Date:         Tue, 14 Oct 2003 13:37:57 -0400
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Salvage title
In-Reply-To:  <BBB16208.6DB5%mwmiller@cwnet.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

> Salvage just means the repairs cost more than the insurance
> company was willing to admit the vehicle was worth.  Alas for
> our vans that's sometimes not very much.


That is true. My own '89 Westy daily driver has a salvage title. It was
in a flood, and the brakes, trans, and bottom end of the engine were
partially submerged in water for several days. The cost of replacing
these items exceeded the book value of the van (based on VW dealer parts
and labor) so the insurance company totalled the van. Of course we all
know that there are cheaper alternatives than the dealer for such parts.
Between the low price that I paid for the van, and the price of a new
engine, trans, and braking system, I still paid less than retail  when I
was done (and had a zero-mile engine and trans to boot). So the salvage
title itself is only one thing to consider, although it should be a very
strong warning to look very closely. Consider also the asking price, why
it was salvaged, and what was done since then (and how well; was it
slapped together or really fixed right).  Also consider that the salvage
title will have an impact on resale value. This was not a concern to me,
as I planned on keeping the van a long time, not reselling it.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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