and a half months with the thing in the shop for 7 of the 12 weeks and I had enough. I took the loss in equity and traded for a nice reliable pick-up truck with my tail between my legs.

 

[EfiniX]

Fortunately, the 335d I purchased had $4400 worth of work done 2 months prior including (and I have the receipts) cleaning the intake and EGR systems, the two major concerns.

I like to think that through research and patience, I knew what I was getting into and made an informed decision. Time will tell, but for now, 36mpg on the highway and 525'lb. of torque is pretty fun.

I do plan on installing a meth system this summer so that the intake stays clean and the exhaust stays cool. So far, the only thing I've needed to fix was a lightbulb.

 

[EfiniX]

Quoting idreamidrive:
I am sorry for your purchase. Be prepared to have the car in at the dealer about every other month.

 

[EfiniX]

8500mi. since purchase, not a single issue.

Meth coming in a month or two... So long and thanks for all the fish, guys!