Salvadge Vehicles

[LadyGT]

Are they worth purchasing? My son, age 17, wants to purchase a '94 5.0 mustang for $4,800 but it was issued a salvadge title 13 months after private ownership. I say no and my son is not happy with me. He is not thinking logically about anything except the cool factor of this being his first car.

The car has been owned by other people since then and my mechanic says no as well, but is willing to check it out and give his opinion. The gauges have been swapped out and the CarFax says it's exempt in regard to the odometer reading. There are too many red flags raised in my mind. Am I being too cautious?

Denise

[Schtauffer]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

A good bodyman/mechanic can make a salvage car as good as new. A poor job will give you nothing but trouble as long as you own it.

I agree on the price thing, you should be able to find a decent one with a clear title and in good condition for that kind of money.

[67pete300]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

Tons of Mustangs of that vintage around. Cheap. Find another one for your son to fall in love with. With a clean title.

[Mr4Speed]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

A Carfax report should tell you why it has a salvage title. Sometimes minor cosmetic damage can result in a car having a salvage title, but once it's on there the car will always cloud hanging over it, and it will always be worth less in the resale marketplace. It can work to your advantage too- if the damage was minor you may be able to get a perfectly good car for less. I have no idea what those cars are worth but the salvage title is a strong bargaining point. If the car hasn't been hit hard enough to be tweaked, or been in a flood, it might be a deal if you can get the price low enough.

[squirrel]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

Stick to your guns, in 5 years maybe he'll thank you!

[67pete300]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

You might pay for the difference in price on your insurance. Check with your agent before buying. May cost more to insure. They might not even insure it!

[LadyGT]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

How do you tell a 17 y/o boy he can't have what he has his heart is set on? Tough love here.

I called the insurance company and they said they will insure it but it will only return the salvadge value if in an accident and the rep didn't have that info. Sooo, deduct $500-$1,000 from value and what do you get? Probably nada and my son is the one who loses.

Somehow I have to prove to him there are a lot of mustangs out on the market and this is not the one for him.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

1994 is a 15 year old car . 4800 should buy a remakable car , not a salvage yard refugee

[Falcon67]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

Grab the Auto Trader, cruize racingjunk.com, get copies of the local "Thrifty Nickel" rag - lots of cars out there still. Get him/you to join a local Mustang club if such exists. Or a family oriented car club. That'll get you in the loop with people that usually know who's got what and where it's hiding. "salvage vehicle" could easily mean "Katrina victim" and lotsa headaches.

[66ElCamino]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

is it at least a 5 speed?

[joebogey]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

Totally agree, if it was a 60-something car that wasn't on every corner maybe, but that sounds like a stinker. If he was going to make a strictly drag car out of it where it was nothing more than a shell maybe. I just went to www.cars.com and search for 94-03 Mustand <$5000 w/i 50 miles and got back 24 vehicles. Look elsewhere.

[olbuddybob]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

If this car were dirt cheap I would only consider it. At $4800 I would RUN away. There are a lot of reasons for a salvage title and none of them are good. Fire (not likely) Theft recovery and rebuilt, Wrecked and rebuilt, How about all the little gems popping up from Katrina. If your looking to spend $4800 you will find a nice car and if his heart is set on a mustang you'll find one.

[JRoberts]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

In North Carolina in order to get the title changed back from a salvage title it has to be inspected by the state Highway Patrol. It can still be difficult to get the change made and I doubt the Carfax thing would ever change. I'm like everybody else, steer clear of it. Look at the local want ads, ebay, etc. and show you son what is available.
When my son turned 16 I told him I'd get him something to drive to and from school. He said he wanted a '53,4 or 5 Studebaker coupe. Sure..... I found a ratty, but drivable '55 six cylinder four door for 1000 bucks the same guy had a '64 four door for the same price. Both running and safe. I simply told him to choose and these were the two from which he had to choose. He fell in love with the '55 and drove it for a while to school, until he bought a '58 Silver Hawk (which is still at my house, by the way). I then reversely inherited the '55. Kids will adapt. Matt worked on the'55 some himself and it actually got him started working on cars, something that at 24 he is much better at than I am.

[LadyGT]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

My son didn't take the news very well and had a very big tempertantrum. Says I ruin his life. His thinking is that this car was newly repainted canary yellow, which was previously silver, has Flowmasters, new cobra bucket seats inside, and a new instrument panel which would make him look so cool. He refuses to see the big picture if he's in an accident or if there's some hidden problem with the structure. It doesn't help when his Spanish teacher is saying what a great deal it is either. >

[Turbo Regal]

Re: Salvadge Vehicles

I would buy one for parts only. You don't know what is wrong with it and I sure wouldn't let anyone I loved drive one on a daily basis.