Pablohsu

I am currently looking for a 911 and found one selling for only $10,500.00 it is a guards red/black interior coupe 1981 SC. The owner says it had an accident in the front right side and the title is salvaged. Then he proceeded to tell me that the car has new paint, new tires, runs strong, is fast and first gear is fine. No clue if A/C works, don't know if they have the Carrera tensioners installed or the pop off valve added.

Would anyone consider buying a salvaged title car? I don't know exactly what it means. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

TMH

Salvage title has its advantages and drawbacks:

Any car with a salvage title should be selling for at least 30% lower than an identical car with a clean title;
A salvage title car will be much more difficult to sell when or if you want to part with it;
Accident history mandates an extensive PPI (pre-purchase inspection) by a specialist with the equipment necessary to assure that the frame and other components are properly straight;
A salvage title car will have a lower value to your insurance company, will be totalled more quickly after an accident, and will not bring you as many dollars from your insurer in settling your claim.

They can be bargains, but all aspects have to be weighed.

Good luck,
Tom

mobilewrks

reg. the car,selling and even insurance is a big headache,i had too many headache's and dont recommend it!!



porsche mobile works (nor cal)

gregg911

Run!!

I wouldn't touch it.

Tango Foxtrot

You can pick up an SC without a salvage title for 10,500. Here is one off the top of my head. Needs a little work but a good price and it looks good from the pics.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...hreadid=187087

Dan Cobb

Unless it was the only car left on the continental US that was EXACTLY what you wanted (right down to the stains in the carpet) I would recommend against it for the previously stated reasons.
Your insurance company might not cover it at all, since they are not required to.
I suggest you ask them before(if) you buy it to be certain.
+++

earlyapex

I agree with the others in recommending that you stay away from salvage title vehicles. The SC was made is sufficient numbers that you should be able to find one in your price range with a clean title.

Pablohsu

Thanks, I will keep on looking for a clean titled car. Don't want to spend money on the PPI to then find out that the car is not straight, since the owner already told me is a salvage, I will just stay away from it.

porshah

Hello,

I realize you are in CA, but if you are interested I have a 1979 SC Targa Red/Blk. Perfectly clean, many upgrades for $10,500. I am sure shipping would be no more than $500. PM me if you want details and pictures.

TonyG

First off... a salvage title doesn't mean "at least" 30% less. That's BS.

The car could be a flood car. Is it worth 30% less? No way.

Secondly, it's not automatically harder to sell a salvage title car just because it's a salvage title car. You have to remember... you paid less because it was a salvage title car. And... you'll sell it for less because it's a salvage title car.

I've purchased two salvage title cars in the past. They were great cars with minimal damage. Both sold within the first week when I was ready to sell for my full asking price.

The key here is what exactly was the damage? It's pretty easy to salvage a pre-1990 911. All the owner has to do is insist that the car is fixed by the Porsche dealership (which the owner is allowed by law to have anybody they want fix their car). Now you have fairly minor damage that when estimated by the Porsche dealership will easily run into big bucks... and you have the makings for a salvage title car. However, on the other hand the damage could have been major... and hence the salvage title.

I've seen 80's 911's salvaged because of a fairly trivlal rear end collision which required the replacement of the rear deck lid and a quarter panel (obviously paint and tail lights, etc..). That's about enough to salvage an '80's 911. And yet the car is perfect structrually.

I've also seen cars there were flooded. Zero engine or body damage. Simple carpet/door panels, ECU replacement, and the car was as good as new... yet it has a salvage title.

I had a friend that bought a salvage title 911C4S (993) for about 20k under market value. What was the damage? The car was hit in the door which also bent the lower dash (993's have a large lower dash) and the windshield popped out (windshield problems; leakage, loose windshields, are extremely common in 993's). The A & B pillars were untouched as was any other part of the body except the door. Guess what? Salvage title. With a new door, windshield and lower dash the car was as good as new. When it was put on the alignment rack, it was perfect and straight requiring zero corrections.

Bottom line... don't listen to "blanket statements". Use judgement and common sense. Look for the damage. If it was minor, there's no reason to shy away. On the other hand... if the damage was major (which should be pretty easy to figure out) then back off.

Lastly, I've seen many many 911's that were advertised as good condition, clean, mint, etc... with clean titles that have accident history where the body panels don't align properly, the chassis alignment is screwed up, etc... all of which doesn't show up on carfax (this is a fact) and the car has a clean title.

You have to simply use common sense and you have to get under the car, pull back the carpeting, etc.. and look for damage. Measure fender gaps, look for over spray, look for painted rubber body gaskets, look for non-factory Porsche welds in the chassis, etc...

Good luck,

TonyG

porshah

Well said TonyG.

Dean Tanner

I purchased my '84 Cab. as a salvage title. I wanted a winter project car, it looked pretty rough, because it sat at the dealer with the top down for over a year(indoors) it was real dusty and the passenger door panel was in the trunk. It was leaking oil and basically looked like it needed a lot of attention. Well, after doing a valve adjustment, replacing the oil plug, replacing a few interior parts, and putting a new top on, I have a terrific car. What I had hoped to be a winter project was pretty well ready to roll after one month. It was a salvage title due to a minor side impact behind the passenger door. The salvage yard had it repaired, and it looks great. In hind sight, I'm not sure I would do it that way again, it was pretty risky, but I am very happy with the car. By the way, the scariest part for me was that I had no documentation at all.