h011yw00d

I just found out from an interested buyer on eBay that my car had a salvage title at one time. How much should I discount the price? CarFax suggests about $1,200. Does that sound about right?

ian

Does the carfax indicate why it has a salvage title? It can be accident damage, flood damage, theft recovery, etc.

I have had a few salvaged titled cars over the years, and I have applied a 25% discount as a starting point, depending on a lof of factors that percentage can move up and down.

BC

Where is your FS thread? Can you give some stats?

h011yw00d

All it says is:

TOTAL LOSS VEHICLE
SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE ISSUED

This is in VA in 1993. When the car is titled in KY that same year it is a NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED. I assume title washing of some kind.

h011yw00d

Here it is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...CA:MOTORS:1123

and here's the CarFax report:

http://www.carfax.com/viewEmailRepor...3D&language=en

What stats would you like?

Ducman82

stats, as in what year, features, needs, etc...

h011yw00d

Oh... '85 5-speed, uncertain miles (and now previous salvage title). The only major issues are cracked pod and dash under dashcap and the TB/WP hasn't been done in 8 years.

jcorenman

It is interesting that the Autocheck report attached to your eBay listing does not show the salvage title.

There will certainly be some loss of value, and Carfax's $1200 number is probably as good a guess as any. But that's all it is. Condition is certainly a bigger factor, and whatever happened in the past becomes less important as time goes by-- and the salvage title was 20 years ago. At this point the car is what it is, and pic's and a careful inspection are the best guide to value.

h011yw00d

All good points. Thanks, Jim.

whatudrivin

Is there any damage visible under the vehicle that you have ever noticed?

Mark Anderson

I've always used 30% as a general rule but it does not always apply. I sold my GTS with a salvage title for nearly full value but disclosed everything.

h011yw00d

Nope. No frame damage at all and I've been over every inch of the car. The only evidence that it had been in an accident was a bent rear lower control arm and shock pin affecting the alignment but when I replaced those it aligned perfect.

h011yw00d

Thanks, Mark. I edited the description of the car on eBay and craigslist yesterday when I found out about the prior salvage title. It's confusing to me why there's nothing in the CarFax prior to '93. I would have thought it would go back to '85.

alabbasi

When was the salvage title issued? Personally, I have no problem buying a car with a salvage title. An old car does not have to be hurt that badly to be totaled if it was in a recent accident.

bronto

Agree! I have a salvage title motorcycle that was totaled because it fell over in the delivery van (brand new) and broke some plastic frame covers that were too new to have replacements available. Purely cosmetic. That bike was the deal of the century when it was 20 years old with only 8k miles on it, half price because it was salvage title.