This week's EV bargain that I'm not buying

I would recommend running a full history check including uk & ireland.

There was a car on the the bargain alerts that was going cheap & everyone was saying jump on it but I ran a full history & it had been in an accident & a lot of repair work done on it. I didn't bother buying it

Why not? Generally repair work puts a car back to a better position than it was pre-accident, refreshing with brand new parts on the proviso that insurance is picking up the tab - those guys spare no expense and use every chance to get as much work done as possible.

Have little fear.

Most of those fears are unfounded though.

An insurance repair that has gone through the (very expensive) repair process from an accredited specialist will return the vehicle to 100%. if it can't be returned to 100% a decision is made and the car is not repaired, but instead scrapped. Being nervous of all repairs is a conservative legacy perspective.

By all means look at the paperwork to be assured that a 'proper' repair was done, and yes perhaps walk away from a penny-pinching backstreet operation, but backed by an insurance-approved repair report have no fear. The repairers fleece the insurers and replace catches and clips that don't need replacing to max out the value of the repair!

At some point you are the "next purchaser" after a repair in the past.

Is it a fear of the unknown, or the "what if"?

Or charge for the replacement of parts that aren't actually replaced. Only experience of an insurance repair related to a civic that was stolen and had the radio stolen and some damage to panels and bumper. Went through the approved insurance repair guy. When I picked up car, I immediately noticed 2 things, the radio was replaced by a 2 speaker cheapo unit and the so called new bumper was the old one repaired (and not a great job either). Guy was very displeased when this stuff was pointed out to him

At the time I just wanted to get my car back so he voluntarily sorted all identified problems. Got a decent stereo, far better than original, and brand new bumper. I know I should have done the right thing.....

Caveat emporer indeed with a private seller.

Supposedly with a dealer they have to tell you if you ask but only if you ask & obviously you would need to prove later you asked.

It was a dealer car & i asked in a text&was told no on the phone.

I was running a check anyway& about 30 mins later tge dealer texted me back with pics of the car pre repair & said actually it had been crashed & repaired.

The windscreen had been replaced & substantial damage to the front & bumper. I was concerned that there would be issues down the line with adaptive cruise control. The report also said it had gone untaxed for over a year so my guess was it just left sitting around during covid waiting to be repaired

Surely this 2019 ZOE wouldn’t cost a fortune to fix ?

https://www.donedeal.ie/view/34519106

19 Zoe Electric 50km Light Damage

A combination of Insurance Assessors, insane repair quotes and the cost of new parts. Limited market as a lot of buyers wouldn’t want to knowingly buy a car that’s been damaged. As long it’s repaired properly and not bodged, I don’t see the issue. Buying salvage has it’s risks, you’re buying as is, no comeback if say the battery or drivetrain is knackered.

What size battery is in that? Could be cheap home storage, sell the tires on too if there anything left on them.

A 2nd hand passenger door and a repair to the sill should have that car back on the road for small money. Can’t see from the photos if it needs airbags or not. Cheapest 2019 Zoe’s on DD are €14K.

I suspect EV’s could a bit outside their comfort zone and your traditional handyman mechanic could be a bit afraid getting involved.