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Salvage/rebuilt... yay or nay?

T

TheNoob23

New member
I've been looking at getting a new car and I've seen a few nice ones with a good price, low miles, good condition... there's always a catch though. They have rebuilt/salvage title, but of course they've been all fixed up. I know the value of cars with a rebuilt/salvage title will be a lot lower, but if I buy it for cheap and eventually end up selling it in a few years for within say 1k-2k of what I paid then thats about average depreciation. So, what do you guys think?
 
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Re: What do you guys think....?

I would have it looked over REALLY closely before buying it. Ask lots of questions as to why it was rebuilt/extent of the damage and what was damaged/replaced. That way there are no surprises. Heck, run a Carfax on it.

You don't want to buy something, no matter how cheap it is, if you are constantly having problems with it. Example- a front side collision bent the subframe and control arm just a touch. Sure, to the naked eye it may look fine and may even drive straight. But what you will find is you will be going through tires every 3K miles and won't know why. At $100/ea. for a decent tire that $600 car just cost you 3 times that in just 9K miles in tires alone.
 
I've bought a few with rebuilt titles and i haven't had any problems with them. I'd take it to a body shop and make sure it's done right before buying it though.
 
Remember salvage title = once totaled car.
Totaled car = more damage(or within 80%, depends) than fixed value, to appraisers eyes.
Car fixed after being totaled = decent chance of someone cutting corners, in order to make cost < value.

Doesn't have to be the case, but you want to be careful for sure.
 
ive got a salvaged car. bought for $350 off my aunt and she bought it from a shop. my cousine wrecked it so i bought it and fixed her all up. runs real good just some body damage.

i guess a car with a salvage title can be like any car. either fixed up right and runs good or someone went cheap to get some money out of her. just look it over and maybe have a shop inspect it. dont look away becuase it has a salvaged title.
 


im not gonna lie, i would not hesitate to buy a salvage vehicle so long as i knew what kind of accident it was in and how well the work was done. if it runs and drives like new you can be fairly safe to assume the work wasn't hodge podged together and you'll be okay.
 
Not all salvage vehicles have been wrecked, flooded, or on fire. Theft recovery and abandoned cars are sometimes issued salvage titles.
My Camaro was abandoned and issued a salvage title.
 
Salvage vehicles are worth their weight in scrap.
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If fixed right with all new parts and stuff, then there's no problem. It depends how good are you at telling the difference and if you know where to look.
 
I have repaired and sold 6 rebuilt title cars in the last few years... Its a pain to sell them.. but I make it clear what the deal is, provide lots of documentation (I personally provide the data from the frame rack if it was on one, alignment information from the alignment shop, copies of all parts purchaced.....)
 
My Camaro was salvage title as is my GTP. They both were great cars & you'd hafta ask me where the damage was to even know they were salvage. My 99 GTP on salvage is worth $1k. So they really aren't worth sh*t. But who buy's a salvage car with plans to sell it?
 
i could really help. ok i joined this forums cause i just bought a 2004 grand prix out the auction for only 3k shipped now the car had very light hail damage with a Tennessee salvage title but i live in florida which makes it a rebuilt the VHR showed same thing nothing but hail with only 80k miles i contacted the inspector in that state and they said the car is running and driving like brand new 10point inspection and passed all around all it need is a oil change :-) it should be here tomorrow or thursday but i will show it as soon as it touch down from day one
 
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