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How to tell if a used car has been totalled
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Tabinal
New User
Jan 10, 2015, 7:38 PM
Post #1 of 9
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How to tell if a used car has been totalled
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Hi all, hope this is an ok question for this forum. I'm in the market for a "new" car for my son who just turned 16. Right now I'm looking at a 95 Camaro which has obviously been freshly painted. The story is it was given to an attorney in trade for work and the used car dealer is doing a favor for his friend trying to sell it. They supposedly spiffed it up and another friend of the attorney painted it, but he also painted over the trim on the sides and the wheel wells instead of taping it off. The first thing I see is that the dashboard has completey cracked from both the corners back towards the center. I also saw a failure to meet on the rear lower fascia in the area of the tail light. My question is would these be signs of a major wreck? Of course the dealer is saying any car of this age is bound to have a ding or two, and that the dash was probably damaged from heat and cold extremes but I feel like it's probably more than that. Any signs of a severe wreck you guys could share and am I correct in thinking those are 2 signs of a bad wreck? Thanks for your help.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 10, 2015, 8:52 PM
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Re: How to tell if a used car has been totalled
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If your interested in a vehicle, you should take it to your mechanic for a full inspection before you purchase it. That way you know what your getting into.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Tabinal
New User
Jan 10, 2015, 10:08 PM
Post #3 of 9
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Re: How to tell if a used car has been totalled
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Thanks, I plan on it with the final car. Just trying to eliminate any that I can before I get to that step. This is actually the second one this month I looked at with this same damage pattern on the dash but the first one was totally ragged out so I passed immediately. Thanks for your help.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 11, 2015, 4:11 AM
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Re: How to tell if a used car has been totalled
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Re first cars for younger people: Anyone actually but it's tons easier to look for common and popular cars than sports anything or altered anything.
Get any completely checked out for condition including accident history as well in that. First time drivers whether neglect or just new to driving frequently will have more problems with a car even cause problems while really learning so I suggest a more boring car first time and let a second car be one more interesting or sporty which is just added expense and higher risk to find good used ones,
T
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 11, 2015, 7:25 AM
Post #5 of 9
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Re: How to tell if a used car has been totalled
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Unless you are getting this car for next to nothing, it really sounds like somebody is trying to put "Lipstick on a Pig" and not doing a very good job. It sounds like this car was a worn out piece of junk that somebody tried to shine up without spending any money.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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nickwarner
Veteran
/ Moderator
Jan 11, 2015, 11:13 AM
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Re: How to tell if a used car has been totalled
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You have asked your insurance man how much it will cost to insure a 16 year old boy driving a Camaro, right? I don't think you are going to like the cost. Plus I'm sure you'll be buying a lot of rear tires.
With HT here, likely wasn't a wreck but was a turd someone tried to polish with a very crappy paint job. My little brother got taken on a 67 Mustang like that once. He didn't bring me along to look at it. Was a terrible paint job covering a ton of bondo on a rusted out junker. He paid a lot for what he was told was numbers matching, it was a 6 cylinder car that had a 289 thrown in it that was on its last legs. Everything cobbled.
Having it inspected on a lift by a competent man before pulling out money is the way to go.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jan 11, 2015, 11:27 AM
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Re: How to tell if a used car has been totalled
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OMG Nick! Insurance could be the most nasty expense of all of this. OP - do ask up front that car vs perhaps say a Toyota Corolla or another non sport car. Yikes! T
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Tabinal
New User
Jan 11, 2015, 5:38 PM
Post #8 of 9
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Re: How to tell if a used car has been totalled
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Re: insurance. We've had similar cars before and have lucked into a company that insures our kids as drivers on our cars as long as they live under our roof. Our insurance on 2 houses and 3 cars was pretty much cut in half by going with them this summer so I wasn't worried about that.
As for the car, it had been severely damaged and whoever patched it up left a part under the hood that had been shorn in half during the wreck and they were still using it, lol. Not sure which part it was, but it was obviously missing a large chunk with rough edges where it had ripped off. I suspected it from the way the cracks came from the corner posts, but that confirmed it once I got a key to get inside it. Also, the gaps didn't match up equally left to right where panels came together and the doors didn't close correctly, like they scrubbed. After I looked a bit more I realized they had sprayed over the 3rd light under the spoiler, lol. So no need to waste money to get the mechanic to check it out at all.
As for what to get the new driver, this is not his dream car. This is his dad's teen years re-lived. He was all about the show cars at that age and he thinks his son wants the same. I took him today and showed him the car his son really wants which is a 1972 LeSabre boat of a car, but it's in pretty good condition. Just a bit much for a teen. The man wants $7500 and that is twice what I want to pay for a first car. I'm sure it's a bargain, but not for a kid.
Thank you all for the help. Might be a good subject to add later on, what to avoid when shopping for car.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 11, 2015, 5:45 PM
Post #9 of 9
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Re: How to tell if a used car has been totalled
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He doesn't need a classic car. he doesn't need a sporty car. He needs reliable and safe transportation.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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