salvaged title questions

[dukcaln]

so i have this guy that seen my truck and stopped to chat.... well after he was talking he showed me his truck, which was a 68 stepside. very nice build, dropped, great interior and motor, had a 4 speed manual... anyway he tells me he has wanted a 72 long bed and liked my truck and asked if i would entertain the idea to trade... so i looked over and drove the truck... everything seems great... i always liked the late 60's step sides..... well as we are about to reaily hammer out the details, he says the only issue is he has a salvaged title from years ago when the truck was in a side accident and all that was replaced was the passenger front fender and door along with hood and state farm slavaged it because of the cost at the time, before his build... his dad was the original owner... so my question is, if everything checks out what would be the concerns to owning a slavaged truck and what would the difficulties be with insurance...

[dubds10]

I imagine there's no difference in insurance in CA as most places don't care, but the difference is in the value of a vehicle. They are usually a little less compared to a vehicle with a clean title. That's really the main difference. Especially on newer vehicles as people don't like buying rebuilds due to the quality of workmanship. But on an old chevy, 75% of them out there today have been torn apart and rebuilt lol So I honestly wouldn't worry much about it if the frame is tight and body panels are fine.

[Malibu Monte]

My 85 Monte is Salvage title (theft and recovery) and it really kills the resale value. But if you plan to keep it forever and it seems like his story checks out then I wouldn't worry about it.

[1968SWBBigBlock]

I agree with both of the above statements - resell value will be affected - it may even take longer to sell.
I would also not take his word on anything - make sure the truck goes to a body shop - let them look at the frame for any obvious repairs (poorly done or otherwise) and any exsisting damage.
If the tires are new that can be a red flag - if the old tires wear out wierd you are looking at frame damage.
The guys story is totally plausable - its just buyer beware - the time to seek answers is before you trade titles

[OARNGESI]

I really wouldnt think twice about a salvage title on a 68 as long as there aint any major issues it doesnt take much to total a truck worth 1500 plus think about how many classic cars were built out of salvage vehicles

[fastwillie 696969]

friend of mine went thur hell with the dmv and insurance company that put the salvage title ,he said never again
found out to its better to get a appointment to dmv in and out ,walk in bring a lunch bag and book

[dukcaln]

I will have to call dmv and ask them...... and when I called my insurance company (AAA) they said it would have to go to an under writer and it could be more a month to insure.... so i am ansure what I want to do... and the fact that the resale could take longer if I ever wanted to sell it..... Wow..... maybe I should just walk away from this trade..

[Clyde65]

Here in Texas, salvage title vehicles are sometimes 1/3 the price of a comparable car that has a clean title. You never know if the repairs were done right or not. I dont know what your truck is like but if it is anything more than a rough daily driver ( I see in your sign it IS more than ), pass on his truck. you dont need the potential headache.

[Zoomin]

You can count on the next buyer having the same reservations as what you're going through. If the guy is anxious to make a trade, you may have figured out why - he wants in a truck he can get out of.

It would have to be a real good deal before I'd go for it.

[dukcaln]

hey thanks all, I totally understand all of your thoughts.... I think I am passing. although it looks and runs good, that inner voice tells me to pass..... hey thanks for the prompt responses...

[71swb4x4]

Originally Posted by dukcaln

when I called my insurance company (AAA) they said it would have to go to an under writer and it could be more a month to insure...

I would question this one. Why would it cost more to insure? Will it cost more to fix if it's in another accident? Is it worth more now that it's been in an accident and thus the replacement value is higher? I think we all know the answers to those questions.

[ChevLoRay]

I have a niece in northern Georgia. Her husband bought a '71 C10, in Tennessee. When he went to register it, he found out that another truck had already been registered with the same VIN. Duplicate titles for his VIN? What do you do, when that happens?

[truckster]

I think if someone looked really closely at what most of these trucks have been through in 40+ years, most of them might qualify for a salvage title. I bought mine without a motor, and if an insurance company had to value it at that point, it probably wouldn't have been considered worth the cost of an engine.

My point is that I wouldn't let the title scare me off of a truck if I looked it over carefully and decided I wanted it. Unless you're getting a bank loan, the salvage title doesn't mean a whole lot.

[dukcaln]

no bank loan just straight pink to pink trade....

[stroked69]

I think it comes down to one question. Do you see yourself keeping the truck for a long amount of time? If the answer is no i would pass on the trade. Its very difficult to sell a vehicle with a branded title for a good price.

[dukcaln]

true I would have to really look at it, cause if I did get it I definatley would keep it for a long time

[fastwillie 696969]

there other trucks out there

[dukcaln]

Originally Posted by fastwillie 696969

there other trucks out there

I know..... not sure... but I want a late 60's step side.... just not sure if I want a 4 speed manual or not too, but would be fun on the street LOL but you right

[bmfm64]

Can you buy it or buy another 72 for cheap and trade that? If I was going to keep it for a long time I'd swing it through a body shop to have it checked out and trade if all was ok and I really wanted it... title wouldn't scare me.

[lil hoodlum]

[QUOTE=71swb4x4;4813971]I would question this one. Why would it cost more to insure?

I could totally wrong on this but I heard some insurance companies won't insure a vehicle that has a salvage title. My guess is obviously the vehicle has been in an accident that has enough damage to warrant a salvage title. And of course what everyone else is saying, what existing damage may there still be and what about the quality of the repairs made?

When I read the original poster story about this trade, the first thing that popped in my head of course he wants to trade. He wants to get out from under a vehicle with a salvage title probably due to difficulties from trying to sell it.

My girl friends truck was backed into a couple of months ago. Only damage was to the drivers door and the cab has a little dent as well. The truck is a 1991 chevy silvarado. Of course the other drivers insurance wanted to total out the truck and then offer a salvage title. I read about some horror stories on the web about salvage titles. I absolutely fought the other drivers insurance about wanting to write it off and the salvage title. I won!

Good luck,

Keith

[dukcaln]

deals off. took my buddy by to see it and look it over and there is some rust on the floor pan, top of corner of cab and inner fender...my truck is rust free.. also looks like there was some welding on the frame cause there was some grinding marks from taking down the welds..... the truck was nice looking, drove nice had 2/4 drop and 20's with disc breaks all around... interior fresh too... but I agree with all of you, of course he wants out of it..... so thank you cause even know my inner voice was skeptical your comments sealed the no deal.....