I am looking at a 2021 Santa Fe up for auction for 7 thousand dollars. I looked at the pictures and it looks OK. The description says runs and derivable but there is undercarriage front end damage estimated to be around 22 thousand dollars. The only thing I notice is the driver side air bag is deployed. The front end looks perfect from the outside. The radiator , fans, AC Condenser coils and brakes are all intact. I am trying to figure out what would cause the airbag to deploy that can not be seen on the front end. What could cause the estimate on a car that only costs 31K brand new to cost 22k to repair?
And what ever you do don't tell my wife. {black}:smile:
No and here’s why, it has been proven that Hyundai can’t build motors correctly. Google search will show motors catching on fire to cylinder walls not made correctly. And Hyundai goes and tries to hide it and blame the people who bought the vehicle. I would pass instantly.
I say buy it.
Yep.
Because reading your posts, you seem to believe Hyundai makes excellent vehicles and couldn't possibly have any issues. I get tired of people asking for advice, just to turn around and explain why said advice is totally wrong and their predetermined decision is right. I'm sure the insurance company just totaled a 7k mile, brand new Hyundai because they had money burning a hole in their pocket and couldn't resist paying it out. After all, we all know insurance companies hand out cash for no good reason all the time. So, if I were you, I would totally buy it. I bet it runs like a champ and there's really no damage at all, much less enough to total it. So what if it has a salvage title now and is worth scrap value? It's a HYUNDAI. It'll be fine.
For those who want a serious opinion and who don't already have their mind made up and aren't just seeking justification for an extremely poor purchasing decision, NEVER buy a salvage title car. You never know what gremlins are lurking. I've had insurance companies refuse to total cars before that really should have been because they were too cheap to pay out and would rather do repairs than be stuck with a salvage title car they have to auction off for pennies on the dollar. For it to be totalled out, as new as it is, it has to have MAJOR damage. And $22k is major damage.
You couldn't pay me $10k to take that car off their hands. Its salvage. And the definition of salvage is.....garbage. It was poorly built and overpriced when it left the dealer. Now it literally has scrap value and nothing more.
I appreciate your contribution to this thread. Thanks for your insight. The question is what would cause the airbags to deploy on a car that has no outward sign of a collision? I am betting on the car having been dropped.
Never buy a car without checking in site.
That's banjaxed, avoid it and spend your 7k on a ten year old Corolla
Do not buy an auction car: not worth the potential headaches you may encounter.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=akdJ7huFcK4
I would run away from those, they fall apart as they age and I wouldn't bother wasting ur 7 grand on that Santa FE. Look at an older Highlander, Pilot, Infiniti FX, RX350, or Acura MDX if you want a Midsize SUV.
Are you having such good luck with Korean vehicles, that you’re considering adding an auctioned one to your fleet?
Actually I am very satisfied with Hyundai. I have 3 Hyundai's. I like the fact that they come fully loaded for the price of a stripped down Toyota. They have held up the oldest being 14 years old with 200K.
I tried buying a brand new Toyota a couple of years back. I put down a deposit and came back with a cashiers check the next day. The dealer sold it to someone else who offered 5K more. Never again! Went down the street and bought another Hyundai and it runs just fine for $10K less. The Toyota dealers in my area put adds on line and in the papers promising all sorts of incentives and rebates which mysteriously evaporate once you enter the dealership. Maybe the Hyundai dealers will become the same way but for now I can pick out a car and pick it up the next day without it being sold out from under me. Toyota dealers act like we all are doing them a favor and their cars are made of pure gold. All my neighbors have had the same experience. There are a lot of Hyundai's in my neighbor as a result.
I am doing some more investigation but I am intrigued by what would set off the air bag, cause no visible damage and cost $22,000 to fix on a car that cost $31,000. I am getting some more photos from the auction house. When I find out I will let you know.
All the best, in that case.
Looks like the biggest objection is the fact that it is a Hyundai. I am doing some more investigation but I am intrigued by what would set off the air bag, cause no visible damage and cost $22,000 to fix on a car that cost $31,000.
No, the biggest issue is that you want to buy a car in auction without fully checking it. It does not matter if it is Hyundai or Toyota.
THIS, listen to @yaser!! Make is irrelevant when it comes to salvage titles..
Don't bother, they weren't good cars to begin with.
Plus auctions are always a gamble.
If I had to guess, I'd wager that the unibody is FUBAR.
I share your curiosity about the airbag deploying without the sensor(s) being hit. One of my daughters hit the rear of a box truck with her 95 Altima years ago. The box truck had a rear step with angle iron supporting it. The angle iron cut through the hood of the Altima almost to the windshield, but missed the airbag sensor by a couple of inches. The airbag did not deploy. Amazingly she was not hurt.
I am telling your wife if you buy that Santa Fe.
That's sound frightening. I have a teenage daughter and I worry constantly. Good to hear she is OK. As far as a FUBAR frame that's what I suspect. What ever is to good to be true is usually not. Thanks for taking the time to actually read the question.
The wife knows. She reads these threads to find out what I am up to. {black}:smile: