Re: Wrecked cars with clean titles (archive)

Hi,
As the owner of an 8 with a salvage title, I want to add a couple of points. My car (a 96 840 CI with 39k, which I really hope I can hold on to rather than sell)came from Houston, Texas (a flood car) with a salvage Texas title ("water damage"). The title did indeed say salvage on it. And when I registered it in New Hampshire, I received a new salvage title. However, let me add that you can get a car from any state that may have been salvage show up with a clean title. I previously purchased salvage cars from New Jersey and another state (can't remember where), Saabs, and even though they came with salvage titles, my own state issued a clean title when I registered it. I have no idea why. Actually, I have one idea. The dealer I bought the salvage cars from before returned to the states where he purchased the vehicles and had them reinspected. I suspect this had something to do with it. Because he had them reinspected, I did not need to have the New Hampshire state police reinspect my car (as I did with my 8). So, the point here is that you can never be totally sure, even if you buy a car from a dealer (in my opinion) and no matter what state you live in. You must trust your source. If it's a crash car you can tell fairly easily that it's been fixed. If it's a flood car, in most cases you cannot tell the difference.

While I'm here, the best thing about the 8 series are the lines of the car. It is one of the most exotic looking cars on the road. I always get looks from old and young when cruising on the highway. Yesterday, my wife (a teacher) took the 8 to school and left the lights on. The principal jumped the car mid-day and was so impressed with it he kept one of the school video cameras trained on it for the rest of the day.
:-)

I like the 850's too, but I really do get about 24 MPG on the highway with my 840. If I keep it and I ever have the extra cash, I may install a supercharger.

Ah well. Regards.
--nunzy

I ran across this web site with interesting information on salvage titles.
It includes a list of states that do not require salvage titles.
One of those states is Texas, where a fellow board member wrecked his 850 and had it totaled out by the insurance company. No doubt because the cost to repair it is greater than the market value minus the auction price. Auction prices are better in states where the insurance company does not have to issue a salvage title.
It will probably be back on the market soon with a clean title and no blemishes on Carfax.
Let the buyes of cars in these states beware, especially if the title is washed by purchasing a wrecked car in a state that issues salvage titles, and then re-issuing a clean title in a state that does not.

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