I got rid of my C2S last fall and I got the itch again recently, so I've been looking around for a car with low miles and is well-equipped. So I found the exact car I'm looking for, has crazy low miles, looks to be in pristine shape, but it has been in an accident and has had the front bumper, hood, front fender and door refinished because of the wreck.

The dealer was up front about the wreck, and provided me with a TrueFrameReport that gave the car a 9 on the Cosmetic Body Score. I'm not familiar with this service. Is it independent or just something a dealer provides to give customers comfort?

I've negotiated the price down to about $14k under suggested dealer retail, but I'm still a little apprehensive about resale when I go to sell the car.

Opinions welcome. Would like your thoughts. I may pull the trigger tomorrow if I decide it's worth it.

Thanks!

 

I wouldn't touch it. There are way too many cars out there with no accidents and clean histories to choose from. If and when you decide to sell, you will have such a difficult time. A dealer won't touch it and private party will be a tough sell. And there are so many unknowns about the repair and how it will hold up. Sounds like a pretty major accident that was in. Porsche buyers are especially particular, so,unless you plan on keeping it forever, it's not worth the hassle in my opinion.

 

Bumper, hood, front fender and door? And that was a "minor" wreck?

I agree with JBirdie6, there are too many garage queen never driven cars to mess with this one. Just keep looking...it'll probably still be there later if you reconsider.

 

That car will be the plague when you try to sell.

 

so many to choose from - why settle for one that have been wrecked?

 

I'm currently in the process of buying a 991S that was in an accident (driver hit rear of a Mercedes) and he provided me with the crash photos, insurance repair bill, and I will be doing a TrueFrame inspection and PPI. Assuming those both check out fine, the deal I negotiated is about $10-12k below market and since it's a private sale I also save $5k on sales tax since there is no tax on private party sales in my state. All of the repair work was done at the dealer which is good. This car is in the sub-$60k range which I feel much more comfortable with for a car that was in an accident than buying one that is still $75k+. It's also the exact color and options I wanted except for PSE, but that is easily fixed with an aftermarket exhaust. At some point, probably soon, the car will just have minimal depreciation because it will be among the lowest point of entry for a 991S when it's time to sell. If I can drive it for a few years and get $45-55k for it later, I'd be perfectly fine with that. Can't imagine it going lower than $45k any time soon.

 

Most members on this board will likely say "No!" And I do too. But It all comes down to your personal preferences, situation, and plans for the car. If you are keeping the car for many years who cares about resale difficulties? As long as the car has value, no matter how diminished, you will find a buyer.... I've bought high-end cars in the past for specific projects where mild damage was known but I wasn't looking to resell under any false pretenses or to purists of a brand where owners wrap their car in a protective shell as well as store the car for seasons at a time to avoid getting the paint wet....! And I always found a buyer. But I never had to sell, I wanted to.
There is always risk involved, and less risk if you buy new or CPO cars.
Bottom line is that if you really want to get an idea of whether buying a car with damage history is wise, ask some other forums outside of the purists.....

 

@murox, this might be the deal/steal of the century or not. An intangible would be whether you intend to hold on to this car. Your satisfaction is the only thing that matters.

 

I would want to see the accident photos and body shop repair estimate/repair sheet before making a decision. I know lots of shop that just panel replace for even minor stuff on newer high-end cars. Photos and the repair order will be informative.

 

Thanks for all the input, guys! I decided to pass and get another car.

 

Good move. Too many fish in the sea to buy something that smells even a little bit.

 

I would walk away from that car.