[flunkysama]

A salvage yard/auto recycler in K.C. MO has a 2001 CVT
http://www.midwayauto.com/aamidway/CAR.htm
It can load kinda slow so I summerize here.

HONDA INSIGHT 2001 SALVAGE (title) 13544 (mi) SILVER $8,750.00 STORM DAMAGE

Here's the links to the pictures.
http://www.midwayauto.com/aamidway/230928S.JPG
http://www.midwayauto.com/aamidway/230928A.JPG
http://www.midwayauto.com/aamidway/230928B.JPG
http://www.midwayauto.com/aamidway/230928C.JPG

Besides the dimpled body panels, the damage appears to be slight (a broken tail light), no broken glass. It probably drives just fine. Does the AL body make Insight more expensive to repair and thus easier to total?

If anyone wants a silver CVT cheap and does not care too much about how it looks, here is your chance. Maybe the dimples will make it more aerodynamic, you know, like a golf ball. :wink:

 

[amplifiedmouse]

thats barely even damaged. if i didn't own an insight already, i'd get that one

 

[Guillermo]

All you need to do is to use the proper tools to continue adding dimples everywhere. If it's consistent and everywhere it will look awesome and unique!

When I was in Switzerland a few years ago I saw a car with what looked like dimples caused by hale all over the hood and roof and it actually looked good!

 

[james]

Yeah, the one I bought has a bigger ding than that. (Since it knocked at least $3K off the going price, I could live with it, even if my neighbor didn't do auto body work ). If it wasn't a CVT, I might just make a quick trip.

 

[Rick]

The Insight alluminum and plastic panels are really expensive. First off you'd be waiting at least 6 weeks for them all most likely. To fix the car properly your probably looking at several thousand dollars just to get the parts and other painting materials (Over $5000 for this would not suprise me one bit). This is why Insight's get totaled often, they are generally more expensive to fix than they are worth in most cases.
Believe me on this, I just had a friend who got in a little 10 mph wreck where the guy pulled in front of him and slammed on his brakes, he had no where to go. The car needed a bumper, hood, fenders, radiator, condensor, and front cross member. The frame was unscathed, but the body shop he took it too decided to put a whole new front part of the frame on the car. Still, almost 2 months later it finally was fixed comming to a total of around 10 grand! Most of this time was spent waiting for parts. Stupid stuff like special epoxy coated body bolts took weeks to get.

I hate to say this because I love my car dearly, but if I get hit I'm taking the insurance offer. The problem with this particular car is you could buy it and several grand later have it fixed but it's always going to be a salvaged title which will make it very diffuclt to sell. Most banks won't do loans for salvaged title cars either. For what they want for it probably not worth it. And also consider that any warranties go bye bye with a salvaged title.

Good find though. I think Honda is trying to recoup some of their losses with the Insight unfortunately.

 

[james]

But with dings of that size, where they're purely cosmetic, why even bother to fix them? Somebody who doesn't care all that much about appearences (me!) can get a 70 mpg transportation comparatively cheap.

From the photo, it looks as though the only noticable ding is the one on the hood. Should be able to beat it out and respray pretty cheap.

Just a suggestion for non-structural damage, check out a light airplane mechanic. They're used to working with sheet aluminum, and in areas where aerodynamic factors are of major concern. And mine, at least, works cheaper than auto mechanics

Oh, and on the special bolts, I don't quite see the need. I mean, I do understand about dissimilar metal corrosion, but my Piper has had stainless steel screws holding together aluminum parts for about 35 years now.

 

[Rick]

Well yeah, if you don't mind the cosmetic stuff right on. It is a CVT though, won't quite see 70mpg out of it. At least replace that smashed tail light though.

In my friends case the hood was the only metal panel that was damaged, the rest was plastic. Not a whole lot to do there except get new ones. As far as the bolts you have to consider this was a Honda body shop so it's not like he had much of a choice I'm sure.

Just wanted to warn anyone who might have bought the car thinking they could fix it cheaply. Not trying to flame here, but if someone were to buy the car thinking they could fix it (with new metal and plastic) it would probably be cheaper to find one thats not damaged. Still, salvaged titles scare me.

 

[Aaron Cake]

Fixing dimples is easy to do with standard "paintless" dent repair techniques. Figure a few hundred dollars if you buy the repair guy a case of beer...

A hail storm did a number on the aluminium hood of my '86 RX-7, but since I was painting anyway (car was in primer) I just filled and primed. They would have been easy to remove without any filling though.

 

[ScottH]

Couple of thoughts:
1) Does bondo work with aluminum? If so, a couple of cases to a Camaro owner should get it ready to take to Maaco to get repainted. (ducking )

2) The battery pack -- I'm not sure how long it has been sitting there, but it if has been for a few months, isn't the battery pack going to be toast (Just from sitting)? Would the battery pack warranty apply with a salvage title?

 

[Rick]

Nope, far as I know you get no warranties with a salvaged title. You could buy an extended warranty most likely though. The pack should be fine after sitting for a few months. It would probably go in to an immediate recalibration, if not I'd reboot it just to get it over with.

As far as bondo, thats a good question, but from personal experience sanding a car and doing body work recently for the first time, bondo can't be too deep otherwise it will crack after time. And the dents on this car look too deep for bondo. This was one problem with the camaro I painted was there were some cracks that turned out to be bondo that was too deep once we got it sanded down.