zx2guy19 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I put a deposit down on this Legacy GT: http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/2170616408.html 2007 20k miles AWD (obviously) Limited, so it's got the leather, sunroof etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nflea7 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 It’s really all in the quality of the rebuild. Lots of places buy totaled cars from insurance companies and do rebuilds; they get the cars for real cheap fix em and flip them for double what they paid. A rebuilt title can easily drop the value of the car by half, so that's not a huge surprise. What makes it worth it is if it was rebuilt/repaired to Subaru spec's and without doubt you should have it inspected by a Subaru repair shop for any spotty work. NEVER go by what people said or what someone heard about what happened to the car, there is a record somewhere of exactly what happened that totaled the car out. Don't buy someone’s story no matter the price, or the great deal, do your homework before you pay for the rest of the car, don't make a 10k mistake. Better to buy a 05-07 GT with twice the miles with a service history and no accidents. Good luck and don't be afraid to get your deposit back and walk away if it sounds too good to be true it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabidWombat Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 The main question in my mind is how a "minor" wreck totals out a $20k+ car. If you buy it, plan on keeping it for a while since the bad title will be an issue if you try to sell it in a year or two. If you hold the car and keep records for 5-6 years, I suspect the bad title wouldn't be a major issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx2guy19 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 Well, I called and asked them last night flat out when it was wrecked, if it was professionally fixed, etc. The lady (this is a shop I am dealing with btw, not really private party) said that it was totaled out 9 months ago and was professionally fixed, and checked by a Subaru dealer. I am gonna set up an appointment with a Subaru dealer while I'm up there to have the car fully inspected. If it passes, I'll buy the car. If it fails, I'll walk and count my losses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nflea7 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 That's what I would do. Figure the insurance company does not want to total out a car if the car is worth 17-18k if it costs 16k to repair many times they will have it repaired rather than pay out to have it totalled. I would imagine given the low miles and it being a 07 it had to have heavy damage air bag or no air bag (assuming that is true) it had to have had well north of 10k worth of damage, think of what that could have been? My guess was frame damage plus something else major. RabidWombat makes a good point. If the repairs were done up to Subaru specs and you are planning on keeping it 4-6 years it won't matter much if you can establish a good service history, your resale should be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx2guy19 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 Resale is the last thing on my mind. If I keep the car for 5 years and sell it for 5k, I just got a car for 1k a year. I'm worried about frame damage. She just sent me the VIN so I've got to run it today through carfax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx2guy19 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share Posted January 25, 2011 I got a carfax on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx2guy19 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share Posted January 25, 2011 Bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nflea7 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Lemon law in Michigan: The law applies to privately owned passenger vehicles and those leased after January 1, 2000, used for personal, family or household purposes. Some business-type vehicles may also be covered. The law does not apply to larger trucks, motor homes, motorcycles, or off-road vehicles. A defective vehicle is one in which the same problem has not been repaired after four attempts, or a vehicle that is out of service 30 days or more for repairs. The first report of the defect must be made within one year from the date of delivery to the original purchaser or lessee or during the term of the manufacturer's warranty, whichever period is shorter. If the vehicle you purchase is defective, you may be entitled under state law to replacement of it or a refund of the cost of the lease. To obtain replacement or refund, you must first report the defect in writing to the manufacturer and you may be required to first arbitrate the dispute. In order to protect your rights under Michigan's Lemon Law, follow these steps: Keep copies of all correspondence to and from the manufacturer and the dealer.Keep copies of all work orders for repairs on the vehicle, including the date(s) the work was performed and the mileage on the vehicle at the time of the repair(s).Follow all requirements of the warranty, including any requirement that the repairs must be done by an authorized dealer specified by the manufacturer. For more information regarding your rights under this law, consult an attorney or another qualified individual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nflea7 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 The Lemon law doesn't apply, Deal sounds fishy I'd walk away and look for something that doesn't have a story. Plus from the pictures you posted it looks like the whole front of the car was pushed back about 5 inches including the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx2guy19 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share Posted January 25, 2011 Yes it does, thank you for posting that. "If the vehicle is out of service for 30 days or more for repairs" That is why it is a lemon. The car hasn't been registered for a few months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx2guy19 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share Posted January 25, 2011 I have a good friend who works at a body shop who has repaired two 2005+ LGT's. He said the paint ALONE with 5k for the front end due to all the blending. He said the parts were 3k and the labor was 4k. Then with the one airbag popping, I can see where it was totaled. My plan is to go to the shop Saturday with my loan from the bank. I'll jack the car up and if I see anything fishy I'll be on my Mary Poppins way. If everything looks straight, and the car runs and drives like it should, I've got no reason not to buy it. Nflea- I looked at pictures of other LGT engine bays and the engine is in the EXACT same position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx2guy19 Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 I called the original dealer that sold the car AND bought it back. The reason it was flagged as a lemon (not just a lemon, and LEMON/MANUFACTURER BUYBACK) is because the same dealer sold and bought it back. It was NOT a mechanical lemon. I spoke with the service department of the original subaru and they ran a report on it. The only thing REPAIRED under warranty was a license plate bulb and an interior dome light. Subaru gave me the clearing on this car. They people will not take less than 10,800 and it has to be purchased with cash due to the title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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