New guy here

[SmsDetroit]

Hello everyone. I’m currently looking at ordering my kit in the next 2 mont. I am new to the online bidding for a donor car. I currently have a bit on a 2009 SS. Any advice would be appreciate. Thanks in advance.

BTW I’ve been stocking this site for a long time and it seems like DF has put together an amazing community here.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Welcome to the forum. On line bidding can be a chancy thing sometimes, especially for an SS. It is hard to determine if it was abused or not by previous owners. Ask questions and get more pictures if possible for the person selling the car, sometimes they can provide a short video of the car running. Good luck.

 

[SmsDetroit]

Welcome to the forum. On line bidding can be a chancy thing sometimes, especially for an SS. It is hard to determine if it was abused or not by previous owners. Ask questions and get more pictures if possible for the person selling the car, sometimes they can provide a short video of the car running. Good luck.

I more so want a great deal. If I have to rebuild the motor I’m okay with that because I like power. Everything in my area (Detroit metro) is $8,000 or more and I know there will be a lot of rust coming with it

 

[Kenny123]

Welcome ! I'm relatively new as well man and can speak first hand, this group kicks a**. Nothing but helpful. Good luck on your adventure. Its well worth any wait.

 

[ctuinstra]

Don’t get too hung up on any one donor. I say that and did myself but it ended up being the best thing happened. Sometimes you end up paying too much but they are getting harder to come by since they aren’t being made anymore and every year they are getting more and more miles on them. Most of the vehicles in your area are going to full of rust and corrosion I’m sure but if they are, just expect that you will have to replace much of the driveline components which is not always a bad thing in building your car.

Your doing the right thing finding the donor first.

Good luck on your future build.

 

[Mayor West]

Pay attention to the fees being charged and whether or not you are even able to bid legally in your state (some require brokers, like mine did)

My car had about $1,500 or so in feeds tacked on to the sale price if i recall correctly.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

I more so want a great deal. If I have to rebuild the motor I’m okay with that because I like power. Everything in my area (Detroit metro) is $8,000 or more and I know there will be a lot of rust coming with it

Prices like that, you could spend $5-6k on an almost rust free and fully steerable southwest car and pay for shipping to the Motorcity with change to spare. But I guess that rust is extra $$$ up there.

 

[SmsDetroit]

Pay attention to the fees being charged and whether or not you are even able to bid legally in your state (some require brokers, like mine did)

My car had about $1,500 or so in feeds tacked on to the sale price if i recall correctly.

I lowered my bid once I added in fees and shipping to get it to me. If I get it for $1000 then all in I’ll be at about $2800 (I know wishful thinking at 1K)

 

[Rttoys]

Ya. The fees is what drew me away from an auction. I had an idea of what I wanted and waited for the right private seller to come up. It took me about a year, but I think it worked out well.

 

[Kenny123]

I lowered my bid once I added in fees and shipping to get it to me. If I get it for $1000 then all in I’ll be at about $2800 (I know wishful thinking at 1K)

Honestly it all happens exactly as its supposed to. I know it sounds corny and hippy like (i am no hippy) but we were looking at crazy expensive donors and one day found the turbo ss that runs perfect for 1800 bucks. Granted we had to drive from SC to NJ but we made a road trip out of it and had a blast.

 

[Mayor West]

I lowered my bid once I added in fees and shipping to get it to me. If I get it for $1000 then all in I’ll be at about $2800 (I know wishful thinking at 1K)

For my donor (Totaled 09 SS/TC with 129k miles in SC - minimal damages to body so it was a decent donor)

• Final bid $2,550
• $858 in fees
• $300 for shipping
• $3,708 all in to my door

It was more than I wanted to pay but I got to see it in person since it was at a copart facility and hour south of me.

Dealing with copart was a **** show, I hated the process and all the hidden fees on top of what they tell you.

Edit: Lol curse words are masked...

 

[CaptFrank2001]

Found my donor a 2006 SS for $1,900 by Googling "Cobalt for sale Florida". Sold several unneeded parts and have about $1,600 in my donor. Welcome !!!

 

[SmsDetroit]

Well I got the approval from the wife to buy my donor next week. I’ll either get a screaming deal on a copart car or I’ll “over pay“ for one at a used car lot. The used car lot one has the turbo and a g85 trans which from what I’m reading is the trans to have in the manual.

 

[SmsDetroit]

For my donor (Totaled 09 SS/TC with 129k miles in SC - minimal damages to body so it was a decent donor)

• Final bid $2,550
• $858 in fees
• $300 for shipping
• $3,708 all in to my door

It was more than I wanted to pay but I got to see it in person since it was at a copart facility and hour south of me.

Dealing with copart was a **** show, I hated the process and all the hidden fees on top of what they tell you.

Edit: Lol curse words are masked...

Oh I didn’t even see the **** I read it as a word. Lol

 

[SmsDetroit]

I’ll be picking up my donor next week

 

[Kenny123]

I’ll be picking up my donor next week

What did you end up getting?

 

[SmsDetroit]

2009 SS 4 door. With the G85 LSD trans

 

[Rttoys]

Oh no. That is super rare. Better watch out for the haters when you tear it apart.

 

[JBINTX]

oooooooohh yes!!!! Congrats
you might want to book mark my log.

 

[SmsDetroit]

oooooooohh yes!!!! Congrats
you might want to book mark my log.

Oh I have been stocking you. Lol