Stolen and Wrecked Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Saga Has a Happy Ending for the Owners

Last week we brought you the story of a Delaware couple whose 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 had been stolen by a dealership employee and totaled only to have the dealership refuse responsibility and today I am happy to report that the owners of the stolen ZL1 will be receiving a brand new Camaro thanks to intervention by General Motors and a different Chevy dealership.

A quick summery of the original piece detailing the dealership-destroyed 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. 2012 Camaro ZL1 #1635 owned by Debbie and John Hooper had been dropped off at Georgetown Chevrolet in Georgetown Delaware for some paint repairs that were covered under warranty. While in the possession of Georgetown Chevrolet (a branch of First State Chevrolet), one of their moron service advisors broke into the dealership on a Sunday, stole the Hooper’s Camaro ZL1 and took it for what was likely an exhilarating joyride. During said joyride, Georgetown employee Eric Peterson lost control of the ZL1 and hit a pole – totaling the car beyond repair. The Hooper’s insurance company refused to pay for the car because the scumbag who stole it obviously wasn’t covered under their insurance plan and First State’s insurance refused to find a ZL1 that was an adequate replacement in the Hooper’s eyes. You can read the full details of the initial battle by clicking here but in the long run, this couple was left making payments on a car that a dealership employee totaled and the dealership wasn’t willing to make things right.

This story obviously hit home with a great many of our readers as over 12,000 readers shared the original article and in doing so, the news of this wronged Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 owner got back to General Motors. While John Hooper didn’t go into much detail, he posted on the Camaro5 enthusiast forum that General Motors and Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids Michigan had gotten involved and paved the way for the Hoopers to get a brand new 2013 Camaro ZL1. It is unclear exactly what GM did to make this happen but Berger Chevrolet reportedly agreed to send a brand new 2013 Camaro ZL1 to First State Chevrolet where the Hoopers could go and purchase it. To be clear, they have to purchase the car because they still owed money on their previous Camaro but an unspecified insurance company stepped up to pay off the wrecked ZL1 so that John Hooper could purchase his new ZL1. In other words, they will keep on making payments but now they will be making payments on a 2013 Camaro ZL1 rather than a 2012 Camaro ZL1 that they no longer own.

In addition to getting a new 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and not having to make payments on a 2012 ZL1 which they no longer have, the Hoopers are getting some extra goodies for their new super-Camaro. Aaron Pfadt, owner of Pfadt Racing, heard of the Hooper’s miserable dealership saga and had an employee contact the Hoopers to let them know that when they do receive their new ZL1 – they will be getting a set of Pfadt high performance sway bars for their new Camaro. Also, some companies with which Pfadt works offered up some additional items including a cold air intake system from Cold Air Inductions and some custom LED lighting from Diode Dynamics.

While this has surely been a miserable experience for John and Debbie Hooper, the end result of this saga seems to be a fairly happy ending. While they are surely still sad about the loss of their prized 2012 Camaro ZL1 #1635, they will end up with a newer car with a handful of free aftermarket goodies. Big props to General Motors and Berger Chevrolet for helping resolve the issue and to Pfadt Racing, Cold Air Inductions and Diode Dynamics for helping to comfort the blow of this situation with some free items for their new car.

Source: Camaro5