IS-SV

"Ive seen about 4-5 is350's pass through, and they all go for around $18.5k to $23k"

Wow, that's a lot of money for a salvage car, especially considering it's resale value will be extremely low.

My opinion of a salvage titled car is not good, based on my father's experience with a used/wrecked Jeep Cherokee years ago. The Jeep Cherokee had persistent leaks that showed up later, probably the result of a twisted frame.

smokyis350

iTrader: (21)

Never buy a car with a salvage title. It will be a pain in the *** to resell. But then you can always trade it into the dealership but you won't get much.

I learned my lesson and never to get a used car. My friend got a clean title used s2k. And carfax lied. Like someone mentions, not all accidents are reported. He bought it for dirt cheap and found out the car always pulled to the sides. He thought it was nothing major since carfax had no report on the VIN but a few monthes later..he did a thorough check on his car, it turned out to have major frame damage. And the previous owner had a serious crash which was practically total.

Also, there is a downside on used cars. Unless you know the previous owner personally, I wouldn't buy a used car. People abuse their cars..use regular gas.. no normal maintenance.. You don't know what the previous owner done to their cars..

Giggity

I bought a salvage title RX-7 back in the 90's, paid cash and owned the car outright- The only issue I ever had with the car was a leaky A/C system and a blown Apex seal when it turned 50k miles (after 3 years of ownership).

All I can offer as advice is to get a competant mechanic to inspect the car and try to determine exactly why the car was totalled out by the insurane company, if it was a collision damage, take it to a body shop and have the car put on a frame table and verify the chassis is straight. Make your decision based on that, not on the multitude of nay sayers who probably have no experience with salvage title cars, body shop and collission repair technology has come light years from when I bought a salvage title car.
For all you know it could have been light damage, and there are plenty of ways to make the damage appear worse than it really is (wink wink).

IS250_6Spd

Don't just rule it out because it has a "salvage title", but i also agree that if it has frame or water damage then you definitely stay away. 100% of the time! If it just a quarter panel and a rear door, I don't see any harm in that. A loaded IS350 with only 7k miles for under 20k, i would take it. Remember just take it to a trusted mechanic!

IAMJAVEDG

iTrader: (5)

unless you're buying it for fun or to track it and slap a 2JZ-GTE or something intense under the hood!

don't buy it

look for a clean titled one! if you look hard enough you can find an amazing deal!

just my 2 cents

tlutsky

Hey i owned actually a couple rebuilt title cars and its not that bad. Im really good friends with a mechanic and all they do is fix up hit cars and resell and make money. so I just recently purchased my first IS 250 for a little bit cheaper then the price they have it for (currently waiting for inspection). so anyways just take a trusted mechanic to go with you with or take it to the dealer is what i say. If they so its ok i would get it.....

arnieosp

iTrader: (1)

Every car I've owned in the last 15 years had a rebuilt title. Except I was buying them wrecked at insurance auto-actions and re-building them with my brother in his bodyshop. If the car was rebuilt by someone who knows what they are doing, I would buy it. You need to take that car for an inspection to a bodyshop you trust, and have them tell you if it was rebuilt right or not. Regardless of anything, I would demand an alignment check before buying it.

tC_demon

.

REV-01

iTrader: (13)

there are clean title cars with accident that was never reported.

also there are salvage title cars that are actually pretty good deal. it is just a matter of who did the repair. sometimes they total it out it might not be the frame damage but the replacement parts cost so much to buy new. if you can find another used parts car then it will be worth it to fix.

SpookJr

Off topic but can you post some pics of your race and daily driven civic? I was in the scene back in 96-2002. Its been awhile.

eboot

iTrader: (3)

Same here.. for the last ten years I've been driving rebuilt cars with 'salvage' titles. No issues whatsoever. As a matter of fact, I just picked up a 2007 IS250 AWD at an insurance auction two weeks ago. All parts are purchased, so next week the car is hopping on a frame machine to be pulled a bit. After that the parts get fitted, taken off for paint, and then final assembly. Expected cost is 15K for a 2007 AWD IS250 with 17K miles. Definitely cheaper than buying from a dealer or looking for a private sale. I have a relative do all the work, so yeah, it is important who rebuilds/fixes the car.

If this outfit, you're looking to get the car from, has been in the business for a while and they are still in the business, most likely they are doing a good job repairing their cars. But be sure do to your homework on them.. See if they are offering any kind of warranty on the car.

Good luck in any case

Low Life

iTrader: (1)

and the daily..

mvlbr

I agree with you.

lexusscguy

iTrader: (1)

If you can get to Orlando there is a really nice IS350 for sale cheap that is not a rebuild, here's the link:

http://orlando.craigslist.org/ctd/956651626.html

Low Life

iTrader: (1)

Wow that is way cheap! but i'd rather buy a car for $5k more with 40k less miles. and im stuck on SGM or SFP