[Performance Suby]

I wouldn't mind buying a damaged Subaru, probably one from a larger insurance write-off auction place in Mississauga or Toronto. As long as I get a good deal on one with not too extensive damage I wouldn't mined putting my money into it even if it has a salvage title.

I don't mined doing body work myself, welding, cutting, filler & sanding etc since I have done it before on some of fathers old Toyotas, but for paint I'd have to take it to a shop to get it done properly. I'd still have my trusty Outback to drive while work is in progress on the other car, so I could take my time and complete it properly.

 

[tdelker]

I agree with the rest of the thread - if you are doing the work yourself, totally worth it if you are going to drive it. I think the original thread, and the replies, was assuming it was being purchased 'fixed.'

Tom

 

[subiesailor]

Thanks for the info. Probably won't buy it and I was just curious of what others thought about the subject.

Here is the vehicle that prompted the thread;
Beautiful 2000 Outback Limited Sedan. Hard to Find

LOL the old SUS salvage title and asking full / high value for it HA HA HA HA !!!!!!!!!!!!!

The used car market is stupidly over priced and going higher due to the shortage of used cars caused by the major reduction in leased and rental vehicles dumped on the market during the rough patch in the economy 07-2010. Auction buyers for dealers started to see the really big price bumps in 09 and the prediction was 30% price increase in used car values up through 2013 due to the limited inventory. This is why if you look around you might notice dealers who use to never really deal with used cars now have dozens of them and in some cases have moved the used lot to the front of the lot and the new cars to the side lot. Dealers are making a killing on the used cars given there are no price limits placed on the used cars. Pick up an auction car for $15K wash the dust off and flip it for $25K thats what dealers are doing in CA.

 

[jogosub]

I have a friend down in L.A., who has a dismantling license. Only works on Hondas. He buys 2 or 3 totalled Hondas, assembles those into one car from those "totals" and sells the car (most of the time out of State)... he is making good money this way.
It's amazing to watch him how he cuts a car in half then welds two or three portions together into one vehicle. The title shows "salvaged" but one can still sell it. Or, you can re-cycle that title through another State and come back into CA and have a clean title, without the "salvage' wording on it....just amazing what's being done out there....LOL

 

[subiesailor]

Money is the root of all evil. No doubt when prices get high enough people will go to great lengths to sell cars that in a normal market would be shipped to China as scrap to make toaster ovens.

 

[scoobydoo2]

...no warranty whatsoever on a salvage title. Lots of headaches though. They make great parts vehicles too...that would be my use for them:29:

 

[Scruffy]

Strictly as a woods vehicle, farm vehicle or parts junker. My daily driver is a 94 Ranger 2.3L/5spd, I have a 92 Ranger 2.3L/5spd parts junker in the pasture. I could have the front end pulled straight and sell it with a clean title but it is worth more to me as a parts donor. The 92 is giving up parts to my 94 Ranger, 69 D100 (1/2 ton Dodge full sized 2wd) and 49 Dodge B1B (full sized 1/2 ton 2wd). One heap keeping 3 other rigs going.

My stepson bought a mid 50s English Ford with a California salvage title. Was a Hollywood back drop car built from a collection of junkyard parts donors. English Ford body, Dodge D50 bench seat, 1974 Datsun (one year only) 1.4L/4spd and rear axle, with a later model 1.2L cylinder head for a compression bump. Cost him $3500, was appraised at $5500. Good little car. I think he just got lucky...

If I was still building fancy custom cars, wouldn't have any qualms buying a wreck or salvage title, as long as it fit the year cut off for the shows I like, generally 1974 or older. Weekend toy, who cares what the title says.

Daily driver? Cosmetic (plastic panels wiped out but no structural issues) total maybe, anything else, forget it.

 

[Startiger]

It doesn't take as much damage as you think to total a car. My wife's Fusion had a trampoline roll over it in that major wind storm the East coast had last summer. Scratched the **** out of the roof and passenger side of the car. Due to all the storm damage, the insurance took a while to get to us. We didn't push either because the car was perfectly drivable. A couple months later, a semi backed into the car and pushed it about 30 feet, really messing up the front right corner and drivers sides doors. We got luckily that there was no structural or mechanical damage. It was all cosmetic. Ended up taking the car in to get both things fixed at the same time. On their own, neither was that that big of a big deal, but together, they were less than $500 away from declaring the car totaled. If the semi managed to pop a tire or two, that would have been enough to send it over the edge. Just being a few months older would have done it as well. It was just body work to get it repaired, but a lot of it. I ended up getting almost a whole new exterior between the two accidents.

My point is that getting a car totaled does not take as much as you would think. You can find cars that are mechanically and structurally sound for cheap all over the place. If you know what you are doing with body work and have the time and money, the right car won't take a huge investment to get street worthy again.

 

[bheinen74]

and now this car, is fixed/done
before when my brother bought it at auction wrecked

and just got it finished at the body shop for paint and quarter panel last week

 

[Noodle]

I keep finding random cars that I love that come up as salvage from the NICB well ok 2 now. Both have been at the same dealership that is a local small (usually only 20 or less cars) dealership.

They specialize in Subaru and Volvo though. The most recent is a 2008 Outback XT Limited they don't have listed yet but looks perfect inside and out when I stopped by yesterday. I'm not sure what they are asking but it looks great.

Just very leery going any further.

 

[jogosub]

Like mentioned before, if one wants to keep the car "forever" than it's worth it. You can always give it to the teenager in your family (if you have one) and he/she may total it again...LOL....not sure how it works with car insurance on salvage/titled cars though. I guess each State has different rules.
It doesn't take much for insurance company to "salvage" cars - many of them will do it automatically, if any of the air bags deploy.
I had a car salvaged after hails damaged my roof... too many small dents to fix/pull that exceeded the value of the car. I kept it and sold it "as is" and made good money on it...
A good mechanic can tell you for sure, if it's worth it or not.

 

[lockmedic]

I fix a few here and there. I would buy a fixed salvage titled vehicle if I could see the pics before it was repaired, and ideally get provenance on all the parts used.

I've sold a few salvage title vehicles but all have been under 5k except one hail damaged G35 that went for $8k. Most folks in that price market are more concerned with how up to date the maintenance is rather than if it's ever had any body work done. I try to avoid ones that will need extensive body work as I have to hire that out and it gets expensive.

Damage only has to exceed 50% of the assessed value to total. Doesn't take much with older cars.

 

[slcOBGuy]

I helped my dad pick out a used Toyota 4Runner for my mom to drive. We found a 98 in great condition with high miles (202k, give or take) and salvage title from a front end collision. Whoever did the paint job didn't do the best job in the world, it's noticeably different.

My mom doesn't drive much, maybe 3-4k miles annually, so this 4Runner having a salvage title in the pricepoint my dad wanted to pay wasn't a big deal. So far it's been an amazing vehicle; I've personally driven it once in a while and replaced all the spark plugs not long ago, and here it sits with a bit over 208k miles and it still drives great!

Now if this was my daily driver, I would've thought twice (not necessarily reliability reasons, more about gas mileage! This thing is thirsty!) but as cheap with power and utility, this 4Runner has been awesome so far and all signs point to it continuing to be. Not bad for our family's first salvage purchase.

 

[Noodle]

So I got to take a look at the 08 OBXT today. 46k miles and asking 16k

Rear drivers side damage repaired no frame damage.

Was from Pennsylvania and the dealer said there was about $3000 damage and with labor that's why it was considered a loss for the insurance company.

I'm really tempted

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App

 

[bheinen74]

I was just thinking more on this thread on the drive home from work.
I actually think there is a "group/category" of people who SHOULD buy salvage vehicles, and fix them.
that group includes:
-any new driver age 16-20 cause they are just going to wreck anyway
-any young kid who wants to rice there ride out, ie they want to paint the car a different color, or mod a perfectly fine automobile. Why ruin a perfectly good one, with entire car wrap, plastidip, etc. Take a wrecked one, fix it, and then make it the way you want, the color you want, the ground effects rice crap, wings spoilers, lowered with wide tires and rolled fenders etc..
-people who want to race, rally, or interested in motor swaps, again all this ruins the resale value of the car, so start with one already having a lower resale.
just my 2 cents.

 

[denialthomas]

Salvage Cars

I would definitely go for salvage title vehicle but after proper inspection about the car.Having salvage title is not an issue but the point is to investigate the reason behind getting the salvage title. Check the history of the car first, then the body parts, functioning , test drive and the features you are looking in the car. If you are satisfied by all the above points they you can go for salvage title car. And yes it is very important to purchase or sale it from authorized dealers and brokers.

 

[cracklincrotch]

And yes it is very important to purchase or sale it from authorized dealers and brokers.

That's no guarantee of anything. There is no honesty or quality requirement to get a dealer license. I know of a few dealers in my area that are willing to sell a car with cardboard and rock guard as rocker sills and the car will have a brand new inspection sticker on it.

 

[bunick]

I have two vehicles with salvage title. A 1990 pickup and 95 honda accord. When I purchased them they were considerably cheaper and I planned on driving them till they were done. The pickup I rebuilt again a few years ago. The honda looks like heck but just runs and runs. The timing belt is the only thing I done outside of normal maintenance and that should be considered normal maintenance.