Looking at vehicle with collision in Carfax History

92saturnsl2

92saturnsl2

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Wife and I are looking at a 2015 Kia Sedona SX-L with 28k miles. Dealer is asking a fair price but I pulled a Carfax and noticed that there was a collision noted in 03/2019-- said single vehicle collision hit embankment and mailbox.

Van looks in pristine shape from the photos. What things should I be looking for to judge the quality / extent of the repairs? How much would you haggle on the price (below book) due to the Carfax history?
 
Hitting an embankment sounds kinda sketchy. But if it was fixed properly it should be fine. I'd have someone knowledgeable look it over.
 
If it is being sold at a dealer ask them if they have a Hunter alignment machine, and if they do get them to put it on the machine and do a read-out of all 4 wheels.
 
If it looks good underneath and drives fine, I wouldn't worry.

JimPghPA has a good idea too though.
 
Originally Posted by hemitruck
I would have a body shop look at it. Actually, with all the used vehicles out there, I would forget it and move on.


Yeah, unless it's for some amazing options for an amazing price. Otherwise, you can probably find another Kia Sedona with a quick search that doesn't have an accident history.
 
It doesn't take much to seriously mangle a car today, so I'd have it checked by an independent shop or take a hard pass on it.
 
It shouldn't change your strategy much, based on a collision noted, either way you either have the ability to check it yourself or need to have a trusted shop check it out for you, but since you do a have that info, do mention it to the mechanic looking it over.

Since it has the carfax history, it tanks your resale value even if it's 100% fine now, so the dealer isn't really asking a fair price at all, rather trying to get more than a vehicle with this history is worth.

I'd insist on at least $2K off what they're asking or move on to a different vehicle. If they can produce the repair bill so you see what was fixed, then there may be some middle ground, or $2K may not even be enough off.
 
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You should pay to have it professionally inspected before you purchase it. You need to know the extent of the damage and how well it was repaired.
 
People,,,,,what makes you think any dealer is going to let the OP drive it off the lot to get inspected by a third party?
 
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Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
People,,,,,what makes you think any dealer is going to let the OP drive it off the lot to get inspected by a third party?
I would not purchase a used vehicle with an accident report from a dealer that didn't allow me to take it for an inspection. Period.
It is a buyer's market for used vehicles right now. Everyone out there that is looking at used vehicles should know this and if a dealer is not willing to work with you, WALK!
 
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Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
People,,,,,what makes you think any dealer is going to let the OP drive it off the lot to get inspected by a third party?


If it's an honest dealer that wants to sell a car, they're usually very accommodating. I've had a few dealers let me take a car home overnight (used). I can't foresee a problem getting it inspected.
 
Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
People,,,,,what makes you think any dealer is going to let the OP drive it off the lot to get inspected by a third party?


If they won't they are hiding something.
 
Every vehicle I have owned any body repair has led to rust or problems further down the road.

The right light hits the paint it will stick out like a sore thumb .
 
What reputable dealer wouldn't let you take the vehicle home for a night or two? Do what you want with it then. Have a body shop you know and trust give it a look over for you.

I'm a vehicle enthusiast, yet there's much my untrained eye wouldn't catch in terms of body work. OTOH, a carfax collision report wouldn't necessarily scare me away from a vehicle I wanted at the price I wanted to pay.
 
Just because an accident appears on a CarFax and/or AutoCheck history report does not mean that it is a bad vehicle and should be automatically rejected. It may have just had a bumper skin damaged (VERY common). A bumper repair will not affect the quality or longevity of an otherwise good vehicle. This is why it is important to let an experienced body person look at it. They will be able to tell what has been done and if the repair was properly performed.
The appearance of an accident on the history report does affect a vehicle's value, now and in the future, so one should keep this in mind when negotiating a purchase price.
A dealer's insurance company may not allow a vehicle to be taken overnight. In this day and age, insurance companies can and do dictate a LOT of what a business can and can not do.
 
Another idea is if you know someone in the collision repair business that would be willing to look it over in the lot. Pay him for his time. It wouldn't take very long.

That combined with a test drive should decide whether it is worth getting.
 
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