Rebuilt title --- worth buying? $6700

[basslover911]

They are selling a 2007 Yaris HB 5 speed. Red in PERFECT condition with only 19,000 miles.

The guy said he replaced the bumper, radiator, and headlight. The car really is SUPER clean. It even has 15" wheels not the 14" steelies.

Asking $6700. Worth it?

http://images.craigslist.org/3na3m13o05T25P05Se99pf5e4d9aba7981251.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/3kf3o63l15Q55T35Rf99p625e4d483d39170b.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/3n43ke3m55O55Qe5P299pf98a18903d9f17a7.jpg

[YarisSedan]

Theres a reason why the vehicle is salvaged by the insurance company if it just those minor things. Most likely has frame damage. As well as deployed air bags. I would have a experienced mechanic take a look at it before you decide to buy it. I would only purchase a salaved vehicle from a professional bodyshop that sells salaved cars on the side that has a good reputation. Not off some guy off the street that fixed it himself with his buddies.

Also keep in mind you may have issues with insurance with salvaged title and it will be very difficult to sell it if you decide you dont like it later on as well as the obviouse extremly low resale value.

[basslover911]

I am going to ask about the airbags tomorrow and take it to a mechanic.

What do you think a good price would be for the car considering everything is good? (aka what should I offer him?)

[JumpmanYaris]

I would say 6k flat the most

[sex]

did you run a carfax?

[darthbauer]

Are you going to make this a project car or a daily driver?

[ozmdd]

No car in texas is totalled for the damage you describe unless the book value of the car is extremely low. The seller is misrepresenting the extent of the damage, which should make you very wary. I'm not sure there is a price that becomes worth the deal, since an improperly repaired Yaris will not absorb impact in a major collision, and there ain't much there to protect you to begin with, so it could be the last "deal" you ever buy.

Not to be a total nay-sayer, but I would tread very carefully on this, since it seems liek they are hiding something. See if you can find-out what insurance company totalled the vehicle. They might tell you the extent of the damage they wrote-up.
Also, try finding-out the name of the body shop. If the seller won't reveal it, then you are better off driving an older-but-intact car.
Again, the Yaris depends on its high-strength steel and "crumple zones" to protect occupants,a nd there is not much margin for error on these little guys. Especially here in Texas, where you're as likely to get hit by a pickup as you are a Honda.

[basslover911]

Ok he says he has recepits for everything. In a short talk he replaced headlights, bumper, hood, radiator, condenser.

It says on the carfax that no frame damage occured. I have yet to see the car but I will probably go out there tomorrow to check it out.

[posaunemeister]

Leave it alone, man. YarisSedan and Ozmdd hit the needle on the head.

[JumpmanYaris]

+1

[DevilGirl]

There's no way it's in "PERFECT" condition if it was listed as having "Severe Damage" on the CarFAX. You're better off looking elsewhere.

[basslover911]

Ok ill looked at it today.

Well everything was repaired thats why its in good condition haha. Anyway... well... it really is in good condition nothing that I could see made it look like it was in an accident?!

I know I know... its just so cheap! Lol $6,000 is not bad!

Anyway Ill keep looking around and see if i find anything

[ozmdd]

You have to ask yourself, "why would the car be totaled for a few hundred dollars in damage?" To be totaled, the car must be worth less than the repair estimate, or the damage is deemed unrepairable. A 2007 Yaris w/ 19,000 miles is worth at least $7500 according to KBB, and that's a "good" trade-in value. So, assuming that number is what the car is worth to an insurance company, they believed the car needed more than $7000 in repairs. I'm pretty thrifty, but I can't do $7K in body shop work for $1K.

On top of that, the owner of the car had to pay the salvage value in order to keep the car, and that had to be at least $1500, and probably more. The only way there is profit in this car for the seller is if they are hiding a ton of damage.
Try this: ask them how long they will warranty the car to be free of "hidden damage." My guess is they tell you "no."

Maybe you have found the deal of the century, but I'll bet a $100 pre-purchase inspection at a reputable mechanic or "lemon buster" will find huge problems. I wouldn't be surprised if a simple visit to a laser alignment rack shows the car is way-off on the thrust angle.

[advocate]

Tell him to drive it for 100 miles while you're in the car.

[basslover911]

^ Yeah ive been thinking the same thing... then again the insurance pays pretty darn pricy for body shops to do the work... how much would fenders, hood, bumper, condenser, radiator, intake box, headlights, and fender liners at a normal body shop that an insurance would send you to? (well plus paint, install, and labor... ?)

[silver_echo]

You have to ask yourself, "why would the car be totaled for a few hundred dollars in damage?" To be totaled, the car must be worth less than the repair estimate, or the damage is deemed unrepairable. A 2007 Yaris w/ 19,000 miles is worth at least $7500 according to KBB, and that's a "good" trade-in value. So, assuming that number is what the car is worth to an insurance company, they believed the car needed more than $7000 in repairs. I'm pretty thrifty, but I can't do $7K in body shop work for $1K.

On top of that, the owner of the car had to pay the salvage value in order to keep the car, and that had to be at least $1500, and probably more. The only way there is profit in this car for the seller is if they are hiding a ton of damage.
Try this: ask them how long they will warranty the car to be free of "hidden damage." My guess is they tell you "no."

Maybe you have found the deal of the century, but I'll bet a $100 pre-purchase inspection at a reputable mechanic or "lemon buster" will find huge problems. I wouldn't be surprised if a simple visit to a laser alignment rack shows the car is way-off on the thrust angle.

umm from my understanding, it is actually if the cost of the repair equals more than approx 75% of the value of the car... at least that is what my insurance company says, and the shops that i have talked to agree on this note... think of it this way, the insurance company knows how much the car is worth to them at any given time when they know the mileage, but would rather not repair the car if it will only be a minimal charge more to just replace the car... then, the insurance company can say that you totaled a car and charge you more money to recover the costs that they accrued in replacing your car...

[basslover911]

^Yep its 75% of the cost not the whole cost... Im still trying to figure out how much all of the above that I mentioned would be to repair at a body shop? (I know for like a new bumper and paint its something like $800-900, so it wouldn't surprise me if all of those things would be around $5000 (which is 75% of 7500... ok just rounding)

[KCALB SIRAY]

I'm assuming the pictures above were taken on the same day......look at the steering wheel compared to the direction of the front wheels. Notice anything wrong there?