Hi Guys,
As you guys may know, I am shopping for a 07-08 WDP TL-S. I found one that is 07 for 26.8k sticker price with 41k miles. The only thing bad is that there is an accident listed on the carfax report. I don't know what to do! My prelude was in a bad accident and the frame was messed up. Since then, it never drove the same. I wouldn't want the same for this. What do you guys think and do you know how I can find out more info about the accident?

http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory/p/Report.cfx?vin=-50|2|-113|-24|59|-12|54|-16|70|-65|114|46|-19|-11|-29|54|-119|-79|98|-7|48|-61|-109|95&partner=ATD_9

What's the best way to proceed? It's a CPO also if that matters.

 

stay away from cars with accident history.

 

Depends on how bad the accident was. A fender bender would end up on carfax. Fender benders shouldn't deter you from buying a car.

 

I'd walk away and I'm in the business I sell Lexus and I have seen all types of repaired cars some are done right but alot are not.There are plenty of cars out there with clean carfaxes why not just wait for one that you wont have to wonder about its history the whole time you own it. You did say that your Prelude never felt the same after the accident did'nt you?

 

I realized that you mentioned it was a CPO I worked for Honda for nine years before joining the Dark Side(Toyota/Lexus)They dont allow the vehicle to be sold as a CPO unless there is no frame damage so It could have just been a fender bender. I still say wait for one with a clean carfax It will help when the time comes to sell the car .

 

I had a mirror get knocked off my last car and it showed up as a side-swipe accident on CarFax. Get more info and take a look at the car before just giving up on it.

 

I agree with most of the above. I would generally walk away from any damage history however there are some exceptions. Even the most minor things can actually show up on carfax. I was involved in a very minor incident where my rear bumper was literally just tapped by another car. The original rear bumper is still even on the car they just had to touch it up looks the same as it did coming off the showroom floor. The problem is now ofcourse my carfax shows an accident which pisses me off. If someone passed on buying my car they are really missing out on one of the cleanest and most well maintained cars out there. It would be their loss. Kind of see my point here?
So MOST of the time yes I to would walk away unless you know exactly what the car went through and the extent of what happened.
If it was a minor tap on one of the bumpers I would certainly still consider it. If it was multiple panels and lots of repaint work then ofcourse I would say c-ya.

James

 

If i were to check it out in person, are there signs I can try to see how bad the damage is?

I talked to the dealer and he said they got the car after the accident (lease return) so he doesn't know anything about it. He just said, it's CPO which means there won't be bent frames and it goes thru the 160 point inspection. I'm iffy but they said they can do 26.5k + fees which is closer to my budget.


ahhh so many decisions

 

if it was a lease car, every small or big accident will be recorded. Ask them for the full vehicle history (not the carfax).

 

If it's CPO then what's the problem? If anything happens they'll have to fix it.

The only reason I can think of for not buying it is when you try to sell it you might have a harder time.

 

If it makes you feel better, take it to a reputable body shop, even if it will cost a few bucks. Most shops with experienceed personnel will be able to determine what was repaired/replaced. You can look at all the body panels and check for the VIN sticker as they will be everywhere, front, back, sides, etc and will have the VIN of the car. Make certain they are in place and it is the correct VIN of the car they are installed.

Wife had the TI a few years ago and a fellow hit her in the right front. It was no more than a scratched fender and bumper cover, a little sanding, repainting and it still has the OE parts and as WDP, the front cover looks better than when new as it matches the body, but it shows on the Carfax report.

 

Well the best way to start would be to inspect every panel to make sure it still has the original VIN label attached to it.
The door labels are easy to see just open the door and look in the door jamb on the door.
The rear quarters are also easy located on the door jamb on the qaurter panel.
The trunks label is on the passenger side you will see when you pop the trunk.
The rear bumper is also simple pop the trunk its located on the bumper on the passenger side.

The front is where its more tricky as they are hidden.
The front bumper you will need to slightly pry up on the black plastic engine cover located closest to the passenger side headlamp (between the headlight and the grill).
Unfortunately I dont know of a way to see the front fender stickers without disassembling stuff so those you will just have to inspect the paint and clear coat texture to make sure they are original.

James

 

pay a professional body shop to do an inspection on the lift- 20 to 50 bucks well spent

anytime the insurance company pays a claim its reported to carfax
You can pay cash for a repair and no report sent anywhere

Cars with history are worth far less than undamaged cars
Its also near the end of the month--by saturday the sales manager is wanting one more deal closed and will make the price right to do it
They know exactly how much they have invested in a car and what they need to sell it for at a minimum- more than that is just more profit
lease cars are huge profit for them anyway

Important!!!!- if you decide to buy it, taker 2 friends to look it over carefully in the bright daylight only! not at night or inside- before you accept it
Report every scratch on paint or windows, panel not exact fit--paint chip on hood,,,everything
Otherwise tomorrow they say you caused that damage and tough luck no free fixes!!

Car should be fully detailed- buffed waxed shampoo carpets etc
You can ask for that if not done,,often the car gets a quick detail not a 200$ detail before sale

 

this is a killer, I got reversed into and my rear quarter was dented. Now the pd came,and as long as they come your car now has a history. My car is solid as a rock at 35k but when I go to sell she has a mark on her record for nothing more than a dent in the REAR. Used cars are always a gamble though, you never know if it's gonna be a 250k champ or 100k throw away......

 

thanks for the advice. saturday is too soon but if the deal is good then i'll do it. thanks! if not this sat, then sometime before the end of the year.

 

carfax is a tool in buying... not a tell all... I have a 96 civic I purchased in 03... it has a clean carfax.... come look at it... prior owner rolled it over

 

IMHO, if I am going to shed out 25K for an USED car, I would not want any previous accident. Doesn't matter if it is minor or hugh damage, it is just a lot of money that you are gambling. I would definitely look elsewhere.

 

My '94 Legend has frame damage, dented rear door (someone backed into it, on Thanksgiving no less) and a clean CarFax. I would buy new and be sure you are getting something that's not damaged.

 

Why? What if it has been fixed properly? Make sure everything lines up and is straight and paint matches. I think the price is a little high though. 22K max.

 

Well would you want a car that has been through some sort of impact? A car that has been all disassembled and put back together? (sometimes put back together correctly sometimes not).

unfortunately some of the most minor things show up on carfax that would scare people away from a truely exceptional car. And as shown above sometimes a HUGE accident doesnt show up on carfax (ei a rolled over car above). This is why its still important to get the car inspected or unless you know what to look for yourself.

James

 

Problem everyone has is that accident history can be seen/documented, but IMHO once known and if examined and the work was done to OEM standards, I see no problems with the purchase. The other side of the coin is that one may find a car that has no accident record, but the drive train has been run into the ground and you would never know. Look at some of the posts on this forum, some of the TL's are, in my opinion, trashed, but an unsuspecting buyer would never know. How about the TL owner on here that was aggravated at the dealer, so he took the '09 TSX loaner and held the rpms at redline whenever he could. Certainly would love to purchase this car.
Just got to be cautious when making the purchase.

 

so 2007 WDP TL Type S 6MT with 41k miles and ASPEC kit (an accident of unknown on carfax) for 26k is not a good deal?

I haven't found anything close to that so far. Any advice?

 

Yeah your right in some sense but there are cars out there that are perfect in both senses. Cosmetically and mechanically. You just gotta search for it. 90% of the time if the car is perfect inside and oput chances are they also took the time to properly maintain the vehicle to.

As for what you said about a board member doing that to an 09 TSX that just pisses me off. I dont care who your pissed at why go ruin something that isnt yours and abuse it for no reason. There are other ways to deal with issues rather than ruining a perfectly good car (that the dealership probably wont even know you did anyway).

 

Well it all depends thats what we are all getting at. If the car was in a serious wreck then no its not a good deal. I wouldnt want it thats for sure! If the car was involved in something so minor such as some of the stuff mentioned above like a broken side mirror or tapped rear bumper then yeah its a decent deal. It has little more miles than most TL-S's you will find but overall not too bad considering a lot of TL-S's around me in the Chicago area are listed in the $30's!!

James

 

I'm not completely familiar with the whole CPO thing, but isn't there some recourse with the dealer if you find anything wrong with it? Ask lots of questions and be very clear what your rights are as far as what the dealer will cover. And don't trust the salesman unless you see it in writing...
Like everyone has said before, do your due diligence: bring a knowledgeable friend with you, get it inspected by a reputable body shop, put your eye on all of the VINs on all of the panels, check gaps and fitup, paint match/overspray, etc. The way cars are designed to crumple, it doesn't take much impact to screw a panel up such that it has to be replaced - and that doesn't necessarilly mean that the frame must be damaged or that the car is totally hosed.
If the tiniest little thing doesn't add up, walk away. Another car (the right one) will come along if you're patient.
Keep your eyes open and Good Luck!

 

I just spoke to the dealer and told them about my concerns. They said after I purchase it (i live like 100 miles away from the dealership), they can give me 2-3 days to inspect and if i find anything major, i can return it.

I"m not sure how legit that is and what is considered major. He just keeps on saying it's CPO.

 

I'd say that if you're questioning it enough to ask for advice from current TL owners, then you have doubt. There is no reason to purchase a car that you say is at the top of your budget if you have any concerns!! TL's are pretty common and it shouldn't be too hard to locate a car that is accident free! Just my opinion! Wait and get one that you have absolutely no concerns about..

 

imo, carfax is over-rated, i mean cmon, if you are going to report something, report it accurately. carfax should invest a little extra time to detail the reported accidents or damages since they are charging for their services. each to its own and take carfax for it's worth.

 

Carfax doesn't show everything.

Mine got backed into in a parking lot while parked by a large city truck with it's bumper just above the gas filler. It wasn't bad but the rear quarter had to be cut out and a new one welded in. It sounds terrible and would scare most people away but it was just a little dent.

I would find out where it was hit and take it for a test drive.

 

I'm going to man up and drive 100 miles one way to test drive this sucker and see what's up. Hopefully it's nothing crazy.....

 

keep into consideration that one day you may sell this car. the value of your car and interest on your car WILL decrease due to the carfax value, even if it is a minor ding.