Are cars sold in auto sales involved in accidents?

Question

Someone told me that most of the cars there were in accidents and that that fix the wholse car up to make it look nice. Reason i am asking this is because i want to find a good used car. Am i better off buying straight from a owner of a car.

Answer 1

All the time.

When a car is wrecked, even totaled it is usually sold and what happens after that depends on its value, the demand and how hard it is to fix it.  If just a few parts need to be replaced then the car can be repaired and sold.  If all the damaged parts are repaired or replaced then it is a good value, but if you have a bent frame or some other problem then you are in trouble.

Car dealers from the big chains usually buy their cars from other people who bought them from someone else, and who knows how many hands they could have passed through.  Andy Rooney once traced what happened to his car when he sold it used and it went through 4 different dealers before a family bought it.

Carfax:  http://www.carfax.com/cfm/general_check.... is a company that tracks the history of a car for you.  You go to the web site and entry the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and it tracks all the reported incidents that it has been in; like accidents and former owners.  I have never used it myself, but it is one service that is there, DMV.Org:  http://www.dmv.org/vehicle-history-repor... is another one, but it too is a private and presumable for profit service.

Reputable dealers, those who represent the major car companies look for repeat customers and continuing business so they are less likely to sell you a car that has been wrecked unless it has been totally repaired first.  An independent dealer can do anything and sell you any kind of heap.  A private individual as well.

Answer 2

Hi as a dealer I can tell that its both.  When I buy cars at a dealer only auction, I first check the car history report,,autocheck or carfax,,,then if it's clean I bid on the car.  Now, after I bid on the car, I request the auction to perform a check on the frame, engine and trans.  If theres any frame damage the sale gets cancelled.  There are special auctions for the scratch and dent cars.  The best advice I can tell is too have a inspection done.  If theres a particular make and model you are looking for you let me know if I can help.

Answer 3

i know that car maxx does not fix cars and resell them. usually they have a model in the lobby of there store that says [ we would never sell you this car] and a before/after picture. trust them. other places possibly fix them up.