To Buy or Not To Buy: Opinion needed on salvaged 2003 NSX

[Synthesis]

get a carfax and see what happened to it....
i'd consider if it were something like water damage, but i would be really weary about buying a car with frame damage..... unless you can tell me that it will react the exact same way in a crash as it would never having been damaged (you can't)

anyway, that's a good start.
but keep reality in mind (that this is a 40,000 dollar used car with a salvage title)

 

[JAYS NSX]

If you have never purchased a salvage car, I think that the NSX is a poor choice for your first experience. You may be getting a "good deal" by some standards, but if the car starts to surprise you with problems, you will be in for some serious buyers remorse.

If you do pull the trigger, make sure to bargain down that price to the bottom of the barrel to help offset the inevitable problems you will encounter in the future.

Good Luck!

 

[redsuns3838]

buying a salvaged car is only good when you

A) plan to keep it for a looong time or use it as a track car

B) are able to fix it and sell it quickly.

But option B only works on cheap cars. With a car like an NSX, buyers tend to be a LOT more picky.
So i guess it comes down to finding out what exactly the problem was, and checking it out yourself.

I'm not a big fan of salvaged cars just because they tend to have a lot of problems. Unless its a cheap car that I dont care about, but if I'm going to drop 40 grand, I'd expect a little more than a car thats been totalled.

 

[tbashir]

So what would you price that vehicle at, sight unseen, without getting more info than the fact that it is a salvage?

 

[Jetpilot3]

If it were me I'd offer the guy $34000. Then if he persists on raising the price I'd stop at $37K. To me if the car checked out by a good bodyshop that specializes in frame damages then I'd definately look at getting the car and keeping it. If you plan to sell it in the next say 1-3 years you won't get anything for it unless someone really wants the car.

Buy it, keep it, and have fun.

 

[tbashir]

If it were me I'd offer the guy $34000. Then if he persists on raising the price I'd stop at $37K. To me if the car checked out by a good bodyshop that specializes in frame damages then I'd definately look at getting the car and keeping it. If you plan to sell it in the next say 1-3 years you won't get anything for it unless someone really wants the car.

Buy it, keep it, and have fun.

What would be a good shop in the 92584 (or nearby) zip code to check this car out at? One that specializes in NSX's and frame damage.

Thanks.