Thread: Hey i got an Estimate today and need to advice.

Hey everyone hows it goin. I own a 2000 Grand Prix GTP coupe. Lately ive been saving some side money for a little project that HAS to be done. Seeing im from Buffalo rust is very common on many cars. Both rockers on both my left and right side of the car are completely rusted outter and inner. I know there are no pictures to show you but it's bad. What each auto-body shop has said is they would have to order two complete rockers for each side of the car totaling $300 and labor totaling about 18 hours. Ive been collecting estimates all day and have fell into the 1100-1600 dollar category. I was curious if anyone has delt with an issue like this before. If you havn't your probably not aware of the severity that this thin stock rockers can endure in Buffalo. Just please direct me. I have 2000 bucks i was going to drop into the car engine and this came up.
(Please dont ask for me to post pictures i dont have a camera. If you have had rust under/on your side rockers you know what im talking about)

Try to find some good used rust free doors. They're out there, you just need to look. Install them yourself, sand them and get the body shop to paint them. This will be your cheapest route. Those quotes they gave you sound about right.

Do you need DOORS or rockers??

Your post Im thinking rockers but the two post are saying doors..

Originally Posted by bigmeadersGTP

you guys do know what rockers are right??

Op's post was too long for me to bother reading, I was going by the second post-oops

ya it's rockers...a little different than replacing doors. haha...i am from buffalo (so i know what you're talking about), and my dad is an autobody repairman at one of the bigger shops in buffalo. most shops dont want to get into rust work, but some of the smaller ones, that may be hurting for work, will take these sorts of jobs on. i'd say keep shopping around and make sure they do quality type work, i've seen some hack jobs and they end up costing more $$$ to repair! i also agree w buying a southern PA car and swapping engines. it might end up being less money as well.

thats about right my shop is mechanic/body/marine and thats about the going price to replace rockers its prolly a week or more project at a shop anywere from $1100 and up depending on how rusted up everything is cus u have to weld everything on sum shops use a liquid weld glue but dont recomend it cus once rust is rust itll lift the glue eventually and be in the same boat.

or get another car and put ur stuff in it motor/trans/etc

Originally Posted by Flip

nice work man looks good got any all finished pix??

Im going to keep the car thanks though lol. The pictures were a big help that the same case im in except 2 door. Besides the pictures which were a help do you have a step by step list on what to replace and using what method ? Ill probably take those pictures to the shop and if you could post what i wouldn't want them doing also , i would bring that too. Thanks a lot for your help. It is a pretty big investment.

Adding to my last reply... now say i let this problem go and dropped the 1200 i had saved into my engine...would the rotted out rockers eventually end up spreading to the rest of the body or would they just fall off ? This is hypothetically speaking, because this is most likely going to get done by next week.

what shops in buffalo were you going to?