[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by jhv48

Having a salvage title does not necessarily mean that the car was purchased at auction. All it means is that the amount of damage to the vehicle was equal to, or more than, 75% of the value of the vehicle (varies by insurance company). Once a vehicle is determined to be a total loss by the insurance company, the owner of the vehicle has a choice to make. He can give the title to the insurance company and walk away with a check. Or, he can take the check for the value of the car and then use some of it to buy the vehicle back from the insurance company for a pre determined "salvage" value and then repair it himself. It will then have a salvage title.

So, assuming the SPF in question is worth around $60k, there would have to be at least $45k worth of damage to the car in order to be considered a total loss by the insurance company. That's a lot of damage but in reality, could be totally body related. When the nose of my SPF decided to kiss a concrete planter, it cost $17,000 for the fiberglass repair and to paint the front 2/3's of the body, so if this car had serious body damage, it could conceivably approach the 75% to value figure.

If it were me, and if the car is priced significantly less than other similar cars, I would do an inspection. Put it on a rack and verify that there was no frame damage. Take it for a drive and make sure it tracks true and doesn't feel like each wheel is pointing in a different direction. Listen for unusual noises from the transmission and engine. If anything doesn't feel or sound right, walk away.

Coukd be the bargain of a lifetime, or a nightmare. And remember, when it comes time to sell it, the salvage title will be a big negative to the next buyer so you'll have to price it properly.

Does the current owner have a recent (post-rebuild) alignment report? If not, it's a simple matter to take it to a good alignment shop and have them check it out and get a current report in the process. They'll not only check wheel alignment, but also how square / straight the frame is while they're at it.