Need advice badly. Help me consider this potential buy.

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

I know I've made some similar threads but I've appreciated the advice in every one and I need your advice once again.

Here's the situation... and it's a difficult one.

The Good:
- It's a 1997 Black Automatic RS V6 with 66,000 miles. Very nice. Just like my totaled one.
- It's got brand new tires (I think)
- It's got some very expensive looking chrome rims
- 400 watt JVC sound system
- In-Dash multi-CD changer that changes colors
- Metallic tint on the side windows
- I already have nice power antenna I never installed in my totaled camaro I could put on the car
- Many of my blackouts, and my foil sunblocker thing would fit the car.
- The owner is obviously a car guy, and sounds like he's taken good care of the car. I think he might also really need to sell the car (since he's even considering 2,000 below his asking) and that I'll be in a good position to get the price very low.

The Bad:
- The Carfax says it's been in a moderate and minor accident (one of which the owner knew about and told me about). One on the front left of the car (the moderate accident). One on the left side of the car (the minor one). I think airbags deployed both times which is why the car was totaled. Not sure.
- It's got a salvage title (the owner was also honest about this)... My understanding of this is that it'd be really hard to resell if I ever wanted to, and that I can't get collision insurance.... AHH!
- The airbag in the steering wheel isn't connected, and there is no shotgun airbag. I'll need to replace this and it would probably cost around $1,500.

Salvage Title Issues
The salvage title and airbags are a tricky situation... Is there any way to "fix" a salvage title?... you know...make it back into a regular title?

I might be willing to take a risk on this car if the price is right. I mean it sounds like it's nice and if the mechanics check out then it'd be awesome to drive...

My Thoughts
After getting the insurance money on my other camaro I'll have a total of around $8,000-$10,000 to spend (Including airbag repair). His original asking price was $7,000. I got him down to $5,000 just over the phone. We'll probably drive up and check it out (it's like 160 miles away). So basically he'll be thinking "$5,000" all week... I'm considering buying it for $4,000-$4,500... but he's put a lot of money in this car and I know he's getting toward his breaking point. The good thing is that the jump from 5,000 to 4,000 isn't nearly as bad as from 7,000 to 4,000.

Anyway... Assuming I could get the car for $3,700-$4,500... Spend another $1,500 on the airbags...

That'd leave me with $2,300-$4,300 leftover for future repairs/accident issues.

The car sounds amazing (assuming the mechanics and paint check out) but I'm equally scared about the insurance issue.

What do you think?

[Camaro Dom]

Re: Need advice badly. Help me consider this potential buy.

well... be REALLY thorough with your mechanical check. hell, just for sh!ts and grins i'd say take it to a body shop and see if the frame is all maligned. maybe not. i bought my 2000 with 65k for 8 grand back in the day. no accidents. i'd be REALLY careful dude. honestly, i wouldnt do it. you are probably gonna open up a whole can of worms with that. if it was a second car... fine. you're gonna hafta really bigtime on this car to get you around and the last thing ya need is to have to repair the damn thing every 3k miles.
but thats just my .02. if you really like it and it checks out in your mind, go for it. just make sure that you have no doubt in your mind that this is a good buy. good luck dude!

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

Re: Need advice badly. Help me consider this potential buy.

well... be REALLY thorough with your mechanical check. hell, just for sh!ts and grins i'd say take it to a body shop and see if the frame is all maligned. maybe not. i bought my 2000 with 65k for 8 grand back in the day. no accidents. i'd be REALLY careful dude. honestly, i wouldnt do it. you are probably gonna open up a whole can of worms with that. if it was a second car... fine. you're gonna hafta really bigtime on this car to get you around and the last thing ya need is to have to repair the damn thing every 3k miles.
but thats just my .02. if you really like it and it checks out in your mind, go for it. just make sure that you have no doubt in your mind that this is a good buy. good luck dude!

Yeah... If we go check it out then we're taking to a mechanic of our choosing (An acdelco shop in the area that's got a great rating) to make sure it checks out mechanically.

I'm not even considering the car anymore if we do that and it has problems. If not though... those engines last forever y'know? It was hit on the left side both times so hopefully no damage was done to anything important.

The thing I'm most concerned about is insurance and the salvage title... I mean... not being able to get collision insurance?... That's pretty unsettling.

[Nikos95]

Re: Need advice badly. Help me consider this potential buy.

To get rid of a Salvage Title, you literaly have to get the vehicle tested to be in BRAND NEW CONDITION as far as the Chassis is concerened... Almost impossible and beyond worth it. My '95 also has a Salvage title, a carfax and a little looking into it, showed that mine got it because it was a recovered stolen vehicle, some states put salvage titles on vehicles that have been stolen. Honestly I don't worry about the fact it has a salvage title, get it on a frame rack make sure its straight, nothing is broken under it, and the front k-member is good and solid, and you shouldn't have too much to worry about. Thats the major problems that give a salvage title. Erm air bags, I disabled mine myself! But if you want them ya they are expensive...

It's kinda a rough one, if you don't mind the salvage title, don't worry about it, and if you don't like it, then don't bother because odds are you will NEVER be able to get rid of it without literally stripping the car down to nothing and then paying unimaginable amounts to get it checked for a Chance at getting rid of it..

But I wouldn't say its worth $4-$5k.... I mean I found a '97 Z-28 with 40k on it, in mint condition with a clean title for like $8k here... And today a '96 Z-28 with 75k on it in mint condition and a clean title for $5.8k...

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

Re: Need advice badly. Help me consider this potential buy.

To get rid of a Salvage Title, you literaly have to get the vehicle tested to be in BRAND NEW CONDITION as far as the Chassis is concerened... Almost impossible and beyond worth it. My '95 also has a Salvage title, a carfax and a little looking into it, showed that mine got it because it was a recovered stolen vehicle, some states put salvage titles on vehicles that have been stolen. Honestly I don't worry about the fact it has a salvage title, get it on a frame rack make sure its straight, nothing is broken under it, and the front k-member is good and solid, and you shouldn't have too much to worry about. Thats the major problems that give a salvage title. Erm air bags, I disabled mine myself! But if you want them ya they are expensive...

It's kinda a rough one, if you don't mind the salvage title, don't worry about it, and if you don't like it, then don't bother because odds are you will NEVER be able to get rid of it without literally stripping the car down to nothing and then paying unimaginable amounts to get it checked for a Chance at getting rid of it..

But I wouldn't say its worth $4-$5k.... I mean I found a '97 Z-28 with 40k on it, in mint condition with a clean title for like $8k here... And today a '96 Z-28 with 75k on it in mint condition and a clean title for $5.8k...

Oh! It's got a rebuilt title too... does that mean I can insure it? O_o?

Thanks :). It's good to know that there's at least a possibility of getting the salvage title off.

Why would you turn off airbags O_O??? At the very least I'd need a passenger airbag so that I can't be sued. Frankly though, I don't think my parents will let me NOT get it hooked up. I'm an adult and could do what I want... but... you know... I want to be on good terms with the folks.

In any case, we can try lowballing the guy, and if he downright refuses, tell him we're going to lunch, he can think it over in the meantime, and if he changes his mind in the next 45 minutes then he can call us before we drive the 160 miles home. People do crazy things and if he's desperate he might take $3,500 for it.

Thank you! More opinions please! :D

[Big Tymer]

Re: Need advice badly. Help me consider this potential buy.

i wouldnt buy any car with a salvage title.... that is unless its gonna be a car im going to rip totally down to the frame to restore, like that of a beaten up 69 camaro or such..... i had a 92 stang that was salvage title, and i could get collision???????? dont buy ford!

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

Re: Need advice badly. Help me consider this potential buy.

Alright... well I found another one that is a black '97 RS so maybe that one will suffice. Man it's a real shame this one has salvage. If it weren't for that one single thing I'd snatch that ride up in a second.

This other one has a wreckless past in CarFAX and has 88,000 miles on it.

Not bad... I don't know if it has t-tops like my old one... and I've yet to confirm if it's auto or manual... but Here's hoping it's auto.

It's from a dealer, but we got a great deal from the last dealer we bought from. *sigh* Hope it's automatic >_<'

If I just get a stock one and save enough money I can put in a nice system myself.

[Camaro Dom]

Re: Need advice badly. Help me consider this potential buy.

lol i have an auto and i wish everyday it was a manual. if i could do it all over again i would've waited. i had just wrecked my last car and i needed a ride. saw the camaro and i was like :omg: i want this car soooo bad. it was pretty much an impulse buy that i lucked out on.