# SHOULD I BUY THIS GTO????salvage title



## ewd199 (Sep 15, 2011)

so i found this 04 gto with 37k miles. looks real clean. been talkin to guy a little possible may be tradin my street bike and **** plus cash, long story short. anyways it will cost me about $8500 (hes got it listed for 9). its got a reconstructed salvaged title. i know these cars are worth atleast 16grand right without salvaged titles anyways. Car has fresh tires, just passed inspection, spark plugs changed. the dude says he needs cash quick. i know its risky buyin cars with salvaged titles but this price seems like a steal steal. its not like 2 or 3 grand off price its like cut in half. anyway let me know what u guys think. thanks.

so ya 2004 GTO 37k miles, reconstructed title. very clean.

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/2567005175.html

and i live in PA and hes in New Jersey....im not sure wat the rules are for reconstructed titles here?


----------



## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

How did the car pass inspection with a salvage title? You mean it has a reconstructed title? I still wouldn't give me more then $6000 for it.


----------



## ewd199 (Sep 15, 2011)

ya sorry its reconstructed.....but really only 6 grand???


----------



## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

I wouldn't.


----------



## ewd199 (Sep 15, 2011)

i dont understand why? its cleared to be on the road legal. sometimes they can be stolen and not even in an accident. idk how that works but ya. i need to get the car facts


----------



## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Ok... Buying a car that has been fixed properly is way better than buying a "problem" car. Could it have totaled and fixed correctly? Yes. Could it have thrown together? Yeppers. Here's the problem. You will be buying a TOTALED car. Don't care why when where or how. If you want to own it forever. Not a problem. Obviously selling a car "worth" 16,000 dollars for $9k means the car is not worth $16k. Of course anything is only worth what a person can get. Have you checked with your insurance on a reconstructor title. Are you gonna get a loan? Good chance they will not loan on it. Basically you may be getting a fine automobile but it has no real value at this time or farther down the road. If you just want one and are willing to loose 4-5 grand. go for it.


----------



## ewd199 (Sep 15, 2011)

straight cash i dont do loans. i buy and sell sportbikes all the time and dont have much expierence with cars at all. if i can find what exactly happened to the car, ill have a better idea at what i want to do. insurance companies dont jus total a car because it was totaled, theres other things that can occur where the best option for the insurance company is to make it totaled. cars have fender benders and sometimes depending on the cirrcumstance total them. if i find the full scope on this thing, and i can tell someone the full story of wat happened, i feel i should be able to resell it. no one wants to buy a car when they have no idea what happened to it. but ya thanks for ur input, im def not buying to loose money thats for sure lol.


http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/2567005175.html

check it out


----------



## 6speedlover (Aug 10, 2011)

I have been in a body shop for 20 years, so i can relate to your post's. There are so many things you have to consider when buying an "R" Titled car. First off, you need WAY more pictures than what he has up on the listing (You want to check all gaps on the car) check all the seam sealer in all of the jambs, check all panels for color match. One thing that scares me is.... He said New Spark Plugs, the only reason you change spak plugs on a car with such low miles, tells me that it was on it's roof at one time, or rolled (thats the only time we change them at the shop, when a vehical is not totaled but close, and was rolled over from accident) My question to you sir is..... Is this a car for you to drive and play for a few years, or Buy and Sell fast for Cash?? Btw,off topic but i have a 2008 Kawasaki 250 Ninja, with 3k miles on her (Flawless,mint condition, not a scratch on her) Its kawaski Green, and never seen rain. Is $2,500 a good price to ask???


----------



## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

I had a reconstructed car as my first car. 1997 Grand Am, one year old. We knew it was in an "accordion" accident (it hit someone, then it was hit by someone). The car had all sorts of problems, for what realistically amounted to being totaled due to significant body damage.

I'd never buy reconstructed again, unless I was prepared to junk the car in 5-6 years (and while owning it not care how it performed).

GTO's are touchy in mint condition. Buying one that was fixed up is not a good idea.


----------



## ewd199 (Sep 15, 2011)

thanks for all your input guys, im ganna try and get the full scope on this thing. im not sure hes ganna wanna do a trade anyways.

6SPEEDLOVER: interesting....i have never heard of replacing plugs on rolled cars, ha. cool fact to know. and the ninja...ya, right now 25 is a good price assuming its in great shape. if your not stuck for money i would hold onto it till the spring, you will easily get 25 and if your a good salesmen, you should be able to get more. but most likely your not gettin 25 for it at this time of the year. hope this helped. if ur strapped for cash, list on craigslist for 21 youll sell it tomorrow.


----------



## 6speedlover (Aug 10, 2011)

ewd199 said:


> thanks for all your input guys, im ganna try and get the full scope on this thing. im not sure hes ganna wanna do a trade anyways.
> 
> 6SPEEDLOVER: interesting....i have never heard of replacing plugs on rolled cars, ha. cool fact to know. and the ninja...ya, right now 25 is a good price assuming its in great shape. if your not stuck for money i would hold onto it till the spring, you will easily get 25 and if your a good salesmen, you should be able to get more. but most likely your not gettin 25 for it at this time of the year. hope this helped. if ur strapped for cash, list on craigslist for 21 youll sell it tomorrow.


You sir, are a man that knows his bikes :cheers I was thinking that, but NOT knowing it... Ty for the info (it did help me) Keep us informed on the Goat progress


----------



## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

If you want a car and can't afford it and are willing to roll the dice, then a decent totalled car isn't terrible, just gambling, you may drive it for years without incident, flooded is a dif deal.
I would look at the wreck pics and make sure it's not frame damage and maybe consider it. A couple hundred mile test drive is in order, or take it for the weekend.
I am thinking of getting a wrecked car for my next one, get it cheap and put it back together, but without an airbag deployment.
New car is $30K, wrecked one is $7K, repair $3K, riding in style for $10K.. 
GF wrecked our Lincoln LS, no full coverage, totalled. Put it back together for $2K in used parts. Put another 50K on it since.


----------



## heyman (Jan 15, 2010)

Lotta good advice, Jersey seems to total cars quicker then Pa, bought a couple Vettes out of Jersey with recon titles, one I stripped to the bare glass, not any body damage what so ever, car was perfect never molested, only thing not right the Bose system was gone, leads me to believe it a theft recovery, drove it for 12 years, no problems, and made money, but this ir rare, If the car was a flood car, not sure if Jersey lists that on the title, But flood cars are a no-no, to many problems pop-up down the road. And it's not really a 16k car anymore, but if you get it check out by somebody who knows, (alot can be covered up) and plan on keeping it for 5 or so years, and knock another grand off the price. Also have someone follow you when you test drive it, see if it runs down the road true. One plus with a recon title when it's in Pa, you can register it with collector plates, one time fee, and you can modify the heck out of it legally, and that's a fact. Good Luck


----------



## VMRWheels (Jul 28, 2011)

I've always been hesitant to purchase salvage title vehicles, but in my experiences, as long as you do your homework and everything checks out, you should be fine.


----------

