Bondo Buggy
September 18th, 2009Carfax Lets me Down
I’m all bummed out. I made an offer on a big red Dodge pickup, and then I found out it had been in an accident.
Everybody uses Carfax these days. There is another outfit called Autocheck. I looked at Carfax, and they didn’t have any accident information on this truck, but later I tried Autocheck, and they listed right side damage.
I went to the dealership with a magnet, and sure enough, it fell off the right side of the bed, in front of the wheelwell. I stuck my head in the wheelwell and shined a flashlight on the inside of the sheet metal. I couldn’t see anything wrong. The paint had a blister on the outside of the bed, and there were a few defects in it.
I can’t tell how bad the accident was. The rear door looks fine, but it could be new.
I guess this truck is a loser. I can have a mechanic look at it, but damaged vehicles can have all sorts of subtle problems. For example, they can drive crooked because the front and rear wheels aren’t in line with each other.
Argghh.
September 18th, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Steve, you’re thinking liek a car buyer not a truck buyer.
Get it checked out, if it’s clean and straight, the accident isn’t a no-sale point, it’s a “give me $3k off” point.
You’re talking about a body on frame truck here not some prissy unibody car. Completely different world.
Now, if the mechanic gets under there and sees frame cutting, or straightening etc… go ahead and pass it on buy; but if it’s just body damage (likely), then go for it (presuming you get a good price).
September 18th, 2009 at 8:08 PM
I may gamble 80 bucks and have the mechanic look at it, but in any event, they’re going to have to drop the price. The paint needs to be fixed, and the resale value of the truck has taken a hit.
I definitely don’t want a rust problem in there.
September 18th, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Absolutely. Make them drop the price. You’ve got the report and the proof. If they’re into the truck for too much, too bad.
They are now ethically bound to report that truck has been in an accident; and if they are at all reputable, they will do so; which means they are going to take a big hit on the value. If they aren’t ethical of course, you don’t want to be dealing with them anyway.
September 19th, 2009 at 8:33 AM
Steve, I’d be concerned here in MI with salt on the roads, but in Miami? Do you guys really rust away that bad? A simple trip down the road with someone watching the front wheels in relation to the back wheels would reveal “dog-tracking” if you didn’t depend on an alignment shop opinion.
Like Chris said about the frame. If that were a BIG accident, it would be all new sheet metal. Bondo wouldn’t be involved like on a small crease.
September 19th, 2009 at 8:39 AM
We have awful humidity, plus a certain amount of salt air. It’s not like Michigan, but it’s not Arizona, either.