Oh, The Temptation!

[BlueSky]

Recently, I started looking at craigslist again. A very bad habit!

 

https://wilmington.craigslist.org/cto/d/riegelwood-1998-corvette-convertible/7173376557.html

[MonsterBiker]

A 22 year old car is going to require some work, even with low mileage like that. I couple of weeks ago a 2000 Chrysler Sebring JXi with 77,000 miles on it followed me home. It is currently in the shop. This bill will be around $4,000 for things that need to be repaired immediately. There is another $1,200-$1,500 of repairs that it would be prudent to do soon (and they will be done soon). But, when all repairs are done it should be in really good shape and I only paid $2,400 for the car to start with.

 

[BlueSky]

A 22 year old car is going to require some work, even with low mileage like that.

 

Nice Car!

 

Yeah, I'm sure, especially a GM product. And this corvette has a salvage title. But, in the photos it appears quite nice and convertible corvettes are a little more rare. If it was a manual tranny car, I would have looked at it today. Seems like heresy to put an auto in a corvette. But, I'm old and old school. I fondly remember my 4 speed Chevelle hot rods.

[MonsterBiker]

If it has a salvage title there is more to the story that they are not telling you. The Sebring had a clean title and a clean CarFax report. In the short term it is for my wife to drive until my oldest daughter buys herself a car and gives us back my '10 GMC Canyon that my wife stole from me. (Small truck, off-road Z71 package, one of the rare examples with the 5.3L V-8...and has been tuned. She calls it "Zoom-Zoom") Once she gets her favorite truck back the Sebring will become our younger daughter's first vehicle.

[Flyinfool]

A 98 with a door ding is likely to be totaled by the insurance company. But then on the other hand it may have really been totaled and patched up to look good in the pics.

 

That close to the ocean it could have been underwater from one of the hurricanes.

 

As long as you get clear evidence of why the title is branded it may be worthwhile.

[BlueSky]

A 98 with a door ding is likely to be totaled by the insurance company. But then on the other hand it may have really been totaled and patched up to look good in the pics.

 

That close to the ocean it could have been underwater from one of the hurricanes.

As long as you get clear evidence of why the title is branded it may be worthwhile.

 

Now, that's a thought. It should have occurred to me that it could have been flooded.

[djh3]

Couple ways to look at "repairable or salvage" titles. If you can pay cash (dont think banks will touch a salvage title) and you like it and are going to drive until you've had your fun and dont even think your going to turn a profit on resale, your good. Some states will issue a clean title if fully repaired and inspected. I had the hots for a CTSv wagon stick once that was a salvage car.

[BratmanXj]

Couple ways to look at "repairable or salvage" titles. If you can pay cash (dont think banks will touch a salvage title) and you like it and are going to drive until you've had your fun and dont even think your going to turn a profit on resale, your good. Some states will issue a clean title if fully repaired and inspected. I had the hots for a CTSv wagon stick once that was a salvage car.

 

And check the insurance as well. Had that come up when I bought a salvaged Kawasaki C10 Concours and could only get liability, but I bought the bike for $1,200 and it was a non issue "beater" bike.

[BlueSky]

I wouldn't buy comp or coll on it anyhow. I take my chances on my older vehicles with just liability. I don't know what would happen if I was driving in a no-fault state like Michigan and some other driver crashed into me. They could probably ram me with impunity or immunity.

 

Oh well! I decided to call the owner and the ad has been deleted. I didn't think it would last long.

[MonsterBiker]

For a fact, some insurance companies will not touch a salvage title vehicle.

[BlueSky]

The clearcoat is peeling off the top of my 05 Dodge Magnum and one of my neighbors told me about this shop that painted his car that was in the same condition. Anyhow, I went to the shop and it was a large shop. The owner told me that 75% of their work was rebuilding totalled cars he bought from insurance companies and selling them. He must have been plenty busy because the price he quoted me was no cheaper than other high dollar shops (at least 4 times what he charged my neighbor) and he wanted the car for a month in order to paint it.

 

I only have liability on my 05 Dodge Magnum RT and my 02 F150 Lariat 4x4. Neither of them owe me anything. If they get wrecked or the engine blows, off to the salvage yard they go. They are both good vehicles though. I drove the F150 on a 6,100 mile vacation trip to the Glacier National Park in Montana last September. The last time we went to the FL Keys, I drove the Magnum because it's roomier and more comfortable than my wife's 2013 Infiniti EX37. The Hemi Magnum is a terrific trip vehicle, very comfy and plenty of power to blow past anyone you want to on the interstate.