1qikctr

I did not mean a flood car is good news, all i was told he only had few problems with the CL600 electric mostly, I never bought a flood or salvage title car, so i'm not here to bash on anyones view towards Salvage cars. Just giving the info i know thr my friends Experienced.

Shake

As others have stated, stay away from a MB salvaged if you plan on selling it soon (about 5 years). Salvaged can be good if you know exactly what they did with the car and what was wrong with it originally. But if it is a benz, we have problems alone, with a salvaged car, you might have a lot of bad luck.

Overall, it all depends on the damage.

ndabunka

Best quote I've seen in a while! This says more than you may think. Buying one is like HIV, your NOT going to EVER get rid of it.

Also, on the "body damage" issue... You guys touting how it's not a bad thing DO realize that when a car is deemed SALVAGE for body work, we aren't talking about a few door panels, right? A vehicle that is TOTALED for "body damage" is typically only done so when the FRAME is bent (beyond normal repair). Sure, one can do a body off restore and "sometimes" bend the frame back but what "normally" happens is that the (less-the-scrupulous) "dealers" is that they take the car to a state that has lax title laws and then they simply redo the OUTSIDE of the car to LOOK like new and then claim that it's "just as good as new" when in FACT it is NOT. There are all kinds of 20-20 and primetime shows where they are catching these guys IN THE ACT of reselling DANGEROUS cars. The FACT is that a frame damaged vehicle may VERY WELL simply collapse like an accordion right on your head/body/child. Is that what you REALLY want for saving a few dollars? If so, then you qualify for the Darwin awards!

IMHO, a salvage car can be a decent deal but ONLY if you know EXACTLY the details that caused it to be salvaged and understand what is needed to make it viable. And the price MUST be LESS than 50% of the current WHOLESALE value of that particular vehicle. As you have already seen by the dealers here, they also would not touch a Benz salvage. It's just too costly and not a smart move. If they aren't willing to do it, why would anyone (unless they are trying to make a quick, unethical buck?)

blown93lx

LOL the DMV has absolutely NOTHING what so ever to do with a "salvage branded title"

Only the insurance company can brand a title salvage. If you think the car *HAS* to have 75% damage to be branded salvage, you are very wrong.....

blown93lx

You told me in a PM they offered to sell you the 2003 C32 for only $10,000 as a lemon buy back... I would be VERY careful with that deal, seems too good to be true. I wouldn't buy the lemon buy back car unless it was under factory warranty and could be extended..

10k seems way low, i would likely run from that deal. Hey drive it though, it may run and drive fine ..........

asdfijl

yeah i also found a dealer selling an 03 c32 fully loaded with navi, xenons, and c55 wheels with 40k miles but the car is a buyback or a lemon, however hes selling for for 10k which seems to be a very very good deal. the thing is the car is on the east coast so its going to be difficult to get there and take it for a drive . any suggestions?

1qikctr

check your local listings, I seem 2 on craigslist in bayarea.

charl1exbr0wn

honestly, i think this thread is ****ing stupid, why would you buy a GERMAN performance car as cheap as possible by looking into lemons and buybacks? from what you say, i would just tell you to get an acura rsx type s or a lancer evo.

asdfijl

i simply just came across those two and wanted your guys' input, theres people here that are just interested in the thread. whats wrong with that? if this thread aggravates you then I'm sorry, but what good does it do to whine about it?

Ryanr317

Good point.

This is a point/example i wanted to put out there. Say there are 2 C55s, one's an 05 and one's an 06. Let's say that they both have the same exact damage (even though that's nearly impossible). The adjuster who looks at the 05 determines that the cost to fix it with new OEM parts will exceed the book value of the car and deems it a total loss, in turn branding the car with a salvage title. Let's also say that the 05 has bix and was involved in a front end collision obviously damaging the headlamps.

Another adjuster looks at the 06 and determines that the car is not a total loss because damages do not exceed or come that close to book value, maybe because this car does not have bix and lets say that the radiator did not get punctured somehow. This car will most likely have the accident on it's carfax report, but will still retain a "clean" title.

One thing i don't get is that there are so many cars out there that have been in accidents, sometime relatively severe accidents and are not given a salvage title, maybe because they're new or the adjuster just doesn't estimate that the repairs will be that much. These cars are sold with clean titles and if someone doesn't carfax it or know how to look for these things, they'd never know it was in an accident.

Then there are cars out there that get salvage titles and have minimal damage. I bought a 96 240sx SE last year with a salvage title and the damage was minimal, but it was written off because the book value is now lower. If it had been in the same accident maybe 4-5 years ago, you'd better believe it would still have a clean title.

Also, my 94 Vigor i had was a theft recovered car given a salvage title. No damage at all, just missing parts.

But, as you can see by reading this thread, people's minds are poisoned with the idea that salvage cars and junk cars so if and when you try to sell it, be prepared accept dirt cheap prices.

Ryanr317

This is probably how that c55 looked after it was given the salvage title and before it was repaired.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/07-Me...QQcmdZViewItem

charl1exbr0wn

whine? HAHAHA

thats what you'll be doing when you do buy a salvaged amg benz just to save a few bucks cheapass
i highly doubt youre even gonna get it.

Slater126

Heh, I can second the RSX Type-S. Since we bought ours over a year ago, we've put gas in it (and not much either -- great mileage) and changed the oil a few times. That's it. Excellent car. There's also the VW GTI, Mazdaspeed 3, Honda Civic Si which are less than < 25k and get great mileage, are fun to drive, and perfect for an enthusiast on a budget. But don't bother rationalizing with someone looking for a "deal." Let him buy his salvaged C55 for $25k and watch him spend $10k on repairs during the 1st year. Penny wise and pound foolish.

asdfijl

ok, posting a thread about a consideration doesnt mean im going to buy the car...

ScottW911

Then you should stop and think about the benefits of starting a brand new thread for random thoughts.

You could have, at least, used one of your other "what if" threads to pose this question.

tjbrum

+1

fivepointfivev8

yet another reason why we shouldn't be raising the minimum wage...

iguess

lets just assume some of the posters know what they are talking about, and some dont. It would probally be better to go with the skeptics and (1) pay the extra 5k and get one without a salvaged title (i dont know if it is a 5k diff but thats the post i read here) or (2) really negotiate the price down. Whats going to happen if the posts about resell problems are right? You'll be stuck with a potentially problematic car. If i had to guess, you're going to have more problems with a salvaged car, than a car with a clean title. ALWAYS run a CARFAX, even though it's not great. Sometimes the carfax tells you what the damage was.

ndabunka

I'm on the east coast. What city is it in?

asdfijl

los angeles. personally, 26k is too much for a salvaged title despite the awesome mileage

blown93lx

Agreed, 26k is definitely too much when the car would bring low 30s with a clean title.

Were you ever able to get the VIN?