Any car detailers here ?

TTLS1

Well-Known Member
I would never spend more than 10k on a rebuilt title. I bought this car for the purpose of commuting. It is a super nice car that needed very little work to put back into a driveable condition. It’s a million times better than the car it replaced(2011 Chevy Cruze)
 

upsgrunt

Well-Known Member
Salvage title means the car was a total wreck. (Totalled by the insurance company) If the frame is bent I wouldn't bother, but someone good with bodywork might fix a high prices vehicle with extensive damaged panels.

I bought a 04 GMC Yukon XL in 07 as theft recovery that had a salvaged title. One of the best vehicles I ever owned.
 

Wally

BrownCafe Innovator & King of Puns
I bought a 04 GMC Yukon XL in 07 as theft recovery that had a salvaged title. One of the best vehicles I ever owned.
How much money did it cost you to restore? Only being 3 years old, the damage must have been extensive?
 

Wally

BrownCafe Innovator & King of Puns
Maybe the insurance company had already paid the previous owner and the bank just wanted to get rid of it.
If the owner did not have gap insurance they may have owed some money to the bank. The insurance company pays book value at the time of the loss. That truck was around $40k new. The only way the bank owned the car is if the buyer went into default.
 

upsgrunt

Well-Known Member
How much money did it cost you to restore? Only being 3 years old, the damage must have been extensive?

I didn't have to restore it, or put any money into it. The only thing that was done to it was move the VIN tag from the dash to the doorpost. It's like it was stolen, joyriden for long enough for insurance to pay, then recovered. I even got a warranty from the place I bought it from. It had 45,000 miles, and I think I paid 22K.
 

TTLS1

Well-Known Member
I didn't have to restore it, or put any money into it. The only thing that was done to it was move the VIN tag from the dash to the doorpost. It's like it was stolen, joyriden for long enough for insurance to pay, then recovered. I even got a warranty from the place I bought it from. It had 45,000 miles, and I think I paid 22K.

there was a 2020 fusion that was missing the wheels, had 6000 miles on it and was from enterprise rental car. it just went through the auction. once insurance pays out on a theft its a salvage title. theft is one the best ones to buy IMO if its not gutted.
 

clean hairy

Well-Known Member
I did a quick search, and in my area clean title 2016 Fusions can be bought for around $10,000. (asking price)
Yes, they do have more miles, to be fair, but I would take clean title 65,000 over a Salvage (or rebuilt) 42,000 mile car.
If you buy to resell, first, check and see what clean title cars of that year are advertised for.
When looking for cars for others, if I see Salvage or "Rebuilt Title" I move on, regardless of price.

With a Salvage title, your pool of potential buyers is much smaller, and they beat up on the price.
I had one that was salvage due to vandalism in a parking garage.
No suspension, frame, or structural damage.
It was all repaired, I was honest, and said "It is a rebuilt title, parking garage vandalism damage"
$6,000 if it was a clean title.
I went down to $2,500, phone never rang.

A used car dealer friend took pity on me and swapped one of his for mine.
I let him know I was going to sell his within 3 months, he did not care. He had $1,400 in his.
I got the $2,500 for his clean title car in 2 weeks after putting it up for sale.

Lost a bunch on my 1 rebuild, not doing that again!
 

TTLS1

Well-Known Member
I did a quick search, and in my area clean title 2016 Fusions can be bought for around $10,000. (asking price)
Yes, they do have more miles, to be fair, but I would take clean title 65,000 over a Salvage (or rebuilt) 42,000 mile car.
If you buy to resell, first, check and see what clean title cars of that year are advertised for.
When looking for cars for others, if I see Salvage or "Rebuilt Title" I move on, regardless of price.

With a Salvage title, your pool of potential buyers is much smaller, and they beat up on the price.
I had one that was salvage due to vandalism in a parking garage.
No suspension, frame, or structural damage.
It was all repaired, I was honest, and said "It is a rebuilt title, parking garage vandalism damage"
$6,000 if it was a clean title.
I went down to $2,500, phone never rang.

A used car dealer friend took pity on me and swapped one of his for mine.
I let him know I was going to sell his within 3 months, he did not care. He had $1,400 in his.
I got the $2,500 for his clean title car in 2 weeks after putting it up for sale.

Lost a bunch on my 1 rebuild, not doing that again!

at the time of purchase and rebuild clean title fusions were going for 15K this is a titanium make sure you took that into consideration theres a massive price difference in fusion models. its gone down a little since February I never bought the car to make money or to sell it. I am happy with what i paid for it and what the car looks like.
 

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clean hairy

Well-Known Member
insurance was no problem and its pretty cheap, ability to pass state mandated inspections(I'm in Indiana we don't have any) I cant see it being a problem. the vin had a police inspection, I had to supply them with the donor parts list and vin numbers from those vehicles also. so in the states eyes I believe the car is considered rebuilt and road worthy. I would never buy a salvage car with frame damage, I'm not equipped to straighten frames. ability to sell it all depends on the buyer honestly. personally I'm not scared of a rebuilt/salvage car as long as I can see how badly it was damaged. I accept that the car no longer has a warranty etc. with a salvage it is worth less but I have 8500 in this car after buying it, going to get it, replacing the parts, and paying to have a few parts painted. I couldn't buy a clean title one with equal miles for less than 16K so I feel I did pretty good. I have no intention of selling the car but I don't foresee selling it being a problem if I had to sell it and still pocketing a couple grand.
All the State is interested in is if the parts were legally obtained.
The State does not certify the car is road worthy.
I have seen rebuilt cars (exagerrating) sp? Going down the road almost sideways, due to frame damage not being repaired or improperly repaired.
Check out you tube" post repair inspections"
Will make you thinl twice about a salvage title car.
 
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