Quote:
Originally Posted by RiceBuster
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?
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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