SaintNexus

What's so bad about a salvage car? It's not like anyone is going to know if it's salvage or not, unless you tell them.

If the car has been in an accident, but there is no frame damage, is it still bad?

Is water/flood damage the worst?

Again, honestly. If you could buy a salvage car for more than 50% less than the used price of it, would you? I mean, again, how is anyone ever going to know if the car you're driving is salvage?

84Cressida

Depends. A car like my Cressida, if it was in a minor accident, would most likely be salvaged due to its age, even if I got fixed properly at a reputable body shop. A car like that I would buy, as long as it was properly disclosed and my initial driving impressions were good.

If a car was totalled and looked the part, and then was put back together, even if it was a good job, I'd stay away. I'd also stay away from flood vehicles.

LeX2K

It depends on where you live for starters. Here, a salvage vehicle has to be inspected, which will cost you about $500-$600. Plus your insurance may raise your rates because the vehicle is a salvage. And they may not offer some types of coverage, depending on what happened to the car. So me personally, I won't buy a salvage titled car, the hassle etc. are not worth it to me.

The only way I would is for a parts/donor car.

SaintNexus

Well, for example.

Here in CA, a used LS460 starts at around $30k.
In this website, there is a LS460 salvage title in Texas being sold for $11k.

http://www.salvageautosauction.com/v.../Houston-Texas

LeX2K

Look at it this way, there is probably a reason the car is 19 grand cheaper. Not to say all salvage vehicles are bad, they're not. But if you decide to get one, be extremely careful and find out exactly why it has the title in the first place. I've seen re-certified cars that had some scary damage lurking, and that's what I could see.

edit - flood damage is the most "murky" area because you'll never know right away the extend of the damage. No one will, only time will tell. It could be nothing, or in the months and years of ownership, the car could become completely useless to you.

bad co

If they were that bad nobody would buy them and there wouldnt be a industry based on them. I personally have bought a few salvage branded cars haven't had a bad experience yet.

What your looking at is a flood car, it doesn't specify salt or fresh and that makes a huge difference. I bought a flooded Cooper S a few years back, I had to rebuilt the engine (piston slap). I payed 6k for the car another 2.5k in repair drove the car for a year sold it for 15k.

G Star

iTrader: (2)

never never never never never never.

SaintNexus

No way?!

You paid $6k for the car, $2.5k to fix it, and sold it a year later for $15k? How did you sell it? Did you tell the person that it's a salvage or what?

IS-SV

No, never.

bad co

I bought it on copart through a friend. http://www.copart.com/c2/copart_home_page.html
Of course I notified the person that the car has a salvage certificate, you have to disclose that stuff upon a sale. At the time these cars were very popular (08).

bad co

Copart has some nice cars
http://www.copart.com/c2/homeSearch....SEARCH_RESULTS

http://www.copart.com/c2/homeSearch....SEARCH_RESULTS

SaintNexus

A great salvage car, would be one with no engine damage or frame damage, right?

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Probably not, unless it was a classic or something I could restore (would never get a flooded one tho). I'd also have to have plenty of extra cash to spare, and a daily driver

Kymber317

It depends on the price and the reason why it has a salvage title.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

It depends why it's been salvaged. Not all salvaged title cars are bad.