What do you guys think about this?

D

Dave

So here's the story.

'02 Silver WRX Wagon
21k miles
Leather
Upgraded factor speakers/alarm
Extra set of 4 Blizzek Snow tires + Rims
$15K
Warranty has about a year left.
Carfax clean
original owner
Mainly highway miles

The car was listed 2 months ago for $21K, and he was never able to
sell it, so he brought it down to $17 because he has to leave the
country (he came here for a medical rotation). I offered him $15K and
he said he'd take it.

However, the car was involved in a front end collision and had to have
significant body repair and had to have the block checked, and a few
valves replaced. The car has been completely restored and this
incident doesn't show up on carfax.

Do you think this would be a good deal? If later engine issues showed
up afterwards couldn't I get the car fixed via the warranty?
 
@posting.google.com>, (e-mail address removed)
says...
However, the car was involved in a front end collision and had to have
significant body repair and had to have the block checked, and a few
valves replaced. The car has been completely restored and this
incident doesn't show up on carfax.

Do you think this would be a good deal? If later engine issues showed
up afterwards couldn't I get the car fixed via the warranty?

How old are the tires on it, and how do they
look, especially fronts? How's it feel & sound
driving, how's alignment? Those are the easy
first questions.

I'd guess any engine problems that resulted from
a collision would not be warranty, in dealer's
eyes...unless there was a general recall
applicable anyway.

Steve
 
Doesn't that show what a total joke CarFax is when an accident that requires
engine work does not show up?
 
Greg said:
Doesn't that show what a total joke CarFax is when an accident that
requires engine work does not show up?
It just shows that accident was not reported to insurance, they probably
paid for everything in cash, and repair was made not by dealer.
 
However, the car was involved in a front end collision and had to have
significant body repair and had to have the block checked, and a few
valves replaced. The car has been completely restored and this
incident doesn't show up on carfax.

Walk away. Don't touch it with a barge pole.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)
 
So here's the story.

'02 Silver WRX Wagon
21k miles
Leather
Upgraded factor speakers/alarm
Extra set of 4 Blizzek Snow tires + Rims
$15K
Warranty has about a year left.
Carfax clean
original owner
Mainly highway miles

The car was listed 2 months ago for $21K, and he was never able to
sell it, so he brought it down to $17 because he has to leave the
country (he came here for a medical rotation). I offered him $15K and
he said he'd take it.

However, the car was involved in a front end collision and had to have
significant body repair and had to have the block checked, and a few
valves replaced. The car has been completely restored and this
incident doesn't show up on carfax.

Do you think this would be a good deal? If later engine issues showed
up afterwards couldn't I get the car fixed via the warranty?

You might have to deal with a situation where the dealer claims it was a bad
repair the repair shop claims it was a factory defect.

My experience is that the long-term problems resulting from collision damage
are evidenced more in issues related to chassis straightening and wheel
alignment than anything mechanical. It's entirely likely that a car that's
been in a collision will never have these problems. But it's also possible
that you'll *never* be able to get the alignment quite right again,
resulting in accelerated and uneven tire wear which is expensive and
annoying (as the car shimmys and shakes down the road). I owned such a car.
The used car dealer from which I purchased it had put brand-new tires on it,
so none of these issues showed themselves until I'd put a couple thousand
miles on the car. I will never again purchase a car that's been in a
collision. And I've resolved that any car I own that gets *into* a
collision will be sold immediately after repair.

But I'm probably overreacting. If you're comfortable owning a previously
wrecked car, at least consider how many miles have passed since the repairs
were completed. If the car has new tires on it and is known to have been
wrecked, be very skeptical!

- Greg Reed

--
1976 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 9-Pass sedan
(FS: http://www.dataspire.com/caddy)
1989 Audi 200 Turbo Quattro 5-Speed sedan
2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
2001 Chevy Astro AWD (wife's)
2005 Subaru Legacy GT Wagon (when available in U.S.)
 
Doesn't the fact that the accident doesn't show up on carfax ring some
bells? Don't you think they are trying to hide something?

The exact same thing happened to me with my 96 Legacy LSi. Dealer said it
was in a minor front ender, didn't show up on any insurance/ownership
records (Canadian was of doing it.). Later I found out from Subaru that the
car had been written off and it must have been fixed by some Joe-Schmoe in
his garage!

WALK AWAY, MOVE ON!

Chris
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
13,888
Messages
67,364
Members
7,363
Latest member
Mustangman35

Latest Threads

Back
Top