shawla:

jenju or ivvie what exactly did d records show for the navigator 5LMRU27L3WLJ36906

Ivvie:

Accidents that are less than $1000 aren't reported or sometimes detailed but not deemed as a car with a flaw. They just don't issue salvage without a cause. California is also a state that doesn't record accidents that are less than $1000 in its vehicle history. I don't know the veracity of your story but an accidented vehicle is an accidented vehicle irregardless. I want to suspect the frame was either bent thus rendering it stressed (tensile or compressive) thus weakening it or something else. No state will render a minor accident salvage.

Reason, how would you react to a wooden chair that has its four legs and back arm broken and then glue for normal or optimal performance. Worse, if you know nothing about it. It is the same with a salvage vehicle. If your story happened as you have stated, it'll report minor accident. The Acura TL is unibody and partly plastic. It would be easy to fix such a dent by replacing the affected region.

If all these cars were as you stated, they wouldn't be in Lagos/Nigeria. They would still be here. The profit isn't much if all was good and had it shipped.

layifioren:

Well I'm here to tell you that a car does not have to have a bent frame to be salvage. I'm talking from absolute experience. I mean absolute experience. My cars for the pass 4 years had prior salvage title. Unibody and partly plastic! Maybe you're talking about Saturns. Go on Ebay and take a good look at prior salvage cars. Allstates insurance for example replaces vehiclo has been in the es of a particular age regardless of the extent of it's accident. Don't get me wrong salvage cars are not new cars but ask anyone that truly know about car and they'll tell you that salvage cars are not always "salvage" as they term them. Another thing you have to understand is when body shops give insurance companies quote to fix a vehicle, it is always high compared to what they'll give a private person. Because of the quotes they get, that normally discourages them from fixing. That's why when you go to the body shop before they give you a quote they'll ask you if the insurance company is pay or if you're paying out of your pocket. What has that got to do with a quote? By the way where do you stay?

qimpex:


It is good that some guys are offering VIN checks for free. That's the Naija spirit of helping our brothers. I really appreciate the contribution of nairalander to this thread. However, as someone who has been in the used car business for about 10 years, it won't be a bad idea to contribute my quota to this thread.

For the records, I'm a registered and licensed used car and parts dealer in the state of Georgia, with more than a decade experience in the biz. My used parts dealer's license allows me to purchase salvage cars and also to present same for inspection after repairs.

Facts:

[list]
[li]That a car has a salvage history doesn't mean it is not a good buy, afterall everyone loves a discount.[/li]
[li]A VIN check doesn't guarantee that you are buying a good car. I have seen no report or conflicting reports between carfax and autocheck reports(the two most popular car information data providers in the US).[/li]
[li]The salvage auto biz is a multi billion dollar industry.So the demand for salvage cars is very high[/li]
[li]Salvage cars are not very cheap to get. A lot of Americans drive them too.[/li]
[li]Can someone check the VIN of all those buses and 504 on Nigerian roads[/li]
[li]Minor fender benders are good deals to buy[/li]
[li]Run away from flood cars. They might same you some dollars initially, but a drain in the end[/li]
[li]Shine your eyes well well before you buy a car.Check engine area and undercarriage for rust[li]
[li]Avoid front and chassis damages[li]
[/list]


What makes a vehicle a Salvage vehicle in the state of GA?

A salvage vehicle is any motor vehicle:

• Damaged to the extent that it’s restoration to an operable condition would require the replacement of two or more major component parts, as listed below,

• That an insurance company has paid a “total loss claim” and the vehicle has not been repaired, regardless of the extent of damage to such vehicle or the number of major component parts required to repair such vehicle.


Major Component Parts

A major component part of a motor vehicle is any one of the following sub-assemblies:

Front Clip Assembly (Fender, grille, hood and bumper),

Rear Clip Assembly (Quarter panels and floor panel assembly,

Engine and Transmission,

Top Assembly , with the exception of soft-tops (Convertible),

Frame ; or,

A Complete Side of a vehicle (including fenders, door(s) and quarter panel).

http://motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/motor/titles/needed/Whatmakesavehicleasalvagevehicle.asp


Testimonies:

1. I bought a 2001 Acura TL with 50k miles at Copart (largest salvage yard in the world),for just $2500. All he changed was the left marker (signal) light. the car was inspected by the state and has been on the road for the past 4 years.

2. I bought a 2001 Acura MDX with 60k miles for $5600. All that I fixed is therear bumper cover and tail lamp. I sold it to a happy driver for $9000.

3. Pictures of recent cars I bought from the auction.

layifioren:

May God bless you. I was just trying to relief some of the people that think salvage always mean "bad". You explained it more in detail than I did. The last thing Nigerians should be worrying about in a car is salvage title as long as the car is functioning perfectly like it should. We have enough to make a car "salvage" in Nigeria anyways. Hope people get a better idea now. Thanks

layifioren:

May God bless you. I was just trying to relief some of the people that think salvage always mean "bad". You explained it more in detail than I did. The last thing Nigerians should be worrying about in a car is salvage title as long as the car is functioning perfectly like it should. We have enough to make a car "salvage" in Nigeria anyways. Hope people get a better idea now. Thanks

qimpex:

Buyers Beware is the key word.

Jenju, I understand your point but some cars are not meant to be salvaged. The US is just full of insurance scams. For instance, I wanted to get an 07 Camry for one of my client for $18000, but he jumped at the offer when I told him I can get a salvage one for $8000 (see pix, with just 29k miles). After the car got to Lagos, he called back that he fixed it for only N20,000.So in all he is driving an 07 for a fraction of the cost.

I guess the difference is because I only buy when there is an order for it. I normally send the pix to my client so that they can estimate the cost and condition, prior to purchase. Funny enough, I ensure that I give them a carfax report showing that the car is not a lemon (no flood, no Katrina salvage).

Ivvie:

Do you know you that CAMRY is gone because it's unibody.  No insurance company would pay to fix that because of the chassis and frame is designed.  Once reinforcement has been altered, its rigidity is weakened.  It'll also have engine issues 'cause tolerances for many components would have been disturbed.

shawla:

HELP WITH THIS VIN CHECK

1FMPU18L1YLB13548

Ivvie:

Correction, Toyota dealerships cannot determine if your frame is bent or not. You need to take it to a collision garage that is equipped with the necessary infrastructure and it's computer guided and then, determination can be concluded if the frame would be pulled or not. This has to be done on a repititive manner and checked ever so often using laser guided alignment.

What I am certain of is that it is weakened from its initial PD. It's the law of science. When a material is stressed and goes beyond plasticidy towards yeild point or necking, you relax the stress and the material is weakened. If you have a better law against this, you will have to prove it in full terms. As for the engine, if it was disturbed in the collision, then it is dependent on time to prove its dependability.

How would you explain the airbags? The drivers airbag is at least $2000. You have the passenger and also side airbags. I don't care how good anyone claims, you cannot restore an airbag as manufactured. A law was actually passed in texas because of an unfortunate event.

I am not pointing you out as not knowing what you are implying. I'm just stating the facts using laws.

arsenal4va:

gimpex , cud u arrange another Camry 07 for that price ?? what will be the landing price in lag ??

Ivvie:

If I could recollect, you termed me ignorant because I deemed a car plastic with reinforced beams and improperly used taxpayer to relay an opinion. That's why I replied in field argot - no disrespect.

My first car was a salvage vehicle in Louisiana and the state refused to register it. It wasn't disclosed to me and I started having problem from the third day. I used it for almost a semester and had spent almost the price I paid for it in repairs. It's a lesson learnt.

I won't discredit you in any way. Some people are smarter than others. There are people you can't fool even when they are asleep. Somebody mentioned different strokes for different folks. It isn't far from the truth. In everything, I require a certain level of perfection and my friends tell me that I am too specific in many things. That's true but doesn't mean those who aren't ain't as precise. If you are able to compress a $30,000 to $10,000 and still get the benefit of it as nothing happen, then you are grace because the vast majority aren't endowed with such privilege.

Peace