Any One ever Buy a vehicle With A Salvage Title?

[OldCoyote]

I am looking at a Work Truck, that was hit in the right rear side, damaged the utility boxes on the very back corner, bent a rear axle.  the truck now looks great.

The boxes repaired, the rear one ton axle replaced by a Ford dealership.  I am surprised that the Insurance Co. totaled this truck in the first place.

My present Insurance Co. will not insure the truck at all, My broker found another that will give me full coverage for $2608 a year.

If I buy this truck , I save about $20,000, over a like model that has a regular title.

What is the down side to this?

[CCL]

I know with a salvage title the value drops and they can be harder to insure, but you already know that. Aside from those things my primary concern would be that they aren't safe. How do you know that's really all that was wrong with it?

[gambler]

I had one am thought I registered it as  farm truck much lower insurance. Did great was repaired correctly did tend to wear tire on right rear more. Keep it for years

[Deleted]

Yes.  Several.  My stepdad was an autobody guy on the side and would buy repairables and fix them up.  My first car was an 86 Honda Prelude that I bought from him in 87, so pretty nice car for a teen.  Then I had a pick up and a Tercel.   My dad does good work though.  There are some crappy repair guys just trying to make a buck flipping repairables.  I never had any problem getting them insured, but you can't sell them without a pretty deep discount, so we always just drove the wheels off them and never sold until they were 1-2K cars.

[tskeeter]

For a 20 grand savings, it seems like you can take some risk.  Although, you might want to have the truck inspected by a frame shop before you buy it and have them check to make sure the frame wasn’t bent in the accident and that the rear axle is properly aligned on the frame.  That will make sure that you don’t have tire wear, wheel bearing wear, u-joint wear, driveshaft vibration, or other problems related to the frame being out of whack.

I think a lot of vehicles, especially nearly new vehicles, end up with salvage titles after relatively minor damage.  If you are the type who drives a vehicle until the wheels fall off, I think you’d be a good candidate for a salvage title vehicle.

[OldCoyote]

Dec 18, 2019 9:57:57 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Yes.  Several.  My stepdad was an autobody guy on the side and would buy repairables and fix them up.  My first car was an 86 Honda Prelude that I bought from him in 87, so pretty nice car for a teen.  Then I had a pick up and a Tercel.   My dad does good work though.  There are some crappy repair guys just trying to make a buck flipping repairables.  I never had any problem getting them insured, but you can't sell them without a pretty deep discount, so we always just drove the wheels off them and never sold until they were 1-2K cars.

That's me, My current truck is just shy of 400,000 miles, it shows it!

[OldCoyote]

Dec 18, 2019 16:01:07 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

For a 20 grand savings, it seems like you can take some risk.  Although, you might want to have the truck inspected by a frame shop before you buy it and have them check to make sure the frame wasn’t bent in the accident and that the rear axle is properly aligned on the frame.  That will make sure that you don’t have tire wear, wheel bearing wear, u-joint wear, driveshaft vibration, or other problems related to the frame being out of whack.

I think a lot of vehicles, especially nearly new vehicles, end up with salvage titles after relatively minor damage.  If you are the type who drives a vehicle until the wheels fall off, I think you’d be a good candidate for a salvage title vehicle.

2 things in favor of the truck,

The car people are two doors down from me, the Mechanic that checked the truck out is 4 doors up from me in the industrial complex that I am in.

I have known both parties for three years. Good people!

[countrygirl2]

Why not get a program car like I did? I saw some trucks at the dealership too?  Probably can get the same amount off but they may have 15000 or so miles on them.

[OldCoyote]

Done deal!

One of the easiest deals I have ever done!

Now to make the old truck, that is just shy of 400,000 miles look almost new,,

Rode hard and put up wet!!  The GPS says average speed 44MPH,, not bad for almost all in town driving!

Then let some one steal it from the old man that does know what he has!!,,, Only driven to church on Sundays!!

[toomuchreality]

I bought a car with a salvage title. Never had any trouble insuring it. (St Farm) Had 6,000 miles on it.
Drove it for over 20 yrs.
1987 Toyota Corolla, lift back

My mechanic finally talked me into buying a car 9 yrs newer,
1996 Toyota Corolla, DX sedan, so he could find parts easier.
Both are white.
😁

I've also totaled a new car (9,000 miles), that was given a salvage title. Someone got a good deal when they bought that car. All the damage was surface.

Good luck with your new truck!

[OldCoyote]

Took the truck to an alignment place , picked up a report went to a frame shop.  Found an old frame mechanic, that had been doing it since 1974,   just like me!!

Nothing wrong with the frame!  when I told the young men that work with me , I had found some one just like me ,,

He said "That's pretty scary"    Hmmmmm, wonder if I need a new young man?

[toomuchreality]

Jan 11, 2020 19:20:02 GMT -5 OldCoyote said:

Took the truck to an alignment place , picked up a report went to a frame shop.  Found an old frame mechanic, that had been doing it since 1974,   just like me!!

Nothing wrong with the frame!  when I told the young men that work with me , I had found some one just like me ,,

He said "That's pretty scary"    Hmmmmm, wonder if I need a new young man?

Sounds like you found a great deal, on a truck!  Were you able to get insurance?

[Deleted]

My daughter bought a car that didn’t have a salvage title, but something was wonky with it. She got pulled over for a minor traffic infraction, and the police said there were no records on the car. Everything that happened, it was like the car didn’t exist until she bought it even though it was used. DD says it had some weird compartments like hiding spaces, that she discovered after she’d bought it. It was an every day normal car, a Honda Accord.

There were theories, like it had possibly been a car that was used to commit crimes and could be left in the street and not draw attention, I forget the term, but apparently there’s a name for cars like that. I want to say they’re called “steamers” but I’m not sure. Who knew that was a thing? I didn’t.

I’m still not sure what was going on with that car, and it doesn’t matter anymore because it flipped in an accident last year, and now it’s gone for good. I’m just grateful DD and my grandbabies weren't seriously injured, so good riddance. 

[OldCoyote]

Jan 12, 2020 20:41:59 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

Jan 11, 2020 19:20:02 GMT -5 OldCoyote said:

Took the truck to an alignment place , picked up a report went to a frame shop.  Found an old frame mechanic, that had been doing it since 1974,   just like me!!

Nothing wrong with the frame!  when I told the young men that work with me , I had found some one just like me ,,

He said "That's pretty scary"    Hmmmmm, wonder if I need a new young man?

Sounds like you found a great deal, on a truck!  Were you able to get insurance?

Full coverage, commercial policy, $1000 deductable, annual  cost $2608!

[toomuchreality]

Yay!🙂