Buying a Write off - Pros and Cons

CheapAsianGurl on 30/01/2023 - 17:30
Last edited 30/01/2023 - 18:32

So I am in the market to buy a second car. I found a really nice 2021 Kia Rio online for only $17,500 ( a few grand below market price)

The catch is that it was previously written off but it's now repaired and in "perfect condition" according to the seller.

Now I don't know much about cars so can someone please educate me about the cons of buying a previously written-off car?

See below of damage report:

Update: Thanks everyone for your input. I will not be buying that car haha

Automotive

Comments

Hybroid on 30/01/2023 - 17:31

+21

No way. Not even worth thinking twice about it. Find something else that hasn't had structural damage and who knows what issues will come out.
- CheapAsianGurl on 30/01/2023 - 17:34
  
  Can you please elaborate as to why? My logic is that if its fixed, it should be fine…? lol
  - Hybroid on 30/01/2023 - 17:37
    
    +14
    
    So many reasons.
    
    You don't know well it's been repaired. Of course a seller would say it's "perfect condition". What if it's cheap bodge job and starts to rust or worse split in near future while you're doing 100 on the motorway.
    
    You don't know how much safety has been compromised in the hopefully unlikely event of a crash that could cause you higher chance of harm or worse. Example: Did the other airbags go off? Were they replaced? Do they even work anymore?
    
    You don't know what issues will crop up in future from electrical wiring issues, air con/radiator, other mechanical issues, fluid leaks, whatever. Could cost you thousands in additional repairs down the road.
    
    You'll have issues getting it insured and definitely lots of issues selling it on later on as no one will take it off your hands
    
    It's not even that cheap compared to a normal one. Why take the risk? For a Kia Rio on top of that…
    - CheapAsianGurl on 30/01/2023 - 17:43
      
      I would get a mechanic to inspect it prior to purchasing but you are correct, probs not worth the risk
      - garetz on 30/01/2023 - 17:48
        
        +8
        
        @CheapAsianGurl: If you ever tried to resell it you would have a very hard time finding another idiot to buy it.
      - boomramada on 30/01/2023 - 18:18
        
        +1
        
        @CheapAsianGurl: I'm not sure if mechanic knows much about affects of structural damage towards vehicle crumple zone.
  - SF3 on 30/01/2023 - 19:25
    
    My logic is that if its fixed
    
    You've rationalised how you feel into logic.
boomramada on 30/01/2023 - 17:34

+10

You probably will have issues with getting insurance and hard time reselling.
- CheapAsianGurl on 30/01/2023 - 17:36
  
  ah i see. I didnt even consider the insurance issues
  - vinni9284 on 30/01/2023 - 18:31
    
    The insurance will not care. If it legally registered and RWC, all the checks and balances have been done before hand. They are more concerned of any dents, rust etc that are at a certain size. I still wouldn't buy a car on the WOVR
  - nomoneynoproblems on 30/01/2023 - 19:41
    
    Of course you didn't. This is Ozbargain after all.
MrHyde on 30/01/2023 - 17:37

+1

How do you know that it's been fixed properly?

Some of those items are listed as unrepairable, so how can you trust any fixes. Also doubt any insurer will be willing to insure that car either.
- pinchies on 30/01/2023 - 17:40
  
  +1
  
  Those items get replaced completely. How well the structural repairs were completed however… I would want to know who did them, and whether they are competent and qualified.
Drakesy on 30/01/2023 - 17:51

+3

i'd debate if the warranty was still valid in which case i'd cop the $3000 and buy a non-written off one.
Brick Tamland on 30/01/2023 - 17:57

+4

For that damage it would need to be alot cheaper!
happydude on 30/01/2023 - 17:57

+6

Con - When you go to sell it the proposed buyer will post this same question on OZBargin then not buy it based on 100% of responses.
- CheapAsianGurl on 30/01/2023 - 18:00
  
  LOL
bobbified on 30/01/2023 - 18:02

+4

for only $17,500 ( a few grand below market price)..

I wouldn't even consider a written-off vehicle unless it was less than half the market value. It'll be very hard or impossible to resell later if you need to.

Since you're asking here, I think it's safe to assume that you don't have a lot of knowledge on cars, so just don't buy it.

….in "perfect condition" according to the seller.

Of course it is! (I can't imagine many sellers would say otherwise!) haha
ifyareckon on 30/01/2023 - 18:25

Given the items listed include structural issues, I would stay away. While the car would have had to pass an engineers inspection before being able to be registered, you really don't know what they have hidden to get it through the inspection.

The hold ups in supply chain over the last few years meant that there are cars out there that are "write offs" that had failry minor damage. Would consider something like that if planning on keeping long term, but nothing with previous structural damage.
vinni9284 on 30/01/2023 - 18:28

+1

If you can wait, the car market is cooling down. You can probably buy the same car for the same price without any issues in a few months. Plus it'll be easier to on-sell in future. Less headaches.
fredz0r on 30/01/2023 - 18:30

You won't be able to insure it. I would pass even at half that price.
- vinni9284 on 30/01/2023 - 18:32
  
  +4
  
  It is insurable. It is a repairable write-off and not Statutory write-off
kerfuffle on 30/01/2023 - 18:48

+2

Do you really want a car with an unrepairable front airbag? I'd rather go without, save some more money and get a brand new car with no structural issues.

I can say this because I've been waiting nine months for my car after my old one got written off.
- Drakesy on 30/01/2023 - 18:54
  
  +2
  
  It's been repaired since the report ;)
  - Muzeeb on 30/01/2023 - 18:59
    
    I'd go as far as saying it's been replaced completely not repaired.
    
    Quite literally a 5 minute job on a Rio to replace the airbag.
Seraphin7 on 30/01/2023 - 18:53

The catch is that it was previously written off but it's now repaired and in "perfect condition" according to the seller.

You don't say …
Richardc on 30/01/2023 - 19:06

all they do was bent back the structural, strength would not be the same anymore.
brendanm on 30/01/2023 - 19:30

Heavy structural, hard pass.
Euphemistic on 30/01/2023 - 19:49

Not cheap enough to counteract that it’ll be near impossible to sell later on.

People that buy these wrecks know they have to repair as cheaply as possible to make money.

I might consider it but only if cheaper AND I could see some video/photo evidence of the damage AND repair process.
Barca123 on 30/01/2023 - 21:04

04 Oct 2021, Repairable Write-off

That's well over a year ago - who knows how many times the vehicle repairs have been rejected and told to re-fix.
dcep on 30/01/2023 - 23:47

50% below market , then i'll consider it.

Else not worth it for that 3k discount which is peanuts for the future resell value.
Sinnerator on 31/01/2023 - 09:51

If the price is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP enough and the vehicle is in mech good condition then go for it. But $17500 for that seems too steep for a write off with heavy structural damage.
bhubb18 on 31/01/2023 - 13:48

Nothing intrinsically wrong with a write off, plenty of stuff is repaired well.

BUT it will heavily affect resale, I wouldn't waste my time on a write off unless it was half the cost of a non written off example.

Also some states may have issues with registration? iirc NSW were not letting write offs get re registered? I could be wrong on that.

Buying a Write off - Pros and Cons

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