ICBC Vin Report - "Collision total loss"
 

does collision-total loss mean strictly that it was in an accident and icbc did not fix it. And was sold off to someone?

im debating on buying a car, but the dealership is stating it was a theft recovery, but icbc paid the guy off before they found the car.

the VIN report states only collision - total loss.

is it possible it was a theft but recovered? need help.
dumb question maybe. thanks.

Stay away from any vehicle that was written off. Yes it could of been a theft but what damage did they do to it? Rolled it put it full speed into a pole? It could be anything just stay away.

yea i wouldnt but any cars that have a total loss in the title..

unless of course you dont mind repairing any damages you find later down the road

Theft recovery and collision/total loss are two separate things.

Collision/total loss means the damage to the vehicle was such that ICBC didn't want to repair the vehicle. This can vary depending on the vehicle and what insurance the person had (for example, if they had replacement cost).

If the vehicle was worth $20K and the repair bill was $15K, there's no way ICBC would fix the vehicle. ICBC has a formula to determine at what point they write the car off.

Theft recovery just means the vehicle was stolen and later recovered. Some theft recoveries are in good condition (maybe the vehicle was stolen in order to allow the removal of a high-end stereo or aftermarket parts) or in terrible condition (it was crashed, joy ridden or used in a smash & grab theft from a store).


If the dealership is trying deflect attention away from the total loss by telling you some BS story about it being a theft recovery and the guy was paid out blah blah blah, then maybe you shouldn't be dealing with them. Total loss is total loss, regardless if it was an accident or theft recovery.

what are your thoughts about rebuilts done properly?

^ Properly done rebuilds are very rare, and unless I did it myself I would never buy one.

However, if you really like the car then take it to a body shop (reputable) and pay them the $100 or so to inspect your car for you. Any good bodyman would know very quickly if there were any problems. And any reputable dealer would have no objections to you having the car inspected prior to purchase.

If the dealer doesn't want the car to leave the lot (maybe an excuse like insurance or they already had it inspected) then something's up. A line I like to use is something like this: "I'll buy the car now, but I want to have it inspected after I buy it and if it fails I want my money back. And I want it written on my sales contract." ;)

The formula ICBC uses to determine T/Loss is approx. %80 of current market value.

This same percentage is used when factoring in replacement cost policy, using OEM parts only. They don't base the value of a 2008 Civic against a 2010 because they're not the same ca; They use the value of a 2008.

So... $15K on a $20K car might not be a T/Loss... there are a bunch of factors to consider.

I've written several $30K estimates on $35K - $38K cars and the insurance companies (ICBC, CDI, CNS, etc...) have all signed off on repairs to proceed.

Collision - Total Loss states the car has been involved directly in an accident and been deemed not cost effective to repair by ICBC. The car has been sold at auction and rebuilt / re-titled.

walk away

well IMO opinion, if you dont mind or intend to build the car up, its a good project if its dirt cheap.

otherwise i wouldnt go near any car with total loss...

don't bother with total loss...cuz if the frame is eff'd up and all repairs are done but it will never drive the same again

Warning 1: Dealer Lied.
Warning 2: Rebuilt status.

You're probably only considering it because it's a great deal.. but trust me, it's not. I would keep looking.

Appreciate the input guys.

are you allowed to tell us which dealership you dealt with so the rest of us can steer far far away?

stay away and never look back...

Its on Grandview hwy and 12th. I think its 12ave auto

Don't buy anything that has a rebuilt status or total loss on the title.

1) The car had extensive damage to the point it was worth more than the car at some point (worse if it happened a few years ago).

2) Good luck trying to sell it out again with that title

3) If it's too good to be true, stay away. When I choose a used car, I prefer a local car that isn't rebuilt. It gets very sketchy once it's from out of province as it won't show everything through ICBC. Used car dealers know this and even trade sketchy used cars from out of provinces! Best of luck to you if you're getting a used imported car ie. USA. Unless you know the original owner, buying from a reputable person, or are buying it new from a dealership down there, 9/10 "desired" cars have been raped from theft recovery, rebuilt, or owner f'd up and paid to fix it to get rid of it (mechanics and body shop rates down there are cheaper than up here). If I had to choose between a clean title from the states vs a rebuilt in Canada, I'd choose states. Just do your homework.

4) It's your money, you can do whatever you want with it.

what dealership are you buying the car from.... seems shady

Walk away man.

You'll find another car that you love without the dirty history... you just have to be patient.

i have purchased a car in the past with 'rebuilt - stolen recovery' title. it was fine when i had it.