Hi all. Gald to be here! I am in the market for a 05 or newer convertible (possibly S). One of the first candidates that caught my eye is an 06 S w less than 25,000 miles. Beautiful car: with a salvage title. Here's how the seller described the repairs...
The hood,right rail,front bumper cover,oil pan,Battery cable,airbags,dash cover,radiator/cooler,and related parts were replaced. The hood front and rear bumper covers and lower side panels were painted. You cannot tell the hood is painted as it was professionally matched in both color and texture. This car is beautiful the only way you could tell it was repaired is the title.

Private seller- asking price is $15,500, which seems to be full on retail, with no discount for the salvage title. Questions: are these repairs considered major? What's the right rail? Seems to me that the salvage-title discount should be something near 25%.... Would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks jim

 

I have to wonder if the seller is being completely honest. A salvage title is issued when the total for the repairs in more than 75 to 80% of the cars value. That's a bunch of damage for a Mini and almost always involves frame damage. Logic says the car should sell for at least 25% below normal asking price.

 

He could well be telling you everything about the damages. Right rail and airbags replacement alone equals big bucks.

What us wrong is hus asking price. Selling a car that had been declared a total loss and now has a salvage title.... should be at least $5k off book value. And that's assuming all repairs were done at the highest level of quality.

 

why take a chance at full retail (damaged) when there are a lot of great Mini's for sale around that price????

 

My initial thought is that the seller may be willing to accept a significantly lower price. This is a very low milage car. Might be a great deal at a 25% discount, something in the $11,500 range???

 

The impact of a salvage title vaies from stste to state....
Imo the discount should be MORE than 25%, even if fixed right....
some insurance companies will not give you full ins....and selling can be a headache....
And anything not done right...cause if it could have been done right, it is likely it would have been, then sold at a proft...a rebuilt car is only as good as the rebuilder.....
Imo, there are other cars....
Remember, you can put lipatick on a pig, but it is still a pig. Leave that car for a person who KNOWS about cars and rebuilts ones.....it could turn into a deal, but a seller trying to get full retail on a salvage car....sounds like they are looking for a sucker.....

 

Why would anyone buy a salvage car?

You're just asking for future problems.......

I wouldn't touch it with the proverbial 10 foot Pole, or Chech, or Yugoslav......

Like the other poster said, with all the good MINIs out there for sale, why buy a pig just becasue it has low miles? It has low miles cause it's been off the road getting rebuilt!

Find a good car, one with good provenence and worry less about the miles than the condition and equipment.

Good luck!

But I'd give this one a pass.......

 

I'd offer $10,000 at the most - then walk if he refuses. Asking retail for a salvaged vehicle is ridicules. I'm with the others on here that buying a salvage titled vehicle is a big risk.

 

Excellent advice. Thank you.

 

From the comments you are getting here, you can see why buying a car with a salvage title is not a very good idea. Resale will be difficult and it may look fine, however, I can tell you as a person who has rebuilt several salvaged cars-- they are never the same after they are repaired from a wreck. Do yourself a BIG favor, pass on this car and buy one with a clean record that has been well maintained and has the service records to prove it.