Let's talk salvage titles if we may Options

[Tdskip]

First off let me say that I know they'll be lots of room for personal opinions here, with some people holding the opinion that with cars of our vintage a salvage title isn't that big of a deal if it comes from a non-critical issue back when the cars weren't worth much.

I just looked at exactly such a car that was totaled by the insurance company over what today we would look at as a minor bump. Back when it happened, close to 15 years ago, I'm sure a $1500 repair was probably enough of a threshold to total the car so the insurance company wrote it off and the previous owner bought it back and then never restored it like he thought he was going to when he bought it back.

So all that brings us to today - otherwise clean car that had some rust repair done to a solid but not cosmetically attractive level, just needs an engine to be back on the road. 17's that are ready to Bolton can be readily had for not a whole lot money and you can see where the rest of this thought process goes. Except, except, except the shell has a salvage title.

I was thinking I would just throw this thing together and then drive it for six months and sell it, which I do in a heartbeat if I didn't have a salvage title but I'm worried that even at driver pricing ($4000?) i'll get stuck with it because other people will get the heebie-jeebies about the salvage title just like me.

What do you all think?

[914forme]

The salvage titles are not a bad thing they just carry a stigma that effects resale value. For me it is a bargain, and a free canvas to do what I want with the car, and since it is not an issue of resale you don't feel as bad when cutting into it and modify the car any way you wish.

For an artist it is like a blank canvas, for a purist it is a tainted piece of cloth spread over a tainted history that is now condemned for the rest of its life. Some would like the tainted to be cleared from the face of the earth.

If you want the car get it, if it is for you.

If you want to flip it, the title will get in your way.

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

here in Georgia, before 1985 the car does not even need a title, so someone can simply to to the DMV with a bill of sale and a police vehicle id check and get a new registration which is transferable to a title in any other state and even any other country. Needless to say the registration is clean

The salvage titles are not a bad thing they just carry a stigma that effects resale value. For me it is a bargain, and a free canvas to do what I want with the car, and since it is not an issue of resale you don't feel as bad when cutting into it and modify the car any way you wish.

For an artist it is like a blank canvas, for a purist it is a tainted piece of cloth spread over a tainted history that is now condemned for the rest of its life. Some would like the tainted to be cleared from the face of the earth.

If you want the car get it, if it is for you.

If you want to flip it, the title will get in your way.

[preach]

here in Georgia, before 1985 the car does not even need a title, so someone can simply to to the DMV with a bill of sale and a police vehicle id check and get a new registration which is transferable to a title in any other state and even any other country. Needless to say the registration is clean

NH is the same way. I registered my 914 just to make sure it was "clean", it was in no way ready to register when I got it.