Thankfully I'm not asking this question because anything happened to my car. The question came up because my wife's Ford Taurus was hit a while back. The insurance companay totalled it and we had the option to buy it back for the 'estimated auction price', which turned out to only be $60. A no brainer since all I had to do to get it back on the road was pull a small dent out of the rear fender and prime/paint the area.

So it got me wondering how much it would have cost to buy back a 914 that had been deemed 'totalled' by an insurance company.

Anyone interested in sharing what it cost you if you've been unfortunate enough to have to go through this?

When my 71 was totaled, the insurance co wanted $1000 for me to buy it back. This may seem high but then again they gave me $7800 for a totaled 71 1.7L rust bucket and I wasn't about to complain about paying $1K to get it back.

1973 1.7L totaled while getting painted...yeah, really
paint shop insurance company paid out $9,500
I bought back for $300

...happy ending, but it did take a few years off my life...

the problem (if you consider it a problem) is when you buy it back it becomes a "salvaged title" that lowers resale. in ca. anyway it requires a lamp and brake cert. to put on the street.

I had to claw and fight to keep my title, but they tried to say my '70 with 64k original miles, brand new custom motor and tranny, with 40mm carbs, rollbar, racing seats, alloys, etc were totaled for like $4k and the buyback would have been $700.

Something that caught my eye: The cost breakdown from Allstate showed that my perfectly balanced, blueprinted, shuffle pinned, rabbit rods 2.0 with forged pistons, chromoly pushrods, electronic ignition, custom heads and dellorto carbs added $50 to the value

I had a clean '75 1.8 totaled back in early 2003. Insurance paid $5500, in addition to covering all expenses, including towing and rental for several weeks. Buying the car back cost $400, which was a no-brainer, since I was only lightly rear-ended. Impact on resale value was negligible because everything was well documented, with plenty of supporting photos. In hindsight, I wish I had known (how) to fight to keep the title clean, if for no other reason than to keep the branding off an otherwise super solid car, which will no doubt be on the road for many more decades. I adored that car and felt I let it down. Live and learn.

I had a very nice '75 in the late '80's that a girl rear ended. I was waiting at a red light and she was going about 45 applying her lipstick in her rear view mirror. She was in a 3 week old Jetta. Both cars were a total loss, along with my back. The cops had no problem figuring out the cause when they arrived, I guess the red lipstick line all the way up this girls face kinda gave it away. Her insurance company paid me $4K for my car, less $300 to keep it and part it out. Dumb bitch.

Back in 1990 my 68,000 mile near mint creamsicle was slightly dented and totaled. I bought it for 2400.00 and when wrecked 3 days later the insurance company gave me right at 6000.00 then charged me 400.00 to get it back with a clear title.


Donald

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500.00 to buy back, in 1986.

ouch, a little windex and soft rag... it'll wipe off

how did they give you a clean title???

I Guess that is just how they do it in Tennessee. A few months ago my daughter drowned my Honda Accord and insurance company totaled it. They deducted 400.00 from my settlement check and I retained the car with current title.

I'm pretty sure that at least in Colorado, if you can prove the car has been repaired you can clear the "salvage" label form your title. You might want to check into that.

71 914, totalled 1993. Ins paid 5900, bought it back for $500.

In Ca, it's up to the insurance co. to report the salvage to the DMV. I've bought 4 totals from insurance companies (not Porsches) and only 2 of them had salvage titles. I got lucky on one, I begged the adjuster on the other one.

Back in the early to mid 80’s in California you did not get salvage titles you got your car-totaled. Pinks slips came backs clear. This was a problem and people needed to look at cars to make sure that a used 911 was not made up of 2 cars. I do not remember when the law changed to salvage only. I bought my 1st. 914 in 1978 – It was a 1974. It was from a salvage yard. Someone put it into a curb and twisted the trailing arm and well I got it will a new trailing arm and the engine and trans. was out of the car. With pink.



Bob