Found an interesting prospect. I got a little suspicious when the ad stated that he will provide a clean Autocheck report. I ran Carfax and it showed a "total loss accident" but no other details other than the date. When I asked the current owner he claims to have the title and it doesn't say rebuilt, salvage, etc. anywhere on it. I would most definitely see it for myself before money changes hands. How do I proceed? What would the hive do?
Is there any way to try to verify the Carfax data?
Lemme guess, it's an Elise/Exige?
Does the carfax show prior sales? IIRC, there's the possibility of some shenanigans by way of repairing a totaled car, which is then titled as such, but then sold into a state which doesn't recognize the same type of title modifier, and thus the new title is clean. I'm not sure that's exactly right, but I think that's the gist of it. Unless you can verify a paperwork error of some kind as a valid reason for the "total loss" marker, I would assume that carfax is correct and the car's been totaled at some point.
If it's something you plan on keeping indefinitely AND you're content with the shape of the vehicle - forge ahead. However, if you think you'll have to sell it at some point in the not-to-distant future.....well, it's difficult to 'un-do' that CarFax report regardless of whether it's accurate or not.
glueguy wrote: I ran Carfax and it showed a "total loss accident" but no other details other than the date. ... Is there any way to try to verify the Carfax data?
When was the date? Has the title been transferred since that date?
You can contact the DMV in any state it's been registered in with the VIN number and explain that you're trying to determine if the vehicle always had a clear title in that state. Been there, done that, proved useful (Carfax said it was clean, DMV said it was not, DMV wins).
Bryce
in Maryland once a vehicle is totalled it can be sold via salvage title, then once repaired upon going through safety inspection a standard title will be issued and the salvage will no longer appear in the vehicle history. This would not negate the report via carfax though. I'm not sure how this would work in other states/
captdownshift wrote: in Maryland once a vehicle is totalled it can be sold via salvage title, then once repaired upon going through safety inspection a standard title will be issued and the salvage will no longer appear in the vehicle history. This would not negate the report via carfax though. I'm not sure how this would work in other states/
Had a similar issue with a car I bought. It had been totalled early in life and repaired (poorly), then issued a rebuild title. Through a series of title transfers in different states eventually a clean title was issued. Carfax still showed the accident info, but I had a clean TN title.
Another example to show why a total might not show up on a carfax/autocheck. TN only forces inspections on vehicles 10years old or newer for vehicles that have been determined totalled, so my 87 944t didn't have to be inspected/no salvage title issued, but my 99 F250 (at the time less than 2 years old) did. That led to the Porsche having a clean title and the Ford having a salvage title.
The title has likely been "washed". It was titled in State A as a salvage. It was then sold (wink, wink) to someone who titled it in State B that doesn't attach a salvage branding. It was then sold (wink, wink) back to the person in State A with a clean title. There are also companies that will do this for you. Be cautious...extremely cautious. At best, it's shady, at worst illegal.
Datsun1500 wrote:MichaelYount wrote: If it's something you plan on keeping indefinitely AND you're content with the shape of the vehicle - forge ahead.This is true as long as you are not paying the same as a clean car AND you realize the payout will be less if it gets hit again. If anything happens to that car, the insurance company will not pay as a normal claim, it does not matter if you knew or not.
Check if they will even insure it. At least in my area, State Farm will not write a comprehensive or collision policy on a car with a salvage / rebuilt title. They figure it's already been paid for once. You can only get liability coverage.
CarFax can be wrong, when I bought my SSP notch I titled it in CT and CarFax incorrectly reported the branded title as salvage. I had to provide copies of both titles showing that the car was marked as "police use" in Florida as well as the CT title, and then they made the correction on the CarFax.
In this case, I'd be very cautious, and if you're not into bodywork, have someone who's an expert inspect the car before doing anything. Regardless of the truth, the car will always be worth less with a salvage title according to CarFax. Keep that in mind if resale is important to you.
My 06 wrx with a clean title and carfax that I bought from a used car dealer had a poor auto check report. I was seeing how much I could get for the car at Carmax, they ran the auto heck and told me that my car had frame damage.. I was like no it doesn't it's never been in an accedent. But the auto check said the in 2008 when the car was sold at an auction it was reported to have frame damage. No accedent listed or anything.
I thought it was weird because the whole car is too straight and clean to have been wreaked bad enough when it was two years old and not have any history. Especially for a $30k when new car. I think carfax also said the first person owned it for 3-4 years which means in 2008 it wouldn't have been being sold at an auction anyway
Check the ownership history. Several years ago I was looking at an Explorer. The ownership history showed State Farm Ins. I went into the local State Farm adjusters office (not a sales office).
It had been a total loss - run away!
OK, got home and have the carfax in front of me. Old E36. Paint in the pics looks shiny so I already suspect a repaint at some point in its life. I care because I never keep cars for long so it will be resold in 1.5 - 3 years and if it is a resale hassle then I'm probably not interested, but on the flip side I'll do the leg work to clear it if possible.
new thru 3/2001 all CT history. Last entry until the next one so there is a 7 year gap
11/2008 vehicle purchase reported in FL
3/2009 FL damage report - vehicle declared a total loss by an insurance company. Collision damage reported
8/2009 FL vehicle purchase reported
2/2011 FL vehicle purchase reported
then just title renewals after that time.
Datsun1500 wrote: To answer the question though, Florida is a State known for washing titles.
Based on what's there, I don't understand how it could get washed. It relocated from CT to FL, then had the total loss notation from FL, and has not been retitled in another state since the listed total loss.
Now to be fair, I have not seen the title, but the not-yet-PO claimed that he was looking at it and didn't see anything marked salvage, rebuilt, etc.
I just bought a FJ Cruiser with a salvage title. There was absolutely no damage to it & is perfect. What happened was it was stolen, the insurance company paid the claim. It was recovered a week later. The stereo, wheels, tiltometer/compass were stolen. There was no other damage. The insurance company sold it at auction with a salvage title. I don't understand why they get a salvage title under these circumstances.
It's definitely been washed, so either run away or pay accordingly. Very possible it was washed within the state of Florida. Not to say the car will be a total disaster, but just go into it knowing it's been totalled at some point due to an accident.
If something smells fishy, and I can almost smell it from here, walk away. Save yourself worries, regret and expense.
After Hurricane Sandy, several salvaged British cars showed up in NY with clean titles.
what car are we talking about?
i, personally, don't give a crap what carfax says about anything.
I would want a lot more information about both what happened to the car.
Also if it is not all that rare a car I would probably move on. In a "good deal" someone else is usually getting a bad deal.
Are we talking a 5K car for 2k or a 1500 car for 500?
This makes a big difference.
It's a 1994 E36, and no it's not a lot of money on the line, but if it's a potential hassle to sell it then I'm not going to be interested. I got curious because Autocheck is clean, the title is supposedly clean, but Carfax reports it as a total loss.
My guess is that there is no easy way to verify the info that Carfax used to report the collision.
So, bringing this back up. I'm looking at a car owned by a friend that shows very well, everything is straight (panels, frame rails, etc). It does show eveidence of a front respray, but that is too be expected from an almost 20 year old car that is low to the ground and has spent the last several years as a garage queen. It was purchased in TN, where it has been registered since 2010, with a clean title, and registered in VA with the clean title when purchased by my friend, however when I run the Carfax, this shows up:
02/29/2012
Tennessee
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Nashville, TN
Registration issued or renewed
Loan or lien reported
Vehicle color noted as Red
06/08/2013 121,702 Damage Report
GeorgiaTOTAL LOSS VEHICLE
Vehicle declared a total loss
by an insurance company
Collision damage reported
07/01/2014 125,000
Inspection Station
Williamson County
Passed emissions inspection
To complicate things even more, when an Autocheck is ran, it does not show any evidence of the total loss in Georgia, where the car wasn't registered.
Any thoughts?
Insurance companies generally have better info. If you have a friend in the auto insurance company have them check it.
In texas you can repair a salvage vehicle and then have some inspection done and apply for a clean title. Happened to me on a 91 accord. Clean blue title, insurance company says totaled in the past, check it out a find a very poorly repaired framerail with a hole i can stick my fist through
A buddy bought a 97 z28. Clean title, clean carfax. His mom works in the insurance industry, she runs the vin and tells him its been in two accidents and totalled once
If you buy a car with a salvage/rebuilt title that was repaired professionally and then reinspected there isnt a whole lot of reason to panic
You should be far more concerned with the onslaught of water damaged cars(hurricane sandy was just mentioned)
There was literally thousands of cars under 5 plus feet of salt water that were brand new and never titled so very few ended up with a branded title they were simply dried out cleaned up and resold as dealer surplus so the poor bastard that ended up with them by now after 5 plus years has a corroded electrical nightmare on there hands (but it has a clean title wink wink)
We are about to be overrun with the same type of cars out of Texas and Fla for what its worth!
It could be several things. Like I mentioned upthread, it could have been title washed. The car was wrecked and totaled, owner retains salvage. They "sell" it to someone in a different state that has very loose title laws. It gets registered in that state with a clean title and then sold back to original owner.
Honestly, it could also be an error. Carfax gets their info from an insurance company database. If the insurance company entered the VIN wrong, maybe by just switching two numbers...entering 67890 intead of 67980 as the last 5 of the VIN, then this will happen.
Does the mileage seem to match up logically with what the Carfax shows at the time of the total loss?
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