Buying a used car, whats the deal with VIV?

[XR_6falcon]

Well this morning went to go look at a black BA XR6. The owner of the car was honest enough to tell me that the car has had a VIV? although he said it was for the drivers door that had been replaced due to and accident. I went to look at the build date thats usually in the drivers door side jam, but couldnt find one.

Heres wheres im confused, I thought that VIV was for when a car is written off, and the owner says it wasnt written off. Oh and this is in VIC.

Any information regard VIV or anything to do with it would be appericiated

[Smoke Pursuit]

Repairable write off... So it has been written off but you can still repair it at cost.

I wouldnt buy it if it doesnt have the vin stickers, but then again someo fo the early BAs had them in the engine bay on the left hand side near the coolant tank.

[Yellow_Festiva]

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/...gistration.htm

What is a Vehicle Identity Validation (VIV) certificate?
A VIV certificate is a document issued by a VicRoads VIV inspector after inspection of the vehicle to ensure that the identity of a repairable write-off is that of the previously damaged vehicle, and not that of a rebirthed stolen vehicle, and that the vehicle has been repaired to manufacturer’s standards.

He was being honest, but your own research in a vehicle should have picked it up anyway if they use a similar system to NSW.

Also, if you do buy this vehicle, expect to pay a reduced price. Remember, when you sell, you will also be having to explain to the next buyer that it was a repairable write off (and they will also want a discount).

[CADSKY]

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/...rePurchase.htm

check the rego in here. it will tell you if it was a repairable write off.

[Kryton]

From what your telling me, the car has had a VIV done (Vehicle Identification Validation).
This means that the car WAS written Off at some point but has been repaired and inspected (VIV) and passed.
The car is now no longer written off anymore and can be treated as any other car.
The days of dodgey repairs are long gone and repairs have to be done to a standard otherwise the VIV wont be issued.

All you need to do is take it for a RWC (if it hasnt got one) and present if for Rego (if it hasnt already got it).
Ask for the VIV certificate and all documents the owner has from the repairs done.

[bangm001]

I wouldnt have a bar to do with it personally, once they have been hit like that they are never the same.

[XR_6falcon]

Originally Posted by bangm001

I wouldnt have a bar to do with it personally, once they have been hit like that they are never the same.

yeah thats what im thinking. But its a 05 model with 101k on the clock. He was ready to hand it over for 14k but im having my doubts as the door creaks and i want to know how badly it was hit

edit; registed till nov but no rwc

[chrisfpv]

Originally Posted by bangm001

I wouldnt have a bar to do with it personally, once they have been hit like that they are never the same.

100% agree with the above, for a car to be a repairable write-off then it's been in a pretty serious accident. I'd stay away, there are plenty more cars out there.

Another thing that I heard about repairable write-offs are that they are a pain in the *** to get insured, but don't know if there is any truth to that or not.

[Kryton]

There is no truth in the insurance thing at all.
any car that has been repaired and VIV'd is considered a normal car.

Just because it has been written off, does not mean it has been in a serious accident at all.
A car can be written off for many reason, one of which is financial - just like the hundreds of cars that will be written off this week from hail damage.

A panel beater might charge $12000 to repair and repaint a hail damaged car, where as anyone else could do the same thing for $2000.
$12000 to fix an $8000 car = Written off for no other reason than that.

[XDV800]

I'm guessing because the compliance 'sticker' is in the drivers door region, then it has been written off if that area was damaged extensively enough to warrant the removal of the compliance sticker.
Those stickers cannot be renewed, a bit of a technical advancement to prevent car crims from making a living. Apparently.

[Morexbs]

"The car is now no longer written off anymore and can be treated as any other car"

"any car that has been repaired and VIV'd is considered a normal car."


These are very wrong,naive and potentially very costly bits of advice.Once a car is on the Written Off Vehicle Register it stays there for good and is permanently tainted.Sellers in Victoria are now required by law to state whether the car they are selling is on the WOVR and there are now fines for non disclosure of this.The car might be fine now but its value has been affected for good.It is far from "a normal car".
Save yourself the grief and go and buy an ex fleet car from the auctions for the same money.It will have had one driver,proper servicing and won't be on the WOVR (and it will have a compliance sticker too)

[XR_6falcon]

Originally Posted by Morexbs

"The car is now no longer written off anymore and can be treated as any other car"

"any car that has been repaired and VIV'd is considered a normal car."


These are very wrong,naive and potentially very costly bits of advice.Once a car is on the Written Off Vehicle Register it stays there for good and is permanently tainted.Sellers in Victoria are now required by law to state whether the car they are selling is on the WOVR and there are now fines for non disclosure of this.The car might be fine now but its value has been affected for good.It is far from "a normal car".
Save yourself the grief and go and buy an ex fleet car from the auctions for the same money.It will have had one driver,proper servicing and won't be on the WOVR (and it will have a compliance sticker too)

Been to the auctions no luck so far, so been looking round private salers. Had a look at one today white 04 BA XR6 169K on the clock for 12k lowered on typhoon rims. The k's are alittle off putting but had full serivce history

[Adamz Ghia]

Tell him he's dreamin...

XR6

XR6

XR6

Plenty of cheap ones that aren't written off, these are only three of them.

[Adamz Ghia]

Whoops, double post...

[Trevor 57]

Air bags going off are one the biggest contributor to a car being written off, not so much in the case of a Falcon as they have some of the cheapest air bags to buy.

[LTDHO]

If the seller didn't tell you he had a VIV, would you have known?

[XR_6falcon]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

If the seller didn't tell you he had a VIV, would you have known?

I would have checked up before with VicRoads before continuing...

[Kryton]

Originally Posted by XR_6falcon

I would have checked up before with VicRoads before continuing...

Therefore you wouldnt have known.

If the VIV has been done, it will no longer be listed as a write off with Vicroads.
The only way you would have known was if you paid for the detailed report - which a lot of people dont bother doing.
A quick check at vicroads with the FREE check wouldnt have brang it up as ever being written off.

[XR_6falcon]

Originally Posted by davway

Therefore you wouldnt have known.

If the VIV has been done, it will no longer be listed as a write off with Vicroads.
The only way you would have known was if you paid for the detailed report - which a lot of people dont bother doing.
A quick check at vicroads with the FREE check wouldnt have brang it up as ever being written off.

How much does it cost and how do i get it done?

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by davway

Therefore you wouldnt have known.

If the VIV has been done, it will no longer be listed as a write off with Vicroads.
The only way you would have known was if you paid for the detailed report - which a lot of people dont bother doing.
A quick check at vicroads with the FREE check wouldnt have brang it up as ever being written off.

So you more than likely would have bought it!

Sounds like a great deal. Have it looked over by a professional.

At least the seller is being open and honest. Which is rare.

[nickd]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

So you more than likely would have bought it!

Sounds like a great deal. Have it looked over by a professional.

At least the seller is being open and honest. Which is rare.

Fair call.

[XR_6falcon]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

So you more than likely would have bought it!

Sounds like a great deal. Have it looked over by a professional.

At least the seller is being open and honest. Which is rare.

Maybe, but the other things i noticed on it put me off. I had noticed that it had been re-registerd and when i found no build date, i knew somthing was up. Anyways it wasnt just the other things i just mentioned that had put me off. The side skirt was asif the paint had been melted off... and the way it drove as well. All in all I am considering keeping my EF and waiting another few months before i buy another car.

[nickd]

Early BA's have there tags under bonnet, as others have said with todays repairs its pretty strict with repairs you must show all receipts look around the door seal its hinges if you must get check the viv do so at the end of the day you see what you has been done and then its up to you to do a deal or no deal on the car.

[SVD]

the way i look at it, if he is prepared to let it go for 14k after being repaired and it's an 05 model, something else must be wrong or it may have been a pretty bad shunt to the side of the car... go over it with a fine toothed comb and make sure there is not one single thing out of place with it, but... i generally wouldn't deal with a repaired car without knowing how bad the damage was in the first place... that and p-plater cars....(99% of them anyway...)

[JBS]

Dont touch the thing, he is getting rid of it at that price for a reason. Save your coin and dont buy someone else's troubles. Wait for the right one to come along. I wouldnt go any where near it personally

[snowcone]

It depends on where the car was damaged. I picked up a great Honda Accord Euro Luxury for $10k less than the dealers wanted and it had been a repairable write-off. It had been hit up the backside and the guy showed where they had cut the rear panels off inside the boot and all the work was perfect. I'm a mechanic and I couldn't pick it. Car is black so was given a full respray and I would class it as immaculate. In most cases the labour costs quoted to the Insurance Companies are just too high to warrant doing the repair - they weigh up the cost of repair versus paying out the claim (policy is automatically cancelled then so they keep the full premium) and then selling the wreck at auction. In most cases they make more money this way because if it is a late model it will be worth thousands of dollars in parts to a wrecker, or a smart panelbeater can rebuild at his cost, not the quoted insurance costs.

[divine_afg]

A car is Writen-off for various reasons - and most reasons have been mentioned in previous posts

There is a reason and difference between a car getting Repairable right off and Statuary write-off stickers

Repairable Write-off - Car can be repaired, Should be done Correctly and by Professional no backyard job like people used to before VIV was introduced.

Every measure of care for saftey and attention to detail should be taken in repairing the car.

Ask the seller full Details of the Repair:
Repair Invoice - Check to see business who repaired is reputable.
Pictures taken of the car - Before, During and After Repairs - this is Required by VIV
Ask if there was a Structure Report Done and have it looked over by Proffesional if you don't understand it.

Personaly I wouldn't be too concerned over sticker on doors becuase if its passed VIV then All is Well.

Everycar you buy doesn't matter writoff or Not, Dealer, Private or Auction. its bound to have something wrong with it or go wrong with. Personally I don't see difference with any of them I have had my fair share of experience with all the above ways of purchasing Vehicles

Even Brand new cars have issues - But come with warranty or peace of mind

As for buying Used car for your peace of mind you can take it up to mechanic, panel beater and do RACV check and insist seller provide RWC.

I recently purchased my mates - Repairable Write-Off F6 Tornado direct from Insurance ! Went through VIV, It was fun hehe and spared no expense repairing it.

Good Luck