8 Things You Should Know Before Buying a Sioux Falls Hail Damaged Car

by adminsioux | Mar 7, 2018 | Educational, Hail Damage

Everybody loves a new car. The smooth handling, flawless finish, clean interior. But there is one fatal flaw with every factory fresh vehicle: The price. The average rate for a new car in America hovers somewhere around $35,000-36,000. For most this is a pretty hefty chunk of change so you’ll be scrambling for every deal you can find. Then suddenly, you see it! The car of your dreams in all of its dimpled glory. Everyone sells their car for a reason. Maybe they need the extra cash for a new ride or they’re just looking to clear up some garage space. Regardless, it’s important to remember that all sellers have one goal in mind. To make money. That being said, here are a few reasons their Sioux Falls hail damaged car is being sold at such a discounted price.

• The Damage is Too Severe

Hail can take a real toll on your car, often damaging windows or paint in the process. Rain water can leak through these cracks and cause much more severe internal damage that isn’t easy to detect. If the paint or windows are chipped be very cautious and have a few mechanics give you a damage estimate.

• The Repairs Outweigh the Value

If the damage is minor most sellers will simply repair it and take the small loss. But if the repairs require repainting and body work then they will likely weigh the difference and cut their losses. That’s why many sellers don’t disclose damage costs; or at least why you shouldn’t trust their estimates right away. Which leads me to my next point.

• Dealers Don’t Need to Disclose Damage

Dealers don’t need to disclose what it will take to repair the car within certain thresholds. This is actually a grey area for several reasons. Getting the damage appraised by two or three body shops is the best way to understand the true cost. Almost all of them offer free estimates.

• Internal and External Damage

Paint jobs and repairs are expensive and dealerships know this. Most sellers in Sioux Falls would rather pull a fast one on somebody than let their car go to a paint shop. Especially if the work requires the time of two separate technicians.

• Make Sure The Discount is Reflective of the Damage

Many sellers will offer you what sounds like a steal. $2000 off a $35,000 car, who wouldn’t love that?! However, it’s hardly worth it if the hail damage drops your ride’s value by $5000. You’re essentially losing out on $3000!

• Insurance Coverage and False Claims

There are a handful of drivers that buy hail damaged cars in Sioux Falls just to take advantage of their insurance. Most do this by purchasing a car with hail damage, waiting for another storm, and filing their claim then. Unless your insurance company inspects your vehicle upon purchase it is very easy to get away with this. Unfortunately this makes it difficult to get a discount as well.

• Vehicle Damage Reports

When you file a claim on your insurance that record is added to your vehicle damage report. This is sort of like a credit report that follows your car around no matter where it goes. If you file a claim on the damage right away it will be harder to get a discount on future damage. Luckily, Sioux Falls Dent Repair can fix hail damage without affecting your vehicle damage reports. Call us today at 605-595-4061 to learn more!

• Consider the Diminished Value

It might seem obvious at first, but many drivers in Sioux Falls looking for a steep discount on a hail damaged car forget that, when they sell it, it is still a hail damaged car. Other buyers will want a discount just as much as you did so don’t expect a lot on the return value.

Remember, these tips are far from the only things you should watch for when buying a hail damaged car, but hopefully they are enough to get you started. As a sort of summary or basic guide here are a few highlights to keep in mind.

1. Nobody is trying to give you a discount. Everyone wants to make money so they’re selling that car at a low price for a reason. Your goal should be to find all of those reasons.
2. Make sure the numbers add up. Sellers can throw all of the bloated numbers and silver tongued estimates they want at you. But if you’re cautious and do all the math yourself you’ll be fine.
3. Check with your insurance providers before buying. You don’t want to be caught in a storm a few months later just to find out that your damage report is hold you back from filing a claim.