Think my frame is bent?

So anyone out there wanna buy the truck once its fixed? I'll be making sure it goes to a good shop, but at least you'll know the full history of the truck.

 

I still don't see the mentality of thinking any car would have a diminished value just because a frame was repaired or replaced. I just really don't get it. I have had a frame replaced on a truck before and I felt no different driving that truck after the repair than I did before the repair. The frame is exactly the same. What is different? Because it was not the one that came with the truck from the factory? I have seen trucks with twisted frames come off transport trucks and get a brand new frame put into it, and it was put right next to all the other trucks on the showroom. There was ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with those trucks.

If the work is done right, there will be NOTHING wrong with it after the repair. The issue comes SOLELY from the mentality that people THINK there is a problem, therefore there must be one. Because of this dealerships and other places that take trade ins will take advantage of that mentality and tell you it is worth less. WHY? Why is it worth less? Give me a legitimate reason that does not have anything to do with perception, but solely on form or function and I will get off the sop box.

I think I will be standing here for a while because a properly done repair or replacement does NOT affect a bit of form or function. Hell, if you take a truck that has 150k miles on it and install a new engine the value goes UP because the new engine is just that, new...or even a rebuild with no miles on it increases the value on resale (Been there, done that for YEARS so I know this to be true) So why is it that if you take an older frame that has years of wear and tear on it and replace it with a brand new one does the value suddenly go down? One reason, and one reason only. PERCEPTION!

 

Jeez BamaToy could you take that video clip off so's I can read the post!

Jim

 

It depreciates because... Why would someone pay the same amount for a car that has never been wrecked in comparison to a car that has?. It's not as much the idea of a frame replacement as it is the fact it shows up on the cars history.

I said "as much" for the simple fact, It does not say on carfax that the repair was done properly back to factory specs. It's just a word that is used loosely... I even think I said my old BMW was fixed professionally when I was selling it. While actually, A shop did fix it but did a horrible job and used a mixture of used and aftermarket parts.

 

From what shops have been telling me one of the larger contributing factors to the idea of its diminished value is the fact that its a frame job. If you replace your engine you don't have to take the entire suspension apart, you don't have to do a lot of things that are necessary when replacing the entire frame. Every major component of the car, so I am told as I am not a mechanic, will have be taken out and then put back in. Even if done by a great shop it will not be the same as if it had never been done. I'm sure many people would get the work done and never know the difference, and then there are the many people who had the work done and say they do feel the difference.

What I'm doing is having it fixed through my insurance who is contractually obligated to use only toyota parts bought from a toyota dealer, its part of my coverage plan, and having the work done at a high quality shop. And then I am going to sell the truck.

Not everyone would do this, but its what I'm doing.

 

if the frame is bended.... IT should be totaled. Good luck man.

 

No.......

Maybe it is because of my background in the field. I have replaced frames before and in that, as well as my other work I am meticulous in how things get changed over and reinstalled. I guess it is just in the way that I see things. But that is fine. People can sell their cars for the lower value all day long and I would be more than happy to buy it. lol. Again, a lot of it is based on perception. As mentioned before, there is no TANGIBLE decrease in value of a repaired vehicle. It is merely PERCEPTIVE value.

For all ANYONE on here knows, their truck could have had the frame replaced on delivery to the dealership for a twisted frame, and be none the wiser. You don't think the frame is a replacement, and as such, you see nothing wrong with the truck. I would be willing to bet that there are close to 50 or more trucks belonging to TW members that have had frame replacements at the dealership that they don't know about.

 

Agree with Bama about the diminished value. DV should only be claimed if the vehicle is sold at that "claimed" loss. If you keep the vehicle for 15+ years you never realized the loss in value.

 

I agree with you too Bama. The loss is all based on what it can be sold for, not what the parts or craftsmanship is worth. Unfortunately that is generally what all value is equated too. Anything ends up only being worth what you can get for it, or you could say its only worth what someone else values it at..