February 12, 2010
What difference does a bent frame make when buying a car?
April D asked:
My friend is offering to sell me his 1998 Plymouth Breeze for $400. It got clipped in a Wal-Mart parking lot and the front bumper was ripped off, and the front corner is a little crunched.
My friend is offering to sell me his 1998 Plymouth Breeze for $400. It got clipped in a Wal-Mart parking lot and the front bumper was ripped off, and the front corner is a little crunched.
My husband says he can take it over to the auto-school at the University and have them fix the frame cheap. He also said he can get the bumper at a salvage yard for cheap. (We know the owner of the yard and have gotten stuff there before.) Anyway, a new bumper is about $225.
Should we take the deal? I have a 1996 Dodge Neon and my husband says we can at least use it for parts.
What do you think?
Auto Salvage Ga
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Comments on What difference does a bent frame make when buying a car?
6:21 pm
Auto Salvage Ga
Not a bad deal if the frame can be straightened.
6:25 am
Auto Salvage Ga
plymouth breeze's are notoriously unreliable. my girlfriend had one, a 98 actually that already needed major repairs at the 60k mile mark and it had all routine maintenence up to that point. honestly when looking for a cheap car from that time frame get an altima. much more reliable and much more car for the money. never be so cheap that you buy a car with a comprimised frame.
6:19 am
Auto Salvage Ga
Get it because it's cheap enough, you will make your money back in parts. As far as driving it, the car will probably not drive strainght, or will have steering issues. It could be dangerous if not fixed right.
1:35 am
Auto Salvage Ga
I would never buy a car with a bent frame. Even if it can be straightened, it's still weaker than it was.
If your husband knows that he's doing, he may be able to sell it for parts and make his money back. However, unless he's been able to demonstrate his ability before, I'd be hesitant.
2:55 pm
Auto Salvage Ga
Newer cars have a partial frame. They are easy to fix but the frame won't be as strong. Usually most insurance companys will total the car if it has any frame damage. BUT, for the price if it is a good running car and the damage doesn't interfer with the suspension or wheel it sounds like a good deal depending on how much frame damage and if the damage is on the end or in the middle of the frame (did it compress it or did it just bend it at the end. If it's compressed (wrinkled) not good.
4:25 am
Auto Salvage Ga
i asked that same question to a body man once and he said, you can straighten them, but they will never be the same, especially those front wheel drives. mysef, i would never buy a car with a bent frame.