Cars written off but eventually put up for sale

[SGCMHello]

An insider from a workshop that specialises in car accident repair:

 

Cars that crashed till insurance declare total write off are usually sent for scrap. But there’re workshops that buy them at paper value, which can be more than $30K or even $50K off market value. They cut/saw off the accident part, e.g. entire front and buy from scrap yard and weld it to the car. Then slowly repair the car and finally sell it back into the market, usually with a new registration number plate. Even previous owner cannot recognise.

 

Really wonder how the car handles with a body that was welded using 2 car bodies. And all the OEM / compatible parts being used in the engine bay. If accident, I guess this car will crumple quite differently from the original build of the car.

 

And the profit is quite good for the workshop when they eventually sell it at market value. They usually do this for cars with high margin e.g Lexus, Merc etc.

 

Imagine the new owner who buys this type of cars, sure full of problems down the road.

 

Buyers beware when a deal looks good, it could be one of such cars. And if everything in the engine bay looks brand new for an old car, you know something is amiss.

 

Anyone suspect he/she has driven or bought such a car before?

[DACH]

Is it possible to check where are the places that are possibly weld together with welding marks?

[Brass]

An insider from a workshop that specialises in car accident repair:

 

Cars that crashed till insurance declare total write off are usually sent for scrap. But thereâre workshops that buy them at paper value, which can be more than $30K or even $50K off market value. They cut/saw off the accident part, e.g. entire front and buy from scrap yard and weld it to the car. Then slowly repair the car and finally sell it back into the market, usually with a new registration number plate. Even previous owner cannot recognise.

 

Really wonder how the car handles with a body that was welded using 2 car bodies. And all the OEM / compatible parts being used in the engine bay. If accident, I guess this car will crumple quite differently from the original build of the car.

 

And the profit is quite good for the workshop when they eventually sell it at market value. They usually do this for cars with high margin e.g Lexus, Merc etc.

 

Imagine the new owner who buys this type of cars, sure full of problems down the road.

 

Buyers beware when a deal looks good, it could be one of such cars. And if everything in the engine bay looks brand new for an old car, you know something is amiss.

 

Anyone suspect he/she has driven or bought such a car before?

I suspect there is one such car in sgcm,but not totaled, maybe minor accident.

Kia Magnentis Diesel, suspect to be taxi used.

8500 dollars per year of depreciation

[Nzy]

Is it possible to check where are the places that are possibly weld together with welding marks?

 

Depends on how the workshop do it. Some don't bother to cover the marks as most buyers don't check. But if they grind everything down clean and repaint the whole shell then it'll almost be impossible to tell visually. 

An insider from a workshop that specialises in car accident repair:

 

Cars that crashed till insurance declare total write off are usually sent for scrap. But there’re workshops that buy them at paper value, which can be more than $30K or even $50K off market value. They cut/saw off the accident part, e.g. entire front and buy from scrap yard and weld it to the car. Then slowly repair the car and finally sell it back into the market, usually with a new registration number plate. Even previous owner cannot recognise.

 

Really wonder how the car handles with a body that was welded using 2 car bodies. And all the OEM / compatible parts being used in the engine bay. If accident, I guess this car will crumple quite differently from the original build of the car.

 

And the profit is quite good for the workshop when they eventually sell it at market value. They usually do this for cars with high margin e.g Lexus, Merc etc.

 

Imagine the new owner who buys this type of cars, sure full of problems down the road.

 

Buyers beware when a deal looks good, it could be one of such cars. And if everything in the engine bay looks brand new for an old car, you know something is amiss.

 

Anyone suspect he/she has driven or bought such a car before?

 

It is very common. Just go to alexandra or sin ming and look inside the workshops. Quite a number of them have these kind of cars being worked on. I have driven one Altis repaired this way before. No difference when driving. I guess can only know the difference in a crash.

 

The altis I drove was joined just behind the front doors. The workshop cut two cars in half and welded them together.

Edited March 11, 2018 by Nzy

[Thaiyotakamli]

Send to STA can see the chassis

[Nzy]

Send to STA can see the chassis

 

Still can get B from STA for these kind of repairs.

[Freeder]

Just send them to AA for evaluation..

If the dealer hesitates, pls kindly walk away n say sorry which GF strongly advocated recently..

[Freemen]

In my younger days, i bought an old Honda Civic ESI manual, test drive & like the engine. The car was sent to ST for check & was graded B with some caution which I did not bother. Drove the car for 3 months when one evening I was driving halfway when the Axle from the front wheel broke. Car skidded, luckily did not bang onto another car. 

My mechanic told me this car was an accident car where they wield back the damage area & sold it off. 

[Mkl22]

Can always tell if you jack up and view from the bottom.

[13177]

In my younger days, i bought an old Honda Civic ESI manual, test drive & like the engine. The car was sent to ST for check & was graded B with some caution which I did not bother. Drove the car for 3 months when one evening I was driving halfway when the Axle from the front wheel broke. Car skidded, luckily did not bang onto another car. 

My mechanic told me this car was an accident car where they wield back the damage area & sold it off. 

Accident car also can be grade B?!

[Beehive3783]

Not really. If real time and effort is put in, you won't be able to tell.

 

But, if there is an accident involving this half cut car, the chance of chassis snapping into half on impact is very high.

 

Can always tell if you jack up and view from the bottom.

 

[Lava]

also has to beware of those cars been written off due to flood.

 

workshop will bid for these cars from insurance company, repair them and put back into market for sales.

 

I do not know whether can the unfortunate buyer able to buy insurance?

[RogerNg_185295]

Yes. Woinder how they can get B?

Still can get B from STA for these kind of repairs.

 

[Freemen]

also has to beware of those cars been written off due to flood.

 

workshop will bid for these cars from insurance company, repair them and put back into market for sales.

 

I do not know whether can the unfortunate buyer able to buy insurance?

 

Buying insurance is not the issue with those cars. Its when they start to rust & the engine start giving problems when the owner have headaches. Cant claim insurances from rust or engine problems. 

Edited March 12, 2018 by Freemen

[Thaiyotakamli]

Still can get B from STA for these kind of repairs.

but report will mention under carriage repaired before

[SGCMHello]

Such profit opportunities are harder to come by these days as more workshops are snapping up such cars and cars are equipped with anti collision safety feature e.g. Merc

[Nzy]

Accident car also can be grade B?!

 

My previous car involved in a serious rear end accident where the whole rear end smashed, after repair still get A. Depends on how the workshop repair la. This one was rear ended so I claim the other party. Immediately tell my workshop just do the best they can and charge accordingly since claiming from third party. They do until cannot tell got repairs done at all. They chopped off the whole boot area from the rear 3/4 panel onwards and welded another one from a scrap car.

[13177]

My previous car involved in a serious rear end accident where the whole rear end smashed, after repair still get A. Depends on how the workshop repair la. This one was rear ended so I claim the other party. Immediately tell my workshop just do the best they can and charge accordingly since claiming from third party. They do until cannot tell got repairs done at all. They chopped off the whole boot area from the rear 3/4 panel onwards and welded another one from a scrap car.

I guess maybe only those rear end accident even serious case, after repairing cannot tell at all. Cause last time my colleague car also kana serious rear end accident when the car was about 6 year old, but after the car is fixed, cant tell at all and my colleague can even continue to drive the car until scrapped.