AveoRob wrote:The reasons I would run are:
First, it is almost impossible to sell let alone trade-in a salvage title car. No one wants it except someone who will completely strip it and make a project, as wolfman said. It is difficult to sell or trade a car that has a carfax report on it, ask anyone. So once you buy it, expect to keep it.
Second, insurance companies aren't in the business of losing money. If the car can be fixed correctly and reasonably priced, they will do it. They don't just total a car for nothing. If it was flooded, I would never want that car. If the frame was bent, I will defer to rabbit, but I would suspect the may get it to "spec", but it will never be perfect. You will never get a good alignment and wear tires etc.
Anyway, I just think it is a bad move to buy a daily driver that was a salvage, but that is my opinion and that is all.
while that is all true, lots of cars are also totalled on parts availability, as it typically takes 6 month for enough parts to be in stock to fix even a light hit. Plus slightly older or "unvaluable" cars can be totalled just for the labor rates, etc..
I personally know body work so i would buy a reconstructed title and look over the car very well to see the repair. This is knowing i would never get my money back if i was to sell it. But i would also check to make sure the airbags are actually there too. Ive learned that.
I have also personally seen cars with good title hit a lot harder than cars with r titles. a lot of insurance companies dont want to lose twice so if they write a $4000 hit on a car, and the engine block etc are trashed, but the body shop already has $3000 in labor and unreturnable parts.. they will just keep paying to fix the car even if it ulitimately goes over the value.
I personally have done $15000 in repairs to a nissan sentra, $20000 in repairs to a vw baseline jetta. etc because of poorly written preliminary estimates. But i Have also seen a brand new car get totalled for a headlight and bumper cover, because both parts were not available ofr 3-4 months, and the company wieghed its options on loosing the customer, paying that long on a rental, and paying to fix the car, totalling it was cheaper. especially when it goes to a salvage yard they own so they can part it out to fix 3-4 other cars that would be totalled..
its all a game, no matter what you buy you should look over the car, EVEN new (trust me on that too..)
