hey, guys, a newbie here. I just test drove a 2003 salvage titled evo yesterday and am seriously considering to buy it. The seller said the car was hit from the passenger side and he fixed the right fender, door and rocker panel. He also replaced clutch and transfer case 3 mo ago. He sells salvage titled cars for living. Do you guys think the car is worth it to buy for $17K? btw, the car drove smoothly without any rattles and seemed in a perfect condition.

 

not worth 17

 

I wouldnt personally. Ithink the 5 or so grand you would pay to buy just a used one would be good peace of mind for the future....to salvage a car is no 5mph parking lot accident. And that kind of damage I would not want to have affecting the safety stability features of the car.

 

Not to mention haw hard it would be to fully insure. Then if you wreck it again your out 17k. It might be worth 12k. MIGHT!

 

thanx for the replies. i guess i'll shop around little more.

 

Just spend a couple of grand extra and get the peace of mind that comes with a clear title. 03's are going for low 20's now which is outstanding for buyers.

 

unless its dirt cheap like 10k or less and you need it for a project car then its fine. Last thing you want to buy is a salvage title.

 

if the car drove good and sounded good, then take a look under it and inspect the repaired areas. i bought a salvage title eclipse gsx. i had the auto shop fix it then i drove it for 3 years. i ended up selling it for nearly the same amount that i put into it.

 

hells no !

 

it's a good deal but insurance will be a ***** to you, good luck.

 

no

 

10k sound good for a salvage evo.other than that its not worth the money to buy and just buy a evo IX instead.

 

wait a second is this evo silver with no sunroof????

I know someone who got in an accident 3 1/2 months ago in the LA area and his car was salvaged

If it sounds like the car I'll send you some picture of what it may have looked like after the accident

 

Depending on the damage before hand and the quality of the repair. In most cases a good shop can make the car as strong if not stronger than stock for most cars, but in the case of the Evo it comes from the factory with extra welding on the body. As long as it runs good and drives good there shouldnt be a problem. You will not have the carry over of the warranty unless you are extremly lucky. Mitsu will normally tag the car in their system, so anything that goes wrong will be out of your pocket.
The insurance thing is not a factor either. You will be able to get full coverage on the car, you may just have to have the car inspected by them to make sure it is all there. They are just making sure that nothing is missing like airbags, headlights etc.
All in all it may be a way for you to get into an Evo if you cant afford a new one, or a used one. REMEMBER.....even a clear title car can still have quite severe damage and not be a salvage. At least this way you know what you are getting and the previous owner is willing to disclose the condition to you. I have seen a whole lot of TOTALED cars that still have clean titles on them. And Carfax wont always pick up on it either. And I have also seen the opposite....Cars that have minimal damage and have a salvage title. So you have to be careful either way.
If you decide to do it I would definitely take it to a dealer or good mechanic to check out. Possibly even a body shop.
17k sounds like a fair price if it is in excellent condition and shape.
AUS

 

I wouldnt do it, but have it checked out 10x with you and your friends, some pro mechnanics and body work pro's and scan every little inch of the car. 17k is a lot for a salvaged evo... i dont want you to get ripped.