Would you buy a car with a salvage title?

[JackDidley]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

Absolutely.

The very thorough inspections that are required to get a salvage car back on the road far exceeds anything that will take place in a PPI.

In Indiana, no safety inspection required. Ive done a few. I just have to document the parts I used were purchased, not stolen and have a cop look at the VIN and fill out a form. I turn that in to the DMV and get a rebuilt title. I dont do a fix and flip. I fix and keep until worn out.

[john70t]

New cars are over-complicated with gadgets and poor design and too expensive to fix yourself.
That's partially why new sale are bombing.
The rest is for parf.

There are some simple tricks besides a magnet and paint tester, or running your hand along lumpy panel edges to check for re-paint.
Electronics will eventually fail if flooded.
https://9gag.com/gag/aKGNBgb

I don't understand why anyone would buy a car unseen, or house, over the internet...

What is your time worth?
"Never enough time to do it right. Always enough time to do it over."

[Tim Hancock]

I bought my 40' motorhome from CoPart with a salvage title. After fixing it Ohio required me to get it inspected by a Highway Patrol inspection location and after passing that, I was able to get an Ohio "rebuilt title" which is required to be able to put a plate on it and start using it.

The inspection was a joke.... All they wanted to see was receipts of any used major parts and the receipts needed to show the vin numbers of the vehicles the used parts came from. They did not check anything safety wise on my coach.

I have thought about buying more salvage cars from CoPart, but you have to have a dealer's license in Ohio to bid and buy them. (motorhomes are exempt from this requirement in Ohio). I personally like the idea of buying salvage cars, but only after I see the vehicle and know what damage exists. The idea of getting a nice vehicle for dirt cheap that I can fix is right up my alley.

[Cajundaddy]

In CA We had a very difficult time insuring a salvage title car. This was 20 years ago and things may have changed but we ended up not getting it because Mercury Ins said No!

$10k is plenty to find a decent kid car. I would look for a Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Saturn from around 2010-2012 that was cared for and does not have a zillion miles. Saturn is below the radar for most but they are simple, reliable, and inexpensive to repair. Even though the brand is gone parts are GM and still available.

[unclebilly]

Things are VERY different in Canada. Everything on the car must be 'as new' to pass a safety inspection to get a rebuilt title.

When I was in my late teens, we rebuilt many write offs. We did a lot of Toyota 4x4s, 280 ZXs... this is partly how I owned a 9 year old Corvette whan I was 17. I bought a theft recovery and rebuilt it.

The inspections were no joke back then and have gotten more strict now.

[vash]

I wouldn't.

I've passed on some great potential.

[JackDidley]

Hail damaged cars can be a great deal. Replace broken glass and drive it. No worries from water or crash damage.

[rattlsnak]

I've bought 5 salvage titled cars over the years ( all 911s ) but I bought them that way and then rebuilt them myself and had zero issues with resale, insurance etc after the fact. All were great deals and I kept them all for a year or two after the repairs and made lots of money on them when they sold. Keep in mind that recovered stolen cars have salvaged titles also and they basically have no damage. If I were to buy a rebuilt titled car, i would want to see the pictures of the initial damages and the repairs along the way.

Here are two of them I bought at Copart.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by john70t

I don't understand why anyone would buy a car unseen, or house, over the internet...

I bought a house outside of Fort Campbell Kentucky sight unseen. I was moving back from Germany.

Also bought a 100 year old house in Watertown NY sight unseen.

Both worked out great.

Also rented a house in Hawaii sight unseen. Great house with a great view.

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by JackDidley

Hail damaged cars can be a great deal. Replace broken glass and drive it. No worries from water or crash damage.

One of my son’s swim teammates, bought a hail damaged car. The bodywork look like a golf ball, it had so many dimples.

[JackDidley]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

One of my son’s swim teammates, bought a hail damaged car. The bodywork look like a golf ball, it had so many dimples.

You have to ignore the dimples and remember you got a like new car for 1/2 price.

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by JackDidley

You have to ignore the dimples and remember you got a like new car for 1/2 price.

Agreed. It was a new car, but very affordable on their budget, not to mention, it was for a 17 or 18-year-old kid.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

I've bought 5 salvage titled cars over the years ( all 911s ) but I bought them that way and then rebuilt them myself and had zero issues with resale, insurance etc after the fact. All were great deals and I kept them all for a year or two after the repairs and made lots of money on them when they sold. Keep in mind that recovered stolen cars have salvaged titles also and they basically have no damage. If I were to buy a rebuilt titled car, i would want to see the pictures of the initial damages and the repairs along the way.

Here are two of them I bought at Copart.

Awesome buys and repairs!!!!

[vash]

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

I've bought 5 salvage titled cars over the years ( all 911s ) but I bought them that way and then rebuilt them myself and had zero issues with resale, insurance etc after the fact. All were great deals and I kept them all for a year or two after the repairs and made lots of money on them when they sold. Keep in mind that recovered stolen cars have salvaged titles also and they basically have no damage. If I were to buy a rebuilt titled car, i would want to see the pictures of the initial damages and the repairs along the way.

Here are two of them I bought at Copart.

whoa. pretty good argument for the salvage title "pro" column. outstanding.

[wilnj]

I was an airplane ticket and a couple days away from buying an E46 ZHP that had a rebuilt title.

I had done all the due diligence with NJ to make sure I could transfer title, I had before, during and after pics of the car and had done a PPI.

The damage to the car that had been sheetmetal only, I was able to see the frame horns and bumper supports in the pics, they were untouched.

Unfortunately the seller decided to keep the car at the last minute. It was a unique color combination, I understand why he wanted to keep it.

If I had room in my life, I'd try again but only with a car like that.