DID WE GET SCAMMED BUYING THIS VAN FROM A SALVAGE AUCTION

Summary

The video follows a car dealer buying salvage vehicles from auction to fix and resell. He buys a 2019 Renault van expecting minor damage but it arrives crushed beyond economically viable repair. The chassis and floor are mangled from the crash impact. They get it running to sell for parts but feel tricked by the sale photos that hid the true extent of damage. They question the validity of damage assessment categories and whether the assessor actually inspected the van in person before declaring it repairable. The dealer seeks viewers' opinions on the deceitful sale and the van's excessive damage compared to its repair classification.

Takeaways

• 😟 The van purchased from the salvage auction was in extremely poor condition - the chassis had completely separated from the body due to damage.
• 😠 The level of damage suggests the van should have been deemed a Category B total loss rather than a repairable Category S.
• 🤨 There are doubts over whether the insurance assessor actually inspected the van before categorizing it.
• 🙂 Despite the damage, the van's engine only had 28,000 miles on it and ran smoothly when tested.
• 😊 The buyer was able to acquire a replacement key and security code for the no-key van from a dealership.
• 👍 The van will be kept for spare parts which can be sold to help recoup some of the purchase cost.
• 🤔 Commenters are invited to share their thoughts on whether the assessor saw the van and if the category was appropriate.
• 😃 The buyer remains optimistic about finding a flood-damaged van with a faulty engine to repair.
• ❤️ The team is open to buying damaged vehicles from viewers to refurbish and resell.
• 📲 Viewers can connect with the team via Instagram and email to suggest vehicles for purchase or sale.

Q & A

What kind of vehicle did they buy at the auction?

They bought a 2019 Ford Transit van.

What condition category was the van listed as?

The van was listed as a Category S, which means it was structurally damaged but potentially repairable.

What was the actual condition of the van when they received it?

The van was in very poor condition. The body structure was severely damaged with the chassis legs bent and floor pan ripped open.

What was the mileage on the van?

The van had only 28,000 miles on it.

Were they able to get a key made for the van?

Yes, they got the key code from the dealer and had a new key made.

Did the engine run properly when they tested it?

Yes, the engine started up and sounded good when they tested it.

What salvage category did they think the van should have been listed as?

They thought it should have been listed as a Category B, meaning only good for parts/breaking.

Did they think the insurance assessor actually inspected the van before listing it?

No, they did not think the assessor had actually seen the van's condition before assessing it as repairable.

What do they plan to do with the van now?

They plan to part out the good parts and eventually swap the engine into another flood damaged van.

What feedback did they have about the auction's photo policy?

They were frustrated that the auction doesn't allow vehicles to be inspected in person anymore since the photos don't always show damage.