YAUCT: Buying a Frame Damage Salvage Car from CL

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: spidey07

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."

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"

How could a bent frame cause you to blow 2 motors and a transmission?

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: spidey07

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."

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"

How could a bent frame cause you to blow 2 motors and a transmission?

Imbalance, probably. A crash hard enough to bend the frame really out of shape probably smashed a whole lot of things at the same time. The mounts could be off, the connections between the motor and tranny could be off, a whole mess of things.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: spidey07

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."

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"

How could a bent frame cause you to blow 2 motors and a transmission?

Imbalance, probably. A crash hard enough to bend the frame really out of shape probably smashed a whole lot of things at the same time. The mounts could be off, the connections between the motor and tranny could be off, a whole mess of things.

Once the frame is bent/twisted everything else is on the car is going to be out of alignment. Even if it's the slighest bit, it's going to have it's effects on the mechanics of the car. Biggest problem will be getting your tires to hold an alignment and also suspension mounts to line up properly (i.e. shocks, springs). It's best to avoid a vehicle with a damaged frame.

 

[kitkit201]

Avoiding like the plague.. will keep looking! thanks for the headsup!

 

[woowoo]

Originally posted by: Armitage
If it had a real frame - maybe. Not this unibody crap.

Winner....


Civic = no frame.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

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.

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

used hondas are way overpriced.

It's a fully loaded EX coupe. These go for nearly $20 grand easily new..

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: ElFenix

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.

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

used hondas are way overpriced.

It's a fully loaded EX coupe. These go for nearly $20 grand easily new..

God, what a ripoff.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: woowoo

Originally posted by: Armitage
If it had a real frame - maybe. Not this unibody crap.

Winner....


Civic = no frame.

You're not going to find a "real frame" on any car.. unless it has a rollcage.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: kitkit201

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.

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?

I should've worded that better. I was using the swapping out engine and transmission as an example of how much repair you can do with the money your saving going salvage.

I have a salvaged 99' miata with a bit of frame damage on the right headlight area. It didn't really touch the drivetrain, so I haven't had any problems with it except the fact that it came with a leaking AC condenser. I saved $3000 going salvage, so far it's costed me $300 in repairs. The AC leak could've easily been caused by something not related to the accident either way.

But if the car was crushed pretty badly, then I'd stay away like the plague.

EDIT: I just read over the CL ad over again. The owners says she bought it from the mechanic who rebuilt it after the salvage. That's usually a bad sign as mechanics would often buy salvaged cars and cut corners to repair it really cheap to resell. In light of this, I wouldn't get it. Plus the selling for brother moving out of the country story sounds like BS. It feels like a fabricated excuse to sell it when there's probably something really wrong with the car.

 

[Imported]

Too much for a salvaged title car. If you want a mechanic to look it over in the SF area, I know a pretty good one that deals pretty much with Honda/Acuras only.

 

[tboo]

If the car was repaired correctly, even if it had frame damage, then it will make a nice car. I typically ask 3-5k less than private party value on a salvage title car.