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Originally Posted by cycleguy55
Agreed. It seems odd that, while it has a "clear Iowa dealer title", it also has "a prior ‘salvage’ designation from [fully and expertly repaired] lower-front fender damage but no structural integrity damage."
If the damage was that minor, how was it ever given a salvage designation?
That seems very odd when I think about it.
I know 'salvage' designated vehicles can be registered, insured and licensed here, but anything with a 'salvage' title is inspected with a fine tooth comb before they'll pass it. Who knows what that could uncover? If it's been properly repaired with no structural damage, then great - but ugly, expensive stuff could be uncovered.
I'd certainly want a thorough, detailed, professional inspection before purchase.
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You'd be surprised how many "minor damage" vehicles get salvage. Most are specialty cars that the adjuster has little or no knowledge of. I could totally see a Cobra with minor body damage being tagged as Salvage. And knowing how easily stresses telegraph in the Cobra suspension/frame, critical portions may be STRESSED without showing visible damage. There are lots of Ford GTs that have salvage titles again with minor damage, but those are because of parts availability and cost of repairs. The thing about it is that the car is forever branded, and even if you know from first hand knowledge of the nature of the damage and what the repairs involved were, the downstream portion of the chain does not, and the title is forever clouded. There is a very good example of a Ford GT that was sold by someone in Texas [I think people may know him, he did the insurance fraud on the Bugatti]. The car was purchased by the Gas Monkey Garage. After they dug into it it was shown to have MAJOR frame damage that was hacked around. Now that car was so "public" they could never deny it, but there are lots of cars, not just FGTs, that look good but have "stories" out there.
The biggest problem is one of liability. If you buy a car that is tagged salvage, and even though it passed a visual inspection, if a frame weld comes undone and causes a major wreck what are you going to do? Sue everyone you can, including prior owners, body shops, mechanics and their aunts and uncles. It's not worth it.