Bodywork

[indierthanthou]

I need to replace a quarter panel. It was quoted at $1000-1200. My mom (who is upfronting the money, I'm paying her back as I can) doesn't like spending that much on an 18 year old, 188k miles car. Should I just keep driving the e34 I have now until I can find a different one without as many miles/problems/rust, or just do the body work, replace the clutch and flywheel, and do other things as I can afford them?

Keep in mind that I am dating a girl who lives an hour away, and that if all goes according to plan we would be getting married in a couple years, so that is also a factor.

[Bin_jammin]

I need to replace a quarter panel. It was quoted at $1000-1200. My mom (who is upfronting the money, I'm paying her back as I can) doesn't like spending that much on an 18 year old, 188k miles car. Should I just keep driving the e34 I have now until I can find a different one without as many miles/problems/rust, or just do the body work, replace the clutch and flywheel, and do other things as I can afford them?

Keep in mind that I am dating a girl who lives an hour away, and that if all goes according to plan we would be getting married in a couple years, so that is also a factor.

If it helps, she's probably not going to want to be driven around in a broke-ass car with a bad panel

That price doesn't sound bad at all for replacing a 1/4 panel. It's a lot of cutting and welding to remove and replace, with paint on top of it it sounds like you're getting a decent deal, but bear in mind a lot of places will cut corners to give a price like that, make sure they're actually removing the old panel and not cutting the new one to lay it over the existing damage.

Tell your mom "If everything that was a little older with a few extra miles on it were just thrown away as a matter of convenience then you wouldn't be around for me to borrow a G-note" and see how she takes it. Obviously I'm meaning that a car isn't worthless just because it's old.

[indierthanthou]

If it helps, she's probably not going to want to be driven around in a broke-ass car with a bad panel ...

Her daddy works for GM, shes got an 06 saturn ion. She thinks its a good idea to do it, because she understands that 'its not just a car to you, its also a hobby' (closest a non-car girl would get to being accurate about it ) and 'don't think its good to have a car rust out from under you.'

...Tell your mom "If everything that was a little older with a few extra miles on it were just thrown away as a matter of convenience then you wouldn't be around for me to borrow a G-note" and see how she takes it. Obviously I'm meaning that a car isn't worthless just because it's old.

I might try that. I'm also planning on replacing the flywheel and clutch with stuff from an e28, which will be around $500 or so. Thats my biggest debate: do I let it rust through winter and do the clutch sooner (it doesn't need replaced yet but it will) and let the rust get worse or do i take care of the QP now and do the clutch when it needs it?

[Elekta]

I'd start a savings account for a 90kmile upgrade e34 and put that money in it. Maybe the Feeeance would contribute too? I'd drive a 200k car that wasn't rusty, but I wouldn't invest in a rusty body with so many rust free e34's out there. just my .02, ymmv