Salvage Titles

[SCRunner12]

What are your thoughts on salvage title vehicles? How much below blue book do you feel they should be?

I've seen a lot recently while searching for a new 4runner and some seem tempting for the price.

 

[FoneRunner]

I just did some work for a guy who was opening a repair shop where all they do is buy totalled cars and fix them and sell them with salvage titles. The short story is not all of the vehicles had structural damage when they came in. They have to have a salvage title because the insurance company totalled it. So as far as picking one out, you should ask for the pictures that they are required to take before repairs are done so you can see the damage for yourself.

Now, that being said the value of the car is totally subjective. In my mind it should be half or a little less than half of the blue book to be worth it. I don't think I would buy a slavage title vehicle with the thought of EVER getting my money back out of it. If it was for a trail rig though, or maybe a first car for my kid(which is gonna get wrecked again anyway!) then it might be ok...just my $.02...

 

[Awz]

From what I can remember, a salvage title usually reduces the price by about 25%. My 4runner has a salvage title, payed $600 for it. From what I can tell, the passenger front was hit and it damaged that quarter panel, and the headlight mount. Frame is straight, body is straight, but has some damage. And not much rust especially for my area. If I could do that one over, I would. Make sure you have it checked out before you buy it. I had a friend that knows these pretty well go with me, and he got a little jealous that I got such a good deal. You may have a perfectly good car there, or you may have a complete trash vehicle. Just be aware when you go to look at it, that it's been wrecked at some point.

 

[MTDewX8]

I am shopping too

and have found a one LC that might do the trick. but I am not close enough to actually see the vehicle till I show up to drive it. i have to rely on someone else to look at it.
but dang still on teh fence of either a 2000ish 4runner or mid 95ish LC.
dam the choices. or then a truck would be nice too.

salvage titles worry me a bit, but then again its something you dont need to have full coverage on. lol

 

[SCRunner12]

Yeah I have been against them due to the possible frame damage and the possibility of losing everything if I get into an accident. There are some great deals though if they don't have frame damage. Probably wouldnt' buy a 3rd gen salvage but definitely a 1st gen like Awz.

 

[trailmix]

not all salvage titles have even been wrecked. Ive bought several trucks that were theft recoveries and had salvage titles because they were not recovered in a certain amount of time. Theres some great deals to be had out there on salvage title vehicles because they really do bring 25-50% less then book and often times theres nothing wrong with them at all. Just do your homework on one before you buy it so you make sure youre not buying a truck thats just going to turn into a headache.

On a second note, ive bought a couple trucks that were hit and had frame damage but since the owner held the title in his hand, the insurance company never gave it a salvage title so i bought with a clear title, fixed it, drove it for a year and ran it through the auction with a clean blue title. So i short, i wouldnt get to hung up on the idea of buying a salvage title vehicle, if its a good enough deal and you know the damage that happened wasnt structural buy it!

 

[gptoy96]

Depends on the age of the vehicle too. If the vehicle is something fairly new, the amount of damage that would be required to total it would be pretty significant. That would make me fairly nervous.

But as a vehicle ages, it really wouldn't take much to "total" it then, a small fender bender might even do it.

So depending on the vehicle in question, what I was expecting out of it, and whether the damage occured early in it's life or something more recent would all be factors to me.

 

[Uneek]

I had an 12yr old old car (at the time of the accident) that some dumb lady hit me on the rear door and quarter panel.

The insurance company salvaged it because it was worth about $4000 and it would've cost $3000 to repair.

Salvaged vehicles like ones with stolen interiors, IMO, are ok to buy if you're willing to restore it.

 

[034RUNNER]

Salvaged vehicles like ones with stolen interiors, IMO, are ok to buy if you're willing to restore it.

+1.

I see salvage and I stop looking at the car.

Only way I would get one is if I was building up a dedicated track car or something like that.

 

[grimpy]

The stuff I see when I used to go to IAA & Copart makes me never want to touch a salvage vehicle... Those things were beat to crap... and these are So. Cal's two largest Salvage Auto Auctions....