The guy claims no frame damage and airbags didn’t deploy. Car has been restored to looking brand new. Attached is a picture of the accident damage. I’m going to have a Mechanic check it out but based on the damage do you guys see any serious problems that could surface in the future? The guy claims it was just a fender bender. I have an 05 civic now that was rebuilt and has been the most reliable car I’ve ever owned. Please advise.
That’s more than a fender bender to me. Worse, that picture doesn’t show where it was hit, and the damage to the drivers side wheel/suspension. As for how reliable it is now, that all depends on how well it was rebuilt. Who knows? Hard to tell now, it’s all concealed.
The insurance company totaled that car for a reason…The picture shows the “good side”…But it looks like it took a side impact into the L/F fender and suspension…If the L/F tire and wheel were “pushed in”, the axle (half-shaft) may have been forced into the transmission, breaking the housing…This would explain why the car was totaled…Rebuilding wrecks is a major industry. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose…Ask if the transaxle and steering rack were replaced…Replaced with what? Salvage yard parts?
I have to agree with @Caddyman again. If the car were seven or more years old, it would take much less dollar value for the insurance company to consider it “totalled”. Since it’s only two, you can bet it took a pretty good thump to wind up in a salvage pool. The picture shows the side that was not damaged. That’s a bit sneaky in my estimation. Let’s see the damaged side. The seller has that picture too. He’s holding out. There was a lot more bent than just the fender. (Fender bender, my left hind foot!) Look under it to see if there are salvage yard inventory numbers on the strut, spindle, wheel, PS rack, and even the tranny. You’d be amazed how many body shops (or back yard rebuilders) don’t bother to erase that evidence. That said, he may have done a perfect job, but I think he’s being less that straight with you, and the car may be too.
I think you just got lucky the first time. I would avoid a rebuilt car…especially since it was hit as hard as this one.
Here’s a picture of the car fixed up. Do you guys think if I took it to a mechanic shop they would be able to tell me if the car would be good and reliable?
Take it to a body shop and have them inspect the area that was repaired…For $40-$50 bucks you can have a four-wheel alignment check, money well spent…
If the guy claims that was only a fender bender, what else is he lying about?
I hope you’re getting one heck of a good deal on this one.
With an accident like this, I don’t know how a mechanic could see any concealed problems.
If you still want to buy it, I hope you’re getting 50% off the price of a non-damaged used Civic.
What did I miss? Does “rebuilt” necessarily mean that it was totaled?
If it was not totaled by the insurance company, chances are the original owner would still be driving it…But it’s being sold by a wreck re-builder…Maybe we should ask what kind of title it has…If it’s a salvage title, it has been reconstructed from a total wreck…
Photographing a crashed car from the side opposite to where the damage occurred is analogous to touching up X-rays in order to conceal a malignancy. If you feel better because you can’t see the damage, you will be happy…for a short period of time, until the deadly outcome is more obvious.
If the seller was being totally honest, he would have displayed a photo of the damaged side of the car, including a close-up of the suspension & steering components.
RUN away from this deal…
@Miikey722, is the title a salvage title? We still don’t know if the car was called a total loss by the insurer. See if you can get the repair bill from the seller. And more than ever, this car needs to be inspected to make sure there are no hidden problems. Maybe your car insurance could give you the information. Call them and provide the VIN. Ask for an insurance quote and if they can find any information about the accident damage. My daughter wrecked her car in a similar way 4 years ago and it runs just fine. It is possible the car could work out for you, but you need to be careful.
“The guy” whom ever he is lied to you. This car s a unibody and the frame so called, are reinforcements welded in throughout . With what I can see, it’s not a fender bender. Now, here is the deal for me as far as buying a used car. If I catch the seller in one lie, it’s an automatic disqualification for me buying it. It would b better if the seller said nothing and offered to have an expert in body repair give you their unbiased assessment. I would not buy it.
It could well be a good deal. Civics are proven to be excellent and reliable cars. It all depends on the cash discount you are being offered – compared to similar non-crashed used cars. It’s like that old Beatles song "there’s nothing you can do that can’t be done, nothing you can make that can’t be made "… or in this case, there’s nothing you can break that can’t be fixed.
There’s several potential downsides of course, like the quality of the title. But if you plan to drive it until the wheels fall off, who cares? At the minimum I’d take it to an alignment shop and ask them to make sure it is align-able.
The car has a former salvage title but was rebuilt in Pennsylvania and passed inspection to be issued a rebuilt title.
I questioned the seller and this was his response:
The transaxle and steering rack were never damaged and the transmission housing was never touched either. I’ll try to find a pic of the damaged side.
That’s a salvage title. Automatic 50% discount is warranted. Is the asking price half that for undamaged used Civics?
He’s asking 65% of kbb
Mikey722 isn’t talking to us about the price because HE WANTS TO BUY THE CAR and he wants assurance from us that is a good buy. He isn’t getting it from me.
So if it is state law in Pennsylvania that the car must be inspected and deemed to be road worthy how much can I rest on that?