Salvage Titles

[Deck]

Got my hopes up on a couple of cars only to find they've had salvage titles at some point in their history (both seem to have clear titles now).

Being somewhat new to the early 911 game, I have a few questions. First, and most importantly, would you consider a salvaged car (I know why one was salvaged - relatively minor accident)? If so, how much do you feel it should affect the price/value?

The work since the accident has been performed by a respectable shop, so the quality of the car is there, just not the clean history.

Also, being that it can be difficult to run reports on theses older cars, I found this great site (no affiliation) and thought I'd share:
https://www.nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_awareness/vincheck

Thanks for any help.

[Christien]

I think the older a car is, the less a salvage title should effect its value, and the more important a PPI is. If the PPI looks good, I'd go ahead. I think most of these cars have probably seen at least one accident in their history - law of averages, really. The only thing I'd be concerned about is that the salvage title will turn some people off down the road when/if you ever want to sell it.

[chaozz]

Also make sure your insurance company will cover a salvage title.

[faverymi]

In my state is a PIA to register a car with salvage tittle.

Has to get inspected by state police and they will reject you for any little thing,

Where I live is not worth the trouble unless you are not registering it and just tracking it.

[geshaghi]

I'm not sure how a car could have a salvage title in the past that now appears to be clean, given the way carfax and other similar services work today. A salvage title is significantly different from a carfax history showing prior accident damage on a late model car (which is also something that affects value, but is very different than a salvage title).

If you're talking about a true salvage designation on title, the points above are all well taken. From my perspective, a lot depends on the age of the car and my intended use. For late model cars, a salvage title can diminish the resale by as much as 50%. Many reputable dealers simply won't touch a salvage title late model car, and the questions it leaves with buyers about the cause of the salvage and the quality of the repairs makes a salvage title late model car a tough sell. On the other hand, if you are knowledgable and can get comfortable with the prior damage and quality of repairs, it can represent a good value. An insurance company will typically salvage a car when the cost to repair (together with other value-related claims) exceeds the net value of the car, when there is significant structural damage rendering the car unsafe or when the car is stolen and not recovered for a certain period of time.

For vintage cars, I think a salvage title becomes much less significant. Many early 911's have lived a hard life and if they haven't already been the subject of a major restoration, likely need one in the future. These types of repairs require a car to be thoroughly taken apart and repaired, often in structural areas. While I think a salvage title even for a vintage Porsche will affect value, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a car that has been properly repaired or restored. In some instances, especially for non-US buyers, a salvage title can be a complete non-starter as they can not be imported.

[bpu699]

Years ago, it seems that there were ways to get a clear title for a car with a previous salvage history. Whether this was legit or not, I don't know, but it happened a lot. Laws/rules vary from state to state.

If you have a car with a current clear title, your insurance company will treat it as such.

I always wondered what might happen though if there is a claim.

If a car was slavage 20 years ago, but had multiple clean titles since, then what? The current owner was paying a premium, and the insurance company accepted it...

Its kind of odd when you see restorations of duesenbergs, old mercedes, etc, that take place on vehicles that have rotted away and by all means should be scrap. Yet, they have clean titles...

[IDGAF27]

Originally Posted by geshaghi

.......... In some instances, especially for non-US buyers, a salvage title can be a complete non-starter as they can not be imported.

.....bull$hit....
Salvage title loses all its meanings outside US. Once custom, VAT fees are paid and all said and done - new owner gets "title" of his country and that is end to it.
Ask me how I know?

Only ignorant can relay on Carfax or Auto-check data. There are so many cars post accident w/clear titles and no accident reports at dealers only auctions, your head will spin.
Vehicle is salvaged ( salvage title) given by insurance company if repair amount exceeds 70% of car value. Ever bin to repair facility lately for an estimate? Guess what, when it comes to Insurance Claims, only authorized shops can do repairs and when they do estimate , there is no holding back - insurance company is paying. So , for estimate is employed CCC. Mitchem, All-Data or any other,authorized, software and you have Dodge Neon fender- bender repairs come to $5k. Car is salvaged, taken to an auction, bought by dealer, fixed at $500 cost and sold w/ Repaired Salvage Title for $x amount and $2k profit......and so on.

lets pretend I had 911. Beat it at track or DEs and trashed it there. Insurance wont cover my loses, so I don't report accident. Carfax- clean. Title- clean. Car ?! not so much.
Bring home, do cosmetic work, just to look presentable at any given auction ( best of all Internet LIVE feed auction . Say Copart ) . Buyers all around the world, no-one to inspect car before purchase. And it sells with nice premium . Is it RIGHT? NO IT IS NOT ! But it happens anygiven day. Ask how I know?
the point is- when you buy a car - LOOK AT A CAR not paper.

just my 2c

[RatBox]

Exactly,

Check car not paper. But if on paper , then obviously , try to figure out why.

Remember , there are MANY scenarios were a car can have salvaged on the title , and yet no structural damaged (bodywork) ever occured.

[chaozz]

Hey IDGAF27
you have access to manheim
see what a 2010 911 cab S with pdk is going for

[Christien]

Originally Posted by RatBox

Remember , there are MANY scenarios were a car can have salvaged on the title , and yet no structural damaged (bodywork) ever occured.

Absolutely. Theft, for example.

[IDGAF27]

Originally Posted by chaozz

Hey IDGAF27
you have access to manheim
see what a 2010 911 cab S with pdk is going for

Hope it will not count as "high jacking" thread

Manheim MMR dat
. date, place, type of sale, price, milage, condition,collor,eng, tranny,sample.

2009 911 Cab :
05/06/10 RIVRSIDE Lease $78,500 8,971 Above CRM WHT 6G A Yes
07/08/10 MANHEIM Regular $73,000 9,843 Avg BLUE (DA 6G A Yes
10/12/10 FAAO Lease $67,200 2,994 Avg BLACK 6G 6 No
10/14/10 MANHEIM Regular $67,500 10,288 Avg RED 6G A Yes
01/12/11 W PALM Regular $65,000 11,041 Avg GRAY 6G A Yes
01/20/11 MANHEIM Regular $64,000 15,114 Avg SILVER 6G 6 Yes



2010 911 CAB:

01/12/11 W PALM Regular $78,000 11,487 Avg BLACK 6G A No

[chaozz]

Originally Posted by IDGAF27

Hope it will not count as "high jacking" thread

Manheim MMR dat
. date, place, type of sale, price, milage, condition,collor,eng, tranny,sample.

2009 911 Cab :
05/06/10 RIVRSIDE Lease $78,500 8,971 Above CRM WHT 6G A Yes
07/08/10 MANHEIM Regular $73,000 9,843 Avg BLUE (DA 6G A Yes
10/12/10 FAAO Lease $67,200 2,994 Avg BLACK 6G 6 No
10/14/10 MANHEIM Regular $67,500 10,288 Avg RED 6G A Yes
01/12/11 W PALM Regular $65,000 11,041 Avg GRAY 6G A Yes
01/20/11 MANHEIM Regular $64,000 15,114 Avg SILVER 6G 6 Yes



2010 911 CAB:

01/12/11 W PALM Regular $78,000 11,487 Avg BLACK 6G A No

thanks..
does it say if they are a S or go into more details about options?

[IDGAF27]

It sais more before it goes on the floor. Once it is sold, you can access info on one-by-one basis.

[techweenie]

Originally Posted by Christien

Absolutely. Theft, for example.

Well, if we can get back on track, here's an example of why a PPI is important even if it is not a salvage title.

Clean title wrecked SC.

1980 porsche 911sc

[alfadoc]

Here's an example of how cars end up with salvage titles. I had an exceptionally nice '86 944 N/A, which was covered by a classic car, stated value policy for $7500.00. In December, I had the car in a local shop for some service work. Christmas Eve, the shop caught fire. My car suffered from a great deal of soot and smoke exposure. The insurance company didn't even send an appraiser. I took some pictures of it, and they sent me a check. I then bought the car back from the insurance company for, and resold it to a local guy who will have it repainted and put it back on the road.

There was no structural damage, no part of it burned and the car was previously accident free. I have no doubts the new owner will fully restore it and make it 100% viable. It was totalled however, and so the title will forever be coded as salvage (fully disclosed to the new owner, of course).