Buying a salvage STi?

[lockmedic]

Radiator support is a weld-in part, but it's pretty straightforward to replace by anyone with half a brain, a good MIG welder, and a spot weld cutter (or just a step bit). I'd seriously doubt an $18k STi would get totaled for a bent hood and radiator support. . . damage had to be more extensive than that.

 

Sometimes you can get lucky on salvage. Insurance co's typically won't allow shops to straighten structural components. . . they insist on replacement. So if the subframe "horns" that extend past the crossmember get bent (for example), they would write up the estimate based on replacing them, no matter how minor the damage. Pulling might take 3-4 hours, panel replacement might take 30-40. . . so it's a pretty significant jump in repair costs if they don't allow pulling.

 

Frame/unibody straightening tools and techniques are pretty sophisticated these days. Body datum points are published and good shops use some nifty measuring tools to get stuff pulled back into shape, so you *can* put one back together by pulling vs. panel replacement or sectioning and save a lot of money. Given stuff like the 'horns' that extend past the crossmember do not affect wheel alignment or chassis 'trueness', only panel alignment, I wouldn't have any qualms about driving one that had been bent slightly there and pulled back into shape.

 

My Baja fits into that catgeory. Difference is I fixed it myself, so I know what was damaged and what needed to be done by insurance standards to fix it, and what I could live with. I'm skeptical about other people's work and tend to look it over with a fine toothed comb. It's nearly impossible to conceal panel replacement, or at least it's not profitable to do a perfectionist job on a sub 20k car so it will be apparent what's been monkeyed with if you know what you're looking for. I tend to be more suspicious of cars that I can't tell what's been fixed than ones I can.

 

Things to look for:

 

-excessive caulk in panel joints, esp. places like where the aprons attach to the strut towers

-underhood paint that looks too shiny, or one side looks like it's been clearcoated but the other hasn't (subaru generally leaves underhood paint as a matte finish)

-missing labels. Few salvage rebuilders will actually buy stuff like AC or emissions labels.

-clearcoat tape lines in door jambs, trunk jamb, etc.

-tape lines around lock cylinders, weatherstripping, etc.

[xt2005bonbon]

One of my obxt has a salvage title. I bought it 5 years ago. Prior to purchasing it, I literally spent 3 hours in the parking lot inspecting the car. Everything checked out. But a week later after the purchase, I noticed the airbag light was not turning on after ignition. Took the cluster apart to find this:

 

 

Cost me another 1k to fix

 

So OP, another thing to check: airbag system..

 

I would note though that other than this issue, car has served us well. Paid 11.5K for it and had 35k miles at the time (09). Only major work I had to do was valve clearance adjustment 30k later.

[whitetiger]

I say forget about a rebuild. Use the parts to make a Factory Five 818.

[BarManBean]

I say forget about a rebuild. Use the parts to make a Factory Five 818.

 

I've considered it But realistically that's not in the cards.

[whitetiger]

booooo. If i had any kind of garage space, thats what id be doing.

[Chris GTO TT]

Forget the 818 and build an Exocet!

[compsurge]

One of my obxt has a salvage title. I bought it 5 years ago. Prior to purchasing it, I literally spent 3 hours in the parking lot inspecting the car. Everything checked out. But a week later after the purchase, I noticed the airbag light was not turning on after ignition. Took the cluster apart to find this:

 

 

Cost me another 1k to fix

 

So OP, another thing to check: airbag system..

 

I would note though that other than this issue, car has served us well. Paid 11.5K for it and had 35k miles at the time (09). Only major work I had to do was valve clearance adjustment 30k later.

 

I'm surprised that there wasn't a fraud investigation.

[xt2005bonbon]

I'm surprised that there wasn't a fraud investigation.

 

I actually tried to investigate on my own; took a bunch of pictures; kept the airbag parts that previously deployed and were not changed (seatbelt pretensioner and clockspring), as well as the airbag 'computer'. Tried to search for police report of what actually happened to the car...

I even shared the story to a local tv station (via email) to see if they could help investigate, so as to warn potential buyers of rebuilt cars. No replies .

Then I found an ebay user from the area where my car was rebuilt, who was selling a bunch of 'restored' subarus at low prices. Saved on my pc his ebay selling pages, etc.. then I got stuck.

So far, issue not resolved..

[GTEASER]

Call your local or regional insurance auction houses and give them the VIN to see if the car ever came through their lots. They will have a record of it if it did. That's what I did and they faxed me all the pics of their report of the car that they auctioned off. Even though the car was for sale in Portland, the CarFax report told me that it was last registered in Sacramento California two years prior with the same mileage. It went through the Sacramento auction lot. When I called, the lady at the auction lot said "and who may I ask is inquiring about this car?" in a very suspicious voice. I replied "the potential buyer of the rebuilt vehicle" and she didn't hesitate one bit and immediately asked me for my fax number...and called me "sir".

[lockmedic]

If it went through the process of going from a salvage to rebuilt title, the state would have documentation on who did it. I know the process in TN pretty well, just googled how it's done in MD.

 

https://www.mdsp.org/Organization/SpecialOperationsBureau/AutomotiveSafetyEnforcementDivision/SalvageVehicleInspections.aspx

 

My guess is you could reach out to them and find out who rebuilt it. I'm guessing the ultra-conservative nanny state of MD probably frowns upon rebuilders who tape over airbag lights. I know I'd get my ass handed to me on a platter for doing that.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBzvMLW0ii4]Office Space Federal Pound Me . . . . .Prison - YouTube[/ame]

[xt2005bonbon]

Thanks guys for your insights. I'll look into it cause I still want this thing to be resolved, even if it's been 5 years now...

The car spent most of its 'life' in Phoenix AZ, from the dealership to the accident. And that's probably where it was rebuilt since the previous owner (from Utah) got it there. Then I bought it from him when I was living in Utah. Previous owner was a very honest guy, and only kept the car for 6-8 months. I shared with him what I discovered and he was 'furious'...

 

sorry bmb for hijacking your thread

[spec.B452]

Damn, that is some next level sneaky shiz.