What is a salvage title?

Thanks for the info.
 >> Stay informed about: What is a salvage title? 

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 07:54:09 -0400, JimV <jv9999 DeleteThis @yahoo.com> spewed:
>> A month ago, my car was hit on the right side breaking the side view
>> mirror, and basically damaging the body (cosmetically) on the passenger
>> front right door, right fender and corner of bumper for cosmetic
>> appearance. There is police report for this accident.
>>
>> Car has a little less than 60000 miles.
>>
>>
>> A few months ago, while parked in the parking lot, someone hit my car
>> at the right corner rear and right corner trunk lid area cosmetically
>> damaging the rear bumper and to the trunk lid such that the right side
>> of the lid wouldn't seal perfectly. I only reported to the inusrance
>> after the repair related to the latest accident was done.
>>
>> Since there was no damage to the engine, frame, etc. do these accident
>> lower the value of the car. This car is not salvage item, right?
>>
>
>Right. It's only salvage if it's been totalled by an insurance co.

I would add that a salvage title can also be generated if a car was ripped
off, stripped, and recovered with so much needing to be put back on that
it is worth less than 50% of it's value. That's generally when an
insurance company will "total" the car. IOW, a $500 car would be
"totalled" by a door ding
One can then buy it back from them, put it back together, and sell it.
You can get good values in that particular case since there may have not
been any damage, and it will say "salvage" on the title, making it a hard
sell.

Does an accident lower your value? Not technically, but any smart buyer
will dock his offer for it, especially if there's been repainting. Reason
being, a repaint will NEVER (unless maybe the guy paid $5000 and had it
totally stripped and put back together) be as good as the original even if
it currently is a perfect match. 2nd, almost all modern cars are unibody.
That means, if it gets bent even slightly, it's almost impossible to fix.
It's also very hard to spot on a casual inspection. It'll do things that
you won't notice till much later, like leaks, tire wear, rattles, etc.
A givaway is brand new tires all around.

If you don't tell him, and he has it checked out by a good mechanic: put
on a lift to look at the underside, checks for parts newer than the rest,
etc. and he catches you
I've caught more than one that way personally.

Anyway, not really your question exactly, but HTH somebody
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 >> Stay informed about: What is a salvage title? 

> Does an accident lower your value? Not technically, but
> any smart buyer will dock his offer for it, especially if there's been repainting.
I learned that when I was selling my sister's old Honda just recently.
The funny thing was that the guy was insisting that the back glass was
replaced - he saw pieces of the galsses in the trunk which I learned
from my other sister was that it was from carrying her friend's glass
(I don't know the detail) or something, pointing out the piant residue
on the inside of the trunk. I was aware of the accident in the front
area where my sister replaced the front hood, etc. and there was an
overall paint job. It seemed that the shop failed to remove or covered
up the rubber liner above the back bumper when painting.

> Reason being, a repaint will NEVER (unless maybe the guy paid $5000 and had it
>totally stripped and put back together) be as good as the original even if
>it currently is a perfect match.
Tell that to an autobody place they will look at you like "what you are
talking about."

> 2nd, almost all modern cars are unibody. That means, if it gets bent even slightly, it's
> almost impossible to fix.
When you said "if it gets bent slighly", are you referring to "the
frame and stuff?" Would the autobody place at least notice that it got
bent slightly if it has?

>It's also very hard to spot on a casual inspection. It'll do things that
>you won't notice till much later, like leaks, tire wear, rattles, etc.
What is the accident repair work involve ONLY the cosmetic appearance?

>A giveaway is brand new tires all around.

Now now.. I had put ALL brand new tires late last year and since I
don't drive out of town and commute short distance, they look new.

>Anyway, not really your question exactly, but HTH somebody

I am glad you explained all this. I am glad that I stopped by in this
ng today. What's HTH?
 >> Stay informed about: What is a salvage title? 

On 12 Jul 2005 08:53:42 -0700, amanda992004.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com spewed:
>> Reason being, a repaint will NEVER (unless maybe the guy paid $5000 and had it
>>totally stripped and put back together) be as good as the original even if
>>it currently is a perfect match.
>Tell that to an autobody place they will look at you like "what you are
>talking about."
>
Ya, I know. But then it's to their interest to say that.
If you goto one that will strip the entire interior out and bake on the
new multicoat job, to the tune of $2000, like it had done when it was
made, you'll get the real story.
Personally, I'd never want that done even if the $ wasn't an issue.
You never get interior parts back 100% like new. Just not humanly
possible. Not surprising, considering alot of it WASN'T done by a human
when it was made

>> 2nd, almost all modern cars are unibody. That means, if it gets bent even slightly, it's
>> almost impossible to fix.
> When you said "if it gets bent slighly", are you referring to "the
>frame and stuff?" Would the autobody place at least notice that it got
>bent slightly if it has?
>
That's the thing, there is no frame with a unibody. The body IS the
frame, so to speak.
It can be noticed, but not if it's really slight.
I had one checked out and they said it was 100%, but later when I was
adjusting the match of the windows to the door frame (it was a 2dr.
without window frames around the window on the door) I could see that it
was about 5mm. off. It was confirmed by having to adjust the matchup of
the door latch and catch post on the body. One side needed adjusting for
a perfect no-flex "click" and the other didn't.
No mech. is ever gonna notice that
Plus, the door alignment can be due to some idiot sitting on it when it
was open or something.
You can look for cracked paint on the door hinge. That can mean it's
flexed/bent slightly. But again, could be an idiot, not an accident.

>>It's also very hard to spot on a casual inspection. It'll do things that
>>you won't notice till much later, like leaks, tire wear, rattles, etc.
>What is the accident repair work involve ONLY the cosmetic appearance?
>
>>A giveaway is brand new tires all around.
>
>Now now.. I had put ALL brand new tires late last year and since I
>don't drive out of town and commute short distance, they look new.
>
If you look close, you can still tell their a little used.
The blue marks will be worn off, as well as marks the balancer guys may
use. Of course, if somebody asked you, you'd just tell em that.
You'd look believable, cuz it's true, and there ya go.
If they're REALLY paranoid, show em the tire bill
But, if you have a choice, don't put new tires, just drop the price
slightly if they "bargain" with you on it.

>>Anyway, not really your question exactly, but HTH somebody
>
>I am glad you explained all this. I am glad that I stopped by in this
>ng today. What's HTH?

"Hope that helps". And I'm very glad I could
With all the nightmares and massive used car shopping I've done, I'm happy
to share it.

Feel free to ask if ya got any more q's.
BTW, are you buying, selling, or both?

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 >> Stay informed about: What is a salvage title?