Plenty of enthusiasts dream about a fun car until they see the price tag and the dealer markups. For one self-described Toyota fan, the answer was a wrecked 2023 Toyota GR Corolla he found on Facebook Marketplace.
The buyer, Ben, who posts as @GearsandGasoline, says he paid $11,000 for the car. It is a Core edition from the first model year, with 15,000 miles on it. He says these cars retail for about $40,000 in the US.
He bought it from a man who had picked it up at auction as a salvage-title car, planning to fix it himself, until life got too busy.
“This was basically the only way I was ever going to own one of these cars.”
What Was Wrong With The Toyota GR Corolla
The car came from Florida, and it had clearly hit something hard. The front end was gone and the windshield had a crack. In addition, the passenger-side panels and the rear bumper had damage. Ben thinks the driver understeered and slid along whatever it hit.
The biggest concern, though, was a visibly kinked frame rail. Unless someone fixes that, he explains, the car will never be straight.
He takes heart from one thing. The regular Corolla shares many parts, like the doors, headlights and windshield, so they are easier and cheaper to find than parts for some rival hot hatches.
Clearing The Codes
While he waits for a body shop slot, Ben and his friends get to work. They replace the windshield and pull the damaged panels. The airbag module had already been reset by the previous owner, but the warning light stays on.
So they plug in Toyota’s own software and find 44 fault codes. With some relearning, they clear all of them except a few driver-assist codes that need a front end on the car before anyone can fix them.
The 50/50 Shot That Missed
Next, the car goes to Kevin, a body technician with about 25 years of experience. Before he starts, he gives his honest odds.
“That’s a 50/50 shot. We might walk out. We might be putting a frame rail in it.”
He puts the car on his frame machine and gives the rail a pull. It does not go Ben’s way.
“it is just way too far gone in here to even be fixable.”
Kevin says he would not trust the rail in another collision, even if it looked straight. He adds that the subframe has a bend as well. Following Toyota’s repair procedure means cutting the rail about 7 inches back and welding in new sections. To do that, the engine has to come out.
Back at Ben’s shop, they drop the little turbocharged three-cylinder and its six-speed manual out of the car. The nearly new car comes apart more easily than he expected. Two days later, it is back on Kevin’s frame machine.
What To Know Before Buying A Wrecked Performance Car
A salvage-title car can be a way into a car you could not otherwise afford, but it comes with risks. Here is what we took from this one:
- Look closely at the frame rails and subframe before you buy, not just the panels.
- Budget for a professional body shop, since structural repairs need the right equipment.
- Check which parts the car shares with cheaper models, because that can cut repair costs.
- Expect fault codes after a crash, and plan for software that can clear them.
- Remember that the salvage title stays with the car, even after a perfect repair.
Where Things Stand
Kevin has sectioned in new rails, and the repairs line up the way they should. The body panels and the engine still have to go back in, and Ben says that comes in a later episode. Kevin, meanwhile, sums up the goal of the whole job.
“You not supposed to know it’s been in a wreck. Except for the title.”
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