I just started looking for my first mini. I have found several that have salvage titles with very low miles. They have pictures that show the car with minor damage that they fixed. I am being told that with some insurance policies that they will total the car with very little damage since they have the rider to get a new car. Has anyone purchased this type of car? Also does this void the manufactures warranty?

 

I would never buy a salvage title car unless I was going to turn it into a racecar or something. If it was totaled, it was not with "very little damage", why would the ins co do that? Why would they pay to total a car that could be fixed inexpensively?

There's a reason these cars are sold cheaply, and they will never be "right" and will never carry even close to normal values. Stay away - my 2c.

As to mfr's warranty, I'd say it depends on what was damaged and being able to prove the damage didn't affect the parts you're trying to get warranted - but I would not count on it being under warranty.

 

Sounds like fraud to me!

 

If it's cheap, there's a reason.
Salvage title is a BIG risk. If you can't afford a market rate car, odds are you can't afford to repair the 'little issues' that will no doubt arise. Not to mention that selling it, if necessary, would also be difficult.
IMO you're far better off going with older/higher mileage car vs. a salvage.

 

I would not buy a salvage title car unless it was rock bottom price and I planned on having lots of problems with it. I have owned two of them...Several problems..many repairs that pop up after you drive a while...hidden damage that causes wierd trouble like body parts that are bent rubbing hoses, you name it...I can tell you many stories....insurance companies hate them....if you wreck one how do they tell what was pre-existing? Also if you are looking for any warranty the car company will do a title search and deny any warranty work. I had a really high end Jeep Cherokee that had been rebuilt...once Chrysler figured out it had been totaled they denied any warranty on it. The transmission died at 80,000 and they refused to warranty anything. Also re-sale values are rock bottom. If the car is wrecked it is very hard to convince people to buy them unless the price is thousands below retail...just my .02.

 

It can be difficult to get financing on a salvage title car too.