buying used car that's been in accident

[bb2008]

Hey, I've read similar threads but I was seeking advice on this specific situation.
Interested in this 2008 coupe, seller showed me a carfax report, noticed there was an accident in the history, but damage claim = $0. Seller said it was a "minor rear bumper" damage, and when I asked how much was the damage cost, seller said $2500. Is that minor? why did the carproof say $0 damage claim? If $2500 is not "minor", should I then be worried about damage to the frame etc, and avoid buying this car. Appreciate some advice, thanks.

Sincerely,
First time car buyer

[DJ_Peanuts22]

You won't know unless you drive it against an example that is in good condition.

Take it to an alignment shop or have a trusted mechanic inspect it.

[dc200]

Mechanical inspection aside, have the mechanic inspect the body/frame around the area of impact as well. I used to drive an Camry that had been in an accident, and its windshield would keep cracking at the same point each time I replaced it. It turned out that the entire windshield frame was twisted.

[slomo]

Hard to say if you don't know the seller personally.

[Voltex]

A $2500 repair bill is definitely more than just a bumper replacement. If I were you I would just walk away, no point in stressing out over one car when there's plenty of fish in the sea.

[FrogPrince]

Plan to drive this car until it dies because it will be worthless when you try to sell it again.

[soniko]

my car had a minor rear bumper damage...
you wont see anything until u try to open the trunk door...the lock has pushed inside...
the bumper was fine..just minor scratch ....

went to the body shop they quoted me $600....but if went thru insurance..they quoted me $2700

so........:twisted::twisted::twisted::twisted:

[ssainani]

the sociopaths on this site amaze me

...dont buy a new car if it has 80 km on it .... dont buy a car that's been in an accident because a bumpers been replaced

do your due deligence - make sure all makes sense and it was repaired properly and buy.

$2500 in repairs is a bumper on most modern cars if dont properly and through insurance. $5000 could just be a headlight and a bumper.

This car is not worthless either as someone else said - if you can pay a few hundred bucks less for it because of the small accident and everything checks out -- take the leap.

Or stay driving a corolla and living in your parents basement like everyone else here.

[slomo]

On the other hand, the $2500 could include the cost of replacing and installing the airbags...

[2004acura]

the sociopaths on this site amaze me

...dont buy a new car if it has 80 km on it .... dont buy a car that's been in an accident because a bumpers been replaced

do your due deligence - make sure all makes sense and it was repaired properly and buy.

$2500 in repairs is a bumper on most modern cars if dont properly and through insurance. $5000 could just be a headlight and a bumper.

This car is not worthless either as someone else said - if you can pay a few hundred bucks less for it because of the small accident and everything checks out -- take the leap.

Or stay driving a corolla and living in your parents basement like everyone else here.

totally agree!

[chickenbones]

Someone did a hit and run on my friend's X6M in the parking lot. The bumper and one of the headlights was damaged. Guess what the repair bill was? $15,000.

[UrbanPoet]

the sociopaths on this site amaze me

...dont buy a new car if it has 80 km on it .... dont buy a car that's been in an accident because a bumpers been replaced

do your due deligence - make sure all makes sense and it was repaired properly and buy.

$2500 in repairs is a bumper on most modern cars if dont properly and through insurance. $5000 could just be a headlight and a bumper.

This car is not worthless either as someone else said - if you can pay a few hundred bucks less for it because of the small accident and everything checks out -- take the leap.

Or stay driving a corolla and living in your parents basement like everyone else here.

while making $500,000/year as a Certified Accountant!!!

[nagasadow]

Someone did a hit and run on my friend's X6M in the parking lot. The bumper and one of the headlights was damaged. Guess what the repair bill was? $15,000.

BMW says it all

[Gunnerheadboy]

while making $500,000/year as a Certified Accountant!!!

Certified or Chartered?

[EPcjay]

My car was side swipped by someone, no dents. Privately would've costed 900 to fix. They charged insurance 2900$ :o

[blainehamilton]

On the other hand, the $2500 could include the cost of replacing and installing the airbags...


Not likely by a legit shop. Airbag modules cost $500-$1000 EACH, not including the installation cost. As soon as you are in an accident where airbags deploy, the repair prices shoot up dramatically.

[Franchise10]

Hey, I've read similar threads but I was seeking advice on this specific situation.
Interested in this 2008 coupe, seller showed me a carfax report, noticed there was an accident in the history, but damage claim = $0. Seller said it was a "minor rear bumper" damage, and when I asked how much was the damage cost, seller said $2500. Is that minor? why did the carproof say $0 damage claim? If $2500 is not "minor", should I then be worried about damage to the frame etc, and avoid buying this car. Appreciate some advice, thanks.

Sincerely,
First time car buyer

You may want to look at Alberta regulations regarding vehicle title. Now a days a lot of insurance companies will write-off vehicles rather quickly instead of repairing them and or repair and give them a "Salvage" title. In Ontario we have a couple of different categories and a Used Buyers Package usually will have this information. As others mentioned the dollar figure is hard to equate to damage (structural or otherwise). http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/2819.htm is a good place to start reviewing some of your local regulations. If the title is salvage, like another member said, good luck trying to resell.

For example this is Ontario's Regulations/Laws:

What is the Mandatory Vehicle Branding Program?

Ontario's mandatory vehicle branding program:

Promotes consumer protection for used vehicles;
Discourages vehicle registration fraud and theft; and
Enhances road user safety.

The mandatory vehicle branding program became effective March 31, 2003 and makes the province's roads safer. Branding is the process of assigning "brand" types that indicate whether a vehicle has been severely damaged in the past. The brand is then recorded in the Ministry of Transportation's Vehicle Registration System.

Brand types are:

"Irreparable"
"Salvage"
"Rebuilt"
"None"

Insurance companies, auto recyclers, salvagers, auctioneers, dealers and individual vehicle owners must assign a brand type to vehicles that have been damaged to the point of total loss and meet this branding criteria. These vehicles must be reported to the Ministry of Transportation (MTO).

Mandatory branding is also part of Ontario's ongoing efforts to prevent vehicle theft and registration fraud. It builds on the success of the province's voluntary branding program (operating since 1998) and similar programs in Canada and the U.S.

[slomo]

On the other hand, the $2500 could include the cost of replacing and installing the airbags...


Not likely by a legit shop. Airbag modules cost $500-$1000 EACH, not including the installation cost. As soon as you are in an accident where airbags deploy, the repair prices shoot up dramatically.

Sorry, I was interrupted before finishing, hence the '...'

The left over words are: 'with nothing.'

:lol:

[ultran00b]

$2500 is nothing. For some cars a simple coin sized dent would cost that much to repair.

[world25]

Hey, I've read similar threads but I was seeking advice on this specific situation.
Interested in this 2008 coupe, seller showed me a carfax report, noticed there was an accident in the history, but damage claim = $0. Seller said it was a "minor rear bumper" damage, and when I asked how much was the damage cost, seller said $2500. Is that minor? why did the carproof say $0 damage claim? If $2500 is not "minor", should I then be worried about damage to the frame etc, and avoid buying this car. Appreciate some advice, thanks.

Sincerely,
First time car buyer

Don't buy.

There are tons of people out there selling the same car. Don't rush and buy. Take your time and you don't want to regret. If you have money, buy a new car instead. :cheesygri

[JohnB]

Someone did a hit and run on my friend's X6M in the parking lot. The bumper and one of the headlights was damaged. Guess what the repair bill was? $15,000.

WOW...its true the repair bills can really add up for body work or what people think are little, they just say "bumper and a light"...well $15,000 later...

Any OP I would stay away from the car, just get something clean...like the guy with the camry said, he was in a accident maybe it was claimed to be repaired perfectly well the wind shield still cracks due to small frame out of alignment issue. Cars are never the same after a accident, you dont know what the accident even was.

Maybe nothing, maybe something, but there are tons of cars out there, get a clean one.

[tsxnation]

I was rear ended in my civic...barely enough to put a gouge on the rear bumper. The guy insisted on going through insurance and the claim was $2900. Made absolutely no sense to me how repainting a bumper would amount to a claim in that value.

A $3000 claim likely means that a bumper was replaced. I put more value in the opinion of an experienced bodyman and mechanic than I do on a friggen carfax/carproof. What trust a piece of paper when you can get qualified independent advice that can potentially get you into a car at a great price?