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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.
Good points. And I think that's the message to the OP and anyone considering buying a salvage vehicle - it's a huge risk. Often you get a mild discount, but just as it was mentioned above, if you're looking for a discounted MDX enough to buy a salvaged vehicle, then maybe you need to pull back your search and look for a clean-titled Honda Pilot instead (which as many of us know is a Hondafied MDX).
 

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Mark it off your list. The $5K or so you might "save" will cost you far more in the end, in money and aggravation. These are complex vehicles with enough quirks and issues even when they're unmolested. That is a Frankenstein/nightmare.
 

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I have repaired cars damaged like this, and driven some for years, if you have had insurance for other cars with your insurance company they will likely insure it (for physical damage like collision and comp, they will always provide liability insurance) worst case they will require photos to prove it was repaired. Financing may be bit harder also (I have heard, I myself have never had a car loan, so no first hand experience). These are not the big issues in my mind though. Its hard to judge the quality of the repair (if you can see evidence of repair, the repair is bad and I would avoid it), but if you cant see evidence of repair, that doesn't by itself necessarily mean the repair is good. Looking at the photos, the damage isn't too bad but if I were buying this car at the salvage auction I would be concerned about the right side unibody frame rail, if I were buying it, if that was bent behind the radiator support I would pass on it. (it can still be fixed well if that's the case, but it's much more work to do it right) if the body lines are good and it drives right, the real concerns are how well the AC was repaired and the quality of the surface prep for the painted panels and where it was welded. These will be long term issues. I wouldn't expect electrical issues, If the air bags were fixed right (modules and seat belt retractors) I wouldn't expect safety issues. In my experience, these wrecked Acuras sell for too much at the salvage auction to be able to be repaired and sold for what I think they are worth after being repaired, but if the seller does a bunch of them and has parts vehicles, they have a big advantage. If it were me, I wouldn't buy a 2019 with a salvage title unless it was $10k less that I could get a clean title one for. My bar on this is pretty high, but the salvage title will impair the value of this vehicle for a long time.
 

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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.
This is correct, there are laws requiring them to total a car if the damage is in the range of 70% (it varies by state), and there are other costs like rental car replacement. Salvage prices are also high now, so they will err on the side of totaling rather than repair. Air bag repairs are also expensive, insurance companies will almost always total anything more than a year old with blown air bag. Air bag system repairs themselves are easy, but frequently require replacement of the dash pad, headliner, or upholstery, which are labor intensive.
 
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