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View Full Version : Should I do this trade? Salvage title, need some input


daftphunk
11-01-2012, 12:11 PM
Sup guys,
So I've been in the midst of trying to sell my S14 for awhile now. Thing has lots of mods, looks pretty cool but thing is, I got some body damage; the driver side fender, door are messed up and the hood needs to be replaced. Ultimately, I'd be looking to get $6500 for my car, all thigns considered. Whoever is going to end up with my car will get OEM replacement hood and fender though. Anyways, I've never went through insurance so essentially the car right now has a clean title, etc

This guy has offered to trade me a 2003 S2000 with 69k miles on it. Thing is, it has a salvaged title. I havent run a carfax on it yet, but plan on doing it if this becomes serious. He said the previous owner got into a front end collision. I checked the car out yesterday briefly, and the car looks pretty decent. Id say the exterior is about an 8/10. Wary of the front end damage, I tried to look to see if anything was off. The passenger side headlight didn't exactly line up with the bumper, or maybe it was the bumper that wasn't lining up with the light. Regardless, it left a small 1/4" gap between the two which wasn't entirely noticeable. The thing is, I am now wary of core support damage or more frame damage, etc. From first look though, everything else seemed fine. I am going to take another look at it today to see if I can see any wrinkles in the frame, etc.

I would typically stray away from any salvage titled vehicle, but considering everything, the condition of my car and the amount of time it's been on the market, this didn't seem like it was going to be too bad of a deal. It's just going to be my daily driver, to and from school and work. He wants a straight trade across and that's about it.

I would think that itd be hard to gauge the actual car and provide serious input without anyone else seeing it, but I just need some opinions. Should I walk away from this? Or provided that the car fax proves to be OK, should I take the deal?

Thanks

EDIT: I used the website www.vinaudit.com (http://www.vinaudit.com) to get a quick look at the car since it eas $10 vs the $40 for a car fax. Anyways, looks like the car was bought/sold at an auction but other than that no other reports of any other damages to the car. It just shows the salvage/junk from Coparts in CA?

SLiDe_WaYz
11-01-2012, 12:14 PM
Personally I would trade, UNLESS I had a Kouki. I would sell out right or keep it.

fliprayzin240sx
11-01-2012, 06:29 PM
Ultimately, its up to you. If it drives straight and you like it, why the fuck not. I picked up a 04 BMW 325 Wagon that had a front end salvage title but was rebuilt. I wouldnt have known it was rebuilt unless the PO didnt show me where the damage was at while pointing out the frame rail and the title. Drive straight, had 76k on it, drove it cross country from CA to VA, blue book for a clean title one is about $12k but I paid $7k for this.

RiversideS13
11-02-2012, 02:24 AM
test drive it, see if it drive straight. if it does not drive straight, do not get it. check tire wear if they are even. look at interior for water stains, could be an evidence for water leak from poorly seal or crack.
check if all electrical works good, beware of dead bulb or malfunction stuffs - could be electrical nightmare.
I didn't have good lucks with salvage cars so i tried to avoid it. on the other hand, you can have a clean title car but it might have a worst condition because it was not repair probably

fliprayzin240sx
11-02-2012, 12:06 PM
Also, all depend on why it got salvaged. I've seen cars get salvaged write off with a light fender bender and the airbags deployed. Replaced the airbags, buffed out the bumper and you'd never know it.

Farzam
11-03-2012, 06:31 AM
Go get it. Tear the fender lining out and look. Jack it up. Pop the hood, everything is super visible. A 1/4" headlight gap could be anything from the support being bent to the bumper needing to be readjusted, either of which isn't hard to DIY or live with. Your best bet is to drive it around a lot and see where it goes.

I bought a salvage kouki s14 for $2500 with 92k miles...whole front end was mushed in before I bought it from a family friend...best fucking driving s-chassis I ever been in, and i've had tons of em over the past 7 or 8 years. I've been in the s2000 game for a few years. It's fun. Great cars, cheap to maintain, lots of possibilities. I highly suggest you do the trade, but that's given the very little info you've provided us on said vehicles at hand.