Buying a car with salvage title, help....


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Old 02-24-09, 08:39 AM
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Buying a car with salvage title, help....

I'm looking at a car for my daughter and can get a very good price on it. Its a 2002 Pon Sunfire that is in great shape, just a little rust here and there. This couple bought another vehicle after there second child and car is to small for them. They bought this car with a salvage title and drove it for two years now without any problems, the car runs great and looks good too. Is there anyway I can find out why this car has a salvage title and what may have happened to it? Is there any where online I can find out or any place I can call? Thanks....
 
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Old 02-24-09, 11:14 AM
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You can get the info for a price. Use the same service as used car dealers use and usually advertise in their ads. Could have been a wreck that the insurance company listed as a total and then rebuilt by someone or it may have been totaled in a flood.
 
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Old 02-24-09, 11:49 AM
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If you are in CT, there isn't a way you can get a car with a slavage title registered unless you have it safety inspected at the main nest of the DMZ otherwise known as the DMV. However you may be able to register it out of state. I used to have a couple cars registered in Maine with a CT address on the registration. All I had to do was sign a power of attorney form and I got around the dust sniffing yahoos known as the DMV inspectors.
 
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Old 02-24-09, 02:56 PM
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I live in New York State, called the DMV, all they could tell me was not to buy the car if it had a out of state salvage title, I would have a lot of problems getting it registered here. I thought if I just gave the DMV the vin # they would beable to pull up any records on the car, I guess they can't do that.
 
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Old 02-25-09, 09:51 AM
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Kinda sneaky but do you have relatives or friends in other states with not so strict registration laws? They may be able to register the car for you and have a note inside the glovebox saying so and so ahs my permission to drive this car.
 
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Old 02-27-09, 01:10 PM
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The car has a clear title to it, it just saids rebuild salvage title on it. I was just wondering if it was a good idea to buy a car that had a rebuild title, like I said , the lady drove this car for two years without a problem. I was just interested if there was any way to find out why the insurance company totaled this car in the first place, just how much damage had to be replaced.
 
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Old 02-27-09, 04:43 PM
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I see from another post that you are buying the car. Apparently it needs a fuel pump for starters. Good luck with it.
 
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Old 02-27-09, 04:59 PM
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I read your message, (carfacts.com)
Plus you might take it to a bodyshop or mechanic to let them check it out.
Not all damages are reported, the one that gave it the salvage title should be. Sometimes on lower price cars when they are in a minor wreck but the airbags blow, that's all it takes to total it.
I have a bodyshop and have seen some easy fixes total, just because the airbags put the cost to repair over the value of the car.
Sometimes the customer buys it back and we fix it.
On the other hand I've seen some salvage cars that a shop just butchered it, and the person who buys it sees new paint and think it's all repaired.
More then once I've had a person bring a car in because a door, hood won't shut or something is rattling.I open the hood and see a very unsafe car.
So let someone who knows what to look for check it out.
Your Daughters life is worth it.
Jeff
 
 

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