$8500 Collision car worth buying?
 

I'm looking for consensus here...

Wonder if it worth buying a BMW (model 5 years old) that originally cost $100,000 which had a $8500 damage previously? Accident was when it's brand new

Would you think it's mostly cosmetics and nothing major? Need professional inputs or personal experienced !

was the damage recent or did it occur it was new/almost new? there is a difference.

for example, if the repair was done when new, then new parts were most likely used, which can make a minor repair appear very expensive, but if the accident happened when it was old (ie. recently/5 years?), it could have been done with jobber or used parts, which could amount to big damage repaired on the cheap.

is there any history?

check to see what damage was done. is a bimmer like you said, and im guessing a 7-series or M car.. cause 8500 in damage isn't "too" bad for that higher end model.. cus 3 series cost around 4500 already for a new fender + repair + paint cost.

r you buying from the states or here? just do a carfax on it if you really want to pursue the car.

There's hardly any jobber or aftermarket replacement panels or parts available for any BMW model. $8500 isn't a lot for a BMW - maybe a couple of headlights - bumper / grille / fogs & some misc. inner hidden damage... I'd run an ICBC claim check on it and see what was replaced/repaired and possibly take the findings to a local chain body shop... they should be able to tell you whether or not any corners were cut and if the vehicle was repaired to industry standard

damage was when it's brand new 5 years ago.

So, i can assume it might be mostly cosmetics right? but why when i ask, tehy always mention the expensive part as the wheel ? cause a OEM wheel might be like 3-400 bucks only... and amount of $8500 is like.... scary !

also if the car was new when the accident occured then they would have to use OEM parts to fix the car. that will rack up the bill quite quickly. if its frame damage then i say dont buy it because it wont be as safe as it should be, if its cosmetics like hood/fenders then that shouldnt be a problem.

i just had a ICBC claim for rock chips for $5000.00 on a Volvo. headlights $3100 a pair, paint front hood $600, paint front bumper and lip $500, blend in fenders $400.

So yeah, it all depends what the damage was for and where was the impact. Car repairs can be very expensive these days....lol

3-400 wheels = jdm

bimmer high end = 1-2k per wheel OEM

WHat??? are you serious? crappy BMW wheels cost that much...gosh !

that's the thing, I wonder if $8500 would involve any frame damage !

no way $8500 includes frame damage...my M3 had an accident for $16K and it was only two headlights, fender, hood and radiator support..

$8500 is practically nothing, My mom hit a pole in a parking lot in a W203 C class and no frame damage but already 7k in repairs, the hood, bumper, lights, and paint and a some other small little things .

thats not your mom in your avatar is it?

lol thats the women that beat the black women on the bus!


"f*ck u, fu*ck u"

You would get better advice if you posted what the car is and where the damage was.

Where did you get the $8500 figure from? Shouldn't that person know where the damage was?

Search ICBC and do a CARFAX.

It's a BMW M5, ICBC report only states that it's a collision but not detail report. The seller claims it hit a curb and wheels been replaced and painted fenders.

But thank you everyone for their inputs. Really appreciate it.

where did he bring it? cause shops like bismark will charge a premium for their service. + M5 will be more expensive for parts cause of course, less production..

did the repair include alignment and brake checks? if so, thats like another 500 dollars for service.

If your gonan buy higher end model car used, spend that extra 1-2 hundred to get it fully inspected man!

In my last accident, some guy rear-ended me and pushed my car into the car in front. I needed new bumpers, hood/trunk fixed, new headlights/tail lights, etc. no mechanical damage and the cost to fix was already 7-8000 bux. And these are Honda parts.

If the damage is only cosmetic then I wouldn't worry at all.

Also from my experience, when shops fix older cars they don't automatically use old/used parts, they always ask the owner first.

i had minor frame damage to my first m3 which was 99 on the passenger side front, it was 21k., didnt look like much but these cars can rack up money.

wheels do cost 700-1000 a wheel, OEM. depending if its an M car or not. (with no tire ;) )

Holy fuck thats half my car..

You must find out what's and the location of the damage.

You also have to verify whether they use original parts.. for original BMW body parts fenders for example, there is a sticker affixed with serial number to show it is OE BMW.

If the seller doesn't know / disclose the information the other way you can find out is with a paint gauge. Most body shops will have it go to the one you are familiar with and borrow their paint gauge.. you will be able to find out where they blend the paint.. the paint will be offspec and thicker.

The paint meter I have is an Elcometer 456. I always bring it when I buy any car even if it is new.

if your saying that now, i dont think you should even consider a bmw let alone M5. The initial cost of the car now is the least of your worries with cost on this vehicle. You'll have to maintain, tune it regularily to keep it in top shape, a good engine rebuilt runs for 8k on these and random little parts cost 5times more than a jap car. oil filter is what, 10x more than a civics? tranny, 5k instead of 1k. I'd reconsider your purchase if i was you, and dont let the initial cheap cost lure you in blindly.

You can request ICBC history for more detail, however, its like another $10 fee to print out that information.

Is that true? I wonder which department can I contact for that printout?

Thanks in advance !

Yes, i'm fully aware of how much the german cost to maintain them. And I'm fully prepared to enjoy the high cost of germans. Currently, I own 2 Mercedes and both maintanance cost are acceptable to me. So, i'm fully prepared for the extra cost of the M cars. Hopefully it won't be as outrageous as the Porsche and Ferrari. :D