Would you buy a salvaged title?

[leftywamumonkey]

I'm in the process of looking for a car to commute to college on a daily basis.
It will be my first car and I'm looking for something that will last at least 4 years. I've been finding good local deals, but the problem is that the majority of the good deals on my budget are unfortunately salvaged. So my question is, would you buy a salvaged title if it was checked out to be fine (by a mechanic) and the accident caused cosmetic damage and wasn't related to the engine/engine bay/frame?

I'm not looking to resell the car for years to come.

 

[lewis82]

If there was no damage at all to the frame and engine then yes, why not. You just have to be sure that they don't lie and that it isn't a car made of two different halves welded together...

 

[rdowns]

It's unlikely the car would have a salvage title unless the damage was extensive. Insurance companies aren't in the habit of paying for a new car when repairs are much less. As one who worked in the auto extended warranty business for 10 years, I wouldn't touch a salvage title.

 

[Macman45]

I'm in the process of looking for a car to commute to college on a daily basis.
It will be my first car and I'm looking for something that will last at least 4 years. I've been finding good local deals, but the problem is that the majority of the good deals on my budget are unfortunately salvaged. So my question is, would you buy a salvaged title if it was checked out to be fine (by a mechanic) and the accident caused cosmetic damage and wasn't related to the engine/engine bay/frame?

I'm not looking to resell the car for years to come.

Years ago, I bought my eldest a salvaged car from a reputable dealer...The price was good, the car was only 2 years old, but here is the rub....After a couple of weeks of driving it, we both knew something wasn't quite right...The car "Crabbed" when going in a straight line. I took it to the AA (Automobile Association) and they confirmed that the car was what is known as a "Cut and shut" It was, two cars welded together to make one.

Back to the dealer, who immediately re-funded the money. Bottom line here is, if you are going to buy salvage, take a mechanic with you..If the seller or dealer don't like that, then tough cookies, go elsewhere.

 

[iJohnHenry]

These days, even airbag deployment might be enough to write a car off for salvage.

6-8 airbags at $1,000 per is usually enough.

Just be careful about that.

 

[Macman45]

These days, even airbag deployment might be enough to write a car off for salvage.

6-8 airbags at $1,000 per is usually enough.

Just be careful about that.

Take a pro, these guys are super smart at what they do...nothing wrong with buying salvage, but taking a professional in the trade with you should ensure you don't get a death trap...(that's whyI had unwittingly purchased)

 

[r.j.s]

These days, even airbag deployment might be enough to write a car off for salvage.

6-8 airbags at $1,000 per is usually enough.

Just be careful about that.

Yeah, I had a accident when I first started driving that ended up writing the car off because the air bags deployed and the sensor in the front was destroyed. The frame was fine, as was most of the rest of the car ... but the airbag system is what made it a write off.

That said, personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable buying a car with a salvaged title.

 

[rdowns]

Yeah, I had a accident when I first started driving that ended up writing the car off because the air bags deployed and the sensor in the front was destroyed. The frame was fine, as was most of the rest of the car ... but the airbag system is what made it a write off.

That said, personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable buying a car with a salvaged title.

So do the math. Would you trust the dealer to properly replace the airbags and sensors given the insurance company decided it wasn't cost effective? No mechanic can test the airbags, you'll only know when it's too late.

Stay away from salvage titles.

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

These days, even airbag deployment might be enough to write a car off for salvage.

6-8 airbags at $1,000 per is usually enough.

Just be careful about that.

What he said. Lots of adjusters save themselves work these days by using airbags alone as a major deciding factor in scrap / salvage decisions. Airbags don't just go off, they require specific conditions to trigger, those same conditions tend to be the ones that can FUBAR a car. Bags popped = expensive to replace alone, and likely other massive issues to follow suit...

 

[Macman45]

So do the math. Would you trust the dealer to properly replace the airbags and sensors given the insurance company decided it wasn't cost effective? No mechanic can test the airbags, you'll only know when it's too late.

Stay away from salvage titles.

But a qualified Mech. CAN tell if what you are purchasing is a death trap..The car I bought was welded together in the centre...They pulled back the trim etc. to show us. Really scary stuff, and I guess I wouldn't buy another. I'm not exactly what your rights are back home, but here in the UK things are firmly on the buyers side...The dealer didn't want to have his reputation wrecked, and I do believe he was ignorant of the car's history, although others told me to take him to court, I saw little point other than a refund, and a deal on another (Not salvaged) second-hand vehicle. On balance I suppose you are playing with fire a little though.