[s-cars] Salvage Title

[Vincent Fregeac]

Hi Greg,

I bought my 90Q20V with a '93 salvage/rebuilt title. Like your A8, front
quarter decently rebuilt and in use for years since the rebuilt. The
point which makes the difference was the fact the car have been on the
road for 6 years since the accident so it should be road worthy. Also,
every electrical tidbits was working which means no electrical gremlins,
a common problem on rebuilt car. I paid 40% less than the lowest price
on the market, which was perfect for my thin wallet at this time, and
had no problem with the insurance. In 3 years, I had no problem related
to the rebuilt and the car was reasonably reliable for a 90Q20V. There
is one major drawback: when you'll be ready to sell it most of the
potential buyers will run away when they hear "salvage title", but not
all, especially if the salvage title have been issued many years ago.
Overall, if you're looking for a car at a very low price, a
salvaged/rebuilt car may be a good choice but if you can afford the
market price, I would rather buy a car with a clean title so you can
change your mind in a few years with no headache.



Vincent.

-----Message d'origine-----
De : s-car-list-admin at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-admin at audifans.com] De la part de Greg Johnson
Envoyé : 10 février 2003 22:46
À : V8; QList; northwest audi enthusiasts; S Cars; Shayne
Objet : [s-cars] Salvage Title

<sigh>  I found what I thought was great V8Q today.   '93 4.2, Pearl
over black, 87K miles.    Looks good, drives nicely (seat of the pants
tells me it needs an 02 sensor).  Asked the Sales Mgr for a CarFax.  He
produces it no questions asked - we discover that in 10/98, with 48K, a
salvage title issued.  I really believe the guy didn't know, he seemed
as disappointed as I was (or he's a helluva an actor).  Took it by the
Audi dealer and pulled the service record.  The guy translated the code
for me, nothing usual, but he did confirm that the car had be totaled.
I took the car to my mechanic and spent an hour and a half picking it
over.  He confirmed the accident, left front and he found a few service
issues (e.g. the belly pan is missing and the rotors are warped) but he
also says whoever fixed it did a decent job and if the price were right,
he'd buy it.

Questions:

Is the rule you simply do not buy a car with a salvage title, or are
there exceptions?   I realize that if I buy this car, for all intents
and purposes, I am stuck with it.

What should the price be?   Are we talking parts car pricing here?

Can one get insurance for a such a car?  I'm betting not for the car
itself, but what about liability?

Any other thoughts?

Your collective help and wisdom is greatly appreciated.

Greg J



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