Thought I found my next car, but then....

[merlion]

...disaster struck. Over the last few weeks I've been looking for a good used car, and have been primarily interested in something along the lines of a BMW/Audi/Infiniti, etc. between $20-25K.

My HS-aged son works as a lot tech at a local BMW dealer, and they have been keeping an eye out for me. This past weekend they took in a nice '09 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro with the Premium Plus package. It had right around 35K miles, and was in excellent shape.

The plan was for me to go in early this week to look at it in person, and to take it for a drive. I couldn't make it on Monday, so was going to go in yesterday afternoon. My son came home from school to change his clothes real quick before heading to work, and told me they would have the car cleaned/gassed up for me when I got there. I left home about 45 minutes later.

About 5-10 minutes after leaving home, my son calls me and says he has some bad news for me. I thought maybe the car was already sold? Nope, he was bringing it around to the front, and one of the mechanics backing a customers 1-Series out of the service area hit the Audi broadside on the passenger side. Got both doors on the Audi, and tore the rear bumper cover off of the 1-Series.

Here's the Audi (cell phone pic, so sorry for the quality)

They plan to take it to the local Audi dealer for repairs since they don't have their own body shop. They also asked if I'd still be interested in buying the car after the repairs, but at the same price as originally offered. They had it listed for $27,800, but were willing to let me have it for $23K.

 

[RKS]

what happened to the ZHP?

 

[HarryLui]

Sounds like a great deal struck.

 

[merlion]

I really wanted the ZHP, but was still waiting on hearing back from a couple of prospective employers. I've been laid off since just before Christmas, and didn't want to pull the trigger without a firm offer. A mechanic at the dealer ended up grabbing it.

I've since gotten the job offer, but unfortunately it requires a relo. I hate to move away from Cincy.

 

[JTsyo]

The damage doesn't seem bad at all. I wouldn't let that deter you if you like the car and the repairs are done right.

 

[merlion]

I didn't get a chance to take a look at it in person, but from the pic it looks like the back door got tweaked a little since the trim pieces from the door and rear quarter no longer line up. I guess I also wonder how the repair will be done. Reskin the doors, or knock out as best as possible, and then use body filler.

Maybe I'm looking at it wrong, but to still pay the same exact price knowing that it was damaged bothers me somehow. Am I being overly anal?

The local Audi dealer has an exact duplicate of this car on their used lot, and at the same advertised price as this one was listed, but I don't know if I could get them to go down to $23K. The Audi dealer car is offering 6 year/100K mile warranty though. I hadn't gotten around to warranty questions with the car at BMW yet.

 

[RKS]

I really wanted the ZHP, but was still waiting on hearing back from a couple of prospective employers. I've been laid off since just before Christmas, and didn't want to pull the trigger without a firm offer. A mechanic at the dealer ended up grabbing it.

I've since gotten the job offer, but unfortunately it requires a relo. I hate to move away from Cincy.

I live in Mason but if it wasn't for family I would move to some place warmer.

 

[merlion]

We're not far apart then. I'm in Maineville.

Unfortunately, our relo won't be to someplace warmer though.

 

[manimal]

Once fixed make sure all the seams are right and there are no waves. Ask them if they replaced the outside panels outright.

The car should be good to go if done right. At 23 thats a great deal in todays market.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

Considering they bumped off a good chunk before it got damaged and it's being repaired an Audi place it wouldn't bug me too much.

If they were asking for the 27k then yes I would be more miffed.

 

[DigDog]

23k and buy it.

 

[IcePickFreak]

Hard to tell from the angle in the pic, but it doesn't look that bad and I imagine either car wasn't moving that fast in the parking lot. Looks like a repair (definitely not looking like any panels need to be replaced from the angle in the pic) and respray and realigning the door (likely just rocked the adjustment on the lower hinge that's right there) and it'll be good to go. I say it's still a good deal at $23k, maybe ask for some other perks for the inconvenience but I wouldn't bother trying to cut the price anymore after they dropped it a good chunk already.

Obviously don't do anything til it's repaired and you can check out the repair work, but if they take it to a decent body shop you shouldn't be able to notice it was ever hit.

 

[satyajitmenon]

If there's follow up work after they repair the damage (say if three months from now you notice some peeling or something), will they fix it for free?

 

[merlion]

I'm sure they would stand by the work for a reasonable period. Although we will be relocating, it's only about six hours away. Besides that, my son plans on staying here locally to complete his senior year in HS, and may end up staying with his current bosses' family.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I would be ok if Audi did the repair, although a bit disappointed. You're still getting a good deal.

It almost looks like the back door just isn't shut all the way... I would be interested to see it in person before the repair, then decide whether or not to buy it.

 

[RavenSEAL]

D:

 

[merlion]

Yeah, I should have had my son get more pics before he left work last night. The car was taken to Audi this morning, and may be ready as soon as Friday afternoon.

Interestingly enough, the Audi dealer has an exact duplicate of the car on their used lot. Mileage within 1K of this car, but is a CPO. List price on it was $27,800. How much is the CPO worth? It would extend the factory warranty out two years/50K miles beyond the original warranty, but the research I've done shows this to be a pretty reliable vehicle.

The CPO car I believe I could get for $25,000. I will also say that the car being repaired will need tires within 5K miles too, so that will be another $1K most likely.

 

[Mike Gayner]

These body repair people do magic work - you'll never know it has been worked on when they're through if they're any good.

 

[JulesMaximus]

That is really minor damage. I wouldn't even worry about it once it is repaired quite frankly.

 

[merlion]

Well, this deal is dead. The car isn't being repaired at the Audi dealer, and the work won't be completed until about two weeks from now. I need to get something before then.

My wife returns from visiting family overseas on Monday, and I am scheduled to start my new new job the Monday after that. Have to have another vehicle by April 1st.

 

[KentState]

We're not far apart then. I'm in Maineville.

Unfortunately, our relo won't be to someplace warmer though.

I was lucky. I got to move from Lebanon to a much warmer place. Also opened up a lot of car buying opportunities since I don't have to worry about winters.

 

[merlion]

Well, nothing of interest has popped up at the dealer where my son works, and time is starting to run out. I've got an extra week before I need to start my new job, but that still only leaves me about a week and half to get something.

I found a clean '07 Accord EX-L V-6 with about 43K miles for a reasonable price. Now the question is whether to get that, or just get something new with a warranty, and better gas mileage? I've given up on the BMW/Audi idea. I just can't seem to find what I want within my price range.

Of interest would be a new Elantra/Focus/Civic, and my wife would drive that. I would keep driving the '12 Sonata SE. Or, for about $17K I could get the used Accord, and my wife would keep driving the Sonata.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

At the $20k range I would look more towards a g35 and further away from an accord. But, I care about handling, etc etc

 

[NutBucket]

$17k almost buys a new Sonata as well since you mentioned something about a 2012 Sonata.

 

[SSSnail]

Why don't you just lease something cheap in the short term, and save for the bigger purchase two years down the road? There are plenty of new cars that are perfectly good for commuting that you can lease for less than 200/mo. VW, Hyundai, etc...