Totaled cars...That really sucks!

flyboyron · March 2, 2016

I guess this happens more times than I would ever think possible!

One of my clients is a body shop, I do bookkeeping for.

They got a car in from a small mom and pop car dealer that they needed some work done on.

It is a 2015 Nissan Maxima with 34,000 miles and it is a really clean car except for the front bumper was scratched and the bottom was cracked, looked like it hit a parking lot wheel stop or something.

The car dealer thought it would be maybe $500.00 dollars to replace the bumper.

So as the body guy gets into it, he notices the core support is loose. It was actually pulled forward and the mounts are busted. As he gets further into the underside of the vehicle, he notices the oil pan is smashed, and so is the transmission pan. When you look close at the gap between the front tire and the rear part of the fender, there is about 1 1/2 inches closer on the right side than the driver side.

Then he notices the right fender where it attaches to the firewall is bent pretty good.

Now looking at the car before it was torn apart looked like it just needed a new bumper.

But this car, by the damage it has, has been airborne and came down very hard and has bent the frame and possibly the firewall.

This car is possible a total loss and the dealer never inspected the car good enough to know that and now is stuck with a salvage car.

I guess this happens more times than I know. You got to be careful when buying a used car....as always.

txab · March 2, 2016

Caveat Emptor

&CDFiXER% · March 3, 2016

The body shop isn't 'stuck' with no $$ after doing all that detective work are they?

Tony Bianco · March 3, 2016

That's the thing about these small dealerships purchasing cars from an auction. I strongly believe this the case. Auction cars are only as good as you can physically see. Bidders aren't allowed to do anything other than a visual inspection. No inspections and the vehicle isn't started until it rolls across the auction block.

Valuable lesson learned for the dealer.

Body shops normally will be paid for labor time involved with a tear down.

I've been in the automotive restoration industry for more than 25 years. Currently an estimator for a chain body shop.

&CDFiXER% · March 4, 2016

Automotive version of a gambling table it sounds like. I had always wondered how the heck dealers and such purchased cars at auctions and didn't get burnt. Apparently sometimes they do.

Trained eye sounds key.

SnakeEyeSS · March 5, 2016

I had a friend in high school that found a BMW. I was the BMW guy so he wanted me to go along. He was set to buy the car, I looked it over and noticed the aux cooling fans were missing. Then I saw some wires disconnected(airbag sensors I think) and told him to run. He was mad at me for a while (tearing down what he wanted to buy) until he realized what I saved him from.

Funny thing is the same thing happened years later. I had lowered my car, he brought over his car so I could help. We took the wheels off and I refused to do any more. Every suspension bushing I could find was falling apart, and the wishbones were in bad shape. Again he got mad at me for pointing out his car was in bad shape. He took it to a few shops who told him the same thing, you need to replace EVERYTHING if you want to lower it, just lowering shock and spring are going to do more harm than good.

Then he brought over a his project car. He had jury rigged some parts so I re-jury rigged them to look decent(zip ties instead of duct tape). That was 5 or 6 years ago.

Haven't heard from him since!

&CDFiXER% · March 8, 2016

Hmm, I don't want to be behind him on the road. Sounds like vital bits may fall off....

barry G · March 9, 2016

I took in a 10 geared subaru.

insane with the measures that fool the eye.

never a unibody for me again.

something funny.

I was at best buy, bangor maine..they got curbs at least 8 to 10 inches high.

I backed in, and was sitting inside my truck.

3 vehicles came and went, parking next to me..

smashing themselves into the curb.

what the ?!

I got out of the truck, and saw I was back all the way to my wheels, no problem. It must have fooled the eye of the cars pulling in, thinking they could do the same.

anyway..

if one does get burned in the unibody realm, join the club. It is in the millions. The worst was the 70s and 80s.. escorts, etc. They only got a little tougher for more sideways power.

I dumped 50 pounds of weld, and learned a lot.. made custom structural beams. suspension. It is all mine. I would not wish that upon many. Even fresh enthusiasts.