Buying a used vehicle that's been in an accident..??

Question

I'm looking into buying a used car - I did a carfax report on it and it looks like it's been in an accident and had some work done. How much does this affect the car's performance? If I do decide to buy it, I'm going to get it checked out by my mechanic. If they say that it looks to be in good condition, is it safe to buy even with an accident history? Or should i avoid it all together?

Answer 1

All things being equal, it's best not to buy any vehicle that's been in an accident. However, that can be a challenge. Just about EVERY car has been bumped, mistreated, or neglected at some point. That's why used cars are always cheaper than new cars -- there's a much higher element of risk. Even worse, a lot of vehicles that have been in accidents don't show up on CarFax (bad news, but CarFax isn't 100% accurate).

So in terms of the accident, if the vehicle has a salvage title, I would advise you to move on. While some salvage vehicles can be good, there's also a good chance it will not hold up in a crash. If the accident involved the deployment of the airbags, that would be another good reason to move on. While most repair shops do a fine job of re-installing airbags, it's a risk that most of us don't want to take. Finally, if the accident involved more than two or three body panels being re-painted, that's also a good reason to move on. Mostly because as time goes by these panels will fade differently and be very noticeable.

However you're obviously serious enough about this vehicle to check its history -- perhaps its a hard to find car or has a certain set of features you want. If this is the case, and the vehicle is what you want, then the next step would be to have your mechanic look at it.

Also, whomever is trying to sell this car knows it's been hit. Chances are they're willing to price the vehicle aggressively (if it hasn't been done already) so you may be able to get a good deal. Just make sure to have your mechanic look at it and remember:

If it seems to good to be true, than it probably is. I've seen lots of cars with only "minor" damage sold for a deal, only to learn later the vehicle had water/flood damage, fire damage, or some other form of severe damage that didn't need to be disclosed in the state it was titled in. Don't let evidence of a minor accident distract you from the possibility the car has been more severly damaged.

Answer 2

Do you mean it carries a salvage/rebuilt brand, or are you saying the record shows the car has previously been in an accident? If it's a salvage, that means that at one time, the car had an accident, and 60% of it's value was lost. Repairs were made, and an inspection was done, for safety issues. The car could still have many mechanical problems, and pass a safety test. If it's saying it had a fender bender, that needed only a grill or something minor, a consideration would be made.

Answer 3

For my first car when I was a teen, my parent's bought me a salvadge car. It still works good for me. But I think that they are just trying to be safe with you (the people above). I think that if you have some money, and you can afford a slightly used car but in good condition, try it out. If this is your first car, I think you should get your male relatives to help you out.

Answer 4

I would avoid it. There are a million used cars that you could possibly buy. Find one with a clean history.

Answer 5

Was there frame damage? Does it have a salvage title? I'd avoid it like the plague in that case.