Buying 2015 2500HD in accident

[Kraig Minner]

Hello all; looking for some wisdom from this forum. I've seen nothing but good stuff so far in my lurking.

 

I'm looking at buying a 2015i (manufactured 10/14) Chevy 2500HD LT Crew Cab, 6.0L with 7800 miles as a Certified PreOwned GM from my local Chevy dealer. Has LT Plus/Convenience/Trailering, 18" wheels, Bose upgrade, and other dealer addons. They are asking 35,995 and will not budge. Claim 3 buyers lined up behind me, only my deposit is holding my spot. It's blue book is around 44500. Turns out the car was wrecked in July. It was sideswiped on driver side, and pushed into a rock outcropping. The dealer gave me a copy of the repair order, and didn't sanitize the previous owner info. I called, and he confirmed the story and also confirmed the real reason he traded it in was he decided on a LongBed Dmax is what he really wanted. Used the accident to convince the misses it was a good idea to trade it in. Damage is all body. Replaced parts were 3 doors, rear bumper, 3 wheels, and 2 tires?? Not sure why only 2, but I'll be replacing with fresh tires either way.

 

Question is, am I nuts to consider buying a previously wrecked truck? I'm pretty focused on attention to detail and I couldn't find anything that looked repaired my first 2 times looking closely at the truck or test driving. Only started picking very minor stuff out when I knew exactly where to look for damage. The dealership body shop did an excellent job. I currently own a 2013 Avalanche, and am looking to trade up into my first 3/4 truck. Recently bought a 35" camper, and I need a bit more stability towing than the coil suspension of the Avalanche offers.

 

Pictures are linked below. Cost to repair was 17k, billed to insurance. Dealership tells me their actual repair cost was 9k in parts/labor. Carfax reports clean, but I'm assuming will show up soon.

 

Truck is certified, has approximately 4 years left on Powertrain, and 4years/48000 mile bumper to bumper/GM CPO warranty left, and 12,000/12month on body work/labor backed by the dealer.

 

OneDrive: http://1drv.ms/1L4lAKL

 

Thanks,
Kraig

[j-ten-ner]

Once, I bought a car with a repaired rear fender.

I knew about it at the time of the purchase and I couldn't see any difference.

It was a rainy day.

The next day was sunny. And within the "golden hour" I could see that the paint on the rear fender was out by a shade.

Ever since I was able to see it. No matter in what light.

 

I don't think that you're nuts to consider buying a previous damaged truck.

But if you're like me you'll regret it.

 

so long

j-ten-ner

[gr8almty1]

Get your deposit back. No way I would knowingly buy it with a before picture in my head. The fact that it was a tree service company would suggest there were multiple drivers and probably hard on it....no homo

[Panik]

Personally, I would get my deposit returned and back away from the truck quickly. 35K for a truck that has had significant body damage and was used however briefly for commercial purposes is a bit too much to swallow. If you are already picking out minor issues think how you might feel a year or two years down the road when you've lived with daily reminders of the damage, or when little issues that may or may not have been caused by the accident start cropping up.

 

The truck could be fine, it's just too much of a risk for my tastes.

[sahls01gmc]

If you're on the fence (like you seem to be), I wouldn't get it. You don't want your first 3/4 ton experience to be miserable. Wait for the next one. Of course someone will buy it, and it might be perfect for them. This one just sounds like it might not be perfect for you......good thing is, they make a lot of these!

[newdude]

Damage is all body. Replaced parts were 3 doors, rear bumper, 3 wheels, and 2 tires??

 

Pictures are linked below. Cost to repair was 17k, billed to insurance. Dealership tells me their actual repair cost was 9k in parts/labor. Carfax reports clean, but I'm assuming will show up soon.

 

Truck is certified, has approximately 4 years left on Powertrain, and 4years/48000 mile bumper to bumper/GM CPO warranty left, and 12,000/12month on body work/labor backed by the dealer.

 

 

Seems like a big repair bill for 3 doors, a bumper and 3 wheels. I don't show it as being a certified used unless the VIN info hasn't been updated with GM yet. If the title shows up with salvage, junk, rebuilt or anything like that it can't be certified through GM. I'd be thinking of running from this one. It also can't be certified if paint is off tint on any panels.

[Kraig Minner]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I called the dealer and passed on it today. The dealer wasn't willing to warrant any of their body work beyond 1 year, so in the end, the risk is too high for me. Everyone's answer pretty much parroted what I had going on in my head.

 

Also, the fact the GM inventory system wasn't showing this as Certified, even though they have the Certified sticker on the window bothered me. I feel like they are trying to unload it via pressure tactics so it's sold before Carfax puts the ding on it, and they can't sell it as Certified anymore.

 

The search continues!

[kevin_nj]

Ditto all the other comments, but also the cab was bent in too; clearly seen in the one pic.

FWIW I think you made the right call.

I wouldn't have walked from that deal... I'd have ran.

[crankman]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I called the dealer and passed on it today. The dealer wasn't willing to warrant any of their body work beyond 1 year, so in the end, the risk is too high for me. Everyone's answer pretty much parroted what I had going on in my head.

 

Also, the fact the GM inventory system wasn't showing this as Certified, even though they have the Certified sticker on the window bothered me. I feel like they are trying to unload it via pressure tactics so it's sold before Carfax puts the ding on it, and they can't sell it as Certified anymore.

 

The search continues!

Good call you be glad later

[wandern]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I called the dealer and passed on it today. The dealer wasn't willing to warrant any of their body work beyond 1 year, so in the end, the risk is too high for me. Everyone's answer pretty much parroted what I had going on in my head.

 

Also, the fact the GM inventory system wasn't showing this as Certified, even though they have the Certified sticker on the window bothered me. I feel like they are trying to unload it via pressure tactics so it's sold before Carfax puts the ding on it, and they can't sell it as Certified anymore.

 

The search continues!

Good call. You'd also have a tough time ever selling the truck with that kind of history as well.

[pcf]

Good call.

 

In all likely hood the ACV/FMV of the vehicle was probably below what you would have paid for it, from an insurance and trade-in perspective you would have been upside down on a note from the second you signed on the dotted line. Looks like there was right C-pillar damage.

 

Anyone brazen enough to brag about bilking an insurance company for $8K is sending a pretty clear message about their integrity.

[Kraig Minner]

Good call.

 

In all likely hood the ACV/FMV of the vehicle was probably below what you would have paid for it, from an insurance and trade-in perspective you would have been upside down on a note from the second you signed on the dotted line. Looks like there was right C-pillar damage.

 

Anyone brazen enough to brag about bilking an insurance company for $8K is sending a pretty clear message about their integrity.

 

If it was a regular car, I'd have assumed so immediately and never had a 2nd thought walking away. That's pretty much what I told the sales guy when they wouldn't budge on price. I'm not paying for someone else's diminished value. That truck, in that condition and in my area, is worth about 33k after factoring diminished value. Resale value on HD trucks around me is ridiculously high in most cases (especially the gassers for some reason..) The truck is already sold/gone off the dealership lot by the way; hopefully it doesn't turn out to be a mess for someone else.

 

As for the auto body work.. I'm not 100%, but I believe that margin isn't outside the range of normal. As they are the only GM certified body shop (who do an excellent job - had them repair a fender on my Avalanche) they have access to better prices on GM parts, and charging dealership labor rates I'm sure doesn't hurt.

 

In other news, I am happily awaiting a delivery for a brand new 2015, 6.0L CC 4wd LT Z71 in Ocean Blue. Worked them down about 12k off sticker. Had good leverage because I need the trailering mirrors, and not many of these trucks left in the 15 model year have those mirrors. I pretty much said that it was standard on Ford/Dodge if they couldn't figure something out... (not that I would actually have done that.) They are going to install the OEM chrome capped trailer mirrors off the LTZ, as soon as they figure out which harnesses and trim bits they need to swap out.