Is this car worth $7000?

[prontospyder]

This is for a 97 toyota Corolla and here is the vehicle history report:

The Carfax database contains the following information about this 1997 Toyota:

DATE ODOMETER INFORMATION GENERAL
REPORTED READING SOURCE COMMENTS

09/01/1996 California Registered as
Motor Vehicle Dept. rental vehicle
(major car rental company)

09/27/1996 7 California Title issued
Motor Vehicle Dept. First lien reported
Odometer reading recorded
on 09/26/1996

06/26/1997 17,389 Colorado Passed emissions inspection
Inspection Station

10/27/1997 17,559 Colorado Title or registration
Motor Vehicle Dept. issued
Denver, CO First lien reported
Title #01W206415

11/15/1999 38,317 Colorado Passed emissions inspection
Inspection Station

03/01/2000 39,413 Pennsylvania SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE
Motor Vehicle Dept. ISSUED
York Haven, PA
Title #54378363 01 FA

06/16/2000 Colorado SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE
Motor Vehicle Dept. ISSUED
Denver, CO
Title #186193
thx

 

[PCAddict]

I wouldn't pay $7000 for a car like that with a salvage title. If you ever have an accident you get less money from the insurance company. Especially if it is totalled.

 

[yakko]

Salvage means it already was totalled.

 

[RU482]

STAY AWAY FROM SALVAGE TITLE VEHICLES!!!

Unless, good friend, you know, very well, the person who put it back together

I speak from experience

 

[Brooks]

Yeah, from what little I know I konw that Salvage is BAD, props to you for actually checking up on this car. Stay away from a car thats been in a serious accident, it just isn't worth it. It can seriously affect the car's ability in a future collision (just as once you fall on your head with a bike helmet you should replace the thing).

Brooks

 

[T2T III]

Plus, the car started off as a rental:


<< 09/01/1996 California Registered as
Motor Vehicle Dept. rental vehicle
(major car rental company) >>


Have you ever known anyone who didn't abuse a rental car?

 

[prontospyder]

Well, my mom and sister doesn't believe it at all and agreed to the deal 5 minutes ago.

 

[PCAddict]

Hand them a nice soothing bottle of ointment. They'll need it. Sounds to me like they &quot;took it dry&quot; on this deal.

 

[hubbs]

Don't buy a salvage unless you are planning to sell it on your own and not trading it in. Few car dealers will give you a good deal on a salvage vehicle.

 

[MrsSkywalker]

prontospyder: In my state, we have 72 hours to back out of a purchase agreement. Sounds like this might be something your mom and sister should look into.

 

[prontospyder]

I have till 7PM Mountain Standard Time tomorrow to change their minds...it's just an agreement over the phone, nothing has been signed yet.

They believe that nothing major was done to it after it was stolen...probably just a minor dent or stolen tires, etc...

 

[MrsSkywalker]

Have they seen the car yet?

 

[prontospyder]

Yep and they said it's fine.

 

[MrsSkywalker]

Well, I know mothers and have plenty of sisters, too. If their minds are made up, then that's probably it. The best thing to do might me just to shake your head, give a sigh, and be thankful you aren't paying for it.

 

[BuckMaster]

Your best bet would also be to take to a mechanic and have them inspect it before buying! You might have to pay a few dollars but better safe then sorry!

Good Luck!

 

[Sacotool]

Not all salvage cars are bad. My dad bought a 92 Buick Century with 75k miles about a year ago from our local mechanic that has a salvage title. The car had been rear-ended and totalled out. The mechanic repaired it and sold it to him for $4300. It's been a year and 18k miles later, and the car runs flawlessly. This mechanic rebuilds these wrecks and sells them as a side business. When I first got my license about 5 or 6 years ago, I bought a 92 Cavalier from him with only 40k, and that also ran fine. I sold it to a relative, and it's still running great with 100k miles.

 

[OS]

that's a separate issue. Salvage title cars have had their structural integrity severely compromised. In english, this means it won't stand up to a crash the way it was designed to.

 

[cisco]

It all depends on who put humpty dumpty back together again and how.
I bought a VW Rabbit that was totalled and rebuilt, the inner fenders
that were suppossedly replaced (but apparently weren't) caved in and
the car was worth its weight in scrap metal. You can look underneath the body for seams where they may have clipped a new section on, fresh
undercoating could be there to cover the work, also if the paint looks mismatched at all that could mean a section was replaced, follow the car as it drives , does it go straight or at an angle indicating a sprung frame. Some accidents cause a car to always wear tires out.
open the hoods, sometimes the don't paint real well inside the engine compartment and what you can't see from the outside, may be more noticable from under the hoods. remember, salesmen are motivated by money not a deep moral conviction to be honest. Good Luck, its probably OK but take a peek anyway, what the hay....

 

[integlspwr]

Salvage title doesn't mean that its bad. But most of the time it is. Take an Acura Integra for example. Car thieves love this car for many reason. Its easy to break into, and the parts on that car can easily go to another car. For example, if a integra gets broken into, the whole Leather interior is stolen, and the Alloy rims are also stolen. Inrusnace will say, they will total the car, because replacing the leather interior will almost be as expensive as the the whole car, so they just total it. From there, it goes to the insuance auctions, and a person buys with with a salvage title. BUt with that salvage title doesn't mean that it was in a major accident...

Just a thought were salvage titles doesn't mean its bad. But when buying a car. Always check out the title.

 

[convex]

&quot;Yep and they said it's fine.&quot;

They into collision repair? Anyway, that car is most likely going to give you way more trouble than it's worth, especially for that price.

Staight from kbb.com &quot;A vehicle with a branded title (salvage, flood, etc.) or unsubstantiated mileage should be considered ?poor? because of potential problems and should be independently appraised to determine its value.&quot;

That car has NO resale value to a dealer whatsoever. Take your chances and a wild guess on the structural integrety.

 

[Brooks]

integlspwr has a good point. Maybe it is fine, but then again maybe its not. Personally I would not take that chance. If you're willing to spend $7k on a car it at least shows you have some buying power, I'd look elsewhere. DO not buy that car. Anything I have ever read on buying used vehicles - anything and everything - said avoid salvaged cars. Seriously, for all you know a minor fender bender could totally buckle a section of the car and kill somebody.

Brooks