what happens if i buy a salvage title car??

i'm looking at this car and it has a salvage title... the seller showed me pictures of the car when it was brought to a bodyshop right after the accident... and it didn't look that bad though... just front right fender damage... everything else was fine...
anyway, i know it voids any warranty on this car... but what else? will my insurance cover it? has anyone bought a salvage title car?

Some of the most innocuous looking cosmetic damage can have severe damage underneath... like a tweaked frame. I would stay away.

..And yet it has a salvaged title... something tells me there's more damage than what you can see.

Bronch is right, a bent frame could be big trouble.

If you plan to keep the car forever and don't mind putting $$$ into it, then go for it. You'll never be able to sell it unless someone similar to you who doesn't care comes by and wants it. which I doubt.

This whole salvage title stuff and the fear that it is putting into the consumer in many cases is a crock of s h i t. I have so many examples of cars that should have a salvage title, but don't, and cars that do have a salvage title and shouldn't. Who does it protect?

The insurance companies.

Yep, the value drops because it has a salvage title.

Is there severe damage? not necessarily. Technically, in many states, I could steal the car, put it in my garage, without any damage (heck, you could have given me the key). It gets a salvage title because it was stolen.

On the other end, you could have 75% of the value in damage repaired and never get a salvage title because of circumstances.

If it is a nice deal, you could go for it.

I have an Expedition that has a salvage history. Stolen seat, screwed up headliner that I had to fix. Bought it for 1/2 the value at the time.

In some cases you could have a warranty still. You certainly have any recalls (I just had one done for my Expedition.

Originally Posted by racerock

This whole salvage title stuff and the fear that it is putting into the consumer in many cases is a crock of s h i t. I have so many examples of cars that should have a salvage title, but don't, and cars that do have a salvage title and shouldn't. Who does it protect?

The insurance companies.

Yep, the value drops because it has a salvage title.

Is there severe damage? not necessarily. Technically, in many states, I could steal the car, put it in my garage, without any damage (heck, you could have given me the key). It gets a salvage title because it was stolen.

On the other end, you could have 75% of the value in damage repaired and never get a salvage title because of circumstances.

If it is a nice deal, you could go for it.

I have an Expedition that has a salvage history. Stolen seat, screwed up headliner that I had to fix. Bought it for 1/2 the value at the time.

In some cases you could have a warranty still. You certainly have any recalls (I just had one done for my Expedition.

I 100 percent agree.

I am the salvage/rebuilt title e39 master. If you trace my posts on this board you will see me asking if anyone had a BMW I could fix up- I ahd alot of guys laugh/ post BS like " I can get you a piston for that much- not a whole car"

I bought this car for 4 thousand US dollars damaged. Had the frame professionally repaired. Did the body work myself (new driver fender, new bumper, etc). It tracks perfectly straight, aligns to spec and handles like a dream! Was bought as salvage title, repaired and inspected, now has Indiana rebuilt title. Shortly after I got it roadworthy my good friend's father who had seen it damaged offered me 8 thousand cash- I declined, telling him he could get into a clean titled one for that if he tried. I had a guy at the parts store ask if I'd keep him in mind if I want to sell it- I mentioned it was rebuilt and he says "I don't give a - - - , you wanna sell it call me". Still have his number. You guys are dumb if you think someone wouldn't jump on the chance to own a nicely rebuilt BMW at a deep discount. Every single day I see an e39 wrecked on one of the forums or in the classifieds. Even though that guy might never see it again, someone will either part it out, or if possible fix it and drive/sell it. Here's recent pics of my car- it's very well cared for and cleaner/ sexier than most of the aging e39s I see around my area, or maybe just to me because of the amount of work and money I have in it. I will not be selling this anytime soon.












Your milage may vary.

oh yeah- I need to have that little trim piece under the driver headlamp painted- it's in primer right now, this is my summer car. I have an explorer for bad weather and the e39 is about to go into hiding and get a facelift, again.

i see... i don't know what to do... it's so tempting though...

meh- you do what you want with your dollars- I understand that to someone with a good job/ fat wallet and credit line this would be absurd- why deal with potential problems if you don't have to?
If you just want another e39 to play with (who doesnt?) I suggest looking on auto trader and ebay for a cheap clean titled one- heck I just saw a 97 528i going for just over 4 thousand on auto trader, with high miles. Otherwise it looked ok.

My position when I set out for the e39 project was that I had just started my company and wanted something a little classier than the explorer to take to meetings, etc. I could only imagine taking a potential client to lunch in my rusted out 1993 exploder I love my car dearly and if it were parked next to yours you'd be hard pressed to tell the differences. I have 6k in mine- I imagine some of you have that plus about 40k in yours. ha!

This may help make your decision:

-A Salvage CERTIFICATE is NOT a title. At least in the State of MD and many others. You call and make an appointment (a few weeks out at times) and then must transport via trailer the vehicle to a MD State Trooper (Police) facility and have them inspect it.

Inspect it for what, you ask? To make sure it is safe? Nope:

-To look for Stolen Parts. They know where all the hidden serial numbers are and take it in their facility (you are not supposed to be with it, or see where they are looking). Guess what happens if a stolen VIN is found somewhere?

-They take possession of it immediately.


Now, a "Rebuilt" Title is what you would get after going through the above process and take paperwork to the MVA. THEN it becomes a vehicle that you can get temporary tags for, and have it inspected to be roadworthy.

Lengthy process yes. And when I did it did not make any improvements to the vehicle until it was inspected.

yes, I didn't mention the inspection in much detail. I went to my local county police and paid 5 or 10 bucks for a vin check- a young officer was sent to my place to have a look.

Not only do you have to provide the wrecked vehicles vin but any vehicles you may have gotten parts from. The officer calls in the VIN(s) , signs off on it and then you send all of your documentation downstate for review- everything from pictures to repair and parts receipts, the salvage certificate- then they send you a rebuilt tiltle. Then you can go to the emissions/ safety check place, and finally get your tags. The paper trail alone can take 1-3 months after the car is actually driveable. Every state is diiferent- in some states the car must be fixed in the state it was damaged.

how much did you pick up that trim piece under teh headlight for? I need one for mine, it was missing when i got it and someone else pointed it out to me. I never even knew it was there!

Originally Posted by e39dream

yes, I didn't mention the inspection in much detail. I went to my local county police and paid 5 or 10 bucks for a vin check- a young officer was sent to my place to have a look.

Not only do you have to provide the wrecked vehicles vin but any vehicles you may have gotten parts from. The officer calls in the VIN(s) , signs off on it and then you send all of your documentation downstate for review- everything from pictures to repair and parts receipts, the salvage certificate- then they send you a rebuilt tiltle. Then you can go to the emissions/ safety check place, and finally get your tags. The paper trail alone can take 1-3 months after the car is actually driveable. Every state is diiferent- in some states the car must be fixed in the state it was damaged.

Just to be clear, in the State of Maryland, the State Police need the actual vehicle to inspect for hidden V.I.N.s While I felt mine was a safe bet to get through (did not appear to have ever been hit), it was a stressful situation knowing that it could be taken to the lot behind the building, never to be in my possession again. A friend of mine has had one confiscated (out of many more than 1 hundred.

it's like 20 or 30 bucks bimmerdude- they are attached to the bottom of each headlamp. LOL- I put the thing all back together and realized- WTF goes there? I'm having another bumper I have painted as well as new hood and that little trim piece- just have to park the thing and drive the truck- it's hard to do..

stay the heck away from salvage title, the resale value will be worth less than a piece of crap. unless you plan to keep the car forever and sold it to junk yard for $500. got a friend who owns a salvage title 540, he put the sale ad all over the net and has tons of ppl call. once they found out it has a salvage title, no one calls him back.

sounds to me like your friend is trying to gouge someone with a high price or is hiding the fact that it is salvage from potential buyers. I won't be selling my car anytime soon, but rest assured if I did the first words they would read in my ad would read: This vehicle has a rebuilt title and that is reflected in the price.

But again- not all of us have a 60k vette and an M5 in the stable. More power to you pal- I know how those big purchases can fuel that ego Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. Some are just packed tighter full of excrement than others.

Originally Posted by moji2000

i'm looking at this car and it has a salvage title... the seller showed me pictures of the car when it was brought to a bodyshop right after the accident... and it didn't look that bad though... just front right fender damage... everything else was fine...
anyway, i know it voids any warranty on this car... but what else? will my insurance cover it? has anyone bought a salvage title car?

What year is the car and how much is he asking for it?