Buying With a Salvage Title

Would you? And if so, what would you want to know? I'm shopping for a full size gm SUV. The seller is fine with any inspection I would want to have done. Lower buy in, but lower resale and probably more hassle at resale. Here's the truck: http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/3839217867.html

Why did it become salvage?

Those are easy theft recoveries.

Before pictures, if it is a smash and fix. Warranty on repairs.

etc, etc, etc.....

With out knowing why it has a salvage title the question really can not be answered.

Here is the sellers explanation. I'm thinking its not a good bet, but who knows...

there was no damage so there is no pictures/ it was a before we owned it that is was a salvage repair... I am not sure what happened to make it a salvage title. I have had the truck for 3 1/2 years and I have no problems with the truck... I have drove the truck 2 times to Mexico and I have taken many other mini trips. I really enjoy the truck and It is nice to drive in, I just cannot pay for the gas in the truck, so I got a new vehicle now. gas is much cheaper lol. I really don't have any previous info on the truck... my husband works a vehicles. so the maintenance has been maintained since we have owned it. tires are good and air condition is new. struts and brakes new. oil changes faithfully. the horn does not work. hope this helps a little

Run.

take it to a body shop you trust for a very careful inspection. Check frame for straightness.

I second the run comment. Not from cars with salvage titles, but from this one.

Not at that price.

Isn't the rule of thumb that you want to pay around 50% of KBB for a salvage title vehicle? I doubt this one books for $14k...

Run really fast

i'd go drive it and see how it rides and drives... look for signs of things like accident damage (just lay on your back and crawl around under it and look at stuff- look for crinkled seams and overspray in areas that they wouldn't bother to fix or mask off. look for signs that it's been underwater- i don't know what to look for, but i'm sure something would be obvious if it was on a submarine adventure...

i won't usually say this because it's usually a scam, but maybe a carfax check would tell you why it got the salvage title?

if it all checks out, offer $5k..

doing the 80's and 90's rebuildables were big business. my uncle had a bodyshop and that was all we did there. go to the salvage auctions buy cars, rebuild them and sale them and you could make good money. generic parts flooded the market from bumper covers to airbags. it seemed like frame shops sprung up all over the place. then it all went to E36 M3 everyone thought they could do it which drove the auction prices thru the roof. then people started washing titles thru other states and people were stealing cars for parts or to change the vin. numbers. then shows like 60 minutes and 20/20 got involved and states started to change the laws on rebuildables making it tougher to do. in Pa now all the paperwork you have to submit its almost not worth it to do anymore.

the price seems a little high but the mileage is good most salvage cars are lower mileage and check it out that is a full framed truck so its not like yanking on a unibody to straighten it

Lots of possibilities on why it could be salvage. Besides accident or theft, could also be a prior flood car. If it is, I'd stay far, far away. I wouldn't go so far as to say I'd never buy a salvage title car, but I'd have to know the exact details and the price would have to be just right.

If you get really serious about this truck, send me the VIN and I may be able to tell you how it was totalled.