... an interesting "rebuild" or a complete scam?

[maslin]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Actually, unless I'm reading the VIN wrong, it IS #86 that model year.

$1,000,000!


In the Porsche world people would be drooling to get that thing.

[EAGLE5]

I'd always be wary of a salvage car unless you have clear evidence of the damage done and the repair process. Even then, it's a risk.

[Pedro13]

Nope, the last 6 digits are the serial #. The carline # is on the VIN digit # 8 where the 86 is # 1, FYI...

[rande]

Looks like it was originally salvaged and then sold at auction in North Carolina in November 2017.

https://www.copart.com/lot/37210767/Photos

The odometer in their pictures shows 24170 miles.

It was also on Ebay a couple of times after being repaired. The original odometer reading says 23495 miles.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-Subaru...orig_cvip=true

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-Subaru...orig_cvip=true

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-Subaru...orig_cvip=true

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-Subaru...orig_cvip=true

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-Subaru...orig_cvip=true

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-Subaru...orig_cvip=true


If you get it, check with your insurance company first. Some companies will not insure salvaged or prior salvage vehicles.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Pedro13

Nope, the last 6 digits are the serial #. The carline # is on the VIN digit # 8 where the 86 is # 1, FYI...

Oops, you are correct, I miscounted sideways. Even so, with the 8600086 it probably adds an extra $0.10 worth of value to it.

And as you mention the first "8" is the plant number.

Useful site for VIN decoding by the way. Works for pretty much any car regardless of make/model

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vindecoder.php

[DandoX]

I would be wary, the circumstances around the car are questionable. Your better off buying a used one from the original owner, ideally someone who needs to buy a family car and sell their beloved 86. Also at 16k, no way. For a salvage this should be more like 13k. The frame could be bent, other issues that are not so easy to detect. Also all that jazz about how their paint is so top notch is also suspicious, makes me think it was done on the cheap. My vote is to stay away and buy used form an original owner.

[pogofx]

When buying a salvage or any other car with a title that has been branded for some reason, keep another thing in mind. How long you plan on keeping the car. If you plan on driving it for a very long time, it probably doesn't matter about the salvage title, provided the repair is good. You'll get a good deal and many good years out of the car.

The problem comes when YOU try to sell it. If you only keep the car a couple of years, it will be difficult to sale. Most people will need to finance the car since it will still be high enough in value that they can't pay cash. Even as a really good deal from the salvage. Most banks will not finance a salvage. Even though someone really wants your car, they can't buy it.

I ran into this problem when I got a killer deal on a 2011 Mini Cooper Clubman S. It had been a dealer buy back (aka lemon law). Car was perfect, but the title was branded as "Dealer Buy Back". It had been lemon lawed due to a check engine light with 3K miles on it. Ended up being a bad spark plug. Fixed and warrantied by Mini and then sold at auction. I ended up with the car with about 35K miles on it and got a great deal. Saved many thousands of dollars. It was flawless. Perfect condition. Thought I would drive it into the ground, but fell in love with the BRZ and bought one. Tried to sell the Mini and had a hell of a time. Had a ridiculous good price on it, but no one could get financing. I was probably 4-5K below the comps. Forget about trading it, dealers don't want it. I'm mean the car was in perfect shape except for the stupid title. And that wasn't even a Salvage.

Now, if you plan on driving the car for a long time until the value is worth in the $5k-7k (or less) range. It won't matter. People can probably afford that without a bank.

Something to think about. I thought I'd keep my Mini a long time, but didn't. Ended up having to finance, acting as the bank, for the person who bought it. Sold it for 10k. A lot of little dealers were interested in it as well, until they saw the title.

[BurritoInABowl]

Originally Posted by dhuang

'17 Limited or not, that is still overpriced for an air bag deployed car.

One thing it has going for it is the VIN ends in '86'

Holy crap! That's one hell of a "front right bumper damage."

I have a really good family friend that happens to be a mechanic, so I was thinking about taking it to him to see if anything else major is damaged. Also, according to some eBay posts, this car has been sitting since 2018 at least, so I was thinking of offering around 14k to get it off their hands, and yeah, it's salvage title so def. not the 17k they're asking. Thank you so much for these pictures!!

[BurritoInABowl]

Originally Posted by DandoX

I would be wary, the circumstances around the car are questionable. Your better off buying a used one from the original owner, ideally someone who needs to buy a family car and sell their beloved 86. Also at 16k, no way. For a salvage this should be more like 13k. The frame could be bent, other issues that are not so easy to detect. Also all that jazz about how their paint is so top notch is also suspicious, makes me think it was done on the cheap. My vote is to stay away and buy used form an original owner.

I was planning on taking this to my good friend who is a mechanic and making an offer of 14k because the car's been sitting on lot for almost a year now and it's a salvage title. I'll work from there. thanks!

[BurritoInABowl]

Originally Posted by pogofx

When buying a salvage or any other car with a title that has been branded for some reason, keep another thing in mind. How long you plan on keeping the car. If you plan on driving it for a very long time, it probably doesn't matter about the salvage title, provided the repair is good. You'll get a good deal and many good years out of the car.

The problem comes when YOU try to sell it. If you only keep the car a couple of years, it will be difficult to sale. Most people will need to finance the car since it will still be high enough in value that they can't pay cash. Even as a really good deal from the salvage. Most banks will not finance a salvage. Even though someone really wants your car, they can't buy it.

I ran into this problem when I got a killer deal on a 2011 Mini Cooper Clubman S. It had been a dealer buy back (aka lemon law). Car was perfect, but the title was branded as "Dealer Buy Back". It had been lemon lawed due to a check engine light with 3K miles on it. Ended up being a bad spark plug. Fixed and warrantied by Mini and then sold at auction. I ended up with the car with about 35K miles on it and got a great deal. Saved many thousands of dollars. It was flawless. Perfect condition. Thought I would drive it into the ground, but fell in love with the BRZ and bought one. Tried to sell the Mini and had a hell of a time. Had a ridiculous good price on it, but no one could get financing. I was probably 4-5K below the comps. Forget about trading it, dealers don't want it. I'm mean the car was in perfect shape except for the stupid title. And that wasn't even a Salvage.

Now, if you plan on driving the car for a long time until the value is worth in the $5k-7k (or less) range. It won't matter. People can probably afford that without a bank.

Something to think about. I thought I'd keep my Mini a long time, but didn't. Ended up having to finance, acting as the bank, for the person who bought it. Sold it for 10k. A lot of little dealers were interested in it as well, until they saw the title.

I'm not really looking into selling this car anytime soon, it will actually be my first car purchase so I plan on keeping it for a while.

[pogofx]

Originally Posted by BurritoInABowl

I'm not really looking into selling this car anytime soon, it will actually be my first car purchase so I plan on keeping it for a while.

That's good. Just something to think about. Sometimes things change, so holding out for the best price is definitely worth doing (especially if its been sitting for a while).

[dhuang]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

And as you mention the first "8" is the plant number.

And unfortunately they decided chassis '86' should be an automatic... then again, this is the "Subaru" version.

Funny enough, both my FR-S and BRZ ended in '8'

Originally Posted by BurritoInABowl

Holy crap! That's one hell of a "front right bumper damage."
...Thank you so much for these pictures!!

No problem. This car's story is one of the reasons why my friends and I created VINwiki. We also have a Youtube channel for the more interesting car stories.

If you do buy it, please continue the BRZ's story via our VINwiki app! I found out my wrecked FR-S eventually got crushed from another VINwiki member.

[Jdmuscle]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Good luck finding new ones in Ohio for $22K
It is not a premium it is a limited so new premium prices mean nothing if people want the extra features.
It isn't a 3 year old car. It is a 2 MY old car.
It is not a bad deal.

Lol.. just cause you are in Ohio doesn’t mean you can’t go buy elsewhere for cheap. For a salvage car.. this is expensive. A new limited without PP can be had for around 24k. Pay 500-600 to ship it anywhere in the states.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Jdmuscle

Lol.. just cause you are in Ohio doesn’t mean you can’t go buy elsewhere for cheap. For a salvage car.. this is expensive. A new limited without PP can be had for around 24k. Pay 500-600 to ship it anywhere in the states.

Or, you could have a perfectly fine (even rebuilt) 2 year old car and $8,000 in your pocket.