is it worth buying ACURA MDX 2019 TECHNO MODEL with salvage title
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Yes just avoid it like the plague. But if you really really want it, not sure who will insure it and which bank will give you a loan. Since it's a front end collision, that should have been taken off the road. You will experience a boat load of electrical issues and problems down the road, even if you do a PPI on the vehicle by a local Honda mech. Just find a clean title MDX and you are golden.
A salvage title means that the insurance company determined that the vehicle is a total loss because it would cost more to repair it than it's worth.
Sure, the seller says that it's been repaired and the photos look good. But don't be fooled. You don't know the extent of the unseen damage, if the repairs were done properly, or if there is any water or other unrepaired damage.
If you buy it, you'll probably take a big loss when you sell it because of the salvage title.
I wouldn't buy it.
The exception is if you're a mechanic and have the skills and knowledge to do a Pre-Purchase Inspection and make any necessary repairs yourself. In that case, it might be worth buying.if the price is right.
Sure, the seller says that it's been repaired and the photos look good. But don't be fooled. You don't know the extent of the unseen damage, if the repairs were done properly, or if there is any water or other unrepaired damage.
If you buy it, you'll probably take a big loss when you sell it because of the salvage title.
I wouldn't buy it.
The exception is if you're a mechanic and have the skills and knowledge to do a Pre-Purchase Inspection and make any necessary repairs yourself. In that case, it might be worth buying.if the price is right.
What are they selling it for?
My guess a back yard mechanic bought it and threw parts on it to resell it. Run as far and as fast as you can away from it. No reputable body shop would spend the thousands of dollars in labor to try and put it back in the road.
There's no way to say if it's 'worth it' if we don't know what it'd cost (Elvis' point). If it was $100 and able to be registered and insured (Datechboss' point) I might buy it.
Unless it's a classic car I know how to work on and the ins and outs very well, like an old Mustang, I wouldn't buy it. Insurance said it's not worth fixing so they totaled it (Stuart's point) and most likely someone slapped parts together in the hopes of flipping it for a quick buck (Donn's point).
There could be all kinds of things wrong with it that you can't see and whatever was fixed, including the paint, could have been done poorly and almost certainly it was on the cheap since it's likely a flip job.
Bottom line - don't buy cars with salvaged titles unless you know vehicle mechanics and the particular model vehicle really well, and are prepared to spend some money further fixing it.
For whatever you'd spend on this you could buy another vehicle that's accident free without a salvage title that'll still go down the road - probably in much more of a straight line than this one.
Unless it's a classic car I know how to work on and the ins and outs very well, like an old Mustang, I wouldn't buy it. Insurance said it's not worth fixing so they totaled it (Stuart's point) and most likely someone slapped parts together in the hopes of flipping it for a quick buck (Donn's point).
There could be all kinds of things wrong with it that you can't see and whatever was fixed, including the paint, could have been done poorly and almost certainly it was on the cheap since it's likely a flip job.
Bottom line - don't buy cars with salvaged titles unless you know vehicle mechanics and the particular model vehicle really well, and are prepared to spend some money further fixing it.
For whatever you'd spend on this you could buy another vehicle that's accident free without a salvage title that'll still go down the road - probably in much more of a straight line than this one.
What is $$ difference between this and a clean title vehicle (similar options / mileage)? I typically find 2-3 thousands less, and the difference may not be worth it. And personally, I would not touch anything with structural damages simply for the safety reasons - don't care about my wife, just care about my kid 
insurance companies will insure it, bank will give a loan, why does a front end collision mean it should be taken off the road? depends on what level of damage was done. Why would the collision lead to electrical problems????
There are reasons to not get a car that has a salvage title, but your making up problems.
One reason cars are "totalled" after a collision is the cost of replacing the air bags, not the cost of other damage repairs. So...... first thing to do is to make sure that ALL the airbags that deployed were replaced with NEW OEM air bags. Not someone who did a patch with used bags or didn't replace the air bags. In some places to register with a salvage title it will need to be inspected to verify the air bags were properly replaced. If not, your out of luck. Now the car in question with the photo's looks like quite a bit of front end damage and maybe suspension or drivetrain damage.
Personally with the damage shown, I wouldn't buy it.
Personally with the damage shown, I wouldn't buy it.
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2,157 Posts
No.
Did you look at the pictures? The front end was almost gone. The car was worth over $30k, and the insurance co chose to pay out rather than fix it. That should tell you something.
yes, my comments were related to the claims the poster made about insurance coverage, etc. etc. etc. which IMHO are NOT necessarily true.about a salvage car depending on what damage and what was or was not fixed.
In a following post about the vehicle in specific I stated: Personally with the damage shown, I wouldn't buy it.
while the vehicle shown by the OP definitely has a great deal of damage, I wonder with the current shortage of parts and lead times if insurance companies are in the mode of totalling more cars than normal to avoid long repair time and customer ill will and/or long rental car. Probably better to take a little "haircut" and be out from under a damaged vehicle than have to track, monitor for who knows how long to get it repaired and customer w/o a car.
I understand what you’re saying but, once the rental is maxed out, I don’t think the insurance co cares how long it takes. They don’t have to pay until the car is fixed. They just electronically file the paperwork away until the bill comes in. On the other hand, the body shop is another matter.
remember how insurance companies determine when to total. it's NOT when the repair cost=blue book/replacement cost, it's when repair costs are around 70-75% of what they determine is car value. If the insurance company thinks the payout is 30K and repair costs are 20K, it's REAL close to being declared a total, especially if the damage is enough to not fully determine the final repair cost. You get the 30K, they sell off the car collect what they can.
I just have to assume that the OP is reading and learning, although not staying engaged is not great "netiquette".
One time I had an accident that came right at the repair-total trade-off and I was given the choice. I chose to repair. It worked out alright but it took a year or two to find all of the damage - it is common for damage to be missed and be found later. I assume that this car is being sold "as is" so the OP will be on the hook for any hidden damage - a big risk.
If the repair was done by a reputable shop and they will warranty the repair to the new owner (very unlikely) then it might be worth it if the car is heavily discounted. Otherwise just find another vehicle - this could be the most expensive bargain of your life. And as others have noted it is hard to buy a salvaged car, do the repair properly, and still sell it at a profit at a discounted price. What usually gives is the quality of the repair - lots of ways to cut corners and none that you want.
One time I had an accident that came right at the repair-total trade-off and I was given the choice. I chose to repair. It worked out alright but it took a year or two to find all of the damage - it is common for damage to be missed and be found later. I assume that this car is being sold "as is" so the OP will be on the hook for any hidden damage - a big risk.
If the repair was done by a reputable shop and they will warranty the repair to the new owner (very unlikely) then it might be worth it if the car is heavily discounted. Otherwise just find another vehicle - this could be the most expensive bargain of your life. And as others have noted it is hard to buy a salvaged car, do the repair properly, and still sell it at a profit at a discounted price. What usually gives is the quality of the repair - lots of ways to cut corners and none that you want.
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