Well I have been looking for SUV's in copart auctions.. Well I came across this one in copart. It had 60k miles and it was near my area... Well my question is, are these engines interference? Do the valves bent when/if the timing belt/chain breaks? Are these cars known for transmission issues.. How reliable are these cars from a scale of 1 to 10 .. I am willing to spend $5k on this car. (My cusin previously bought a landrcruiser with 80k miles that was worth 30k for $8. It had similiar damage.. PLz answer my question and thanks. I am going to check out this car to see if there could be anything wrong in engine/trans . How much do you think I could get it for?

http://www.copart.com/c2/suv_auction...SEARCH_RESULTS

 

The 3.3L V6 has a timing belt and is an interference design.

 

The damage looks extensive and a salvage title shows the vehicle has been totaled. The engine and transmission for the Lexus RX have been reliable, but who knows after an accident like that. You should be able to part it out and make a profit, especially if you are lucky like your cousin.

 

well my cusin bought his land cruiser and fixed it along with a couple of modifications he did for him self .. So what could this impact could cause to tranny/ engine.. I will def check out the car before I bid on it.. How much do you people think i can get it for. I know how to fix cars, I know my people, and I know the knowledge, I just need opinions on the price ..

 

The big problem is the "Salvage Certificate or title". It will follow the car forever. Nobody in their right mind will buy such a vehicle. However, if you are buying the vehicle for yourself, the title status wouldn't matter.

 

I understand that.. I'm keeping the car, besides I know many people that paint/etc for very cheap.. And i mean it's a low price hard to believe but true.. So i can always make a little profit, but I'm buying to keep for now.. So what bid would you give?? For like the 10th time lol..

 

What you should bid depends on what you find during the inspection. A front end collision always means more things damaged $$$. If this was a rear end collision with a salvage title I would bid as high as $8000. But again, it all depends on the findings of the inspection.

 

What low price? No bids on it yet and it's not due to sell for another month.

 

LOL I wouldn't bid on an un-hit car without some inspection and you think folks here can come up with a knowledgeable bid on a salvage car with no inspection? Even if you get the car for free, it's possible you could never sell it for what it would take to repair it properly - if that's even possible. I strongly suspect that the unibody has been tweaked to the point that it will never run straight or have the structural integrity to protect the passengers in a future accident.

My LS had a bunch of parking scrapes and dings (both bumpers, LR door, LR fender, trunk lid), but was structurally and mechanically sound. It was priced low and I dumped about $3K into bodywork (I paid retail) to make it right. After shipping, bodywork, and Lexus service, I estimate that I saved $2-4K, assuming I could have found a car with the right trim level and colors.

 

With that kind of damage it looks like a parts car to me. Kelly Blue Book lists this car for $19,665 for fair condition to $22,765 for excellent condition. Kbb won,t even give a price for poor condition cars. A repair cost as listed in the auction of over $19K is why this car was totaled. They list the ACV as over $26K that is $4k over what KBB would give for a perfect car and by there standards only a small percentage of cars fit that listing. Parts for these cars are very expensive and my guess is that the uni-body is pushed back on the drivers side to the point the car would never be right. Would be a good parts car for $6-8K if you have an outlet to get rid of them or find another RX with right side body damage and use it for that.
Jeff

 

Well I know people that dealt with cars in much more poor condition than that and fixed it for a low price.. If you know the right people for the right price it's ok.. I bought many cars from copart, it's just my first time buying an SUV.. But if the frame needs to be pulled, no problem .. If i don't win this lexus, I'll just try to find a toyota 4 runner or honda pilot, no biggie... I know the parts cost a lot but there are many junk yards, so it should be pretty reasonable.. Only time can tell.