You want to buy a used car, and you want it to be accident-free. This is not a whim. A car accident can cause damages that are irreparable. The Crash Status portal will help you verify whether your dream used car hasn’t been involved in an accident. It’s the only place where you can check a car using its VIN for free.
There are sellers who are honest. They sell post-accident cars, repaired, at very attractive prices, much lower than other, accident-free cars of the same age. There might be a buyer who wants to take the risk and buy a post-accident car. Why? Because it is much cheaper.
It’s a fair game. There’s an honest offer. There is an interested buyer. Both parties reach an agreement and the transaction takes place. The buyer has no complaints, because they wanted to buy a post-accident car and save money. It’s their risk.
Unfortunately, there are also dishonest sellers on the market. Such sellers hide the fact that the car they are offering has been in a serious accident.
Why?
First, their pool of potential customers is much larger. The vast majority of customers want to buy an accident-free car.
Second, an accident-free car can be sold at a higher price. Especially when the signs of an accident are well hidden and the buyer is unaware of them.
Third, some people specialize in buying post-accident cars (e.g., at auctions organized by insurance companies), repairing them at the lowest possible cost and selling them to unaware buyers as completely safe.
Why should you look for an accident-free car?
An accident-free car that has been properly maintained may be only slightly worn. After purchase, all you need to do is change the operating fluids and a few consumable parts and you can then enjoy using a valuable vehicle.
Finding a good car takes time. Sometimes you have to spend up to six months to find a good accident-free car. But active searching for such a car without getting discouraged by any failures ultimately pays off.
Especially that now you have assistance —you can always, for free, check a car using its VIN through our Crash Status service.
Not everything can be repaired in a post-accident car
Professional repair of a post-accident car costs a lot of money! The car must be placed on a special machine, where hydraulic pullers must be used to straighten the damaged body parts. This isn’t always completely successful. Many parts need to be replaced with new ones, which requires a lot of money.
An accident, even one that seems minor, can cause the suspension mounting points to shift. It only takes another car hitting the wheel. Such a car will always have problems maintaining a proper driving line—it will always “pull to one side.” Such a car will never be comfortable to drive, because you will constantly have to correct the driving direction with the steering wheel. Continuous use of the power steering system will lead to overheating and accelerated wear. Additionally, the car will constantly experience faster tire wear.
This means more and more costs… In most cases, the front part suffers in an accident. An amateur might say—no big deal! Just replace the bumper, radiator grille, possibly a headlight and the car is ready to go!
This theory works for cars made over 10 years ago.
What about newer ones? They might be equipped with LED headlights. Such a headlight costs from 1,000 to 4,500 EUR, depending on the car brand. Behind the radiator grille are radar modules of the ADAS systems (cruise control and collision avoidance system), each costing several thousand EUR as well.
Ask yourself—would a dishonest seller who bought a cheap post-accident car replace such expensive parts with new ones?
Even a damaged windshield can result in significant costs. The glass itself doesn’t have to be directly damaged. It’s enough that the car’s body has post-accident stress points that weren’t properly fixed during repair. The windshield will ultimately experience cracks in such a car. In the case of an older car, you will be able to buy a windshield for a few hundred EUR. But in the case of newer models, where soundproofed, thermal glass with an integrated HUD display is used, you will have to pay even several thousand EUR. The ADAS sensors (twilight sensor, light sensor, rain sensor, camera) mounted on it can also be damaged. Even if they aren’t, they all need to be calibrated.
A damaged aluminum body… means huge costs, because such parts are rarely repairable. Typically, a bent or torn aluminum part needs to be replaced with a new one, using specialized tools, in an appropriate workshop.
If the impact was strong enough, the SRS system could have deployed the airbags and pyrotechnic seatbelt pre-tensioners. One original airbag can cost several thousand EUR. And if the car had 7 airbags and they were all deployed? Would the seller have replaced them with new ones? The cost of installing such airbags exceeds the value of many several-year-old cars.
Damaged subframes and other elements responsible for body rigidity. Damaged frames in SUVs and off-road vehicles. Such parts cannot be repaired. Damage can only be masked.
Engine displacement due to impact. This can result in damage to the engine itself, gearbox, accompanying parts and suspension mounting points. This will generate constant problems.
Damaged factory anti-corrosion layer. Only true specialists can ensure the continuity of the anti-corrosion layer during body and paint repairs. Otherwise, the car will constantly be attacked by rust, with outbreaks appearing in various places.
Damaged battery in an electric or hybrid car, damaged battery cooling and heating system. What could this lead to in the future? Fire and destruction of the entire car.
These are just some of the possible problems; the list is much longer.
Remember, there are many post-accident cars on the used car market that have been repaired and put up for sale as accident-free cars.
Check the car using its VIN for free – find out if the car of your choice has been in an accident
The Crash Status portal is your partner in buying a used car. Do you like a particular car? Don’t wait. Copy the VIN number from the ad. Go to our Crash Status website and check for free if your car has had any registered damages. You will get the result in a few minutes. The database used by our portal is exceptionally extensive.
Your car hasn’t had an accident? It’s worth checking further!
Purchase a paid report on our Crash Status website on the car of your choice. It’s a source of exceptionally valuable data that will surely be useful before you make the final decision whether to buy the car. Use it and don’t get scammed!
