Most lending institutions will not lend on any salvage vehicle. This may mean a tougher sell when you want to sell down the line.

Also many insurance companies will not cover a salvage titled car. Seems that a few such cars have CAUSED accidents (when accident stressed parts or poorly repaired vehicles failed in service) where people have died, and the courts assessed almost unlimited liability since the owner and the insurance companies KNEW the car was a salvage title (computers make them easy to track)and therefore subject to such failure.

Bottom line, some courts have NOT limited liability to reasonable levels with a "known defective" car, and the drivers have been charged with vehicular homicide or manslaughter when such cars have had mechanical failures later in life. Had they had "normal" titles no such charges would have been leveled and the whole thing would have just been an unfortunate "accident."

It's a shame, since there is a BIG difference between a '99 Volvo that sustained $31,000 damage (book value $34,400) and was literally pieced together from 4 other cars (I know of one such instance) and a '72 3.0CS with superficial sheetmetal damage that would have cost $1800 (book value $3500)to repair.

NADA Classis/Collectable/Special Interest appraisal guide books the car at $12,000 in average condition, but your friendly appraiser will call it a $2500/3500 car MAX if it's in an accident unless you fight like Hell, so $1800 may total it for a single fender bender. A nephew who's in the insurance business says that some company "associates" LOVE to watch guys cry when they low-ball such collector cars out of pure envy (since they cannot afford to have one themselves).

Bob
Would you buy a fairly nice car which had a salvage title?
I am torn on the decision as the car fulfills certain attributes I have been looking for, for a while.

The car does not exhibit any nasty rust, drives straight, and appears to have been properly repaired according to an appraisal by an experienced CS mechanic.

What are the implications for insurance?
Obviously, resale value is lowered, but by how much? Some guides say 35%, some say no less than 50%

Do I need to have a body shop experienced in frame straightening assess it as well?
Should I just avoid the car?
Anybody out there have an experience buying a salvaged vehicle?