Auction tips for buying 2013 Nissan Leaf damaged please?

Thinking of bidding on this on 12/16/19. Auction requires $200 fee just to bid. I'm going to assume the battery is degraded and only gets 60mi of range or worse. I will bring leaf spy and iphone, but not sure if I can get the key to turn it on and run leaf spy befroe the auction.
I'm going to assume auction fees will add another $300, so I am $500 right off the bat. Thinking I will bid no more than $1900, for $2400 total after fees, does that sound like a good plan? Never been to an auto auction before! It's only 30 minutes away so will be a learning experience if nothing else.

Car is listed at 54,000, Not sure what trim level, and has key and runs and drives supposedly. I will probabaly just bondo the crap out of the front damaged area. Dont' really care how it looks.

Does it have a clear title? If there was an insurance company that totaled it and it now will have a salvage/rebuilt title check with your state on what it would take to get it back on the road. This is not a 30 minute process to get it back on the road in some states or even a 30 day process even after the repairs are completed and proven to the state.

I have a similar interest to give my son some EV experience is the shop.

the web site says: Title/Sale Doc: SALVAGE (North Carolina)
Title/Sale Doc Brand: REBUILT

Looks like I will have to pay a $50 inspection fee and a $15 salvage title fee and $30 tag fees $150 in property taxes, another $150 in insurance. and I'm probabaly missing even more fees, lol.

Look at the build date on the driver's side door sill. If before April of 2013, assume it needs a new battery.

aluminumwelder said:

Car is listed at 54,000, Not sure what trim level, and has key and runs and drives supposedly. I will probabaly just bondo the crap out of the front damaged area. Dont' really care how it looks.

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I'm going to guess it's a SV or SL, S model Leafs had steel wheels so being a SV/SL it would have the more efficient heat pump heater.

If that's a light interior, then it's an SV.

thanks for the tips they helped, figgured out it was an SV made in 7/13.

aluminumwelder said:

the web site says: Title/Sale Doc: SALVAGE (North Carolina)
Title/Sale Doc Brand: REBUILT

Looks like I will have to pay a $50 inspection fee and a $15 salvage title fee and $30 tag fees $150 in property taxes, another $150 in insurance. and I'm probabaly missing even more fees, lol.

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That car was previously wrecked and someone bought it at auction and fixed it up to apply for a rebuilt title; now it looks to have been wrecked again, or the body damage was never repaired the first time. For whatever reason they are trying to run it thru the auction again. Don't assume anything about a car like this, there could be parts missing.

The quickest and least expensive option is to find a salvage yard that will buy it for you, then you don't have to shell out all the non-dealer and startup costs. The regular licensed salvage buyers don't pay all those fees, but they do have to register with the state and pay license and insurance in order to be a salvage buyer.

I do not see a prior accident to this one under vehicle history???

What do think max price should be? Nissan Leaf batteries modules go for about $2000-$3000 depending on condition for a pack of 48

well it is above what I wanted to spend already! :roll: $3175 by the time all the fees are paid it will be $3750.
people always ruin auctions by bidding early and too high oh well.

https://www.iaai.com/VehicleDetails?itemid=33418097&RowNumber=0&similarVehicleItemId=&isNext=&loadRecent=true

I can go down to Atlanta and get a 2013 accident free leaf for $5000 any day of the week.

oh well didn't really need it, just always wanted an electric car.

Morons have now bid it up to $3625. after fees it will be around $4300.

aluminumwelder said:

Morons have now bid it up to $3625. after fees it will be around $4300.

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Not morons. The battery alone in that car is worth at least $3k. It's useful to replace in a 2013 built before April, solar storage projects, etc.

if they just wanted battery pack they can get it off ebay for less without the hassle of a tear down.
If they wanted a complete car they can buy one used for $5000

What is the point of buying a car for $4200 after fees, fixing it up yourself, for $500 in labor parts and going through the hassle of rebuilt title, when you only are saving $300? sorry they dont' know the value of their own time and labor I guess. and this is all assuming that no other hidden damage or missing parts are discovered. if charger cable is missing that is $150 extra cost right away.