Buying a salvage car or any car on EBAY

[mickeytee]

I hope people will come here to find out about XLR's before they bid on some on ebay. Car sellers there can be very deceptive. There is one V for sale that says very minor damage to car. My friend a retired insurance commissioner and now state salvage inspector wanted a V and researched this . Well the estimate was over 25,000$ and he showed me where A new frame was requested by the Collison shop on one site. The tech was discussing what was involved in putting a new frame under that car. The damages exceeded the value so it was totaled. Now we all know that you can repair cars cheaper than insurance and body shops say. But just google the vin number if you are looking to buy a salvage car to see "before" shots. This one shows the whole front end torn off. I am a retired collison tech. Do your research. Some good deals can be had. But almost every car on ebay says. "Very minor damage" but totaled the car. Body shops are in the business to repair cars. If they had very minor damage they would lock it down and fix it. That is what they make money on, Not letting cars get totaled. As SArge used to say, "just be careful out there" and do your homework. If you are really interested in a salvage car, run the vin and the insurance company will come up. Most of them with a vin, will furnish you with a copy of the estimate so you can see if airbags where required or not. If the vin does not show, it is most likely listed wrong so you cannot search it. That should be a clue to run away.

 

[Texas Shriner]

Buyer beware! I've purchase numerous cars, motorcycles, and even motorhomes off of e-bay; thus far, with good success. On the opposite scale, many years ago my wife was driving our numbered collector car and was involved in a head-on collision that destroyed virtually everything in front of the A-pillars. I saw the same car about a year later on ebay - repainted after "minor front end damage". Its always good for the community when forums like this one track vehicles on registry and it helps when OWNERS report altering damage to the registry.