Anyone buy or sell a trailer/fiver with a salvage title?

SeventyGTX · 12-02-2019, 04:30 PM

I found a 2018 Flagstaff that has relatively minor damage to the left rear and the insurance company totalled it so it has a salvage title. It had the lower aluminum panel behind the slide ripped off and about a 4" crack in the sidewall that would show after the panel was replaced. I can get it for around $4k under low Nada.

I'm not concerned about the damage. I can get a new panel to replace it with but the salvage title concerns me to sell it in the future. Anyone ever have one with a salvage title? I am mainly concerned about how hard it would be to sell when the time comes.

Kimber45 · 12-02-2019, 04:36 PM

yes. found it on craigslist for about 6k under blue book. it was damaged during shipping before the unit ever made it to the lot. had been rubbed up against something and had minor damage all the way down non door side. They had the paper work to back the story. used if for a year with no issues and resold for what I paid. value should be well below standard value.

ChrisRR · 12-02-2019, 04:53 PM

Seems off to me. The insurance company totaled the camper but it’s only 4K under book value. I figured a totaled camper would be a lot worse off then that.

Kimber45 · 12-02-2019, 05:53 PM

most would be turned off by the salvaged title but if at a low enough price below blue book some would get over it.

SeventyGTX · 12-02-2019, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisRR

Seems off to me. The insurance company totaled the camper but it’s only 4K under book value. I figured a totaled camper would be a lot worse off then that.

The one I want to look at is on FB, but there is another guy somewhat local that has salvage titled RV's on ebay with minimal damage. I'm guessing insurance companies don't want to deal with any damage and just want to be out from under them. So they pay off the owner and auction them off or possibly even let the owner buy it back. I saw several on ebay with light damage as well with salvage titles.

CAT-RN · 12-02-2019, 06:03 PM

Just plan on having to sell it well below book! So buy it cheap. I’ve built many cars that had salvage titles.

Russell

SeventyGTX · 12-02-2019, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAT-RN

Just plan on having to sell it well below book! So buy it cheap. I’ve built many cars that had salvage titles.

Russell

Yea, I would never expect to get book with a salvage title. Just tooking for something reasonably priced. I was an auto body tech for over 40 years and also built several totals. But most of them I did back in the 70's and early 80's before DMV had salvage titles. It's amazing how many you see at auction or wrecking yards with light damage yet are totaled.

I think the thing is if you go to sell it, keep documentation of the damage when it was bought. Then the new owner knows it wasn't buried in water or worse.

NMWildcat · 12-02-2019, 07:30 PM

We had one fiver totalled by hail. Bought it back from insurance with salvage title and used it a few more years, then sold it privately to a farm that used it for a security shack. Got several thousand for it. We actually made enough extra &&& from insurance and sale to pay a substantial amount on a new one.
Just realize that usually you can't get any insurance on a salvage title.

TXmerlin · 12-03-2019, 03:37 PM

Bought a Freedom Express (salvage title) that had part of the floor torn up from a blowout. Paid about 5k less than nada at the time. excellent trailer and spent minimal $$ repairing it myself. Have had it insured with 3 different ins companies since with no issues. Just buy it right

D W · 12-03-2019, 03:50 PM

No matter how good a deal they are, don't think I would go down that road. I imagine that Insurance Companies share a massive data base of these salvaged items to preclude future fraudulent claims.

grumpyer · 12-03-2019, 04:35 PM

Trouble with a salvage title is registration and plates

SeventyGTX · 12-03-2019, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpyer

Trouble with a salvage title is registration and plates

Why is that? They just stamp salvage on the title and hand you your plates at least here in Nevada. I imagine they may do a light check, but not much more. It is definitely something I will check into if I decide to purchase it.

Craiginok · 12-03-2019, 05:15 PM

As long as the repairs to the unit were made appropriately there is nothing wrong with buying a salvaged/rebuilt title.

Things to know:
1. You are unlikely to get a loan to pay for it
2. You probably won't be able to get any insurance or liability only
3. When you sell it, everyone that looks at it will have the same concern as you do so make sure you buy it right or keep it for years and run the wheels off it so that it doesn't matter when you have to sell it.

I've bought two rebuilt titled cars in the past and they have the same issues that I mentioned above. I got them at a good enough price that it was worth it to me.

old40ford · 12-03-2019, 05:36 PM

I don’t know about trailers/RV’s but I have purchased several cars and trucks, repaired them and either used them for a while or sold them. The only problem with the salvage titles, at least here, is the banks don’t want to finance it. If you have a cash buyer or they can get a personal/home equity loan then you should be able to get about 75% of book, providing the repairs are done correctly. Again, my only experience has been with cars, but, I have done about 50 of them in my life, that’s how I got my house. Good luck

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