If a car has been involved in an accident and sustained damage that cost more than the value of the car, the owner's insurance company may write it off. An auto wrecking company may purchase the car at a reduced price and then carry out salvage work to make the vehicle road worthy again, or they may sell the car in its damaged state, allowing the buyer to carry out the repair work. If you are considering purchasing a car which has been salvaged, it is important you keep the following things in mind.
Carry out a full inspection before you buy a damaged car
Before you commit to buying a salvage car which has not been repaired, it is important that you have it inspected by a qualified mechanic. They will be able to carry out a full inspection of the car and provide you with a list of the damaged components and parts which will need to be replaced or repaired. This will allow you to properly budget for the repairs you will need to make once you have purchased the car and will help to ensure you can negotiate a fair price.
Check what work has already been carried out
If the auto wrecker has carried out repair work on the damaged car, you should request details of the work and the paperwork proving the work was done. You should also check if the car has been serviced and if so, you should request a copy of the road safety certificate. Not only will this give you peace of mind, but it may also be important when you try to insure the car. An insurance company will need proof that a car which has been written off in an accident is now road worthy again.
Check the history of the car
You should also carry out document checks to confirm the history of the car. This will allow you to confirm that the car has not been reported stolen and never found to local or state police. You will also be able to establish if the car has been involved in any other accidents aside from the one which wrote it off. This information can be found by contact the motor vehicle department in your local area. You should avoid investing in a salvaged car which does not have a clearly documented history.
If you are interested in buying a salvaged car, contact a car service today.
Share11 October 2016
My car has been a great little run around for the last ten years. Unfortunately, it's finally got to the point that it's time to say goodbye and send it to the wreckers. It actually seems like it might be worth more as a wreck than anyone would have paid for it as a running car, which is a little sad. Anyway, I've been careful to find the best price I could through the wreckers so that I can buy something new to get me around. This blog is all about getting the best price for your car at the auto wreckers.