Looking to buy 2016 ford mustang with SALVAGE title need your advice!!!

[Firsttexan]

Hello; On top of maybe not getting a loan there can be issues with insurance. I think you can get liability Ok but may not be able to get collision.
I also spoke to my County Clerk a few years ago and there are some vehicles they may not give road tags to and may not title. Odd thing was i was making a deal for a 1965 mustang out of Georgia without a title.
The not having a title was not an issue. Tennessee will accept a bill of sale for some older cars out of Georgia. The main reason the deal feel thru was the vin plate was messed up and hard to read. There were also some other issues so I walked away.

I have a friend who has bought several salvage cars. They have generally run OK but all have had nagging issues from day one.

The last thing is just what you as a prospective buyer are going thru. Should you decide to sell that salvage title will be an issue. Even if you get it fixed up real nice that will always be an issue. May be best to think of it as a keep forever car, that is basically what my friend does. He winds up spending more to keep his salvage cars on the road than one with a clean title. It is like he will not take a hit on the price when selling one so keeps spending money to keep them going.

But good luck with whatever you do

The car has already been repaired.

I have bought multiple salvage cars in Texas. Never had any trouble insuring .

That can surely vary from state to state.

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[Cobra Jet]

First, I'd call your insurance Co. and ask them if they wouid even cover it for insurance by giving them the VIN. Some Ins. Co's won't cover a salvaged titled vehicle.

Second - I'd be all under that car's front end and looking at the front inner fenders - if it was cracked in the front, most likely either the inner tenders were pulled with a come-a-long or not repaired correctly. Make sure the front crash bar is still behind the bumper cover - some cheapo repairs may not put back the crash bar. If you're local to it - take it for a drive and let go of the steering wheel - does it track straight or does it immediately want to go off-roading? If the latter, it has suspension issues.

Third - If it was repaired, usually salvage title vehicles have to go through a State Inspecrion process so it's deemed road worthy. Ask for the official docs that allowed it to be back on the road again.

 

[ORRadtech]

The car has already been repaired.

But has it really?

I've been repairing my own cars for 50 odd years, mechanical, body, most anything. And I'd have to see proof it was done and properly. Then I'd take it to a body shop and a mechanic I trusted to verify that.

I'd be willing to bet the airbag covers have just been glued in and any seat seams sewed back together and the suspension jerry rigged...

 

[Firsttexan]

But has it really?

I've been repairing my own cars for 50 odd years, mechanical, body, most anything. And I'd have to see proof it was done and properly. Then I'd take it to a body shop and a mechanic I trusted to verify that.

I'd be willing to bet the airbag covers have just been glued in and any seat seams sewed back together and the suspension jerry rigged...

I have been in the paint and body business for 35 yrs. I agree he should take the car in for a total check out by a good body shop.

 

[NavyMAC]

This would be what I would look for to use as a donor for a factory five build or a great track car to beat on. Sell off all the BS interior and exterior parts to recoup some investment and enjoy.

 

[Torched10]

Hello; On top of maybe not getting a loan there can be issues with insurance. I think you can get liability Ok but may not be able to get collision.
I also spoke to my County Clerk a few years ago and there are some vehicles they may not give road tags to and may not title. Odd thing was i was making a deal for a 1965 mustang out of Georgia without a title.
The not having a title was not an issue. Tennessee will accept a bill of sale for some older cars out of Georgia. The main reason the deal feel thru was the vin plate was messed up and hard to read. There were also some other issues so I walked away.

I have a friend who has bought several salvage cars. They have generally run OK but all have had nagging issues from day one.

The last thing is just what you as a prospective buyer are going thru. Should you decide to sell that salvage title will be an issue. Even if you get it fixed up real nice that will always be an issue. May be best to think of it as a keep forever car, that is basically what my friend does. He winds up spending more to keep his salvage cars on the road than one with a clean title. It is like he will not take a hit on the price when selling one so keeps spending money to keep them going.

But good luck with whatever you do

Assume you got a car fax report.they usually have alot of info

 

[Balr14]

If you are buying the car from another state you need to check with your state about registering a car with a salvage title. It can be a major hassle. There is not a uniform code for allowing a salvage titled car to be registered. What is OK in one state may not be in another. There have been several occasions where I could have purchased great cars with salvage titles but I did not want to take the risk of trying to register it in Wisconsin.

I had one car that was declared to have structural damage because a fender support was bent. It's a crappy piece of formed sheet metal you could bend by hand. But it is considered structural because it is tack welded to the side of the frame rail. I fought a two year court battle over that and lost, so I was out about $25k.

 

[sk47]

Assume you got a car fax report.they usually have alot of info

Hello; I do try to get one when shopping later model cars. I had a surprisingly fair deal worked out on a used Bullitt with around 5K miles. That dealer is not known for decent or fair deals, but it was a Bullitt. Asked for a car fax and discovered it had collision damage somehow before it was first titled. Wrecked on a test drive maybe.

 

[S14Wolf]

https://badvin.org Spend $10 here and see what you've got. Just understand selling a car with a salvage title is never going to be worth anything. You MAY get a good deal on it. Could be really nice and repaired. Yet Everyone is going to think it was rolled 5 times into salt water and then flooded.

 

[RagmopInKona]

Salvage title cars can ne a great value if that kind of thing doesn't bother you.
The thing isn't even if they repaired it with used parts from fleabay the headlights run about $350 each, the airbags (and I saw at least 3) run about $250 each and wheels (2 needed) are around $300 each. So not taking into account the obvious aftermarket body parts, body work, paint, suspension, resetting the seat belts/ SRS module and lord knows what else the 2nd owner has at least
$11,300 for the car and $1700 for the parts I listed which equals the $13k asking price.
There's no way this car was fixed properly, no way at all...

Many cars are fixed with warm parts. I would take it to a body shop and have them look it over. instead of having forum members that are doing nothing but ASSUMING.
They could be right, but a body shop will be worth the trip, it could be a deal if fixed correctly .
Funny thing is before all these vin check sites no one would bat an eye at this car. Hell most of the cars that cross the auction collector car stage were worse before fixed.

 

[K4fxd]

Hell most of the cars that cross the auction collector car stage were worse before fixed.

Fixed correctly it could be argued the car is better than from the assembly line.

 

[sk47]

Hello; I have a friend who has bought several salvage titled cars over the years. Two things have been common among the cars.
First is all the cars have had some non-functioning small features from the start. Things like a glove box door and lining not working properly or some interior lights never right. Features such as heated seats being glitchy. Small items that do not prevent the use of the car, but are never quite right.
Second is all have had to have some shop time to keep them on the road. So much so I question the economics of buying a salvage car. I get these cars sell at a discount so seem like a bargain. I also am not writing about poor repairs on major systems which can be a very different situation. The hard part is how to judge which of the ongoing problems are due to a car being salvaged versus a non-salvage used car of the same year and make.

I have gone with the friend to help pick up these cars and get to see cars/trucks being repaired. The flood cars generally do not have any collision damage. The shop strips out the interior, carpets and all, then allows the car to sit with the doors and trunk open to dry out. I suspect some of the smaller things do not get put back just right during reassembly.
They will drain engine oil in a flooded car but not always the trans or rear ends. I was tempted to buy a 95 Camaro with a V8 and a manual trans. We came to terms on price. I asked to have the trans and rear end oils replaced as part of the deal. When the manual trans oil was being drained it was milky indicating flood water got in. Problem was the shop owners daughter had been driving the car for at least 800 miles that way. I paid them for the new fluid and walked away from the car.

 

[RagmopInKona]

Many of my vehicles the past 25 years were salvage /rebuilt titles. My Jeep is. 87 thousand miles later and other than a battery, tires, brakes and oil. it has been great. And was 40% less than the same model/optioned "clean" cough cough car faxed ones.

 

[Unas2k5]

No thanks. Never.

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