Hello!
Found an 06 Scion xB that has it’s left driver’s and rear door crunched in. Door post apparently smushed in, too. Engine area not damaged.
It is located 150 miles away. Should I find a mechanic local to the car to look and give me an estimate for repair? Salvage yard says parts (at least both doors, post and rocker post (plate?) can be supplied by him for $900. Asking on the vehicle is $4900.
Anyone have experience/helpful hints?
Thanks,
Deb
These are very weakly built cars, I would not want to drive one that’s been wrecked, even after it’s been well repaired. Walk away.
Sounds like a major side impact. If you really want the vehicle have it inspected by a reputable body shop to see if there is unibody damage or if the doors are just crunched. Even after a repair that side pillar might not be as strong as it should be, making it a little more dangerous in the event of another side impact. It’s up to you.
Thanks for your replys,
to texases:
Is there anything specific that makes this any more “weakly built” than any other small car? Maybe this is what made the owner walk away after the accident. It can be viewed at cars.com, look at xBs. I have no experience at purchasing a salvage car; do have a good local bone yard and mechanic. Hate the new xB style, hoping for a low mileage 06 or 05 at an affordable price. Amazing these things have appreciated in value since the new (fugly) body style came out.
Deb
In my opinion the only reason to buy a vehicle with a salvage title is for parts. I would NEVER attempt to use a salvage-title vehicle as a daily driver.
The salvage title means an insurance company has declared this vehicle a “total loss,” and they don’t do that unless the cost to repair the vehicle exceeds its value. Insurance companies are very good at this. They don’t waste time and money on vehicles that are beyond repair, which is what “salvage” means.
The cost to repair exceeds the value of the vehicle. Period.
What else do you need to know? Forget this car. It’s not a deal, it’s a potential nightmare, and most likely money pit.
If you want an '06 xB, find a nice used one and buy it. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can save a bundle on this wrecked car. You will pay more in the long run trying to put a junker back together, and it will never be a strong or as reliable as a car that hasn’t been wrecked.
Please give up on this wreck. The fact that you can’t even look at it yourself just makes it worse. Forget it and move on.
Be very careful. Here in Ohio you have to take the repaired-salvaged vehicle down to the State Trooper station for inspection. They can be very detailed and in some and almost all cases they can find a reason for rejection. You can not get the vehicle licensed to operate on the road until they grant you a regular title. You can not get a license to operate with the salvage title. You may invest a large sum of money for repair only to find that the state trooper turns down your application. As I recall, they charge $50 for each inspection and it could take several before you are granted the regular title. As the others have suggested save your money, time and effort and dodge disappointment.
Good Luck…I am not afffliated with a dealershiop, repairshop or insurance company.
rocky
The first-gen xB was originally a Japanese-market Toyota that was brought to the US at the end of its design cycle. It had poor side impact crash ratings, and is known for having the front windshield crack due to body flexing. The new xB is much heavier, partly because it’s larger, but also because it was upgraded for improved body strength. If you look at the doors of the first-gen xB, you can see how thin they are.
Actually it didn’t have poor side impact ratings. The ratings were fair for front passengers and good for rear passengers. Just thought I’d throw that in.
When an insurance company “totals” a car and it is given a “salvage” title, that VIN number should never be allowed to be registered again. Part it out and shred the rest.
Appreciate all your input. You have sufficiently scared the poop out of me to abandon this particular quest. Should have bought one new in 06 for 14K! I spent a couple years thinking they were ugly as sin, now I’m obsessed with their unique, tool shed-on-wheels look.
Thanks again.
I have a car that has a salvage title, however I am the person who was in the vehicle when it was wrecked. I know the car and what was damaged. I also know that the insurance company will not re-insure except for just liability. It will cost me 100.00 for the inspection station, 118.00 for the state to inspect and retitle. The only reason I bought the car back was the new and or rebuilt motor and transmission. It was worth more to me than to let it go. The only damage was to hood and front driver quarterpanel and needed a new bumper. I am in the process of getting it inspected now, as soon as I can get it hauled to the inspection.
Fair for NHSTA test, poor for IIHS test. You can check here http://www.informedforlife.org/getscore.php for a 'risk score, it got 121 (higher than average risk, which is 100) score. 2008 model gets a score of 79, better than average.
They are still ugly IMO. They offer poor performance. Mediocre fuel mileage (thanks to the barn door-like aerodynamics), uninspiring handling, flimsy construction, and questionable ergonomics. On the plus side, they are reliable and offer good interior space. I think the negatives outweigh the positives in this case. The current model Xb is a much better vehicle.