Is Buying a Salvaged Title Car a Good Deal?

[@frugalprepper]

I ran into a insurance company that wouldn't insure my mustang that I re-did that had a salvage title when I was a teenager. I had the car fixed great and then couldn't get insurance. I ended up "selling" it to a family member in the next state over and having them title it in their state. Then I had them "sell" it back to me and I re-titled it in my state, and POOF just like magic it was no longer a salvage car.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Oh yea.. Title washing is a real thing for sure. I think Tennessee is a state that this is common with.

[@TheZProtocol]

After seeing a chopped-up Kart Miata pass by a cop at TTU and the cop didn't bat an eye, I started thinking if TN even does emission tests at all. Please note that I was there for 5 days, also, I'm from PR. Then again....we do "inspections" and "emissions" here.

[@johncavanagh3900]

Emissions testing isn't required in the state of TN but some counties do require it. Hamilton County does have emissions testing but just north in Bradley County where I live we do not have emissions testing.

[@TheZProtocol]

John Cavanagh I believe I was at Putnam County. Hows emissions there?

[@johncavanagh3900]

Putnam is one that does not require testing. There are only 6 counties that do require testing.

[@chrisc8774]

I bought many cars and just because a car is clean title doesn't mean it's never been crash it was just not reported to insurance

[@HumbleMechanic]

That is very true!

[@guesswho6089]

Thassa fact!!

[@hurtado98]

Yup correct

[@jonathangarzon2798]

@@HumbleMechanic is there a way to check a frame foot bend/warp bought a 98' Ford ranger salvage

[@hugoknight1]

8 years ago I purchased a "salvage title" 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan from a private party. It had been in an accident and had front end damage but had been nicely repaired. No frame damage. It had 67K on the odometer and I have put another mostly trouble-free 200K on it since. My advice: if you plan on buying a salvage title, be prepared to drive it till it drops because resale value is terrible. But if you like the vehicle it can be a great deal!

[@HumbleMechanic]

+hugoknight1 good info!! Yeah you basically have a car worth nothing. Technically. Lol

[@hugoknight1]

#derrik tie: If it does, it never manifested itself. Tires never wore unevenly and no shakes or rattles. It's about ready to "rust" itself into the scrapyard soon, but it was several years of really cheap driving. Not a bad deal for $4,000.

[@BlueTrane2028]

200k miles on a 4k car? Yeah, not bad at all. Being a Dodge, you got super lucky. My old Caravan was a money pit and it didn't have an R title...

[@JUST_ONE_ID10T]

My mom and dad have a 2007 dodge grand caravan with the power sliding doors and all. it has 240k miles on it and still runs great.

[@PumpkinKingXXIII]

hugoknight1, of course there was no frame damage. The caravan does not have a frame.

[@int53185]

I work at a body shop. Believe me there are cars on the road that shouldn't be. Including newer cars that had extensive damage that were repaired and really shouldn't have been.

[@mayraarmas4583]

Just be careful when you buy a car, as a lot of ppl out there dont care and will sell you anything to get your money

[@chula11261988]

Si true

[@DogeUSA]

What a great advice. Thanks. 😒

[@jrzzrj]

3 yrs ago (2016) I bought my first ever Salvaged Title car (2012 Chevy Equinox)...It is one of the finest cars I have owned and has not given me a bit of trouble....Still has that New smell interior....I don't know what the original damage was...nor did I care to know...as the car looks super good and no repair work is evident inside or out.......I plan to keep this vehicle a long time....I am fully insured (AFI)....

[@chrisc8774]

I've had clean title cars that brake down on me within the first few months and I've had salvge cars that are solid and run for ever so to me I feel salvge cars are worth it

[@ghetto-lemon]

If I buy a salvaged car that runs and has all its airbags can I insure the car? I live in Florida but the car is in California

[@_Steven_S]

"they're looking for things to sell you, so they're going to find all of it." Love it!

[@HumbleMechanic]

:)

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

That's right. And after the pre-inspection, they take it right back to me to fix those things. We gave them the confidence to buy, and then we followed through. It can make for some very happy situations all around. Rarely do customers pay us for inspections on horrible vehicles...but so many customers tell us later that they wish they had.

[@newtonraymond77]

Steven S true statement

[@250rTriker]

Steven S i had a buyer take my car to mercedes benz for an inspection and i ended up wasting 2 hours and as a result the dealer came out and told the buyer that my car was damaged before and was repaired. The dealer did not tell him anything he hadnt already known and in the end the dealer tried selling the buyer one of their own cars. So next time you need an inspection dont go to the dealer, go to a private inspector that has dealt with salvage repair and know what a good repair is and what a bad repair is.

[@ENJ4321]

Trike er Dealers are in the business of selling you THEIR cars, mechanics like pep boys, are only there to fix YOUR car.

[@ryantoomey611]

NEVER, EVER buy a salvage vehicle that was flooded! It will have a lifetime of electrical problems.

[@worldhello1234]

Not really true. It depends on the water level or whether or not it was misdiagnosed, e. g. someone vandalized the engine and put water in it.

[@amak1131]

The BIG thing is how the car is deemed a "total loss". If it isn't worth much to begin with, not much damage is required for it to be a "total loss". Could be as simple as a bumper being torn off.

[@mymorningzion]

I'm a mechanic and I send your videos to friends who ask me questions to save time. thanks for that :)

[@Car1Sagan]

My current and prior two vehicles are all salvage titles. For each of my prior two, I was involved in accidents caused by the other drivers. Each of these cars were totaled, and the checks given to me by their insurance companies averaged at about 110% the cost of what I payed for the vehicles years prior. Quite a deal you can find with salvage vehicles, of which I paid about 60-80% of the lowest book value. As the video suggests, inspect the crap out of them. If you can find a dealer that does free alignment checks, take it there and ask them if they could give the vehicle a once-over for other concerns. Often you can get all this done for free.

[@rashaad93]

one thing my boss tells my customers​ all the time. if the guy doesn't want you to do a pre-purchase inspection don't buy from them. there is almost always a reason why.

[@stinkycheese804]

Yeah but the reason why may not be what you think, like that he doesn't have the time to fiddle with it when he's had 10 calls about the vehicle in the last 3 days. Besides that, I don't want a mechanic fiddling with my vehicles, even if I'm trying to sell them! They're lazy/cheap/dishonest far far too often. That definitely does not mean that all mechanics are rotten apples, not at all, but if NONE touch it, then none have the chance to cause a problem. lol, sadly that is also true when trying to sell a vehicle, I cringe every time a prospective buyer wants to get behind the wheel and thinking back a few years, you can tell them things like "it has to be stopped and in neutral to switch into 4WD low" but do they listen? Hell no, they don't give a shit because it's not theirs yet. You can even tell them that if they wreck it they bought it, which you'd think would be implied anyway, but if that's not on paper, try proving it in court.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

trevonne scott I explained to my sister in law when I was inspecting a car that he didn't want me to check things out...she shouldn't buy it. She did and the engine was no good. Um....yeah. That happened.

[@alexvillalobos7137]

trevonne scott we sell salvaged cars and no matter what car you have a dealership is going to tell you you need something but anyways we let people do whatever they want when we're selling a car but for some reason some people expect us to pay

[@TrentG23]

Bought a rebuilt SRT Charger 4 years ago...I still own it, and still love it.

[@pacocloud043]

Was it cheaper then a new one with a good title

[@Atlamalia2013]

In Australia we have the Written Off Vehicle Register, or WOVR, cars can be marked as either a repairable write off or a statutory write off. Repairable write offs are able to be put back on the road after an inspection is passed, statutory write offs are never allowed to be returned to the road and are for parts only.

[@annieworroll4373]

I'd wonder exactly where they draw the line between a major repair job(which statutory says you can't do), and just reusing a lot of the parts(which you can do). Is there some max percentage of parts from the salvaged vehicle? Specific parts that can't be used? How much do you have to replace before it's not the same car anymore?

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

Quix, I only see people doing that in America to customers who have no credit and have no choice but to over pay for vehicles. While on the surface this sounds horrible. I worked for one and we reconditioned cars way above and beyond what they were worth all the time. You could call that a bad deal, or you could call it giving people value in a situation where other dealers wouldn't.

[@coopsnz1]

Written off cars structures fucked

[@coopsnz1]

Hitting another car at 60km hr . Would do damage to structure

[@lesfox2010]

That has changed in some states now. NSW will not re register anymore due to many incidents of sub standard repairs, use of stolen parts and the rebirthing of stolen vehicles. I wiould suspect it won't be much longer before no car can be re registered in Australia once it has been written off. There are some exceptions to the rule, but rebuilt cars are definitely on the way out.

[@DefWun]

If I ever consider a Salvage Vehicle, it would have to be priced cheap and pass my personal inspection to my liking. I would also stay away from Flood Cars. They're usually trouble for multiple reasons(electrical problems and mold in the vents are the two major ones) I don't think it's ever wise to buy a salvaged vehicle for resale.Even if you 100% know the reason it's salvaged,the vehicle still carries a black eye being salvage. Great video BTW. Solid, realistic points as usual.

[@HumbleMechanic]

I think the ONLY way I would buy a flood car is if I was going to strip it and use it for something like autocross. But every bit of the interior would be out. Mold ain't no joke!

[@DefWun]

HumbleMechanic I agree. Track Car or Parts Car only.

[@keithbrookshire]

In 2004, I bought a 1999 Dodge Dakota with 75,000 miles and a salvage title. It was salvaged due to only slight body damage (new grill, new hood and some paint). It was never under water. 13 years and 130,000 miles later I'm still driving it. At this point I have about $45 per month or ownership in it including all other repairs I've done over the years.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

Cactus Bob. Utah is even drier, but apparently not quite hot enough in comparison to Arizona, because flood damage vehicles are still a very bad idea here.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

Cactus Bob​ I'm hardly an expert as it's just what people say. It wasn't first hand. Some of the issues, now that I think about it probably stem from not changing fluids which would be contaminated like transmission fluid. Other people swore by them as a way to save money...it didn't always work out, but then, they weren't mechanics, they weren't getting them fixed up by someome experienced. ..maybe at the most an intermediate DIY skill level was "taking care of it" thensleves.

[@midwestmods]

This is really interesting to see someone elses experience with salvaged cars, i deal with them everyday and just started making videos!

[@HumbleMechanic]

NICE

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

Truly great advice my friend. The only salvage vehicle I bought, I bought because I ran into it while I was after a specific vehicle. It was a very reliable and safe for a long, long time. The seller didn't understand how much the salvage title devalued the vehicle, so I couldn't get the discount I rightly deserved. All that said, I did buy a very low mile car, which had a newer better engine in it, with 1 critical mistake. One of the 3, thick, very needed bolts on a motor mount were sheered off and the transmission almost had to be pulled to tap it out and got the motor mount fully attached. This cost me more money than I saved 8 years prior. So some luck is important, and my case, the luck only ran out a LONG time after I bought it, lol.

[@mwvolkma]

I bought a lifted 99 z71 silverado for $2300 because it is a salvage title. If you're younger and planning on keeping it you can score a pretty good deal

[@vag4lvevo22]

But what if you dont get coverage?

[@lonegunm4n]

"collapse into your face" - without a doubt, one of the funniest things I've heard in a while.

[@HumbleMechanic]

HAHAHA Thanks :)

[@volvofreak86]

Yeah that made me laugh aswell :)

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

I was in "Engineer mode" when he said that. Thanks for helping me laugh after the fact! LOL

[@midwest4416]

I was thinking face time had a whole new meaning. lol

[@pyrobassist112]

Lol Charles got me on that one. So nonchalant in the delivery 😂

[@Michael-FoodieTraveler]

I almost bought a salvaged vehicle, and I’m glad I watched this first!

[@pyrobassist112]

Bought a "salvage" viggen that had a history with a rear end collision. Everything else checked out. You're definitely right in having someone /somewhere with the rep check it out before buying, it helped me dodge a few bullets before finding a gem.

[@1967davethewave]

Many companies I have dealt with will total a car at 60% of it's total value because they assume that when the repair starts there will be unforeseen things that will normally push the price up. But remember, almost all insurance companies specify new parts and the most expensive OEM parts on newer cars. Those parts can be 3 to 4 times what used or aftermarket parts run so there is a good deal to be had with salvaged cars that were damaged, especially for the do it yourselfer.

[@CedricHouse-o1g]

I am so thankful to have run across this video. Expert advice, clear explanations, and very thorough. The $150 spent to inspect the vehicle is worth it

[@REBELLIOUS513]

i love flipping salvages been a nice lil hustle for me for almost 20 years

[@codedthreat5981]

Best advice is at the end... Only go for the salvage title if it is a great deal. Saving only $1500 on a car that you probably will not be able to resell and has that huge mark on the title is not worth it. But if you save $5000, and you do your due diligence, then by all means go for it. I have only ever owned 1 car that was a salvage title, but it also was only $800 and was only a total because it was a older Subaru Outback and the damage done to it would have cost more than the car was worth. All I had to replace was the rear tailgate, which I was able to pick up at a U-Pull-It for less than $100. Everything else on the car was in great shape and the engine and transmission were perfect. That being said, I did drive that car knowing that when I got something different, it would be going for scrap and I would only probably get about $150 - $200 back for it.

[@SI0AX]

Yeah, some people see brand new salvaged cars as a good deal. It's really a bad one unless the damage isn't so expensive to repair and you can title wash it, lol.

[@codedthreat5981]

Yeah, up north in Pa, where I am at, Craigslist is filled with mid 2000's models that usually get banged up because someone forgot how to drive in the snow for a moment and lost control. So the damage might be minor but most insurance companies would rather not pay $6000+ and insure the work for a vehicle that has 150,000 miles on it and is only worth about $4000 at best, so they instead cut a check for the estimated value since that is a lot cheaper. But I have also seen some 2013 and 2014 cars that I know have probably been in a major crash to earn that Salvage title, those are the ones to stay away from.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

CodedThreat Oh, because they probably had ultimate damge on them to not be worth fixing.

[@codedthreat5981]

For the newer vehicles, yeah. If the car is still worth 20k or more, most insurance companies will pay out close to that total to get it fixed if it is mostly cosmetic. They will only total a newer vehicle if the structural integrity of the vehicle is compromised. I used to work at a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealer in the body shop, and I saw very few newer vehicles where the insurance person came in and said it was a total loss, unless the A or B - pillars were crumpled cause of a roll over or hard enough of a impact. They do not mess around with that shit or at least not the insurance guys we saw come in. But almost anything else can, and will, be fixed if the vehicle still has good value or if enough money is still owed on it. We had a 2006 F-250 come in one time (I remember it was the Harley Davidson special model, so was probably close to 60k brand new) that one of the guys had to replace the entire frame of the truck because the insurance company would not say it was a total loss. The guy somehow ended up going off the road and into a ditch where there just happened to be a exposed cement drainage pipe that he landed nice and squarely on. And even though the truck was 3 years old (this was back in like 2009), was close to 100,000 miles and the repair was going to be close to 30k, they had us fix it. It wasn't a very hard job, just time consuming and also Ford took their sweet time sending a new frame out. But that truck by that time and with that many miles on it was probably close to only being worth about 30k, maybe 35k. So moral of this long post... If you do not know what you are looking for when you are looking at a "Salvage" vehicle, don't buy it, spend the extra money and get a vehicle with a clean title, with a carfax and have your own shop person look at it, just like +HumbleMechanic said.

[@crispina9715]

hey guys help me out. found a 2009 Mustang GT V8 manual transmission for only 6,500$. The guy said that it was damaged at 20,000 miles when the owner rammed with the sidewalk curb at 40 mph damaging the rims. he said the insurance covered him fully so they replaced his car. then the guys dad, having a dealers license purchased the car cheaply and repaired it. the guy says the car works perfect and he hasn't had any problems. he said the reason for selling it is because he doesn't get to use it and needs it gone asap

[@southernbrew4252]

I am a auto body technician. If you are in the market of buying a car, chances are you're looking for a deal. Buying a salvage title car is a great option. As long as the car has been repaired correctly then by all means take advantage of the savings. Most people who are involved in wrecks get their cars repaired and think nothing of it so buying a salvage title car is basically the same. Most insurance company's will also let you pick up full coverage on salvage titled cars. The value of new cars depreciate faster than you'd think nowadays. One wreck in some of these late model cars will get you a salvaged title issued anyways. I just gave my 16 year old daughter a late model salvaged titled car. She doesn't know the car has a salvage title and neither does the car! Win win situation.

[@stevens1646]

Exactly, I just bought a salvage 2005 Escape 4x4 with 90K for $750. It only had minor front end damage. Ended up replacing the bumper cover, grill, headlights, hood and radiator. Got all the parts from the junkyard cheap. All told, I have about $1500 into it including fees, towing, etc. Since the car was so cheap, I put the minimum insurance coverage on it, so I'm saving there too. It will be my daughter's first car in a couple years.

[@onesent-zn2cv]

What about a collapsed steering column damage

[@ShikiKaze]

I have a 2003 Ford Ranger I bought salvaged about $1600 at cost. Work was done to it to get it to run by my uncle who tows and fix cars from accidents. Passenger Rear wheel side body a bit dented in. Rear window seal were pretty bad, (it was sitting in auction for years) I only had to replace the shocks, fix the power steering pump. Total cost from buying and added repairs from myself and my uncle: $2,470. Other than that, engine and transmission are in perfect condition, structurally sound, needs some grounding work and a pinion seal, U-Joint, Leaf Spring, and possible driveshaft but doubt it. It literally has no value but it's still an amazing truck to keep. 178k and still running quiet and strong.

[@danv2888]

Buying "Salvage" cars is fine. Sure you need to make sure it was repaired correctly. However, after you have made sure it is structurally fine then there is no reason not too. You will save money, and if you like the car you don't really need to worry to much about resale prices. Also, resale prices on cars are affected either way. I have always bought salvage, and never had a problem including in crashes. Just make sure it was repaired correctly.

[@alexvillalobos7137]

Dan V we sell and buy salvages and thank god some people don't like them or else they would be more expensive lol

[@robertmosqueda3172]

I agree

[@mercedesbenzs600bash]

Have you ever sold any salvage cars???

[@mercedesbenzs600bash]

@@alexvillalobos7137 Have you ever sold any salvage cars???

[@alexchukhreyev6430]

I was never able to afford a vehicle with AC until I got introduced to salvage vehicles, and now I have a very nice F-150 which is Salvage I fixed it myself, it looked very bad when I bought it from Copart but after I started fixing it and I measured the frame it was perfect it was not out of square so I change the bed and got it registered it's been the best truck I ever have bought, and I bought a Outback with a simple little front end damage all I have to do is replace the radiator support and of course bumper hood and fenders all cosmetic stuff

[@dead91silvia]

I do a lot of work for a car dealer that deal with mostly rebuilt title (Washington) cars. I personally have a "totaled" or "salvage" car that I've had for 10 years. It was totaled but came back with a clean title. Each state has different thresholds when it comes to what comes back with a rebuilt title. We've had a 6 year old 4Runner that had been vandalized and the keyed paint, broken windows and taillights totaled it and gave it a rebuilt title, even though it really just needed paint and a couple cheaper parts. However, there are cars that do come back with clean titles that have frame damage, like my Legacy. It's still a great car and I have over 270K on it and still love it. Also, Carfax can be off by a mile sometimes. If you can get one for free, go for it, but just keep in mind, it doesnt log everything and sometimes it has irreverent info that will make a good car look bad. Also, a good rule of thumb is that most of the time, rebuilt/savage title cars are worth about a 1/3 less then a clean title version. I had a customer that I helped out with getting a fair value on their 08 Forester that was totaled, again. Over all though, lots of good info for the uneducated for sure! ;)

[@mtabbert86]

Don't forget about misrouted wires and houses that can cause problems down the line. Or components that sat partially open when the vehicle was waiting to be repaired, so now that control unit has the beginnings of corrosion on its circuit board, but it won't actually be bad enough to cause an issue until a year from now. There are also poor welds, missing/incorrect fasteners, incorrect fluids used during repairs, band-aid repairs that work just well enough just long enough to sell it. I actually just saw the last one happen with a flooded C63 AMG. It was reasonably well repaired, but the engine ingested some water. they dried it out and changed necessary parts like oil, oil filter, air filters. But just enough damage was done that over the next thousand miles the #2 piston was just eating away at the cylinder until eventually that piston seized and snapped the connecting rod. Needs a new engine, which is obscenely expensive for a car like that.

[@alanmaier]

My father bought a modified handicap wheelchair van - a Grand Caravan to be exact. It had a rebuilt title and passed Florida inspection - and the Carfax showed where the van was converted (when it was nearly new) which is a major job (floor is cut out - quite a bit of work). When I titled it in Indiana, it automatically picked up a "Salvage / Rebuilt" title status. Also the odometer mysteriously picked up a TMU status even though the history seemed to make sense. Took a horrible beating on value when it was sold.

[@saneauto]

The Mustang GT project on my page is a salvage title car. What you said about the body lines 5:00 is great advice. You also need to find out what other repairs have been done and check those. The hood and front clip we used where chosen because may be aftermarket but they are very popular style, quality, lightweight alternative. those parts still required a lot of extra body work to make them line up and look well. Work that a lot of people dont do. The fenders however are Light weight Ford fenders. Those gave great lines without any extra work. We left the ford stickers on them which are visible when you lift the hood. We also replaced the engine and completely rebuilt the Transmission and a lot more.You really have to either do the repairs yourself or look carefully to insure the repairs done are Quality and far reaching complete repairs.

[@Drip2SG]

Question. What did they check when they gave you the inspection? Asking because I bought a salvage title “water damaged” mustang GT with cobra front end and a new engine with the bullitt manifold and bbk throttle body and jlt intake, fr 500 wheels with Mickey Thompson in the back, apple car play touch screen etc etc They put a ton of money into this car and I drove it 6 HRS BACK to Georgia no problems at all. No leaks no ticks nothing! Car is wrapped grey. Basically could be a show car but I want to daily it. Georgia on the other hand says I need to go through state to get tags. What’s the process?

[@chill1745]

I have a F350 with a rebuilt title. For a 20 year old pickup body-on-frame it is not as big of a concern to me as if it was a uni-body vehicle. The bed of the pickup was t-boned and needed replaced, which cost more than what insurance would pay, so the owner at the time had the bed fixed. After owning this pickup for a year and a half, one big thing I have noticed is the paint. Because it was rebuilt, it was also repainted and I was not sure what was under the paint when I bought it. Now I am finding where the rust areas are. Overall it has minor rust issue for being in Ohio compared to 90% of the other pickups I see of the same body style, but it went from really good paint to chipping off. Rebuilt status is something that every vehicle has to be looked at separately. Good and bad deals can be found.

[@isellcatlitter]

the only salvage title vehicle i would even think about buying is a hail damaged one... no way would i buy a flood damaged vehicle... too many computers in modern cars, and they can be a real headache

[@mikehileman7672]

Yes , you will chase electrical Gremlins as long as you own it. Water and electronics do NOT end well. I do automotive electrical for a living so I know..

[@StAtiKzHD]

Fun fact: my dad who owns a mechanic shop (and makes a good living) saves tons of dollars buying from auctions and repairing salvage cars. You can get yourself a 60,000 car for 40,000. Or get a cheaper luxury car like what I have with a Lincoln Zephyr for likely less than 15k. Brother has his Ford f150 that was a good bargain too.

[@HumbleMechanic]

nice! I think that it can be a great buy for the right person. But I don't think it's a great deal for most people.

[@StAtiKzHD]

Completely understand your point. Need a fair amount to fund the car and repair it almost at full cost as a bank would likely not loan you for such reasons. Nevertheless if someone has the tools to do so I'd recommend it once they knew which cars to steer away from (Floods,etc.). There are small things that can cost as much as you're paying for the car like airbags and headlights depending on the car. My mom's BMW headlights cost as much as the amount paid for the car. Now they are working on the battery as once it dies, a replacement can erase the car's system and cost more money. So he is sending it to the dealership so they can do that part.

[@sterbprepper4798]

@@StAtiKzHD shut up shut up

[@Mr.M1STER]

You're so right on every point. Any structural damage or structural repair and then it is unknown how the vehicle would react in the event of another accident. I would never buy a car that I know had structural damage it is just not worth it. Engine damage as you said can all be replaced with no worries. Good video.

[@hansschweikert9153]

You actually did a pretty decent job on this. We bought a salvage title 2014 VW GLI that had been in a pretty minor accident (confirmed by an inspection at reputable body shop). Because the car had like 10 airbags, it easily drove the repair past 65% (the new number some insurance companies are using, by the way). It was a fantastic car...until it was totaled. At that point, you could get really screwed. It worked out fine for us, but therein lies the risk. We bought a car valued at $19k for $11,7k. It could well be worth the risk unless you need to sell it or get a bad judgement after a total.

[@717dash_cam]

Another thing to look out for are Lemons that have been fixed and reintroduced to the road. Unless you intend on holding onto these cars until they die it isn't a good deal most of the time. In most cases these barely come with any warranty (12m/12k). Most of the lemons that make their way back on the road (from a reputable dealership) only had problems that were hard to diagnose. In 2013 I purchased a 2010 Ford Fusion with a branded title (lemon law) where they replaced the ECU and sent the car back out on the road. I got it for 12.5 when a comparable model would have sold for 18-19. Then traded it in July 2015 for 2015 Fusion, which had its own ECU problems that went lemon law after 10 months of rental cars. Honestly, a standard that needs to be set across the board is that if the technician cannot get the issue to reproduce on their own; ask the customer to show you. Go on a drive with the customer. I wound up offering to drive technician around when I found out 7 months into litigation (because you have to continue working with the dealer for repair) and spent an hour with him. We figured out that the issue was when the car would settle when put in park that the car thought it was in gear, causing a NCNS. Unfortunately by the time Engineering came back with a next step, there was a settlement agreement. I had my 15 Fusion for 11 months, and only put about 6k out of 7k on the car. But I do agree that a salvage car can be a great deal at the right price depending on why it's a salvage, but would never buy one that was totaled with potential frame damage.

[@ManuelHernandez-ek4nw]

Salvage cars are the best. Beats buying cars from a dealer.

[@g0ezle0nard96]

Check the door jams and engine bay for paint overspray, which indicates damage. Usually it will feel gritty compared to smooth factory paint. Wrenched bolts are a absolute giveaway of repair, tread lightly.

[@draconpost]

In the US you at least have a salvaged title. Where I live they make one car from three. And I'm not talking about fixing the parts. I'm talking about welding one car from three different bodies. And the owner might not even know it.

[@lutemule]

Bought a salvage car for my daughter and she drove it for 10 years and sold it for half the price paid for it!

[@pgrayharley6716]

Was she able to ensure it?

[@ElectricAlien577]

@@pgrayharley6716 I assume she didnt drive without insurance for 10 years.

[@EvendimataE]

suspension damage is the critical part in a salvage vehicle...a friend bought a car with salvage tittle. rear tires would wear out in 4 months when with his other cars they would last 5 years. had the tires aligned and found out the rears were not properly repaired, they can not be aligned properly even with max adjustment

[@opl500]

Only if you want to race it in 24hrsoflemons

[@HumbleMechanic]

LOL :)

[@worldhello1234]

@6:17 Sometimes a car is worth more if you can sell it for parts.

[@catfishakaAMC]

Absolutely with you on the pre purchase inspection thing. Bought a 2012 Volvo XC60 Back in January. They failed to find (i.e. didn't pull the rear wheels and check) that the rear brakes were within 1000 miles of being metal to metal. Well, about a thousand miles later, I hear a scraping. Not thinking it's the pads given the recentness of the inspection, I take it in and tell them it could be a slide pin or a rock in the caliper cause its only on that side. They called me 6 hours later and told me they put new pads and rotors on for free because they messed up. But hey, they owned it and for doing so they earned a customer for life! Best $186 ever! Quite certain that brake job cost way more than that!

[@D6Spanky]

awesome video! I didn't understand salvaged titles or what was meant by totaled until I had an old car that was backed into by a neighbor I in the rear quarter panel. The plus side was that I got the car for free and I made $850 off of insurance and then sold it for $300. Best car ever.

[@nfullenwider]

Great info. I bought a 1992 Park Avenue with a salvage title for $1000 that had been t-boned on the rear passenger door. Best money I've spent.

[@ih1206]

Good explanation. My brother rolled his farm truck this winter (2011 Ram 2500 with the Cummins diesel). The cab was totally junk as well as the front clip and bent a rim. The frame looked solid and the bed had some minor scratches. They say a lot of times the diesel pickups get rebuilt due to their high resale value. For a while it sounded like they would send it to a shop to have a new cab put on, and supposedly they would guarantee the work until you sold the truck. They deemed it was a total loss and the truck made its way from Ohio to Iowa after it got sent to

[@briantracy1324]

Cars can also become "totalled" because they were stolen and not recovered within 30 days... When your car becomes worth less than about $2000 it's best to drop comp/collision because a minor accident resulting in nothing but a small dent or a paint repair can render it "totalled" and then you're only getting what the insurer says it's worth ,, maybe $500 .. and good luck replacing it.

[@konacakes]

When i totalled my car in california they afford me 3 options. Get the most money where they take the car and total it, take about half money keep the car but it's still totalled or keep the car get no money but have the car not be totalled. Idk maybe different outside of CA. Needless to say i took the money and gave them the car because it would have cost me around double the worth to fix.

[@alexvillalobos7137]

Brian Tracy we got a 2015 jeep Cherokee like that

[@alexvillalobos7137]

Kermode Slumber it's always going to cost a shit load to fix it if you don't know how to get around last year my mom fucked up the bumper on our infinity and we got 5500 to fix it and my dad spent like 700 for the grill bumper painting the bumper a fog light and the little skirt some bumpers have at the bottom.we kept the rest of the money but our insurance did get more expensive by a lot

[@konacakes]

lol nah the whole back end of my honda was smashed in there was no cheap way to fix that.

[@pureluck8767]

Brian Tracy THATS A MYTH BUDDY. ONLY TOTALED IF IT BEEN IN A CRASH. 35 YEAR INSURANCE ADJUSTER CALIFORNIA!

[@DK1102]

I would never buy a salvage as a car that I would be looking at selling within 3-5 years. I would mostly be looking at a salvage to be a daily/beater car that keeps mileage off my nicer ride. Sometimes the older the better because you can run to the junk yard and buy a color matched fender for pennies on the dollar compared to remove, repair, fit, finish, ect ect ect, where insurance would trash it because of the repair cost. So long as you are honest about what you want from the vehicle, salvage titles can be a great way to get a decent car at a reduced rate IMO.

[@rainhanger]

watching your old veds are always as fresh as the new ones. Thank you for the effort, and honesty.

[@jazbuh1794]

I have looked in Salvage and did a lot reading on this... Everything he says here is spot on!

[@HumbleMechanic]

+Jas B thank you!!! Did you end up buying one?

[@w1ldyovvnz]

Ive always never cared about salvage titles or not, my sisters first vehicle was a salvage jeep(it got rear ended and someone rebuild it) than she bought it after the guys daughter hit a tree with it and I fixed it up for her(it has frame damage until the middle of the steering box) and she drove it for 2 years after trouble free other than regular repairs and sold it and made money on it actually, and I still see it driving around. the bonus on buying a salvage title is that you can start modifying the parts that are broken first(I modified the bumper a bit before I painted it). And we actually used parts off of my fathers old Jeep which was a salvage jeep as well but when he bought it he intended on running it into the ground and knew he was never going to sell it

[@amartin6388]

I buy Salvaged VW's direct at salvage auctions to flip. Word of advice u need to know what u are doing. I only buy vehicles that have either front end damage or suspension since those parts typically dont translate to structual (frame) damage. Repairing salvage is not for everyone and buying can be a risk.

[@wadeolson7874]

A Martin Would there be any concerns with a salvage yard VW TDI with 300,000 miles? Would it be best to rebuild those engines or stay away from them?

[@amartin6388]

Wade Olson I couldn't tell you if a 300,000 mile engine is worth rebuilding. It seems like you got "Salvage Auction" and "Salvage Yard" mixed. they are 2 entirely different businesses.

[@TheJonathanr003]

A Martin what about rear end damage?

[@chrisj197438]

My brother had a 98 Sebring that was salvage after a minor accident. He bought it back for $400 from the insurance company and gave it to me. I bought a fender hood light and bumper at a local pull yourself yard from a car that was exactly the same color. When I was done I had a nice car that no one could really tell was ever in an accident. I enjoyed the car for many years before selling it.

[@AbDul-ur3si]

I had a good experience buying a salvage title car but I credit that to a cousin of mine who knows mechanical and body work checked the vehicle out for me. Plus, my cousin did work for that dealer in his auto body section and knew him personally. The car itself was not wrecked but was salvaged because it was a stolen vehicle. I saved several thousand off what the car retailed for at the time. I still drive it. Has been a great car for me.

[@FortyTwoAnswerToEverything]

I see so many people with performance vehicles change out the kmember for a tubular-style one to lose weight or to be able to plumb turbo piping easier, and still used as a daily driver. That can totally change the way a car can absorb a collision that would not work in your favor.

[@ahmadghosheh3104]

I am late to the conversation. But some times the cost of repairs are so high that and not because of the extensive damage either. Body shops inflate the estimate and insurance adjusters go by those or close to estimates. I have seen totaled cars that really have no frame, engine, or transmission damage.

[@Captain_Jack514]

I plan on driving my 2010 Passat for a long time. I was in an accident on I-70 with a suitcase that fell out of someone's vehicle. Going at 70mph, well the undercarriage need major repair as well as a new Turbo and AC unit. After I moved I found a good local mechanic and the first time I took the vehicle in for maintenance, I asked if he could tell if the car had been in an accident and he told me he never would have even guessed it was in an accident. Years later, it still drives like it does when I bought it new.

[@wyattoneable]

You explained this well. I picked up on some good tips. After I retire from my present job I want to flip cars as a hobby so this helps a lot, thanks.

[@HumbleMechanic]

+wyattoneable thanks. I love the flip cars model. Something I'm looking at more as well

[@AlwaysBeSmart674]

I bought a salvage title 2002 Toyota celica and after buying it noticed a paint brush handle was being used as a washer to secure the front bumper..Dont buy a salvage title car unless you really know how to inspect a car

[@alexvillalobos7137]

Cameron Hud I prefer to use zip ties on my bumpers save you if you have a fiberglass bumper sometimes

[@nathantaylor2285]

.

[@michaelhall9138]

Scotty Kilmer worked on it 🤣

[@babykilla1231]

My sister's car is "salvage due to theft" it was stolen and stripped, then it was found and someone bought it and replaced the missing parts and sold it to us. Haha

[@v.e.7236]

I bought an '02 Blazer w/ a salvaged title and don't care because I'll own it till I pass. It was a case of the insurance blues, as you mentioned, where the repair is more money than the value of the vehicle. I've already popped the dent in the driver's side out, but will also need to replace some of the curvy sheet metal down by the rocker panel. It'll be completely rebuilt by the time I'm done and will last as long as I need it.

[@danktank1959]

Fixing my c3500 dually (rear ended). New rear suspension leaf spring, leaf spring hangers at all points. Used for towing.

[@royzcustomz]

fantastic advice and detail of the salvage title game. if it is just a 2-300 dollar shell for a race car its not a big deal but if you want a safe daily i'd take this guys advice

[@mikeschaner5853]

good coverage on salvage titles. could you go over the difference between salvage/ rebuilt/ restored? i know the difference but some other viewers may like the info. thanks for the excellent videos. not a vw/audi tech so your vids are a great help when 1 comes through our shop. Mike, Baltimore

[@KandRbar]

Great info brother. Love the "face" joke.

[@alexvillalobos7137]

I only buy salvaged cars cause their cheap

[@andreyv1]

their cheap what?

[@carleonekyle]

@@andreyv1 I don't think English is his first language

[@laurarosario733]

Carleone A did you understand him?

[@igogreen8871]

I am sorry but you are throwing your money away and not only that you are putting you and your family in great danger on the road.

[@alexvillalobos7137]

iGo Green nope make money off it too. Have a nice 2018 Honda civic type r 13k miles which I only had to replace the trunk on as if they lost it or something. Also have a 2015 genesis coupe a 2017 Jeep Wrangler 2015 Acura MDX. 2016 Acura ILX. I also got a salvage title 2017 Harley FortyEight sport 1200cc that didn’t even have a scratch on it but just had to replace the shock on one side. Just because a car is a salvage title it doesn’t mean it’s worthless. Every single one of these cars is salvage title

[@fsnissen]

On a modern, electrically complex car, I'd be a lot more worried about a flood damaged car than one that had been in a collision. Pull some of the trunk trim and see where the water line is. Manufacturers put sensative and very expensive electronic components in really dumb places sometimes.

[@lbproedit9754]

Buying a salvage is fuckin awsome. Bought a 370z for 8k compared to 42k. It had only 2k miles practically new. Moral of the story if your buying salvage just buy relatively new. If you are buying a 10 year old salvage well .....

[@HumbleMechanic]

NICE! I would make a slight change to what you said. "Buying a salvage 'can be' fucking awesome 'for the right person'!

[@PleaseBuyMyCat]

LB ProEdit How many miles do you have on it now? any problems?

[@lbproedit9754]

28,000 no problems

[@thetinkerer5763]

LB ProEdit hows it holding up?

[@NMEofdaST8]

LB ProEdit that's great what was it salvaged for?

[@Limitedtom643]

A brother of mine bought a 2011 colorado with a salvage title. So far its been a solid truck

[@HumbleMechanic]

NICE!

[@jackmendez8579]

on older cars to check for bondo use a magnet. wont try to stick to it.

[@stinkycheese804]

On older cars does it really matter if the price is right and it looks good? However, that is not actually true. Damage may have a new piece of steel welded or riveted on, then bondo, and that steel under it will make the magnet stick.

[@jackmendez8579]

people can use bondo to hide rust, so yeah, its kind of important.

[@Sheehy223]

...What if it has an aluminum body?

[@Sheehy223]

Or fiberglass.

[@Sheehy223]

Or any material other than steel.

[@ki4soy]

It very important that its fix right I put a core support in and repaired the SRS in a car because it was not done when its was repaired previously before i got it. I wrecked and rolled that car boy was I glad I did the air bags wouldn't have deployed other wise. SRS/Air Bag light on is don't buy also it was not a salvage title

[@MrRideabighorse]

My current vehicle is a 2003 Windstar that I bought on a salvage title in 2006. It has 177,000 miles and I'm getting ready to replace it. I also put 100,000 miles on a 1980 E150 with a salvage title. No problems with either.

[@SolFlor]

I’m 19, and I bought my first vehicle not too long ago. And I bought insurance for my vehicle. Only thing, is that this has a salvaged title. And the salvaged title is from Oklahoma. I live in Texas....the lady from the tax office told me she can’t do anything with that and that I’ll have to go to Dallas in Carrollton. I believe so. I’m not giving up yet. But I’m this situation, this is all stressful....hopefully I’m able to put this in my name real soon....

[@SolFlor]

@Gohshuks // yes!! So this is what happened. I went to Carrollton to get more documents. It was the closest one to me. It took about a month to do the whole process but it is possible to get it in your name. As long as your vehicle is inspected and isn’t a stolen vehicle you should be fine. But just saying when I got my car title transferred to a Texas title, it costed about $500 something dollars. But that all depends on your vehicle model and year I believe.

[@theoneviewer17]

Is been an year, how was the experience?

[@dancharron7098]

flood cars you forgot to say. can't be put back on the road...

[@dennisbryan7522]

I have a camaro with a salvage title nothing is really wrong with it just makes it really hard to sale

[@hurtado98]

Yup when you have salvage title people like to lowball to much

[@BigHeadClan]

I bought back my car after an accident to have a salvage inspection done for it because it was older and the repairs not too extensive, what I didn't expect was for the car to fail inspection because of some minor rust on the underside that was unrelated to the accident. I was aware of the issue beforehand just wasn't expecting it to be a flagged issue that would fail me.

[@ycmdill]

Salvage vehicles in Georgia can not be titled or licensed. They must first be repaired and converted via inspection to "Rebuilt" status. Before and after photos and documentation of donor parts are required to reduce the instances of stolen parts being used.

[@ki4soy]

I heard they will not let cars with rebuilt status from other states they have to be reinspected by Georgia

[@ycmdill]

Yes and there in lies the problem. The before and after documentation would likely be unavailable. Not sure what you could do in that case. Might just pay the $200.00 in fees and get another inspection.

[@mikesweet5848]

Thats really common in most states. Same in New York for the most part. No inspection I dont believe but you need to submit the paperwork of all the parts used to complete the repair.

[@Printedperformance]

so... if you don't make an insurence claim and fix the car out of the pocket, it won't show up on a car faqs or salvage title. I got a 2012 300 about 4 years ago that was wrecked pretty bad, clean carfaqs and clean title. got the car for around 8k less then what others were selling for.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Yea the incident has to be reported for any of those services to find out.

[@TheTruelakersfan]

Depends on car brand you gonna buy and if the engine wasn't damaged.I bought 2000 Toyota solara in 07 and never had a major problem.only problem I had with it was transmission leak and valve cover leak cheap to fix.That is it for the 10 years I've owned it and it still drives like dream.

[@stephenschmid492]

Excellent video, thank you! Especially the warning about insurance possibly not covering the vehicle. I am looking at a salvage vehicle with only 396 miles on it, selling for about $27K.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Another issue is getting a title. LOL something I am dealing with now on my miata

[@stephenschmid492]

@@HumbleMechanic The vehicle I was looking at is out-of-state also, and I am in California. I think I am going to bag it. Based on someone else's earlier comment, I was able to find an image of the vehicle online after the accident, by using the VIN and doing a Google Image search. It looks pretty bad. Thanks again!

[@fraquan8711]

Most of my cars are salvaged from fender bender or simply for modifying the crap out of them

[@mr.mckinnon5680]

insurance companies do not employ auto repairers. They hire salesmen. HUGE difference!

[@yadidimeanmaine]

Nice Rogue Nation sticker. Props from southern Oregon.

[@BlueTrane2028]

Instead of R title cars, I go for super cheap vehicles with clean titles but need some sort of major fix (or what the PO thought was major), like my $500 '96 Tahoe that only really needed a fuel pump and brakes, my $300 '98 Grand Am (head gaskets, brakes) and my $500 '02 Montero Sport (Ignition module and general maintenance). Yes, all required additional funds invested to become reliable, but not enough to even reach book resale value. It helps that I know how to fix things myself and have a friend who is a very talented mechanic to help out. My most recent pickup is a pickup... a '96 K1500 (Silverado) for $600. I figure another thousand will make that one rather cherry, and it will be cheaper than many other comparable vehicles I see for sale.

[@brainrussell6811]

Some great advice... respect from NM.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Cheers and thank you

[@Ellen-bv8gv]

In many states the rebuilder's application for the "roadworthiness" inspection must include photos of the accident damage, list the repairs made, in some states list the VIN No.s of the major parts used in the rebuild, etc. Why don't we buyers demand to see the rebuilder's copy of his application?

[@proffesordick4589]

Thank you car guru guy!!! Much appreciated!!! Nice beard!!🎅🎅🎅🎅

[@robertgillespie7016]

Best video I've seen with real intel. Good job!

[@HumbleMechanic]

thank you!

[@robertgillespie7016]

@@HumbleMechanic i just speak it as i see it. I appreciate you and the video!

[@StansAuto83]

Thanks for the video. Always wonder this. Now I know what to look for when buying a used car. I had bought a Neon that was in a wreck. Was told it was repaired but after I bought it I found it was not and that it should have a salvage title. But now I know what to look for so it does not happen again.

[@Justinwhat1]

I got a 2008 Passat salvage. That’s why I watch these videos.

[@hardasnails64]

I got an 06 Honda accord exl v6 salvaged for 3 grand. It got rear ended. Trunk and bumper replaced. Big deal. Never should have been salvaged to begin with. Put a new used motor in it with 70 k on it. I have had it over a year so far with zero issues. Southern car with no rust. I will drive this car for many years to come. Great deal :)

[@maukywan]

SAGE Advice my man. Thank you

[@pr7606]

Been driving salvage for the last 15 years. All newer cars and affordable so I never had a loan (paid off). Never had an issue because most importantly folks that helped me put it together were all certified and professional car-body repair techs. Will suggest to stay away from most german cars (salvaged) because of unbelievable electrical complexities. One wire gets bent or pinched due to accident, good luck figuring that out. I buy mostly rear or side hits and purchase vehicles that have flood of parts at recyclers.

[@allanhunter9088]

He can say what he wants but you have to drive into the ground. period!

[@rustybrowneye]

i have a 03 taurus im selling with a salvage title. it had one when i bought it and i have no clue why it has that title. looking over the car its straight as a arrow. if it was in a accident some did a great job fixing it. the car is in good shape with new tires and im haveing a hard time even getting $1500 for it and i think the reason is the salvage title

[@mr.mckinnon5680]

from a body guy's perspective period and a 20-plus year frame technician. there is no such thing as an unsalvageable vehicle. Unless it is Rusted and all of its structural components are deteriorated. If the metal is still intact it can be repaired. the difference between a regular accident and a total loss, is an Actuarial decision. based on how much is owed on the car versus the cost of the repair. a 10000 dollar car, that only has $2,500 left on the loan. with $2,000 worth of damage period is still a total loss. flood-damaged vehicles are a totally different animal. They don't appear to have any damage on them whatsoever period and the common thinking is, if you set it outside and let it dry it will fix itself. maybe soak it in bowl of rice. however all of its little electronic components that were submerged in water are now junk. Wiring harnesses computers so on and so forth. or in reference to the human body, its brain and nervous system. these ones are easy to spot if you know how to look for them. removing the a-pillar trim from between the door and the windshield . usually reveals a water line. back to the total loss accident. these cars have many identifiers. starting with the gaps in between the panels. if a door and a fender doesn't look correct it probably isn't. this is a good indicator of frame rail damage. Which can be corrected with proper machine and measurement tools. Which most body shops refuse to purchase period because of their expense and The Body Shop owners lack of knowledge on how to fix a vehicle. most college graduate Automotive technicians , after an apprenticeship. become a technicians with the ability to fix 95% of the vehicles on the road. Unfortunately, the shop owners that are in the pockets of the insurance companies period are usually only C grade technicians at best. and don't really care about how the card gets fixed only worry about that bottom line. whether or not the checks will cash. a lot of materials and vehicles get thrown in the scrap yard period because of their inability to understand how an accident works. As well as the insurance companies Actuarial decision to go ahead and throw your car away for you. and they lie and they tell stories and get you all frayed that your car will never be the same again. Which is correct. Unless you're talking about a technician who was trained to restore the vehicle to pre-accident condition or better. we remove the five to seven millimeter spot welds period and replace them with 7 to nine millimeter spot welds. not resistance welds comma but actual Mig welds. Mig welds that get tested on the floor . for penetration. unlike the manufacturer, that has to produce one new vehicle every 48 seconds. our sectioning procedures are much stronger then the factory period because we go to the straightest and strongest planes available and do a repair in those areas. and then to top it all off we actually have to paint the car. Which means all of the metal is getting protected. Unlike the manufacturer. Who barely finishes painting the inside of doors, leaves the frame in a moisture barrier. Not to be confused with paint , because it is not. moisture barrier does not stop rust period but rather promotes the rusting process, so you buy a new car in 5 years. since the Inception of the computer in the automotive industry. The manufacturers have stopped building cars. And started selling financing. so before you start blasting technicians who spent an entire lifetime. putting people back out on the road, and keeping them safer than they ever have been before. start looking at the insurance companies who refused to fix them. And the manufacturers who have refused to build them. in short, yes a properly repaired salvage vehicle is stronger period and will last longer then the original manufacturer's concept . when left in the hands of a good properly trained technician. (not the salesman) even flood-damaged vehicles. with a full nervous system transplant. will be just as good as the day it left the showroom floor. if not better. because that's our job. Restore the vehicle to pre-accident condition. Or better.