I am a bit lucky when it comes to buying cars, I have been buying auction write off cars for 30 years now, having a Dealer licence helped as it gets you into some dealer only auctions, I have done hundreds of write offs before WOVR and done hundreds since WOVR was introduced, there is only 1 vehicle out of 12 in my driveway that is not on the WOVR and that's my Canter, I also didn't pay full price for it either.
I don't buy cars with Chassis or major structural damage unless I am using them for parts, I'm used to doing airbags now so they don't bother me anymore, I used to stick to one model of car and once purchased 8 Hyundai Getz on the same day from Pickles in 1 hit, 3 for parts and 5 repairers, I would have purchased 10 but I got there late
I generally buy a car a week, if not to fix, I just wack a $1000 on what I purchased it for and on sell it, never had a problem selling them, plenty of people wanting repairable cars to do up, I very rarely buy from pickles any more unless its cheap as its gone to $#!t in the last 5 years price wise.
What I cant stand is when people buy a car from the auctions for way too much, then scrimp on the repairs to make up for it, this is what gives all WOVR vehicles a bad name, My RTV is on the WOVR for two broken door glasses, my sons AUDI is on for a tow bar hole in the front bar and a bumper reinforcement, the wife's Mercedes is listed for the LH rear suspension damage, My smart car is on for a rh fender and door skin, I know when I eventually sell them the buyer will be scared off what they are buying, so I have kept all documents and pictures of repairs so they can see.
I have always been upfront when I sell a WOVR car, shown the potential buyer all pictures etc, I have only had 1 woman tell me she was no longer interested in a late model Mirage I was selling, I sold it to the next guy who was waiting in his car while the woman was looking.
I can remember my first write off I purchased to repair, it was a brand new VR Calais in two tone white and silver hit down the LH side 2 doors, 1/4 panel and the rear suspension (
IRS), paid $1800 for the wreck and spent the same to repair, sold it for $14000 and that started the ball rolling, and it hasn't stopped since.
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