Salvage repairable's, Are they worth it?

[aston]

Years ago a petrolhead friend told me the best way to buy a bargain car was to buy a salvage repairable and get it fixed up. Is this true or is it a way to loose an awful lot of money and put up with a whole lot of hassle. For example I am looking at a car on ebay, it has been hit in the front, but the airbags were not set off, has very low mileage etc. Cat C Recorded on hpi vehicle. Comes with 1 key Immobilised. Any thoughts appreciated. By the way cannot do the work myself so it would cost £30ph aprox

[gummy]

I have heard of people getting some good cars out of this and making a few quid out of it,but they have been able to do the work themselves,i would think to pay others might run away with the cost.Also depends how much damage has been done!.Lots of people do it.

[Loz]

I think if your planning on keeping the car for a while it could be worth it, allowing you to buy a younger car for your cash but I imagine re-selling the car could be troublesome.

[HDi fun]

It's hard to comment really as each case and vehicle is individual.

[bigbadjoe]

Never again would I own anything that has been in an accident. I owned a cat d and it cost me £££ in the long run.

Got my Mazda at 5 years of age for £2000. Spend £500 and had a car worth £4500 at the time. I was well chuffed.

Problems:
1 - Tracking would never line up. Over two years bought 6 new tyres
2 - Wheels on it were off a RX8. Cost was rediculas due to low profile or tyres would not fit
3 - Hub went
4 - Bearings went
5 - Brake hose snapped
6 - Steering rack went
7 - 3 shocks replaced
8 - Again trying to fix tracking, changed both wish bones
9 - New disks (old ones pitted - did not notice that when bought)

I know one or two of these can be put down to wear and tear, but all on a 5 year old car. Steering rack and shocks ect, don't think so!

I'd avoid mate.

[turbonutter69]

It would only be worth it if you did all the rebuild work yourself.
Once you start paying someone else the cost will surely rocket.

[waynne]

Agree with TN here. Unless you can get cheap used parts to fit and do the work yourself then it has been written off for a reason and will cost a fortune to put back on the road.

[Yugguy]

I had a company car from new once and it got hit on the front side and needed new front suspension. Although it was properly repaired and suspension/tracking all configured and correctly set from then on it used to warp the front discs constantly.

I'd buy a car that had had panel damage only, but never one where the chassis/suspension had been damaged. And I'd NEVER buy a stolen recovered.

[xavier]

Buy it, bodge it and sell it!

[aston]

it's an St220, I have wanted one for a few years now, no secret. here it is http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3903792886...84.m1438.l2649

Any ideas

[HDi fun]

Originally Posted by aston

it's an St220, I have wanted one for a few years now, no secret. here it is http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3903792886...84.m1438.l2649

Any ideas

So long as the floorpan and roof aren't bent then it should be a good call. The other issue is engine. If the coolant was lost during the RTC it may have overheated. The V6 Duratec engine is not cheap.

[Zwaf]

I am little short with english here, but will try to point you what I saw on first picture.

Look at the crack between top of both front doors and roof/windshield.
Maybe the cars front end was bent (curved?) during impact.
If it is so, you can hardly make it be like it use to be.
Just my two drahmas ( ) and do not take my words without talking with some repairman you know in person.

EDIT: look at the 4th pic and see yourself. It seems to me like the rear door line is not equal at the top and at the rear end. Is it normal?
Don't know! Just thinking loud.

[Olley]

my opinion, don't touch... it looks like it's been hit on the front nearside corner, and by the looks of things moved the o/s A pillar. and you may never get it to line up, or the car may never drive straight, shame as they are very nice cars. i've been looking at buying a write off for a while, saw a subaru legacy estate that was written off as it had been keyed on 75% of panels.

[Zwaf]

Originally Posted by Olley

my opinion, don't touch... it looks like it's been hit on the front nearside corner, and by the looks of things moved the o/s A pillar.

That is what i wanna to say. So, this part is called "A pillar"? Just like translated in croatian but i thought you would not understand what part I'm refering.

[aston]

i'll give it a miss, too many problems allready with cars, 3 cars none workin properly, 2 with egr valve problems and one with lpg problem