This is probably a bad idea but I'm gonna ask anyway.
I saw this today scrolling through Facebook marketplace. https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/item/4180321075349630/
What I like is manual, low mileage and only 7 yrs old.
Two white doors and a taillight would be $530 on car part. Any idea what it would cost to fix the rear quarter panel (assuming the rear bumper cover can be reused.). Would you bother fixing the quarter for a dd you will run until it's worthless.
It's owned by a salvage company close to me. Would they be likely to deal on this because it's a manual?
This is about twice what I really want to spend and im probably nuts so tell me it's a bad idea so I can move on.
Thanks!
They want $5k and I'd guess you'll have another $2k in it by the time it's ready. At that point you have a $7k car with a rebuilt title. I'd just buy This one and save the hassle.
I agree that the asking price seems high for the condition and needed repairs. If the car is close by, be sure to go see it and spend a lot of time looking at it. I think there might be damage hidden under the rear bumper cover. Replacing doors is relatively easy but repairs to the rear unibody/rear fender are not simple.
At $5k asking for it busted, I see no way this is not a $6.5k car or higher like mentioned above.
If your okay with a manual trans, there are lots of non-sporty, manual trans cars that can be the best deals in the market.
Sample: 2010 Fusion with the desirable 2.5L and manual at 81k miles asking $5.5k
Same 2.5L motor and same 6 speed manual in SUV form with only 58k miles asking $4.9k. Watch for rear strut tower rust! Some paint damage to right door.
I still like that $5.5k sentra the best
Any pictures of the damage?
"Taillight and bumper cover" highly suggests that the rear floor is crumpled. Not end of the world but it also reduces strength for future collisions, which may become an issue.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:
"Taillight and bumper cover" highly suggests that the rear floor is crumpled. Not end of the world but it also reduces strength for future collisions, which may become an issue.
If what Pete wrote is the case the reduced strength may make it uninsurable. Get ALL of the documentation on the damage and repair estimate before handing over any green "documentation".
In reply to John Welsh :
Was there problems with engines getting damaged by the cat? I thought the reliability of there cars overall has been questionable in the past decade (in addition to CVT problems).
The Tribute SUV I listed above has the vin in the ad. I googled the vin and got an interesting hit.
https://plc.ua/en/auctions/lot/mazda-tribute-2010-vin-4f2cy0c74akm08506-mh-4f2cy0c74akm08506/#
Recently auctioned for $2100 with a busted rear window. More pictures show some rust
If you are looking to spend $7k-ish to buy and fix a salvage title car until it explodes at 350k, this is your huckleberry. If you're looking for a good car to drive for a while and then sell it before it's wasted and dead, this is not your huckleberry.
Buying a salvage title car always seems good for folks like us because we see that it's 20% cheaper, and we can fix it for $300. Then you go to sell it and you realize that you have reduced your pool of buyers to the 1.7% of the general public who think like we do.
I've owned a couple. Took a horrific bath on both of them.
I also think that $5k for this car with a salvage title is too much. The insurance buyback that they paid is probably $1500-2000. They're in it for profit and they're trying to get a lot of it with this one. I would straight up offer them no more than $2500.
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
Living in the northeast, I usually buy $2500 cars and get rid (sell or scrap) of them when rust is too excessive. This works out to every three years. If I get a better car (body) I'll keep it longer. Except for my last two Honda's.. Either the engine or tranny failed me.
Since all the cars in this post are manuals, maybe lowball offers are worth a shot.
In reply to John Welsh :
The Mazda is listed as CA emissions which could mean not rusty. Any disadvantage to CA emissions in Ohio?
ddavidv
UltimaDork
8/15/21 5:57 a.m.
CA emissions has nothing to do with where the car is from. That just means it could have been sold in CA.
We insurance people junk cars for a reason, and 99% of the time it's because it's not economically feasible to repair them. Lots of people who think they are smarter than us bid on them at auction though.
I've also developed a theory that if someone has to ask if a rebuild/engine swap/restoration makes sense they are ill-prepared to carry it out. I think other projects beckon.
In reply to rustybugkiller :
CA emissions doesn't mean California, there are a few other states that have signed on to CARB standards. New York is one of them, I can't think of the others right now.
CA emissions not a problem in Ohio.
Picture the following: floored constantly, clutch-slipped to death constantly, not very good from the get-go. My wife's sister had one of these from new, and I distinctly recall thinking it was terrible immediately. Not worth it.
There are plenty of decent cars that can be had in salvage form, however. We did fine with a salvaged Prius for a couple of years, until a certain head-on collision took it out . . .
rustybugkiller said:
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
Living in the northeast, I usually buy $2500 cars and get rid (sell or scrap) of them when rust is too excessive. This works out to every three years. If I get a better car (body) I'll keep it longer. Except for my last two Honda's.. Either the engine or tranny failed me.
Since all the cars in this post are manuals, maybe lowball offers are worth a shot.
I'm with you. I usually stick to something in the $4000 range that is desirable/sellable, drive it for two years, then spit polish it and sell it for $3750. Hence my disposition on salvage vehicles. You buy one for $4000 because YOU were able to find out the history and could fix the problems, then you sell it for $500 because only a tiny fraction of the real world has our skill set. 99% of the buyers will just see "salvage" and swipe left. Especially on a non-unicorn car. If they have 10 vehicles to look at for $7000, your $5000 salvage car isn't even going to be considered.
In reply to rustybugkiller :
Avoid it.
67LS1
Reader
8/16/21 9:57 a.m.
You don't even have to click on the link to see the (unibody) frame is mangled.
My guess is the seller bought it from an insurance lot and is trying to flip it. I wouldn't even pay $2500 for it.
I'm passing on the salvage thanks to good advice from you all!
I will be attempting to make a run to Akron to check out the 3 and Nissan John posted.
I never posted the actual Nissan link because that looks like a good buy that you might not want too many eyes to see. If you think t is wise, post the lnk for for others to comment on it.
