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YAUCT: Buying a Frame Damage Salvage Car from CL

K

kitkit201

Diamond Member
Here we go again folks,

My Second attempt in buying a used car on CL:

The CL ad is here: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/car/219399549.html

Its basically a 2002 Honda Civic with relatively low miles of 58k. It was given a salvage title for frame damage, but the ad claims that it was fixed by the mechanic.

Should I even bother looking at this, or is a frame damage salvage title too much to even bother despite the cheap price?




For reference: Toyota Corolla S Manual with Auto to Manual Swap->http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=1942263&enterthread=y
 
way way way overpriced. as safeway and fingol said aroudn $3k (i wouldnt pay more then $2k myself) and have a mechanic/body shop take a look at it BEFORE any money changes hands.

buying salvage cars is a gamble. throw in frame damage? it better be a damn good deal.
 
Salvage title plus nasty ricer touches (rims, blacked out badges, ect) = Run far far away from this thing.
 
Originally posted by: kitkit201
Here we go again folks,

My Second attempt in buying a used car on CL:

The CL ad is here: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/car/219399549.html

Its basically a 2002 Honda Civic with relatively low miles of 58k. It was given a salvage title for frame damage, but the ad claims that it was fixed by the mechanic.

Should I even bother looking at this, or is a frame damage salvage title too much to even bother despite the cheap price?




For reference: Toyota Corolla S Manual with Auto to Manual Swap->http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=1942263&enterthread=y
Click to expand...

Frame damage is bad. Its damn near impossible to get it perfectly straightened out. It's also quite unsafe. There's a reason she's having a hard time selling it.

Salvage titles are given when the car is considered totaled. If it was easy to fix, they wouldnt have totaled it.

 
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Salvage title plus nasty ricer touches (rims, blacked out badges, ect) = Run far far away from this thing.
Click to expand...





ElectroConvulsive Therapy?

I guess any car that needed this is to be avoided indeed!


:Q
 
I don't know where you guys are coming up with $3k. This would sell in a heartbeat for $3k. Salvaged is usually worth about half its bluebook value. This car is worth about $11.5k without the salvage, thus it should be worth around $6k with the salvage.
Also, depending on where the accident took place, it may or may not be a big deal.
Consider this, even if you spend $4k fixing it due to salvage problems, you're still saving money - in which for that much money, you can swap out the engine and the transmission.
 
"We've been having a hard time trying to sell it "

You have the upper hand--give a low ball offer.

"It has the salvaged title from the original owner?s accident. We bought the car from the mechanic who fixed the car."

Just because they were suckers doesn't mean you have to pay for it 😀 Assuming they're telling the truth.
 
Originally posted by: virtualgames0
I don't know where you guys are coming up with $3k. This would sell in a heartbeat for $3k. Salvaged is usually worth about half its bluebook value. This car is worth about $11.5k without the salvage, thus it should be worth around $6k with the salvage.
Also, depending on where the accident took place, it may or may not be a big deal.
Consider this, even if you spend $4k fixing it due to salvage problems, you're still saving money - in which for that much money, you can swap out the engine and the transmission.
Click to expand...

a 4 year old civic is still worth 11.5 grand? how much was it new, 15 grand?

used hondas are way overpriced.
 
Originally posted by: kitkit201
Here we go again folks,

My Second attempt in buying a used car on CL:

The CL ad is here: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/car/219399549.html

Its basically a 2002 Honda Civic with relatively low miles of 58k. It was given a salvage title for frame damage, but the ad claims that it was fixed by the mechanic.

Should I even bother looking at this, or is a frame damage salvage title too much to even bother despite the cheap price?



For reference: Toyota Corolla S Manual with Auto to Manual Swap->http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=1942263&enterthread=y
Click to expand...

Frame damage? I wouldn't touch it even though it had been fixed.

 
Call your insurance company first and ask if they will even insure it with the title mark (many won't.) Personally I would not touch it.
 
Originally posted by: BD2003
Originally posted by: kitkit201
Here we go again folks,

My Second attempt in buying a used car on CL:

The CL ad is here: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/car/219399549.html

Its basically a 2002 Honda Civic with relatively low miles of 58k. It was given a salvage title for frame damage, but the ad claims that it was fixed by the mechanic.

Should I even bother looking at this, or is a frame damage salvage title too much to even bother despite the cheap price?




For reference: Toyota Corolla S Manual with Auto to Manual Swap->http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=1942263&enterthread=y
Click to expand...

Frame damage is bad. Its damn near impossible to get it perfectly straightened out. It's also quite unsafe. There's a reason she's having a hard time selling it.

Salvage titles are given when the car is considered totaled. If it was easy to fix, they wouldnt have totaled it.
Click to expand...

Completely wrong. The difficult to fix has nothing to do with getting a slavage title or not. The only thing that matters is cost to repair it.

Lights, grill, radator, motor mounts, air bags are all easy to fix just cost a lot of money for new parts. Pulling the frame back to shape is reality cheap the only cost is labor and paint.
 
Originally posted by: virtualgames0
I don't know where you guys are coming up with $3k. This would sell in a heartbeat for $3k. Salvaged is usually worth about half its bluebook value. This car is worth about $11.5k without the salvage, thus it should be worth around $6k with the salvage.
Also, depending on where the accident took place, it may or may not be a big deal.
Consider this, even if you spend $4k fixing it due to salvage problems, you're still saving money - in which for that much money, you can swap out the engine and the transmission.
Click to expand...

Yeha, but I really dont want to deal with swaping the engine or the transmission.. did you read my last post about buying a possible tranny swap Toyota Corolla S?
 
What are you, stupid?

Edit: Perhaps that was a bit rude. But you clearly do not have the mechanical aptitude to own these cars. At the rate you are going, you are going to blow $5000 on a car that is a complete POS. Save yourself the trouble and cut it out - if it looks too good to be true, it ABOSLUTELY IS, especially on craigslist.

Edit 2: If you are buying a used car, you need to get a carfax account and you need to look at cars being sold by actual RESPONSIBLE normal owners. You do not want to buy anything with sixteen 12" subwoofers in the trunk, 20" rims, or cold air intakes. Anyone who modifies their car like that who actually TAKES CARE OF IT will remove all those mods before selling, so that you would have no idea they were ever done. A modded car is not worth anything for a reason. Run a carfax on every VIN you can get, and DON'T BUY ANYTHING THAT HAS A SINGLE RECORD OF DAMAGE ETC. The cars you are looking at, no one in their right mind would touch. If you can't afford the model car you really want, either find one with HIGH HIGHWAY MILES or find a different model. Buying one of these will be a financial disaster and a constant headache.

Edit 3: Get a carfax account. Shop on autotrader.com.
 
Originally posted by: smack Down
Originally posted by: BD2003
Originally posted by: kitkit201
Here we go again folks,

My Second attempt in buying a used car on CL:

The CL ad is here: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/car/219399549.html

Its basically a 2002 Honda Civic with relatively low miles of 58k. It was given a salvage title for frame damage, but the ad claims that it was fixed by the mechanic.

Should I even bother looking at this, or is a frame damage salvage title too much to even bother despite the cheap price?




For reference: Toyota Corolla S Manual with Auto to Manual Swap->http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=1942263&enterthread=y
Click to expand...

Frame damage is bad. Its damn near impossible to get it perfectly straightened out. It's also quite unsafe. There's a reason she's having a hard time selling it.

Salvage titles are given when the car is considered totaled. If it was easy to fix, they wouldnt have totaled it.
Click to expand...

Completely wrong. The difficult to fix has nothing to do with getting a slavage title or not. The only thing that matters is cost to repair it.

Lights, grill, radator, motor mounts, air bags are all easy to fix just cost a lot of money for new parts. Pulling the frame back to shape is reality cheap the only cost is labor and paint.
Click to expand...


while partially correct. totaled just has to do with how much it cost to repair not how easy it is.

a bent fram on cars is a safety issue. its just not as strong after its been bent and pulled back in shape. Also many insurance agency's will not insure them.

I would not buy a vehicle that had frame damage.
 
Originally posted by: waggy
Originally posted by: smack Down
Originally posted by: BD2003
Originally posted by: kitkit201
Here we go again folks,

My Second attempt in buying a used car on CL:

The CL ad is here: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/car/219399549.html

Its basically a 2002 Honda Civic with relatively low miles of 58k. It was given a salvage title for frame damage, but the ad claims that it was fixed by the mechanic.

Should I even bother looking at this, or is a frame damage salvage title too much to even bother despite the cheap price?




For reference: Toyota Corolla S Manual with Auto to Manual Swap->http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=1942263&enterthread=y
Click to expand...

Frame damage is bad. Its damn near impossible to get it perfectly straightened out. It's also quite unsafe. There's a reason she's having a hard time selling it.

Salvage titles are given when the car is considered totaled. If it was easy to fix, they wouldnt have totaled it.
Click to expand...

Completely wrong. The difficult to fix has nothing to do with getting a slavage title or not. The only thing that matters is cost to repair it.

Lights, grill, radator, motor mounts, air bags are all easy to fix just cost a lot of money for new parts. Pulling the frame back to shape is reality cheap the only cost is labor and paint.
Click to expand...


while partially correct. totaled just has to do with how much it cost to repair not how easy it is.

a bent fram on cars is a safety issue. its just not as strong after its been bent and pulled back in shape. Also many insurance agency's will not insure them.

I would not buy a vehicle that had frame damage.
Click to expand...

Well, to be more precise, it does all comes down to money in the end. Its totaled if it will cost more to fix it than its worth. While frame damage may be *simple* (not easy, as waggy explained), it will lower the overall value of the care a great deal. Perhaps "easy" was not the right word to use.
 
I wouldn't buy it. You'll never get anything for it when it comes time to sell it and you might have other major problems with it even though it has been "fixed."
 
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I wouldn't buy it. You'll never get anything for it when it comes time to sell it and you might have other major problems with it even though it has been "fixed."
Click to expand...

JulesMaximus- I think your sentences describe it the best! I'll keep on looking.. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I wouldn't buy it. You'll never get anything for it when it comes time to sell it and you might have other major problems with it even though it has been "fixed."
Click to expand...

Yeah, like the car literally breaking in two when you go around a corner or hit a bump.

avoid.

I accidentally bought a car with a salvaged title once. After two shot motors, transmission, etc a smart mechanic said "I bet your frame is bent for all this to keep happening"
 
Originally posted by: kitkit201
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I wouldn't buy it. You'll never get anything for it when it comes time to sell it and you might have other major problems with it even though it has been "fixed."
Click to expand...

JulesMaximus- I think your sentences describe it the best! I'll keep on looking.. 🙂
Click to expand...

Glad to be of service! 🙂
 
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