Salvage Titles ... how much damage?

[Stevo]

Looking at a 2002 Monte Carlo...

 

CARFAX guarantees the information in this section

Salvage | Junk | Rebuilt Alert! Problem Found

Fire/Flood | Hail Damage | Buyback/Lemon No Problem

Not Actual Mileage | Exceeds Mechanical Limits No Problem

Alert! Severe problems were reported by a state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This vehicle does not qualify for the CARFAX Buyback Guarantee.

 

Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:

11/21/2001 Michigan

Motor Vehicle Dept.

Livonia, MI Registered as

personal vehicle

11/21/2001 18 Michigan

Motor Vehicle Dept.

Livonia, MI

Title #118M3250323 Title or registration issued

First owner reported

12/10/2001 Michigan

Motor Vehicle Dept.

Livonia, MI

Title #118M3440038 Title issued or updated

Correction to record

08/12/2002 6,740 Michigan

Motor Vehicle Dept.

Southfield, MI

Title #298N2240190 New owner reported

SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE ISSUED

12/02/2002 Nova Scotia

Motor Vehicle Dept.

Truro, NS Registration issued or renewed

03/03/2003 Saskatchewan

Motor Vehicle Dept. JUNK TITLE/CERTIFICATE ISSUED

 

What kind of decision or how much damage is required to give a car this status?

 

As you can see it was not very old considering it's a 2002 when the title was established. In four months from new owner status it was certified salvage. I'm going out on a limb to say that at 6,740 miles the car was in the accident the owner mentioned. He even said that his wife who is selling the car had all the damage replaced by the GM dealer, even the cradle which was not damaged was replaced. 'The nose clip was replaced completely' he said.

 

Checking the sale value for that year we see $22,785 so even if you take off $5000 for 1 year's usage would a noseclip exceed that in damage costs? No Frame Damage indicated on the report and No Airbags Deployed as well. So whatever impact existed must not have been that severe. But $15-17,000 in damage?

 

I'm thinking I would like to see some pictures of the damage before going further hopefully some paperwork would be nice. The plus side is the owner has had the car from 6000 miles till today 50,000 in 5 years. Low milage yes but a lot of milage none the less for a car with a 'salvage title'.

[Pontiac6KSTEAWD]

Doesnt really take to much. It can be as simple as a front bumper cover, air bags, and air bag module, and some insurance companys will total it out. The deciding factor is amount of damage vs the value of the car prior to the accident. If its 70% or more, the will total it if its (guessing here, I dont remember the actual number) 01 or newer, and 55% if its older. They totaled out my TGP with 75% of the value. Got 3393 dollars from them.

 

Water damage has gotten to the point where the will total it out regardless of the repairs. A freind of mine has a Caddi SRX, it was parked in a low lying area, the floors UNDER the car got wet, but nothing on the interior. He called his INS comp up for damages on the house, and when they got there they included the SRX, and totaled it.

[CSI_MuNkY]

air bags, and air bag module

 

Air Bags suck! Way back when, my mother bought a 1991 Pontiac Tempest brand new, a few years later I ditched it and the air bags went off, the parts to fix it came out only $50 shy of writing off the car. Had the rest of the car not been in such good shape, the insurance company wasn't going to bother fixing it, they were just going to call it a write off.

 

Jamie

[rockfangd]

Doesnt really take to much. It can be as simple as a front bumper cover, air bags, and air bag module, and some insurance companys will total it out. The deciding factor is amount of damage vs the value of the car prior to the accident. If its 70% or more, the will total it if its (guessing here, I dont remember the actual number) 01 or newer, and 55% if its older. They totaled out my TGP with 75% of the value. Got 3393 dollars from them.

 

Water damage has gotten to the point where the will total it out regardless of the repairs. A freind of mine has a Caddi SRX, it was parked in a low lying area, the floors UNDER the car got wet, but nothing on the interior. He called his INS comp up for damages on the house, and when they got there they included the SRX, and totaled it.

ouch that sucks

[19Cutlass94]

From '96 and newer I believe its 55% and older its like 72%... some odd bullshit like that. But if the airbag goes off or something else ( forgot what other things ) the insurance will total it out no question.

 

But for those numbers... something doesnt add up... especially with that description...

[Stevo]

Yipe!

 

I'm thinking with the prices of parts ... a simple electrical setup in the front can be expensive. The owner did say the damage did not require the car to be painted either which leads me to believe that purely cosmetic damage and electical work was an issue. I'm just not thrilled with the idea that a subframe was replaced. Even though the Carfax report indicates no subframe damage and no airbags deployed.

 

I remember 4 years ago during one my former employer's lease maintenance stops. I chatted with someone in the service area and they told me the lightbulb setup for a Yukon was in the neighborhood of $500. Crazy for just a lightbulb setup, I can imagine a whole headlight assembly getting $2-3 grand easy in cost.

[19Cutlass94]

Well the headlight assembly ( without electrical connections ) is only a couple hundred.... But yeah electrical work is expensive cause its a bitch... especially with the newer cars...

 

 

The subframe is really no biggie. I had mine replaced. As long as the mounts are good, you should have no problem at all. just check them out though.

[jeremy]

I hope that you don't plan on paying him anywhere close to retail for a car with a salvaged title...

[Stevo]

From '96 and newer I believe its 55% and older its like 72%... some odd bullshit like that. But if the airbag goes off or something else ( forgot what other things ) the insurance will total it out no question.

 

But for those numbers... something doesnt add up... especially with that description...

 

The salvage title is in Michigan. I read up on it and it's 75% with some states issuing a junk title for the same. So 75% of pre-accident damage with the car at 6,000miles. Hmmm...

 

I also took another look at the info above and bolded it proper.

 

Seems the title was issued in Michigan is August of 2002, the salvage title was transfered to Nova Scotia in December of 2002 and then for some reason way out west ... a JUNK title was issued in March of 2003 in Saskatchewan???? Anyone from Sask care to fill me in on the regs for car inspection and/or registration and if it's slack compared to the rest of the country? Looks like an attempt to 'scrub' clean the title.

 

Dunno ...

 

I'm not even gonna talk about the GP GT thats selling 2k and almost 20,000kms less than other GP GT's with a 'clean' carfax report and the dealer says it has had minor rearend collision damage repaired. Can you say hack job, out of pocket, hush hush, clip job?

[Stevo]

I hope that you don't plan on paying him anywhere close to retail for a car with a salvaged title...

 

When I asked him for the VIN# and he confessed about the title up front I went kinda wishy washy about the whole deal. Right at the end of the conversation I said ... 8800 firm are you? He told me he'd take 7000 in hand since his wife now owns a new accord. So I'd say it's no where close to retail with the KBB value hitting around the 10000 mark. Just that KBB lists salvage title cars as N/A regardless of condition alongside rusted through heaps with dead motors as an example of how valuable they are.

 

I'm thinking... without pictures of the damage on the car. I'm not going to trust anyone's appraisal of damage ... especially someone who runs a used car lot. I'd deffinately pay the money to have a dealer give it a thorough inspection but since the only local deal available is the one that apparently did the work... who to trust for opinion.

 

For me ... the first step is pictures of damage. The next is shelling a few bucks for a thorough appraisal. Then with a chat to my insurance company about what to expect, it's a decision on if a cheque should be written or not.

[1990lumina]

From '96 and newer I believe its 55% and older its like 72%... some odd bullshit like that. But if the airbag goes off or something else ( forgot what other things ) the insurance will total it out no question.

 

But for those numbers... something doesnt add up... especially with that description...

 

The salvage title is in Michigan. I read up on it and it's 75% with some states issuing a junk title for the same. So 75% of pre-accident damage with the car at 6,000miles. Hmmm...

 

I also took another look at the info above and bolded it proper.

 

Seems the title was issued in Michigan is August of 2002, the salvage title was transfered to Nova Scotia in December of 2002 and then for some reason way out west ... a JUNK title was issued in March of 2003 in Saskatchewan???? Anyone from Sask care to fill me in on the regs for car inspection and/or registration and if it's slack compared to the rest of the country? Looks like an attempt to 'scrub' clean the title.

 

Dunno ...

 

I'm not even gonna talk about the GP GT thats selling 2k and almost 20,000kms less than other GP GT's with a 'clean' carfax report and the dealer says it has had minor rearend collision damage repaired. Can you say hack job, out of pocket, hush hush, clip job?

 

I would say our inspections aren't slack, but they aren't very strict either. That car would have had to be safetied here only because it was an out of province car, not necessarily becaue it was in another accident. If you ant I can scan the safety my car went through when it was brought in from out of province. They check simple things like brake pads, lines, tire wear, suspension components, etc... but believe me I've seen a lot of shit pass inspection here. Plus we don't have emissions testing here at all.

[Stevo]

No emissions testing here at all either. I think we share the same standard for inspections. I think I may look into what it takes to recertify a car in Saskatchewan. Seems like a lot of trouble traveling across continent like that and back for a $7 car.

 

Unless you have a whole trailer load of them.

 

I wonder how many OTHER cars on the lot are "his wife's" and what he says when I ask for their VIN#s.

[1990lumina]

No emissions testing here at all either. I think we share the same standard for inspections. I think I may look into what it takes to recertify a car in Saskatchewan. Seems like a lot of trouble traveling across continent like that and back for a $7 car.

 

Unless you have a whole trailer load of them.

 

I wonder how many OTHER cars on the lot are "his wife's" and what he says when I ask for their VIN#s.

 

Call SGI (Saskatchewan Government Insurance) since they are the ones that request inspections

[89GP_SE]

No emissions testing here at all either. I think we share the same standard for inspections. I think I may look into what it takes to recertify a car in Saskatchewan. Seems like a lot of trouble traveling across continent like that and back for a $7 car.

 

Unless you have a whole trailer load of them.

 

I wonder how many OTHER cars on the lot are "his wife's" and what he says when I ask for their VIN#s.

 

Call SGI (Saskatchewan Government Insurance) since they are the ones that request inspections

 

what soes he want to do here, buy a tottaled car from here in sask?, im just a little confuesed, When I bought my SGIsalvage car and rebuilt it, Ididnt have to do much, fix obvious body damage (lucked out with same coulor fenders and hood, and bumper) andthe mechanicle... cost me $100 dollars for safety inspection, and if all the repairs are finished in 15 days from the inspection, you dont have to pay thenext 100 dollars to saftey the car.

[Stevo]

Speaking with a GM rep... I asked what it would take to do all what has transpired with this vehicle.

 

He said that when a car is totalled (80% pre-incident value in NS) the insurance company dumps the vehicle into auction. It can end up ANYWHERE in say ... North America. Someone buys the vehicle at auction and the paperwork is done up for that vehicle under which certain conditions apply that can influence the timeframe of paperwork completion.

 

What seems to have happened is that a Sask yard/auctionhouse/whatever got the vehicle and it took longer to get the paperwork processed there than it did in Nova Scotia. Possibly due to the time of year (Christmas) the timeframes got stretched out (although 7months is a little much). The vehicle was repaired locally instead of out of province by a GM dealership and there MAY be a good chance that even though I may not be able to see the actual repairs and replacement invoice, I may be able to see before pictures and have an idea what really was done. If the cradle was replaced then that's a huge chunk of change because instead of steel subframe the cars now have aluminum subframes.

 

For shits and giggles I should price up the front of that car on GMpartsdirect.com to get an idea how fast I can spend 15-17 grand. Anyone here have one of these cars?

 

It would be interesting to have a registry of members' vehicles here so that it would be easier to refer to certain community members and trade info.

 

This is one hell of a learning experience. I'm hoping that regardless of the outcome others can learn from it. I just wish I could put some damn hours into the 93' International rebuild. Soooooo busy busy.

[slick]

Yep, Gen II got all aluminum to save weight. The newer style G-bodies are all aluminum as well.

 

Stuff adds up real real quick. I mean, not only are you looking at the big stuff, but remember all the small stuff as well(nuts, bolts, washers, etc...). That stuff isn't cheap at dealership costs.

[Stevo]

Yeah thats Honda and Dodge's mentality ... ESPECIALLY on fasteners.

 

I remember trying to put top and bottom strut bars on my brother's ex's Honda... everything was a bolt without a nut but a threaded hole.

 

Junk.

[rockfangd]

you mean like our rear strut mounts lol

[Stevo]

Got everything ready and set for this Saturday and forgot to make an appointment to have the car looked at at the local GM dealership. Called them and they are closed on Saturday. lol.

 

Guess this deal isnt gonna go down. No damn way am I buying a used car from a user car dealer without some serious examination.

[Turbo231]

I believe not buying that car is a good move. I'm a fan of rebuilt cars, but only heavily heavily discounted. I mean, he's telling you about the accident, but so many other things could have transpired...it's not worth the risk.

 

It is a situation where I would pay more for a clean title.

[ManicMechanic]

Yep, Gen II got all aluminum to save weight. The newer style G-bodies are all aluminum as well.

 

Stuff adds up real real quick. I mean, not only are you looking at the big stuff, but remember all the small stuff as well(nuts, bolts, washers, etc...). That stuff isn't cheap at dealership costs.

 

You can really see it here.

 

[attachment deleted by admin] Removed to free up storage space.

[Stevo]

holy shit!

[rockfangd]

damn.why does that not surprise me .