Buick Rivera Salvage title on Ebay

[clarkflower]

I would love one of these 1997 Buick Riviera Vin 1G4GD2210V4705817

I found this good looking one, see clean title and thinking I may bid.
Decided to car fax it and see Total loss vehicle: Total Loss Reported Total loss reported on 12/24/2014.Airbag Deployment

Damage Report Accident reported
Involving left front impact
Involving front impact
with another motor vehicle
Very severe damage reported
Airbag deployed
CARFAX Airbag Tips
CARFAX began reporting this information on 02/27/2015.
12/24/2014 Michigan
Damage Report TOTAL LOSS VEHICLE
Vehicle declared a total loss
by an insurance company
Collision damage repor
Vin 1G4GD2210V4705817


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Buick-Riviera-2-...em=191547302576


Should that be listed with a clean title?


Pics of the wreck are here

https://www.bidndrive.com/salvage-cars-for-sale/1997-buick-riviera/56571692.html

 

[turtlevette]

Clean means no liens against the car. He should have said salvage title.

 

[Lyman]

Tried to sell it before the carfax report was released? Wreck looks pretty minor. Air bags? Never mind I see the air bags were deployed.

 

[mrsilv04]

By looking at the pictures on the ebay auction, I said to myself that the driver's side headlight looked terrible.

Then when I looked at the wreck pictures... I was right.

 

[daves87rs]

I remember this car....friend mentioned a smashed riv around the holidays...seems to match up what she said.

I'd avoid it not knowing where this car was after that....

 

[clarkflower]

Seems no/almost none miles have been put on since the wreck.

 

[clarkflower]

Interesting numbers. value before wreck ACV:3934

Repair cost:
8725

 

[slowdime]

Let us know if you get it. The supercharged 3.8s are quick, my brother's got one in his grand prix and he loves it.

 

[clarkflower]

I'll get one. I would not buy a salvage car I could not personally inspect and drive.

 

[bvance554]

Could be a good car if you get it for the right price. It wouldn't take much for an insurance company to deem a '97 model vehicle a total loss, even IF the air bag didn't deploy.

 

[clarkflower]

I agree..... but like I said I would not buy a salvage car I could not personally inspect and drive.
I have seen good cars that are not even salvage come out of repair and drive like a plane in 20 knt crosswind. Tracking a few degrees off.
I have also seen cars that don't look quite as good as the pictures...and not even close.


Originally Posted By: bvance554
Could be a good car if you get it for the right price. It wouldn't take much for an insurance company to deem a '97 model vehicle a total loss, even IF the air bag didn't deploy.

 

[eljefino]

You have to buy an Autocheck report now? I thought those came free with ebay listings.

I'd be suspicious just because they washed and waxed the heap before photographing it. There's a fool in every transaction, if you can't find him, look in the mirror.

 

[JHZR2]

How much can a 97 buick be worth? Id say not a ton. How much is an airbag? I suspect $1000 each (maybe Im wrong). But it seems to me that airbag deployment = totaling for many older cars, which could equate to a 5 MPH hit or a 50 MPH hit.

So the term "severe damage" can mean a wide range. Id want to know more about that. Like provision of a full receipt for all repairs associated with the crash.

 

[zach1900]

A lot of ins. companies won't insure these old salvage wrecks.

 

[zach1900]

Me personally, airbag deployment =walk away..even I am not that cheap.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

That was a cosmetic repair. Chop out the airbag, glue the cover back, new sheet metal and other bits. There is underlying damage the the structure on the drivers side. Who knows how bad. Possible left front suspension damage. I wouldn't buy it at any price without a personal inspection.

"GARAGED KEPT CAR" Not true. That should be reported to E-bay..

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: zach1900
Me personally, airbag deployment =walk away..even I am not that cheap.


I had that opinion, but I ended up buying a vehicle that suffered frame damage and an airbag deployment The wreck was when it was new, I bought it 10 years later. Everything is good as far as I can tell!

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: bvance554
Could be a good car if you get it for the right price.


True, but IMO, the right price is only what a junkyard would pay for the car.

 

[cptbarkey]

i didnt read this very closely but it does not look like michigan requires a salvage brand/title older than 6 years old. http://www.dmv.org/mi-michigan/salvaged-vehicles.php

knowing this, i would demand an alignment inspection as part of a purchasing agreement if i really wanted to buy that car.

 

[clarkflower]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
How much can a 97 buick be worth? Id say not a ton. How much is an airbag? I suspect $1000 each (maybe Im wrong). But it seems to me that airbag deployment = totaling for many older cars, which could equate to a 5 MPH hit or a 50 MPH hit.

So the term "severe damage" can mean a wide range. Id want to know more about that. Like provision of a full receipt for all repairs associated with the crash.



You can see pics of it after the crash here
https://www.bidndrive.com/salvage-cars-for-sale/1997-buick-riviera/56571692.html