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Buying a salvage/reconstructed Prius

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by ls40095, Sep 27, 2014.

  1. ls40095

    ls40095 Junior Member

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    If you know what your looking at or have a friend who does, buying a vehicle with salvage history can be the deal of a lifetime.
    I've bought and sold enough. It's become a hobby of mine and it's actually nothing to worry about if you have good general knowledge of cars. I've had some with water and frame damage. The only situation Ive stayed away from is salt water damage. I've seen many that were classified with water/flood but had none to very minor intrusion. I've purchased some with frame/ rail damage that I've pulled with a backhoe and weeks later drove across the country without alignment and had zero issues including the slightest of tire wear. I'm a former executive and understand that insurance company's "total" just about everything anymore and some states automatically issue salvage certificates which are repaired and turned into Reconstructed via inspection. They "total" since it's easier in the long run to do so rather than litigate or pay collision shops to start repair work only to find additional damage. But the big reason is because salvage cars bring more money at auction today since they are sold to a global market that cost up to 3 times as much compared to the US market. In most cases expect to receive 80% of ACV toward damages from insurance company's but that should be enough to cover the cost to you.
     
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  2. canta

    canta Member

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    that would be Yes and No on water flood "salvage" car especially Prius or recent cars that has many electronics controlled car inside, aka the car drives the driver Not the driver drives the car

    Since buying water flood (Do not Buy on salt water Flood) can be tricky and need detail inspection (not simple visual inspection) as follows (from my experience)
    1) make sure all connectors are CLEAN to avoid further corrosion and loose connector (due on water contamination)
    2) make sure all electronics did not invade by water to avoid corrosion on components and circuit board.
    3) make sure, all flushed out aka replace all fluids
    4) make sure to check underneat dashboard that mostly easy to spot corrosion due on water.
    5) visual inspection........

    if I bought 1980-2000 year models, I would inclined to buy flood water car since much less electronics are contorlled inside the car.

    electronics troubleshooting is hard, and can be cost mucho money than the car marketprice price
    but, once you know what is the problem, this is easy to replace by used parts mostly.
     
  3. ls40095

    ls40095 Junior Member

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    Thank you for your comments! A simple visual inspection is extremely vital, especially concerning vehicles with water intrusion. In large part it's know as the water or flood line. It's an art in finding it but it's of most importance. Once you find it, it makes the process so much easier to determine if major electronics were effected.
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think you're doing a disservice to the community by giving extremely poor and detrimental advice to 99.9999999% of the members here and i hope anyone thinking about this does their due diligence before moving forward. there are a lot more nightmare scenario's than success stories.
     
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  5. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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    Would you buy a motorcycle helmet that has been in a crash and refurbished?

    Cars are different than they were 50 years, ago. They are no longer metal frames and boxes with an engine and a drive train mounted, with wheels, a suspension and a controls.

    The are made of high tech steel, aluminum and other materials, and complicated electronic controls.

    Although the industry and the insurance companies, for financial reasons, alone, will claim that a crashed car, where the damage was no more than a crushed panel, there is NO WAY that a car can be bought back to factory standards by a local body shop.

    If the other driver's insurance was responsible, I would sue them for the decreased "book value."

    If I were to have one of these returned to me and repaired after a crash, it would be traded in for a NEW one immediately.

     
  6. ls40095

    ls40095 Junior Member

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    Thanks for your opinion. I'm sure it's based on zero experience and media propaganda. I'm offering my opinion based on years of experience. Please tell me about your nightmare experiences and few success story's
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i'm not trying to offend you, and i don't doubt your veracity. i just think your level of expertise is way beyond that of most members here.
     
  8. ls40095

    ls40095 Junior Member

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    There are a ton of members on this site that know more than I do and it's just a personal preference as to what you want you buy but theres also lots of misinformation written about the subject
     
    #8 ls40095, Sep 27, 2014
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2014
  9. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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    I used to work at the San Ysidro Border Station.

    "Cut and shut" cars are popular in Mexico and third world countries, because safety regulations are lax.

    In the US, they are illegal in many states.
     
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's why i always recommend against this type of purchase, both pre and post flip.
     
  11. canta

    canta Member

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    I heard many time that advice on water/floodline :D .

    I mention on On board "complicated" system including electronics(brains)/cables/connectors/sensors...
    troubleshooting cable issue is hard!.. mostly just rip-off all cables and install new/transplant bundle cables

    electronics is hard to predict especially connection issues where we have no tools to troubleshooting.

    I do not want people to get "cheap" deal, but spend $$$ to fix.

    this is my joke for today cars: car drives you, Not you drive the car :D. all are driving by wire that involves compilcated On-board electronics as a car brain!.
     
  12. canta

    canta Member

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    Sorry, Duplicate
     
  13. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Not to put too fine a point on it, but there are many things in life that I have zero experience with that I'm not going to try just because somebody else beat the odds and got away with it.

    I don't mean to diss your hobby, but buying a totaled front-wheel drive hybrid and then depending on that car for daily transportation isn't my idea of saving money the right way. I might consider it on a base model pickup that I don't haul kids in, and yes....giving up all warranty claims including the additional CARB warranty might be appealing to some-----but I'll keep doing it my way thank you very much!!
    I don't even like the idea of buying a used car because of people out there who try to launder titles and obfuscate vehicle pedigrees.....people on the seedier side of the salvage "hobby."


    I ride motorcycles, so I'm hip to the idea of risk management.
    Too much risk.
    Too little gain.

    YMMV.

    Good Luck!
     
  14. ls40095

    ls40095 Junior Member

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    Reminds me of a 2008 generation 3 Prius I looked at in Chicago. It was a Nav car with leather. Everything including the leather but I don't remember the different wheels so I don't think it was a touring model. Water intrusion to the bottom of the seats. Either Nav disc or unit was hit. Everything else was clean. I passed totally on the car. I'm actually conservative when it comes to flooding but I've found a bunch of cars that had minor intrusion for penny's on the dollar
     
  15. ls40095

    ls40095 Junior Member

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    I totally understand but It's very little risk if you know what your doing. The Prius is as bullet proof as they come and either they're right or wrong. People have this misconception that salvage flood means every car was sitting in a muddy creek for a week. I've bought cars that we're sitting on a golf course with the windows open for a few hours. BTW, I ride motorcycles too and currently drive a 2013 Piaggio BV 350 that was dropped with 120 miles on it . I bought it for .38 cents on the dollar, cleaned it up and drive it everyday.
     
  16. canta

    canta Member

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    if you are on this business, you should know all flooded cars are not equal.
    I assume, you just flip and sale flooded car that you do not drive for years.

    as long as you mentioned about the origin of salvage car, you should be good :)...

    I know some private dealers(private) do not expose the origin of the car, until someone check online via VIN#
    yeah, we can check flooded cars via VIN# too.
    I almost bought "nice" mini-van car. until saw some"erk" on the car. the dealer(private) did not mention car history and eagerly cutting some$$ on the deal. and I was needed to sign one document that was strange!.
    lucky, I check online (smartphone is useful hah!!). VIN# shown as salvaged car.
    at the end... buying new mini-van at the end by dealing via email:D, since always keeping the car 10-14 year as possible.

    moral of the story:
    my view as a car owner that would keep till at the end/dying.
    this is useless to buy flooded car.
    I would buy flooded car , if I knew the owner and know the detail situation/condition of the car.
     
  17. ls40095

    ls40095 Junior Member

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    I've never had a problem from anyone dissatisfied. It's not my business but rather a hobby like many here n the site.
    Everything I've bought and sold I've driven for months and it's totally full disclosure. I can see how anyone would ever do that. I love buying these cars for penny's on the dollar, to me a Prius is the finest car in the world and several years ahead of their time!
     
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