Thoughts on this car that needed a bumper repaint

[MBAtarga]

Would you buy this car after the bumper has been repainted? What if the title ended up being branded?

[ChrisHamilton]

What is the title status of the car now? Being that it looks like it's in an auction yard I would assume it would be a salvage repairable title. Branded applies to salvage repairable titles or Salvage Certificate Titles. . If it is a clean title then it will not be branded. If it is a salvage title then yes it would have a branding on the title indicating it was salvage rebuilt or repaired. Salvage titles are also further complicated by the fact that the DMV in the State you plan to title and register the car will have to inspect it prior to issuing a new non salvage title. You also would need to keep records and receipts of all that was done to the vehicle to repair it

It would not have been totaled just for a bumper repaint. I would assume there is unibody damage as well.

[juanbenae]

they could have at least put the damaged bumper right side up for the photo....

[juanbenae]

and set the exhaust pieces where they came from even just as a prop.

[MBAtarga]

I'm not pursuing the car - it was brought to my attention elsewhere.

The seller is advertising it as a bumper repaint - with a side comment - they don't know why it would have a branded title. Essentially saying - it must have been a whim or mistake by the insurance company to salvage this car because otherwise it's in an unblemished shape with no other signs of damage.

And the seller is essentially asking close to full retail.

[Mixed76]

It's definitely more than a bumper repaint. The bumper cover will have broken mounting points, will have creases from being crumpled and twisted, the exhaust and bumper are probably bent, the unibody may have subtle damage, etc.

This is trying to make a quick buck taking advantage of someone who's excited to get into a Porsche and doesn't know any better.

If you can inspect it, know what you're looking at and how much it costs to fix, you can make a rational offer. Including allowance for what you can't see/ don't know.

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

[Mehoff]

That dealer has been lying and cheating on PP for a decade. He’s expanded over to BaT where he’s accumulated a bunch of fan boys that don’t know better. Been acting as if that that new reputation will follow him anywhere he goes.

For what it’s worth, I had a 997 get absolutely nailed in a rear end collision that looked remarkably similar. A Prius hit me going 35mph while I was stopped at a stoplight. Her car ended up going UNDER the 997 and taking out everything and anything behind the engine as well as bending a few suspension pieces; like this car, no damage to the decklid or fenders. Much of the cost was needing the dealer to take everything, including the engine, out to inspect. Cost was over $30k in 2008 and the car retained clean title. In all fairness, the car looked and drove perfectly after it was fixed. I took an absolute bath on the sale though; those accident pictures were difficult to digest.

[ChrisHamilton]

If it has a branded title or will have a branded title then it has a salvage title. I did this for a living for 10 years or so (rebuild salvage) I would highly doubt that it is just the bumper or else it would have never been totaled by the insurance company. Looking at the re-bar on the ground in the pic it is deformed some, especially on the PS, so that tells me it took some force from the hit there.

I would go into it assuming there was some rail damage to the unibody. I would look at the crumple zones on the unibody rails very closely. I would also want to look at the engine and mounts, very closely as well as the transaxle. There is more to this than a simple bumper repaint, if there was it would never have been salvaged, even if the Owner refused it and forced the Ins Co to buy him out.

[Matt Monson]

Nothing but headaches and trouble.

[speedster911]

why would you remove the side exhaust to remove the bumper? Not needed, there is one upper screw on each side that holds the top of the bumper on and I would think jacking up the car would have been sufficient. More to this than the photo reveals.

[ChrisHamilton]

The other possibility is that the car went off road, and ripped the exhaust and bumper off. If so then without looking at the underside, all bets are off. I've seen cars that have almost no outward appearing damage, just shredded on the underside. That type of damage is one to stay away from.
If it was a good deal and an easy fix it would have sold very quickly.

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

Nothing but headaches and trouble.

Words of wisdom right here.

[comintern]

ya, if its not a private sale with full access to the car for assessment, it would always be a big fat no for me.

That way you might miss out once in a while, but you won't be screwed frequently either.