quote:How would you like to buy such a car without knowing it was totaled at one point during its life?
Whether or not a vehicle has a salvage title is no indication of whether or not it's been in a serious accident. There are a lot of poorly repaired vehicles out there with whole titles, and there are a lot of beautiful solid vehicles out there with salvage titles.
I would not consider a salvage title vehicle unless it was accompanied by full documentation of a correct repair/restoration by a quality shop. I'm tired of reading vehicle descriptions on eBay auctions explaining a salvage title as the result of "wheel damage" or "car was keyed." These explanations are absolutely ludicrous.
FWIW - My brother in law was a DA who busted a ring of car theives who would steal a vehicle and dismantle it at a local wrecking yard. The shell was dumped off in an alley that evening, and all the parts were put on a truck and sent to a partner body shop in another city. The wrecking yard also had a contract to pick-up/tow vehicles for the police. They would then get the call from the police to haul away the recovered shell. They would then buy the shell with a salvage title, put it on a truck and send it to the partner body shop in the other city to be rejoined with all the stripped parts, and resold.
Note that if you purchase a vehicle with a salvage title that turns out to be stolen, you have no legal claim to the vehicle or compensation for your purchase price. You are out! The law provide you no recourse, other than to seek remedy against the seller, but you're on your own in that matter. The vehicle will be impounded and returned to the rightful legal owner.
Caveat emptor! - buyer beware!