got a small ding, this man can fix it

[Haldex]

Or we should be working on the basis of your assertion that the wreck of a BMW 7 (or most other wrecks on this yt channel..) are repairable?

I happen to know a thing or two how are these wrecks sold in States and at what prices. There's a reason why they aren't repaired and put back on the road in US - there's Mexican body repairmen as skilled and as cheap as your Lithuanian hammersmith- yet they choose to ship these "repairables" overseas.. wander why?..

But no point arguing.. It's a free world.. you choose to believe what you want..

[eternal optimist]

Originally Posted by Haldex

Or we should be working on the basis of your assertion that the wreck of a BMW 7 (or most other wrecks on this yt channel..) are repairable?

I happen to know a thing or two how are these wrecks sold in States and at what prices. There's a reason why they aren't repaired and put back on the road in US - there's Mexican body repairmen as skilled and as cheap as your Lithuanian hammersmith- yet they choose to ship these "repairables" overseas.. wander why?..

But no point arguing.. It's a free world.. you choose to believe what you want..

I make no comment on the 7 Series linked to earlier by you - the thread started with a relatively modestly damaged S60. Would I repair the 7 series? No. Is it repairable? Yes, evidently - it's been repaired. What wouldn't I repair? Anything with severe fire damage. Mind you, that's not stopped an American guy rebuilding the shell of a burned out Dodge Hellcat on YouTube.

It is indeed a free world - free for people to buy damaged cars and export them to different parts of the world where labour costs and overheads are cheaper than in the US and Western Europe. The economics drive the destination of the cars.

US folks also buy damaged cars at auction and show their repairs on their own YouTube channels. I have also had a look at Copart and the equivalent salvage auction sites. The decisions about insurance/write off categories and what can and cannot be done with a damaged car are not international standards.

What I'm curious about is your making assertions as though they were fact and then not backing them up with evidence. If we're trading opinions, then that's fine. I'm not sure I agree with all your opinions, and I suspect the same is true on your part in respect of mine.

[Haldex]

Originally Posted by eternal optimist

The decisions about insurance/write off categories and what can and cannot be done with a damaged car are not international standards.

Exactly. And believe you me- that's the only reason why would anyone go through the hassle/expense of having a wreck shipped from Texas to Lithuania rather than having it repaired locally.

[eternal optimist]

Originally Posted by Haldex

Exactly. And believe you me- that's the only reason why would anyone go through the hassle/expense of having a wreck shipped from Texas to Lithuania rather than having it repaired locally.

Labour rates for a skilled body man in the US vs in the developing world are the same then? I didn't know that. Not to mention overhead costs of running a body shop. It's all about economics.

[Haldex]

C'mon, you know better than that.. no one buys a wreck, takes it to an authorized body shop and pays a market hourly rate. I'm sure you have blackmarket body shops in the UK as well.. You really think illegal Mexican body repairmen charge that much more to make it worthwhile to pay for overseas shipping to Lithuania?.. And ever since Lithuania is "developing world"?

[eternal optimist]

Originally Posted by Haldex

C'mon, you know better than that.. no one buys a wreck, takes it to an authorized body shop and pays a market hourly rate. I'm sure you have blackmarket body shops in the UK as well.. You really think illegal Mexican body repairmen charge that much more to make it worthwhile to pay for overseas shipping to Lithuania?.. And ever since Lithuania is "developing world"?

OK. I give up. I’m bored with you failing to actually answer questions or back up your opinion with anything other than generalisations.

[Haldex]

I need to “back up” my opinion- yet your opinion is an axiom? You’re a funny guy

Here’s where these Lithuanian repairs end up:

“Risky makeovers for US cars sold in Sweden

Swedish road safety experts have warned that a new batch of damaged US cars has made its way to Sweden from Lithuania, with new paint jobs hiding potentially life-endangering mechanical flaws.

As many as 61 percent of cars imported to Sweden from Lithuania last year had a claims history in the US, according a survey from Larmtjänst AB, a non-profit organization owned by industry organization Insurance Sweden (Försäkring Sverige).

"We discovered that American cars got a new identity in Lithuania, so we started the investigation," Torbjörn Serrander, Larmtjänst investigator, told The Local.

The potentially faulty cars come not only from Lithuania. One in five of all cars imported to Sweden, regardless of the last port of call, has had claims taken out on them in the US.

From the US junkyard to Sweden, most of the cars are sent to Lithuania where the chassis is replaced. The vehicles end up looking sparkling new on the surface, but under the hood there can be critical damages, meaning unsafe products are being sold on the Swedish auto market....”

https://www.thelocal.se/20130620/48618

Google in Swedish returns much more on this topic.