salvage title car

[quickbrick]

interesting its marked as a salvage title but there is no info about it.

eBay Motors: Buick : Regal (item 190204537260 end time Mar-13-08 16:29:21 PDT)

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Maybe..

interesting its marked as a salvage title but there is no info about it.

eBay Motors: Buick : Regal (item 190204537260 end time Mar-13-08 16:29:21 PDT)

being it looks to be a dlr of some sort, they are "minimizing" the negatives, and hoping they'll hook a "fish"...
They are obviously aware of the much lower value w/ the salvage title, given the BIN $ at $8+K..
Last I saw, the various car price guides were indicating you should use a "50% rule" when buying a salvage title vehicle...

 

[bosted86]

Salvage Title In Jersey Just Means The Insurance Company Declared It A Total Loss. Whether It Had Been In A Crash Or Was Stolen And The Insurance Company Paid Out. I Have A Recovered Theft With A Salvage Title And It Is A Great Car. IF I HAD THE MONEY I WOULD GO CHECK THE CAR OUT.

 

[turbofish38]

I'd pass on it anyway. To much money for a TR with out clean paperwork. Yep like Chuck said just looking for a guppy. Personally that car looks really rough in the details. First on the list are those God awful wheels that dont fit. I noticed the dirty interior and ripped seat and the dash speaker grille is supposed to be under the VIN tag and not over it. Plus it's missing some parts.

 

[turbojimmy]

Mine's a theft, too, with an NJ salvage title. I think 50% is a little harsh, but the salvage title definitely affects resale value. That's why I buy all my salvage cars with no intention of reselling. I drive 'em into the ground, or in the case of the GN I keep it long enough to pay for itself by way of being awesome to drive.

Anyway, that thing looks rough. It's bid up to $4K now which is probably a premium for that car.

Jim

 

[Catch]

I would agree with turbojimmy. How many people buy a GN to modify and race? I spent $13,500 on a modified GN with a clear title, it wasn't tuned right, and I blew it up. I would have much rather spent $6K on a car with a salvage title and modified it myself.

 

[GSTOY]

Here's EBay's version of carfax on the car

Report Run Date:: 03/13/2008
Vehicle: 1987 Buick Regal Base / Grand National (1G4GJ117XHP460570)
Event date Location Odometer reading Data Source Details
06/10/1994 MILFORD, MA 46,015 Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:AL0416987)
06/10/1994 MILFORD, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. DAMAGED
03/22/1996 MILFORD, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
07/03/1997 HOPKINTON, MA 64,104 Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:AQ0393210)
05/18/1998 MA Motor Vehicle Dept. RECONSTRUCTED
03/30/1999 HOPKINTON, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
05/06/1999 FRANKLIN, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
05/28/1999 FRANKLIN, MA 80,110 Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:AS0904534)
05/28/1999 BLACKSTONE, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:AS904534)
05/28/1999 BLACKSTONE, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. RECONSTRUCTED
05/28/1999 BLACKSTONE, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. SALVAGE
PRIOR SALVAGE
05/28/1999 BLACKSTONE, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. DAMAGED
04/01/2000 FRANKLIN, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
04/06/2001 FRANKLIN, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
04/06/2001 BLACKSTONE, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. RECONSTRUCTED
DAMAGED
05/07/2003 BLACKSTONE, MA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
RECONSTRUCTED
DAMAGED
02/03/2005 NEW ENGLAND REGION 7,986 Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
12/03/2007 EASTERN REGION 8,056 Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
12/20/2007 EASTERN REGION 8,056 Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION AS DEALER VEHICLE

 

[750H.P.V6]

Chuck is right about the value of salvage title cars. I used to have a wholesale dealers license and 50% is about right compared to comparable vehicles with clean titles.

Neal

 

[turbojimmy]

Chuck is right about the value of salvage title cars. I used to have a wholesale dealers license and 50% is about right compared to comparable vehicles with clean titles.

Neal

Maybe for wholesale, but for retail selling at or around trade-in seems to work. My uncle's been doing it for 40 years (buying totals at auction and selling them reconstructed) and I know his criteria at auction is 50% of retail (i.e., if he thinks he can buy it and repair it for 50% of retail then he can turn a profit on it). It is a very niche market, though, and you have to be very selective about what you decide to reconstruct and have a good eye for what it might cost. There's not a lot of room for error and like everything else it's only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

My uncle seems to have been successful in the bottom end of the market (plain jane rental cars) and the collector market. He moves a lot of specialty stuff, mainly Vipers (there are LOTS of Vipers with front-end damage to choose from). As the car ages the 50% rule becomes less relevant. All logic goes out the window when you're talking about a collector car, too.

I've been lucky in that I bought both my GN and my Caddy at around half of high-retail (dealer). I don't plan on selling them, but I am able to buy more car than I could otherwise afford.

Jim

 

[gn.87]

To mush $$$ for a car that has a branded title. Pass because if you need to put money into her after you buy it you will wish you waited to get a different car. Also 108k miles is not worth that much more on a clean titled car. Wait!

 

[PaCemkr86]

my ttype has a salvaged title... still runs and drives great for me... I didnt buy mine for resale.. i bought it to race it !!!