hi, im thinking about buying a civic hybrid to rebuild that was hit in the front. the bodywork and airbags shouldnt be a problem but the seller said that it would need a new right front drive axle and is very vague about the condition of the drivetrain, and doesnt know much other than the fact that it "runs". is there anything in specific i should look for and ask about that would make the rebuild cost more than its worth?

 

Hi and welcome to GreenHybrid.

What year model is this Civic Hybrid? Was it from a collision write-off?

Is it a CVT or MT model?

Cheers;

MSantos

 

its a 2007 with the cvt. im not sure what a collision write off is but it does have a salvage title.

 

I would try to find out if Honda invalidated the warranty on this vehicle as a result of the accident, and if they cannot re-certify it as a result of a quality rebuild then I would stay away from it.
Even without Honda's warranty blessing, anything short of a professional and quality rebuild is simply not worth the effort.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

I wouldn't buy anything like this site unseen.

 

yep - its a parts car now (unless you are buying it as a hobby and not for need)

 

i was looking to make a quick buck off of it, problem is that its three hours away at a salvage yard and all i have is pictures for now. if it was hit in the front could any of the hybrid components be damaged?

 

You bet they could be damaged- even if the damage is not visible to the naked eye.

Not only that, but most of us will frown upon bad quality repair jobs making good quality cars look lousy. Cars like these should not be put back into circulation unless a good quality repair job can be guaranteed. And even in such scenarios the car will never be the same and someone will likely end-up getting stuck with a warranty-less lemon.
What hurts the most is that whoever will buy it cannot afford the cost of a new one and will lose the most along the way when they realize that what's wrong may cost much more to fix properly if at all.

The way many of us see it, it is neither fair nor ethical to allow these cars back into the market unless Honda will re-certify them.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Yes.

Does it run?

How much are they asking?