mexicanpizza

iTrader: (9)

I'm looking for project cars, and I keep coming across what look like phenomenal deals on cars that unfortunately have a salvage title.

I know this is the result of bad damage (rollover, flood, etc), but if the car has been repaired well...what is the downside? Are they hard to insure? Can they be restored to regular title?

I'm basically lazy to search, and figured I'd post.

Examples:

http://www.craigslist.org/pen/car/29872430.html

(should be >$11k): http://www.craigslist.org/eby/car/29702669.html

(should be >$20k): http://www.craigslist.org/eby/car/29543889.html

mexicanpizza

iTrader: (9)

Hahahah google is helpful:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr16.htm

Ok how about tell me if you've had bad experiences with salvage title cars.

nic3krnnamja83

iTrader: (8)

once a slavage title always one. sometimes salvage title can be nothing, just broken into and insurance can claim it totalled and it will be salvage title. most are due to extensive damage tho. look into it more, the car i mean

NZO

View Askew

iTrader: (6)

I heard it's pretty hard to get insurance for a salvaged car, but don't know if that's true.

KurleeDaddeeWRX

iTrader: (26)

Ask Chris from I-Speed. I think the OBS EJ20 wagon had a salvage title from Utah or something.

Kurlee Daddee
(THE ORIGINAL)

Froride1

iTrader: (2)

I bought a motorcycle years ago with a salvage title. The reason it had a salvage title was because it was stolen and had all the numbers removed from the frame and engine. I bought it from a dealer that got it from a police auction. Got a good deal on the bike.

I also bought an RX-7 for my sister in the 80's that had a salvage title. It was the same deal as the bike. It was stolen and the engine removed. The guy I bought it from bought it from a police auction put a motor in it and his daughter drove it.

I would be very cautious buying a salvaged car if it's been in an accident. Have the car inspected to make sure it isn't some half-a$$ed chop job. But it can be a good deal if you find the right one. One other thing, selling it might be a pain because people are wise to the problems of salvaged cars and it won't be worth as much as a non salvaged car.

ubercaff

iTrader: (1)

That 2002 Miata looks like it has some ****ed up body fitment.

psoper

Yeah it really depends on what you want to do with it- for insurance it can be hard or even impossible to get comprehensive and or collision coverage, but liability shouldn't be an issue.
And it generally isn't a good thing for resale value- depending on the nature of the issues- a salvage title should be worth considerably less than blue-book, so if your looking for a beater or project car, salvage on the title should be no problemo-

on the other hand, if you're looking to fix something up for re-sale in a couple years- I'd highly suggest finding a car with a clean title

mexicanpizza

iTrader: (9)

No...this is strictly going to be an "i-pour-money-into-something-with-no-illusions-i'll-ever-get-it-back" type of operation.

bassplayrr

iTrader: (9)

MANY people use salvaged vehicles as project cars. Since you are gonna be dumping money into it and changing most of it anyway, who cares if it is perfect? Just keep in mind there are many different things that can cause the car to be "salvaged." Best case, as is what happened to a car my freind bought cheap, is that the car was stolen from the original owner, the insurance company pays the original owner once the car is missing long enough, the car is later found with the interior stripped, the insurance company replaces interior with new parts and sells a nearly perfect vehicle for about half price to recoup some of their losses. -OR- worst case as happend to another of my freinds, the car was submerged in a flood, cleaned up and sold as a salvaged tital. In this case the car had nothing but problems, some of which didn't appear for years, i.e. electrical problems, water in the motor, corrosion of the frame over time etc.

-Chris

dewdrops12

salvage vehicles can go either way -- my friend had a 91 mustang with salvage and it was an awesome car, but others can have crazy problems.
Salvage usually comes about when the cost of the repairs exceed the value of the vehicle or the vehicle is impossible to repair or stolen and recovered or water damage ---

example of a good salvage to buy -- had a tree branch fall on the roof of vehicle and is impossible/too much $ to repair.

bad salvage -- bent frame that can't be fixed, water damage, major accident etc...

I would be careful with it and figure out why it's salvaged 1st.

Also, vehicle with salvage title may be subject to dmv inspection.
liability insurance is easy to get -- comp/collision will be harder and probably not worth buying anyway....