Slavaged title...Bad?

[jonzzer]

Okay so im going to go check out a 280z that has sat undercover for ten years. The guys says it has no rust although it was in a flood. he claims th insurance company totaled the car because of the flood.(went to bottom of doors) What does the salvaged title do? and can i knock the price down because of it. Also it has a dealer sunroof in itwhich looks good. Also what should i look for when i go look at it. where do sunroofs normally leak?

Thanks

[musickraver]

Well if it is just salvaged because of water damage then there no real problem with the car. It's not like the car was in a crash where it could have really messed the frame and chassis up. So I would say your good on this one, although, I would still really look well for rust. You should really inspect the rear hatch, floors, under the battery tray, and the frame rails for any sign of rust. Any rust can be fixed though, its just a matter of how far you will go in caring for it. You might be able to knock off some bones on the car because it does have a salvaged title on it. Like I mentioned, as long as there is no physical damage to the chassis you should be home free, it'll be a little more difficult to sell though. Not sure how insurance works with salvaged titles. As far as the sunroof, I'm not sure I can help you on that one, but see if there is any rust around it. And if it does leak, a little weather stripping should solve that.

 

EDIT: If the water just went to the bottom of the doors, you might want to replace the carpets because mold and mildew linger deep in the fabric. Ask him if it was drivable after the flood too, that could help a lot.

Edited April 5, 2010 by musickraver

[theghosttanker]

When you buy a totaled car, in most states you need to take it to the DMV and have it inspected before you can register it, and you will then be issued a salvage title. At the inspection, you will be required to show receipts and proof of origin of every part necessary to return the car to running condition.The inspector will be very thorough checking the vehicle and your records, to protect against unsafe cars and illegal chop shop work. It can be a huge hassle.

Insurance companies will cover the car. 280Z's did not come from the factory with sunroofs; yours must be aftermarket, and it decreases the value of the car to have it.

I suggest you go online and check the DMV website for your state to see what you have to do to get your car titled. And I suggest you check extremely thoroughly for rust. And don't pay a lot of money for this car!

[jonzzer]

i know i shouldn't pay that much for the car. the only problem is that it is a pretty clean Z. The guy sis asking 1000 for it which is quite a bit plus it doesn't...run. how much would you pay for it?

[yetterben]

Look at the size of that dent

[SHO-Z]

As a general rule a salvage title will reduce the value of the car by about 30 to 40%. It sounds like the owner has already went to the state and had the inspection and title done. The only time it is going to effect you is when you sell it. Ask the owner for the paper work from the insurance company showing it was flooded. Remember if he didn't have full coverage insurance on it it would never have a salvage title even if it was flooded.

 

Doors are chaeap at the wrecking yard!

 

Do a carfax on it if there is a question.

[johnc]

Well if it is just salvaged because of water damage then there no real problem with the car.

 

Flood cars typically have lots of wiring/electrical problems and tend to have more rust problems. Wheel bearings, hubs, transmissions, differentials, and steering racks can also be damaged.

[ModernS30]

Flood cars typically have lots of wiring/electrical problems and tend to have more rust problems. Wheel bearings, hubs, transmissions, differentials, and steering racks can also be damaged.

 

That's what I was going to say, the car sat in water like that. It's gonna be rusty on the inside first and work its way out. get the carpet up a little if the owner will let you and look into the holes on the inside of the rockers. Flash lights in the fender areas. Stuff I wished I had done! It will most likely be an electrical nightmare.

[jonzzer]

Okay so i got more info on the car. He has a spare door, got the motor to roll over. and salvaged the title since old car. Title doesn't say salvaged but has paperwork for ins to say its salvaged. Well my question is to get it registered to me do i still need to have proof to show its road worthy? or just get it inspected at the dmv. Also its an out of state car

[ezzzzzzz]

Okay so i got more info on the car. He has a spare door, got the motor to roll over. and salvaged the title since old car. Title doesn't say salvaged but has paperwork for ins to say its salvaged. Well my question is to get it registered to me do i still need to have proof to show its road worthy? or just get it inspected at the dmv. Also its an out of state car

I'd get the title number and have it run against the DMV records to see what they have recorded. It may not be an issue at all because it sounds like the insurance company just wrote it off for their records. Getting a 'salvaged titled' car back on the road legally can be a pain.

[z2go]

Another thing to consider is the state it's going to be registered in... different states have different rules for transferring salvaged titles. I had a salvaged Z that I bought in California and registered in Texas... no problem, until I wanted to sell it after moving back to California, the VIN that Texas had written on the title was not the original VIN, rather, some kind of recovery VIN, that they told me I had to take to a Texas police station to get certified from their database of original VIN's vs. recovery VIN's... what a mess. In any case, I got it worked out without doing all that, but still... these are the kinds of headaches you could face.

[sileightygx]

Just to shed a little light on registering a salvage vehicle in CA...I know you are in OR, but CA is pretty strict. I recently did so last year on a lexus as the car was in an accident, but I got it so cheap that it was worth to fix it. After the body work was done, i started the DMV paperwork in CA. They had me do three things...

 

1) VIN verification by DMV/CHP

2)Inspection by licensed inspection shop (ie: took it to local 76 gas station)

3)pay fees and done

 

The inspection that was done was only to check for obvious frame damage, headlight/running lights/brake lights, and brake pads. Pretty sad inspection..and VERY easy to pass. Of course the car must be running to have the inspection done. I did not have to show any kind of paperwork on body work/repairs done, as it was mostly done by my friend and myself..

Edited April 6, 2010 by sileightygx

[jonzzer]

ALright ill try and get all of the paperwork he has on it that i can. also im thinking that i can buy it for 800 think thats fair if the rust isn't too bad?

[ModernS30]

ALright ill try and get all of the paperwork he has on it that i can. also im thinking that i can buy it for 800 think thats fair if the rust isn't too bad?

 

Lower. I know I know, sounds to low, its not, I have bought 2 of these now. I offer low on all of the ones I look at. Looked at one today, guy was asking 1000. wasn't worth 200. Was crashed so hard the drivers door didn't latch, it was hit on the passenger side. Had bad frame rust hidden under bondo (yep just gotta know where to check sound and magnets do wonders). The frame on the passenger side was so twisted it was easily visible. Upper and lower radiator supports were trashed and the passenger fender was obviously bent. The owner told me "I didn't notice that". Claimed he had it since 97, got it from his son cause his son owed him money. Had about 3 parts I wanted, not worth it. Point is, be careful. You seem very new at this, means you are less likely to notice stuff. Don't take this as an insult I am trying to help you out. These cars have things hidden everywhere. The things people do over 35 years to sell cars over and over. One owner has it, gets rusty, bondo, pop rivets and random metal then some quick paint. Sells it to the next guy, eventually the guy finds out but its gotten worse. More bondo and random crap, sells it. Along comes you and this chain is continuing. Just have to look very well. Don't just see but observe.

[NewZed]

ALright ill try and get all of the paperwork he has on it that i can. also im thinking that i can buy it for 800 think thats fair if the rust isn't too bad?

 

You should probably go to this web link first - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/vehicle/damage.shtml - and read all of it, then follow the link to "Reconstructed Vehicle Procedures.". Then look at the current title for the car, and look closely at the insurance company paperwork, and decide what you can do with it. If it fits the last description, "junked", you might never get it titled. I think that "salvage" might mean "junk" in Oregon.

 

"Totaled" cars can be issued a "recontructed" title. If it is just totaled and needs a reconstructed title, it doesn't look too hard to do in Oregon. I have a parts car with an OR title that says Totaled and Reconstructed right on the title.

 

Edit - follow the links and you'll find out how much it will cost also. And that looks like a 77 or later so it will have to pass DEQ before you can get a new title.

 

Looks like some work.

Edited April 7, 2010 by NewZed

[kamikaZeS30]

I paid 5000 for a 240z because it had a clean title and it was an original CA car (little to no rust, except for what was caused by a busted heater-core, luckily floor-boards are easy to do in that car). I would've probably paid no more than $500 if it was the exact same car with a salvaged title. Due to the fact that even if I completely restored the car to original condition (i.e. spent thousands in frame and body work alone) it would still be an undesirable, because it now has SALVAGE in big, nasty letters on the top-right hand corner of the pink slip.

 

If the car's body and frame are still straight and you don't plan on sinking tons of money (unless you don't particularly care if you ever see that money again) into it, I'd say go for it. But, while he might be telling you the truth about it being in a flood, there could be another reason he is omitting that the car is salvaged. Also, generally, when an insurance company makes a total loss claim they're buying the car from you which gets "SALVAGED" for parts. So, he must have done something to keep the car and pay to have it fixed himself, which brings into question what exactly was wrong with it and how was it repaired, etc.

 

NADA guides lists current "Low-Retail" value at $3,356 for a 1977 Datsun 280Z (coupe, not 2+2). Low-Retail value is defined as something mechanically functional, needing minor reconditioning, described as "daily driver" operating condition.

 

http://www.nadaguides.com/default.aspx?LI=1-22-1-5013-0-0-0&l=1&w=22&p=1&f=5014&y=1977&m=1254&d=2215&c=13&vi=79082&z=92116&da=-1

 

Wouldn't give the seller more than 1000 that's for sure, but if the interior is in good condition and you get under the car with a flashlight and inspection mirror, check for patches of rust, incontinuities and he can give you a run-down on why the car isn't running-- you might have a decent buy. Don't offer him 1000 up-front, though. Haggle, haggle, haggle.

 

Tip: If you're going to pay cash have a friend/relative come with you. Give them half the cash you have on hand to keep in their own wallet. Offer him your initial offer. If he wants more but less than his original asking, get theatrical, tell him you need a moment with your friend to discuss him/her loaning you the remainder of the money. Times are hard, he wants to sell, try to take advantage of that.

[z2go]

Lower. I know I know, sounds to low, its not, I have bought 2 of these now. I offer low on all of the ones I look at. Looked at one today, guy was asking 1000. wasn't worth 200. Was crashed so hard the drivers door didn't latch, it was hit on the passenger side. Had bad frame rust hidden under bondo (yep just gotta know where to check sound and magnets do wonders). The frame on the passenger side was so twisted it was easily visible. Upper and lower radiator supports were trashed and the passenger fender was obviously bent. The owner told me "I didn't notice that". Claimed he had it since 97, got it from his son cause his son owed him money. Had about 3 parts I wanted, not worth it. Point is, be careful. You seem very new at this, means you are less likely to notice stuff. Don't take this as an insult I am trying to help you out. These cars have things hidden everywhere. The things people do over 35 years to sell cars over and over. One owner has it, gets rusty, bondo, pop rivets and random metal then some quick paint. Sells it to the next guy, eventually the guy finds out but its gotten worse. More bondo and random crap, sells it. Along comes you and this chain is continuing. Just have to look very well. Don't just see but observe.

 

 

Amen to this! You can never be too careful. Think of it as an iceberg... what you can see on the surface (i.e. rust, damage, paint flaking, etc.) is only 10% of the problem, the rest hides in all the crevices you can't see until you start taking it apart!

[Pharaohabq]

YEah, Caution here... You may be able to get A rebuilt title. Call the DMV and ask about it. But really what are your plans for the car? Are you just going to fix it up and make it a daily driver? Salvage or rebuilt title is completely fine for that. If it is going to be fixed up for shows, then you're better looking elsewhere. The Sunroof already cuts the value way down. Sure some of them are nice, but really they mess with the lines. So could that as a negative. Before you buy it, Call up your insurance. Or much better, Hagarty classic insurance and see what they'd require. regular State farm or other insurance will be cheap, but won't give you much if it gets wreaked. Classic insurance will pay a lot more. (eg. my buddies 240z got hit and insurance paid almost $10K to fix it. )

 

You might establish a price, n then once what's done, tell him you'll give him a deposit, and the rest contingent on getting a rebuilt title. You can then go to the DMV and see what they're going to require.

[Tony D]

Lot of speculation here on salvage titles. Got news, you have an old car that gets a dent in it....say a daily driver 280Z with flat paint that blue book values at $1500-2000.

 

If that dent costs more than 50% of the blue book cost of the vehicle to repair (in this case $750-1000) then you will get a check for the car of the blue book value, and usually minus the 'salvage' value of the vehicle, generally aobut $500. Meaning they cut you a check for $1000 if you are on the low end of the scale.

 

You retain the vehicle, get roughly enough to fix your car, but since it was written off as a cost saver by the insurance company, you are saddled with the 'salvage' title.

 

WHY it was salvaged is more important than the title saying that...it can always be 'washed' to get rid of that tag...

 

Having had a car salvaged, my insurance stated salvage vehicles are valued at 50% of blue book. When I bought my wife a 1993 Geo Prisim (in 1994) blue book was $12,000 for the car, I bought it for $3500 as it was chop-shop recovery front of one car, back of another, and drivetrain from a third. LAPD had the car reconstructed and used it in drug stings for 6 months putting 22K miles on it. I got it for half salvage blue book, and when my wife was hit 5 years later the car was again 'totaled' and the insurance company wanted to pay out 'salvage value' for the car, which was blue-booked at $7000 by then, but they only paid $3500.

 

My wife then sold the car to a Mexican for $600 and a baby goat. With the $600 we bought a male goat, and feed. Within 6 months the goats bred and produced triplets on the first mating/gestation cycle. We sold each of the babies around easter to more Mexicans (mmmm, tender easter baby goat....) for $150 each. We then sold the pair (Leo and Geo---Geo being the female named thusly due to the car-connection, Leo named because it sounded too cool) for $575 to someone else who was jazzed to pick up a known mating pair of goats that had a propensity to produce multiple offspring.

 

So for me, 'salvage title' is not something which turns me off. I did pretty well by it, and you can too. Generally in CA a car in that condition would maybe sell for $1500 if it was running and driving with current registration. That it doesn't run and has incomplete registration means half that would be fair (again, if it was running). Not running? Maybe $500 would be my offer, and likely that would depend on what I saw when I inspected the car. There aren't a lot of connections below 'the water line' in a Z, as you described the damage. RUST would be my primary concern.

 

I wouldn't give a second thought to 'salvage', on a 240Z, despite what some have said---it won't matter near as much. Collector Cars aren't playing by the same rules. A 280Z though isn't a 240 (facts are facts) and are viewed like other cars for the most part, so this may or may not affect resale if you decide to go sell it at a later date.

 

I would have NEVER sold the Geo had it not gotten in the accident. It looked like hell, my wife had put over 120K miles on it, and it still started and drove fine...but we needed a small truck, and the profits we got off the sale of the car put us over the top to buy a Y2K Frontier Cash on the Barrelhead. So still no car payment, haven't had one, don't plan on starting to, either!

[z2go]

Lot of speculation here on salvage titles. Got news, you have an old car that gets a dent in it....say a daily driver 280Z with flat paint that blue book values at $1500-2000.

 

If that dent costs more than 50% of the blue book cost of the vehicle to repair (in this case $750-1000) then you will get a check for the car of the blue book value, and usually minus the 'salvage' value of the vehicle, generally aobut $500. Meaning they cut you a check for $1000 if you are on the low end of the scale.

 

You retain the vehicle, get roughly enough to fix your car, but since it was written off as a cost saver by the insurance company, you are saddled with the 'salvage' title.

 

WHY it was salvaged is more important than the title saying that...it can always be 'washed' to get rid of that tag...

 

Having had a car salvaged, my insurance stated salvage vehicles are valued at 50% of blue book. When I bought my wife a 1993 Geo Prisim (in 1994) blue book was $12,000 for the car, I bought it for $3500 as it was chop-shop recovery front of one car, back of another, and drivetrain from a third. LAPD had the car reconstructed and used it in drug stings for 6 months putting 22K miles on it. I got it for half salvage blue book, and when my wife was hit 5 years later the car was again 'totaled' and the insurance company wanted to pay out 'salvage value' for the car, which was blue-booked at $7000 by then, but they only paid $3500.

 

My wife then sold the car to a Mexican for $600 and a baby goat. With the $600 we bought a male goat, and feed. Within 6 months the goats bred and produced triplets on the first mating/gestation cycle. We sold each of the babies around easter to more Mexicans (mmmm, tender easter baby goat....) for $150 each. We then sold the pair (Leo and Geo---Geo being the female named thusly due to the car-connection, Leo named because it sounded too cool) for $575 to someone else who was jazzed to pick up a known mating pair of goats that had a propensity to produce multiple offspring.

 

So for me, 'salvage title' is not something which turns me off. I did pretty well by it, and you can too. Generally in CA a car in that condition would maybe sell for $1500 if it was running and driving with current registration. That it doesn't run and has incomplete registration means half that would be fair (again, if it was running). Not running? Maybe $500 would be my offer, and likely that would depend on what I saw when I inspected the car. There aren't a lot of connections below 'the water line' in a Z, as you described the damage. RUST would be my primary concern.

 

I wouldn't give a second thought to 'salvage', on a 240Z, despite what some have said---it won't matter near as much. Collector Cars aren't playing by the same rules. A 280Z though isn't a 240 (facts are facts) and are viewed like other cars for the most part, so this may or may not affect resale if you decide to go sell it at a later date.

 

I would have NEVER sold the Geo had it not gotten in the accident. It looked like hell, my wife had put over 120K miles on it, and it still started and drove fine...but we needed a small truck, and the profits we got off the sale of the car put us over the top to buy a Y2K Frontier Cash on the Barrelhead. So still no car payment, haven't had one, don't plan on starting to, either!

 

Tony, that has got to be the most epic salvage-title-car-goat-breeding story ever, hands down.