I emailed the guy about it for more info, but not sure what to think. Could be a bad lemon or a good buy in the long run. Looking for thoughts on a truck that was wrecked and has received a salvage title. I'm looking for a truck now for work, towing, and carrying sled/4 wheeler. Only reason I'm asking about this one as there's nothing local after looking at ebay, autotrader, craigslist, local ford dealer, and any online dealer I can find within 100 mile radius have nothing that really stands out. This one is 4 hours away, but in 3 weeks I'm going to the city it's in for family reasons. Not heading out there for 3 weeks or so, so no rush in needing to know and can get info and find out what I'm getting into perhaps. Thoughts?

I asked how it recieved a salvage title since, atleast in Michigan, to get a salvage title there must be damage to the frame or damage exceeding value of the vehicle. I have no concerns of fixing it really, especially since I'm looking at trucks around a 10k budge +/- 2 grand. So in a perfect world, if I had to put 5000 into it and get it in good shape again, I'm coming out in budge, and ahead of what I can find around here.

Here's the ad:
2002 Ford F150 FX4 Offroad 4x4 *SAVE* Repairable - $5000

2002 Ford F150 Extended Cab Short Box 4x4, FX4 Offroad Edition, 68,800 miles, 5.4 Triton V8, automatic, white exterior with grey cloth interior, power sunroof,windows,locks,seats,cd player and more. This truck has some damage on the drivers side front and rear door, the front door needs to be replaced and the rear door may be repaired???, the right rear quarter panel has some minor damage by the taillight also that can be easily repaired. The truck runs and drives good as is right now with no major problems, I have located most of the parts at local parts yards so parts are easy to find....The motor sounds great and the tranny shifts good!!! The truck will come with a Minnesota Salvage title due to it being damaged, but with a little time and money this truck can be repaired to perfection or drive it as is and fix it along the way.... This truck has a book value of over $12,000 so you will be saving some money on this one....Please email me at xxxxxxx@yahoo.com for more info or if you want to set up an appointment to check this truck out.

 

i dont know if i would spend 5 grand on something with a salvage title. from what i hear, they're really hard to get insured

 

Thats why I'm kinda why im emailing him about info. Minnesota salvage could be different? I'll see if i can dig that up right now.

 

Interesting read I got searching on it.

" What does a prior salvage title mean in minnesota?

It means the car was previously a "total". It could have been flooded, burned up, or a total wreck and re-built. Run-don't buy it.




Answer

Yes, it means it was totaled but depending on the car's age it might not mean RUN-don't buy. Since cars are totaled when repairs exceed anywhere from 50-75% of their value (depending on the state you live in) an older, quality car like a Volvo or Honda can be totaled simply by being sideswiped and having only cosmetic damage. A newer car that's been totaled can mean it sustained over $15K in damages and that's major. It all depends why it was totaled and if the subsequent repairs were top notch. In some state repos and theft vehicles with no damage are salvaged. Now if it was flooded DO NOT BUY IT since quirky electrical problems are hard to diagnose and properly repair. If you like the car, have it inspected by a pro and make sure the frame is straight. If the car passes muster and the price is right (salvage/reconstructed car are worth about 60% of the value of a comparable clean titled car) buy it! I have twice with excellent results In fact, I'm driving one now and love it and paid next to nothing for it! ----------------------------------

Minneosta DMV: Vehicles in Minnesota are considered salvaged when they are declared "repairable total loss" by an insurance company, were worth at least $5,000 before the damage or are less than six years old, or have a weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds.

Not sure how to interpret that.

Michigans DMV: Michigan defines a salvage vehicle as a late-model vehicle that will cost more than 75% but less than 91% of its pre-incident value to repair. "Late model" for a vehicle under 8,000 pounds is anything less than six years old. For larger vehicles, it's 16 years. You might also hear a salvage vehicle referred to as a vehicle that's been "totaled."

Seems like in Minnesota's its up to the insurance company and Michigan it's basically a set standard by DMV law. ?


I know it is possible to reverse a Salvage title, atleast here. Just as a thought, if I got it here, had it inspect by my insurance (AAA), or a mechanic they certifiy and deem it with DMV standard as not salvage...
Don't get me wrong, not hell bent on buying this, but just want to check different angles.

 

Personally no I wouldnt you will have a very hard time getting rid of it later, due to brown title. I have done this before and practically had to give the car away. but it was what TX thought was totalled.

 

That damage does not look totaling worth unless they already did some repairs Just a side swipe like it looks should not be a problem unless it hit the tire and bent control arms, tie rods, and possibly the frame in the proses... Find out what kind of accident it was in... Get the alignment checked If there was frame damage that will be the hardest thing to fix because the parameters are so fine now a days that if any little thing is bent it will throw off the whole thing... If they wont tell you what happend to it then do that "carfax" check thing its like $25 bucks I think, it will be worth it to find out what rely happened to it.

And the guy said you could find all the parts locally, well you sould probably check that out for yourself.

So like I said that dammage does not look that bad from the picture UNLESS they already fixed some of it. and BEFORE you buy try to get it aligned.

 

If youre planning on putting a lean out against this truck, I think the banks are gonna have a hard time giving you the dough for a salvaged truck. If cash, then no worries. And also to insure its going to be tough too. NTM, you would be extremely lucky if you were ever to sell it again. Unless you plan to drive this truck into the ground, which would be okay. But you may be driving it into the ground a lot sooner than you want, and have almost 7000 tied up into at, with no way of getting it back. My .02, pay a little more, and get a good condition truck.
GL

 

Problem I had with carfax....I paid the 25 bucks, cuz I was told it had a new motor put in my F150. Nothing showed up. Come to find out, it had the original motor. But when I ran carfax, the dealer told me that some things dont always go reported. Just be prepared something may not all be there. If the guy trying to sell it is the owner, get some info on what exactly happened. Ask why insurance isnt taking it. He should be getting more than 5k for it from the insurance company.

 

I'll see what he has to say through emails and what better pics he has. If I were to entertain the idea, I'd make him take it and me to a ford dealer out there and have it inspected by them and see what they say at his expense. If he wont then definitely wont bother. I probably would drive it for good unless gas hits like 5+ dollars in less than a year...

Carfax can be a bit sketchy thats for sure. It did save me from one truck though, carfax showed up it was in a front end, repaired, an re-titled if I remember right.

That's the kind of damage I'm thinking, had another vehicle or whatever, maybe since there's damage to bed they feel they need to replace it? Really driving up the price or is damage like what I'm thinking enough to have to do that.

Did just find this last night though less than 2 hours away. 88k miles asking 10.5.

 

what are they askin for that? my guess is, about 10,300