Salvaged DMV Cert., Does it matter anymore! Options

[PlantMan]

I cant say I have seen many Salvaged DMV Certs on 914's but I did come across a 912E with Salvaged paper work recently and I thought, 'Who cares!', I would still buy it. I know for the PCA club member guy/gal this may be a big problem but if you are lucky to find and own one of these car that are 30-40 years old already aren't we all salvaging them to a certain extent anyways? Is it going to be a big deal to the next guy?

There are a great number of 914's being transplanted with 6's, Subaru pwr, or something similar. There are others buying 'Rollers' and building them up to track or as a DD or maybe even show. I know when I was looking for a 911SC a couple years ago you could find a Salvaged car every once in awhile for a 6k-8k difference and it was still a great looking vehicle! The Salvaged 911's where usually purchased by the race or track guys because it did not matter to them.

There are a lot of good deals on Salvaged cars and I am always tempted by their lower cost but hesitant of the Salvaged cert. I am slowly coming around though and if the right car comes up I might go for it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[rick 918-S]

Here's my spin. I owned a collision/resto shop for 18 yrs. let's say the retail on that car was 10k new at it's high point. As car gets older they loose value bringing them to a low point. So let's say the low may have been 2k. A car that was key scratched down both sides needing a complete paint job at early 90's prices would be a total loss. Happened in my shop lots of times. Dented fender, light hail damage, hell, shopping cart got away and bang! totaled!

Now take that same car today worth 3X the retail when new. Even with todays prices for a paint job you couldn't total it. So I think at one point Salvage titles need to be revisited or hold a hell of a lot less weight if you know the history of the car and why it was stamped.

And another thing. We would by salvage cars and rebuild them as fill work in our shop. Repaired to industry standards only with salvaged oem parts not new oem parts. The margins were slim as you were selling the car with a stamped title. But the object was to keep employee's in down times instead of having to lay guys off and try to hire them back when the seasonal increase caused a need. I had 6 full time guys with families. They counted on me to be creative and resourceful. Doesn't mean the car was built cheaply or unsafe. Just means we had work when we needed it and someone got a bargain when the car sold because the state had no means of removing the salvage status.

[rick 918-S]

Here's my spin. I owned a collision/resto shop for 18 yrs. let's say the retail on that car was 10k new at it's high point. As car gets older they loose value bringing them to a low point. So let's say the low may have been 2k. A car that was key scratched down both sides needing a complete paint job at early 90's prices would be a total loss. Happened in my shop lots of times. Dented fender, light hail damage, hell, shopping cart got away and bang! totaled!

Now take that same car today worth 3X the retail when new. Even with todays prices for a paint job you couldn't total it. So I think at one point Salvage titles need to be revisited or hold a hell of a lot less weight if you know the history of the car and why it was stamped.

And another thing. We would by salvage cars and rebuild them as fill work in our shop. Repaired to industry standards only with salvaged oem parts not new oem parts. The margins were slim as you were selling the car with a stamped title. But the object was to keep employee's in down times instead of having to lay guys off and try to hire them back when the seasonal increase caused a need. I had 6 full time guys with families. They counted on me to be creative and resourceful. Doesn't mean the car was built cheaply or unsafe. Just means we had work when we needed it and someone got a bargain when the car sold because the state had no means of removing the salvage status.

And another point. How many cars have we seen come through these pages with less than safe rust repairs. I try really hard to coach and mentor guy's who post on here asking advised because rust repair is serious business. Compared to a little fender bender that caused a car to get a salvage stamp that nuts!

I was sent a short video awhile back of a guy in a shop literally removing welds from a structural longitudinal with a pair of side cutters. The car was a rolling freaking death machine.

Think about the liability compared to a doctor. The doctor has one patient in his hands. The guy repairing the structural chassis of a car has everyone that can get in that car at one time and anyone in the path of that death ride in his hands. Scary!

Do you think the states should mandate an inspection process for any car that has rust repairs completed? I think that would kill the hobby but sometimes there are just guys that shouldn't pick up a welder.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)

Way worse that a classic car with a salvage stamp for a dent.