Any car you would find on Copart will have been previously totaled. It’s going to have more than scratches and dents wrong with it.
So, how much are you working and how much do you feel is “too much”? Should you decided to proceed with this terrible idea, you’ll probably want to have about $10k saved up (in addition to whatever you’re going to pay for the car). To correct the issues that caused it to be totaled in the first place. A decent A7 with 140k on the clock is going to be worth around $14k-$16k currently. A quick check on Copart shows that most 2012 A7’s are changing hands for around $7k-$9k. Keep in mind these are non-running cars that will need significant work to be made road-worthy and will all have salvage titles.
You can rest assured that at the bare minimum you’re going to spend around $7k-$10k to fix any of these cars, because it their repair costs had been less, they wouldn’t have been totaled in the first place. So you’ll be spending about the same overall for roadworthy, used A7 as you would for a salvage A7 plus it’s needed repair costs. Then you get into the problems that having a salvage title brings. It’s just not a good idea at all. Keep in mind this is a 10 year old German luxury car, the upkeep, maintenance, and normal repair costs will not be cheap. You should be okay with the idea of spending around $2k a year in unforeseen repairs that will crop up in addition to the normal running costs.
I’d say “Go for it” IF you can physically inspect the one you’d like. And IF you or friends can do repair work. As long as it has previously passed emissions (if required where you live) then it’s probably going to be fine. Body work can be easy or hard and those needing replacement can usually be found in salvage yards.
June 2017 I bought a 2008 A4 Avant 3.2L for $6000 from a young man who bought it at a Phoenix, AZ auction for $4500 and repaired/replaced the front left fender. There were a couple other items damaged. I replaced, did my own work, no dealer, the brake vacuum booster with new one via eBay. A purge valve for a few bucks, and new air filters for the engine and cabin. A rear brake light bulb. Loved it! Drove from Denver to California and two weeks later from Denver to Syracuse, NY. Had it also at Bonneville to watch my eldest son and his partner run land speeds. So it’s been great. But I did spend more on having the local Audi dealer do inspections, which led to the vacuum booster and purge valve. I sold it 18 months ago for $8590! to a lawyer who’d had an even better one but it got submerged in a flood in front of his office in downtown Greeley, CO!
I then went and bought a 2008 Range Rover Sport (another pooh poohed European car by folks in this community) from a private owner 6 hours drive from me. I’ve wanted a RR since 1971! $6800. Lots of suspension problems specifically bushings in front lower arms and rear upper arms and shocks within the air bags, which were in themselves fine, no leaks. I bought all new parts via eBay, all China, and have a fabulous running vehicle. New tires from Discount Tires for off roading. My costs for parts and repairs came to $4290. I do not have Audi or Land Rover dealers do any work. E.g. I paid $388 for two rear struts two weeks ago and with my grandson’s help (gave him $50) replaced them, the left rear completed yesterday. The dealer in Denver told me a single one through them would be, just the part: $1585.29. So the critics in this community are absolutely correct in mostly staying away from Dealers!
Your choice: good income and ability to work on vehicles yourself—go for it!
Yep, nothing fundamentally wrong with getting a cheap European car. The price is often way lower because the the oft spouted knee-jerk reactions here. Your (Don45) experience and scenario is the dream and the reality for many…
… with your level of age and clear experience.
Very rarely the same experience reality for an 18yo.
You have it right on. Been doing this for many years starting at 14.
American and British and German.
Owned a '54 Honda Civic for a couple years. Didn’t really like it. CV joints biggest problem. Had a Kawasaki with first fuel injection. Loved it. Sold it after 2 years. Needed money. Trooper I; gutless but cheap. ISUZU Rodeo; only problem over 4-5 years - - clutch. So much for Asian cars for me.
It must have been a very early prototype.
The Civic was introduced into the Japanese market in 1972, and–IIRC–it wasn’t available in The US until 1973.
