I have a 1996 Honda Accord DX with a salvage title. I was recently in an accident and the auto shop has told me it’ll cost about 2,000 to repair it, but they have offered to buy it from me. I’m not sure how much I should ask them to buy it from me. Any help or advice is appreciated thanks. I live in California in the East Bay area- not sure if that makes a difference and the car has 140,000 on it.
The blue book on this car in Fair condition (which, considering its wrecked, is probably generous) is $1000 -$2000 depending on whether you are private party selling it or trading it in (www.kbb.com). Edmunds.com (another valuing site) says to take the “Average” value and subtract the cost of repairs, but that’s a negative number.
The repair is probably 1/2 labor at least, so you have to figure the shop will have to put no more than $1000 in parts into it to have it ready to sell again. He’ll probably sell it for $2000-3000.
If you take the $2000 number and subtract his cost of repairs of $1000, that’s probably a good number to go with. I’d say $1000.
Alternately, depending on the nature of the repairs, this might be a good opportunity to learn to DIY - it’s not like you are going to ruin it, but you could end up having to redo what you did.
Does the shop no about the salvage title? See what they offer. Take it if you feel it is fair. Whatever they do with it or to it that salvage title remains and significantly reduces the resale value of the car. I think you are looking at $500, it seems like a real stretch at $1000.
Take a few hundred if you can get it.
They were offering $150 or whatever I think is fair- I told them I’d think about it- i spoke to someone at a junkyard and they were offering about $250 for it. There is other damage to the car that I don’t know recall exactly what it was because I didn’t receive an actual written estimate. I thought 150 was pretty low though I do know that with the salvage title it’s worth less. Thanks for all your help/advise- i know very little about cars and know very few people who know about them either.
Your car has a salvage title and was rebuilt once. After this latest accident, it probably isn’t worth a second rebuild. I would go for the $250 from the junkyard or ask the body shop to match the price.