Salvage/Rebuilt Vehicle

[chasineyes]

Does anyone ever buy these? Or are they too big of a risk. I've been looking for a minivan (stop laughing) and I have found a 2012 Honda Odyssey EXL that's like $28,000 usually for $17,000 on a salvage title. When I called the guy it was in an accident and the air bags were deployed. He did replace them but from what I have heard people are able to buy these units cheap cuz the insurance companies totals vehicles when the airbags go off. Anyone have any thoughts...

[Jeremy airjer W]

Salvaged vehicles are no longer eligible for full coverage insurance. The federal emissions warranty is also void, manufacturers will not replace catalytic converters if there is a problem.

I would have it thoroughly checked over to find out what was repaired and how well it was repaired. There are many salvaged vehicles on the road that are done right. There are many more that are done wrong, those are the ones I see because the repair is so easy to spot.

If I had the cash and found one that was done right, I'd have no problem saving some bucks. I just did an inspection on a salvaged liberty. It had hail damage. The customer bought it for there kids first car. The perfect car since ALL the sheet metal was dented already and it was cheap.

It ended up needing some suspension work, and some basic maintenance items but they where still ahead in the end.

If you plan on taking out a loan you may want to check before hand if a salvaged vehicle qualifies. I'm pretty sure a "vehicle" loan would not sine the vehicle has to have full coverage until the loan is paid off. "Equity" or "line of credit" loans would probably work around this.

[MNice]

We have a couple salvage title vehicles, and have full coverage through progressive. Is this something new?

[Jeremy airjer W]

It is my understanding that once a vehicle is totaled it is no longer able to be under full coverage because it can not be totaled again?

[corncob]

Got my Yukon from a salvage man....He gave me before repair photos and the actual repair list of parts....Saved about $5000 and the vehicle is spotless inside and out.....No major damage was done to the Yukon, just minor frontend damage......No different than any vehicle that needs repair and is fixed at any auto repair shop.....The new car dealerships have pushed legislation to demand the title being stamped SALVAGE , even tho these vehicles are no different than any other in need of repair.

[Ryan_V]

Isn't it up to the insurance companies what they insure? I don't believe there is any legislation or rule regarding insuring salvage vehicles.

[derbier122x]

You can get full coverage on any salvage vehicle as long as the company want to allow it. They may not give you full value of an unstamped title. Every vehicle my wife and I own are salvaged. Repaired them myself in the shop I work at. I would have a body shop check it out before you buy to make sure it was done properly first.

[jentz]

WE bought a salvaged car 3 years back 1/2 price of new.The guy who did the work had to get a state inspector to verify all work done to standards.This fellow does it as a living out of his well equiped garage.

We have full ins.coverage,no loan just cash

[dougger222]

It is my understanding that once a vehicle is totaled it is no longer able to be under full coverage because it can not be totaled again?

Last Winter I totaled out one of my vehicles. I did a buy back and had it fixed. Of course after receiving the payout check from insurance company full coverage was dropped to liability. Air bags never went off side impact rear driver quarter with concrete. My insurance company Auto Owners said if the vehicle is inspected after repairs by the state and it's certified or something as repaired I can get full coverage again.

Big repair shop estimate=$6,400

Insurance adjuster estimate=$7,350

Actual cost to repair=$1,250 LOL.

[Black_Bay]

Just make 100% sure it's a collision salvage and NOT a flood salvage.

[uffdapete]

I've owned 4 vehicles with salvage titles - Ford Taurus, Toyota Previa, Mercury Sable and Toyota Corolla. None ever had any of the ongoing problems most people worry about or any other problems for that matter. In fact tires lasted just as long as any other clean title I owned.

Just be careful what you buy in terms of what the damage was and why it was totaled. I would avoid anything that was hit hard or flood damage.

I also had a body guy who was very good, and very reasonable because he had very low overhead which made the vehicles very affordable. Selling wasn't a problem either. I was up front about the salvage titles and didn't expect book price and didn't need it cause I had less in them to begin with.

Two of the above vehicles were light front hits and one was an easy roll on the drivers side in a snow filled ditch. The other was a hard front hit I was nervous about but ended up with 75M on an average set of tires so no problem there either. And a car mechanic bought it with 120,000 mi so he obviously wasn't afraid of it either.