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Seeking opinions on this rebuilt BRZ

Hi guys, I am kind of new to the forums and I have been lurking around to find an used BRZ for sale. I recently found a decent deal at a local dealership but the vehicle unfortunately has a rebuilt title.

The dealership owner showed me a couple pictures of the damages prior to the repair. There was a light front end damage and he said the airbox, radiator, condenser, left headlamp, bumper, hood, rad support and small miscellaneous parts had to be replaced. There was no rear end or side damage at all. For the reference, the picture below is one of those that he showed.

If I have to guess I believe that the previous owner went under a SUV or truck. The front frames looked straight but there are some odd gaps on driver's hood and fender above the headlamps. Both front fenders were reused so I don't expect the fitment to be perfect. Other than that, everything seemed to be in good condition. It drove and stopped straight without any abnormal noises.

The BRZ is an 2013 at 35k miles and he bottomed at $13.5k out the door. I am not really an expert with salvage title and insurance write off policies. Based on my research, insurance companies usually total a damaged car if the repair cost is more than 75% of car's value. The only thing that bothers me at this point is why was this BRZ totaled? The front end damage does not seem severe to go over the 75%. He didn't mention anything about airbags but the interior seemed mint with no sign of airbag deployment. I would highly appreciate any opinions from you guys. Do you think there is a hidden damage somewhere? Do you think this is actually a good deal?

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiceBuster (Post 2530465)

If she drives straight go for it.

Bummer they reused the fenders, but $13.5 is a good price for the damage it had. As long as the paint matches good enough for your eye, and it looks and drives straight, seems like a good price.

Carfax would tell you if the airbags deployed, they have to divulge info like that. From that pic, I doubt they went off as the whole bumper was not pushed in. If you are buying it to keep forever then there's nothing wrong with rebuilt, but if you ever go to sell or trade in you will get nothing for it. Up to you. I personally bought a motorcycle back off of my insurance company after my girlfriend got hit on it. I knew the extent of the damage and how to fix it. Rode it another season and had zero issues. I was up front about it when I sold it and the guy that bought it didn't mind because he was going to use it on the track anyways. In the end I made out by doing so, but my story is the exception to the rule and not the norm!

buying something with a rebuilt title is rarely a good idea. it may work out for you, but it sure is risky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiceBuster (Post 2530465)

Salvage/rebuilt titles also apply to Partial-losses (meaning partially totaled) and this could be what happened. I say if it drives straight and great get it inspected by a trusted 3rd party shop for frame damage and anything that might go unnoticed and if nothing bad comes up I'd consider this a good buy.

Also OP you sure the engine wasn't damaged in the accident? I assume that if the engine took a hit/blew, then that would easily explain why a car that doesn't look too bad would have been salvaged.

Looking at this the rad mounts seem like they took one hell of a hit (if I base myself on the damage near the area), If that was the case make sure it was straightened properly (and sealed so it doesn't rust in a few months) and also ensure the damage did not continue and affect the frame/sub-frame

Quote:

Originally Posted by kch (Post 2530565)

buying something with a rebuilt title is rarely a good idea. it may work out for you, but it sure is risky.

Meh my is300 was a rebuild (rebuilt like shit too) but the frame was straight and 2k(Canadian later, rebuilding the floor, fenders and trunk and fixing the few electronic issues) and she is very drivable now. Hell I spent less in fixing it than my buddy spent on just keeping his integra on the road with regular maintenance.

don't get me wrong she'll never be a show car but still decent enough to get young adults and teens riled up when they see it drive down the street. The most important part is that the critical areas have not been damaged or have been fixed properly if they were damaged.

To my untrained eye it looks more like a big truck backed into it. It doesn't appear to be pushed in like it would if it was moving when the hit happened. If it was moving I'd expect the fenders to be crinkled and the bumper to be mangled. That would also explain the airbags not going off.

Deal depends on your use.

Light use and then trade in after a few years? Bad idea.
Heavy track use? Perfect.
Drive until dies? Perfect.
Show car that won't be driven much, then sold to another enthusiast? Deal.

Just gotta be clear on what you are doing with it and if the title affects that. You won't sell it easy; but then again; that price is awesome.

Maybe see if you can get it looked at by an independent mechanic; even if it costs you $100; you'll have only wasted $100 if he finds something.

[QUOTE=GeorgeJFrick;2530622]Deal depends on your use.
QUOTE]

that hit it on the head right there. sounds like you're getting it for around 12.5k plus TTL. if there's no frame damage, you are in the car right for sure.

Stay away from rebuilt cars unless it was you, who rebuilt it ater damage. If you want better deals while buying used car - find private sellers, not dealer.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

Thanks everyone for the advices. It will be my summer daily/ occasional track car, which I think the car is perfect for. I will have a 3rd party collision shop check for any hidden damages. Someone mentioned a possible damage to the engine. The plastic covers for serpentine belt are cracked. Other than that, I didn't notice anything out of place. That is a good point though. I will have to take a good look again.

If that radiator was pushed in/cracked/damaged you should also be concerned if anyone has the engine running for any extended period of time with no coolant in it. Warping heads sounds like no fun

This is how i bought my brz with a salvaged title. which means i had to rebuild it and get an inspection, now i have a rebuilt title and wouldnt think twice about doing it again since i only have 7k in it. 2013 limited M/T.