Im looking at a 5,000 mile 2005 E55 with "Airbag Deployment" history on Carfax. The owner has been very upfront with me about this. The car was involved in a frontal collision. Repair was done by one of the best shops in the counrty.. Work is flawless, and even dealers can not tell the damage was there... However, the negative history remains....Title is clean... What is this worth??

Here is my thinking, tell me if you agree?? I think this history has abouta 20% NEGATIVE impact on value...

Having said that... I can buy a pristine, no paintwork 2005 E55 right now for low $50's. Which would put the value of this car at low $40's.....

I plan to offer low $40's for this car!!!!!!!! Opinions!!!!!

 

Car Fax is a great tool on the buy side. To me it serves to avoid cars with shall we say unfortunate encounters.
Anybody that tells you that a repair after an air bag deploy is un detectable is full of
Why buy a potential problem?
IMHO buy newest, lowest mileage, clean car fax car you can find, for NADA loan value.

 

I agree. It is a double edged sword. When you will have to sell the car, it will cut your asking price too.

With so many E55s out there, why even worry about any potential future problems.

 

Yeah, I thought about that. As the car gets older and depreciates more. I would think it would become less of an issue... But thats a good point..

 

Well, yes.... If they put it under a microscope. Maybe they could tell...The owner insisted the Insurance company pay, to have it taken to the best shop in his area..

If any part,clip,hose,etc.. was broken,scratched,bent, in any way shape or form. It was replaced, no questions asked.....

The car looks like new, and most people would never be able to tell...

 

If you really like the car, ask the owner for a look at all the repair paperwork. If it was only sheetmetal and no mechanical (a radiator hose is no big deal), 20% is good. It has very low miles so I would make sure that no mechanical work was done. If axles, engine or its mounts, etc. (anything mechanical) were damaged, I would not go near it. GL.

 

The car isn't worth what a pristine '03 would go for. Those are already in the high 30's.

 

Taximan,
I know you don't want to hear it, and your mind is made up but check this out.
The impact threshold to cause an airbag deployment is quite high and happens in multiple stages, The air bags go off after the body can offer no more crush. Here are some pics of a crash that was not enough to set off the air bags.

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w210/189570-crash-w-o-airbag.html

 

Those pics seem a little extreme for an air bag not to have gone off? Ive seen small fender benders set the bag off.Maybe there is more to the story on that crash.

 

Jrocket,
I posted the link for the thread, that is what most say when they see the pics, it is an interesting read, the seat belt pretensioners did go off.

 

I thumbed through it.Sure seems odd they didnt pop on such a hard hit.I saw a small Toyota just bump the rear of another car once and the bag went off?

That gold car has major structure damage.Theres NOEZEWAYOUT when you crash them like that.LOL

 

HAHAHAHA!!

 

Noezwayout of a salvage title.

 

I have pre-repair pictures of the car. It does not look NEARLY as bad as that... Was a direct frontal impact... Bumpercover,hood,fenders were the only body panels replaced. Windshield was not cracked, wheels/tires were unharmed.. Unibody was still within tolerance.. Obviously if it looked like that, salvage title would have been issued..

 

I see some really good advice from some people who know. I say run away from this deal as fast as you can. Get a newer car with low miles and a nice CPO warranty. It will be money well spent. Your seller is sweating bullets wanting you to buy. Tell him thanks but no thanks. If you do go through with it, find out as much as possible by talking to the body shop. Also, you will have to drive the wheels off the car because every other potential buyer down the road will beat you up on the price and do you want to screw with trying to sell the same problem later? You will feel great in a later model and it will scream for you when you punch it!!

 

Is it still covered by factory warranty? Where is it located? What color is it? What options does it have?

If you don't want it then I am interested