ok, I’m looking at two cars. #1 is a 2006 Honda Accord with 21,000 miles on it but its been wrecked in the front thought the dealership has fixed it. Sorry, I dont remember what kind of accident it was. They want $14,500 for it. The second is a 2002 Mazda Protege5, 86,000 miles on it and they want $9,998 at Carmax for it. THe honda rides a lot better but its been wrecked, though it was fixed. The Mazda is less expensive but it rides a LITTLE loud and has higher miles on it…So ya’ll…what do I do??
With the Honda it depends on the extent of the damage. The Mazda is overpriced IMHO. Keep on looking, and possibly expand your choices.
You can get an 04 Hyundai Elantra for the same or less than the Mazda. In any case, I’d stay away from the wrecked Honda.
The Protoge is way overpriced and the Honda Accord is a much nicer car. The Mazda may also be due for a timing belt and water pump if it has not been done.
The only issue with the Honda is just how bad it was hit. Many cars get whacked in the front and the damage looks far worse than it is. If the subframe, strut towers, etc. were not damaged then the accident may not be that big a deal.
Try to have a conversation with whoever repaired it and see just how far they had to go into the car to fix it.
Was the Honda “totalled” and issued a rebuilt salvage title? If not, the damage may have been relatively minor. If it was totalled, the damage was probably fairly significant as it’s a nearly new car. It takes very little damage to total an eight to ten year old car, but a nearly new one is another matter.
You say that the dealer fixed it. Was that the HONDA dealer using the owner’s insurance money, or a used car dealer who may or may not have taken shortcuts to maximize his profits?
Your like me, small cars are not pleasant things to own. If your looking for comfort buy a midsize car, its the best deal since you will hold onto it much longer making the investment cheaper. The longer you own the car the better the investment to the owner.
Are you really willing to blow $14,500 on a two-year-old used car that is known to have been once wrecked?? Geez, why not dig a little deeper and come up with another thousand or two and get a brand new car? There are a great many brand-new compacts that are within your price range. Take advantage of the full manufacturer’s warranty, not to mention the pride of new car ownership plus choosing the color of your choice. Give this plan of yours a little more thought.
You have not told us anything about the Accord. Is it a DX, LX, or EX? Is the engine a 4-cyl or 6-cyl? All this goes into determining the value. Also, find out what repairs were required to fix the car. They should be able to give you a printout of the invoice. How does it drive? Do you notice anything unusual? Compare it to a comparable Accord on the lot. Definitely have it checked by a trusted mechanic if you want it. You’ll have to borrow it, but the dealership should agree. If the don’t agree, don’t buy it. Be sure to tell your mechanic that it was in an accident and present him with the accident repair invoice you got from the dealer. I have a 2005 Accord EX V6 and am very happy with it.