Damaged Salvage Cars Are Not For The Faint Of Heart

Don't get me wrong. I am a proponent of people buying damaged salvage cars, after all, it’s a cheap way to purchase a good car at discount prices. But, buying a damaged salvage car is not for a novice that has no experience in automotive repair. Or if a novice is purchasing they should at least have a mechanic that they know very well and trust that has the knowhow to distinguish between a dump and a winner.

I guess I may have gone a little too far in the beginning without explaining what a salvage vehicle is. The Webster dictionary defines salvage as: property saved from destruction in a calamity (as a wreck or fire) b: something extracted (as from rubbish) as valuable or useful. With that definition I would say a salvage car is property (a car) saved from destruction and deemed by a insurance agency as a wreck that will cost to over and beyond the worth of the car.

So, now we have established that a salvage car is a wreck, I believe it would be irresponsible to say that a normal customer or patron would know and be able to deal with a vehicle that has been through an accident.

That said, what would be the key areas to focus on when looking for a salvage car?

1. To me the number one problem that I would focus on is frame damage. Yes, frame damaged can be repaired by a specialized repair shop. But when frame damage has occurred the car is never the same. Frame damaged cars run through tires faster than normal vehicles. With the frame out of alignment the tires wear faster. So, a 30000 mile tire could and probably would only last for 15000 to 20000 miles. Also, I would not trust a frame damaged vehicle in another major accident. The frame has already gone through changes and there is no way to say that another major accident will not make the frame buckle and put the passengers in danger.

2. The parts that are visible as damaged, how much are they to replace. Side panels and light fixtures in some of the luxury cars are extraordinarily priced. In some cases just the parts could range in the 10000 to 20000 range. So, be very careful that you are able to obtain the parts needed to repair the vehicle and if so you can afford them.

3. Last but not least, has the transmission or major engine parts buckled under the pressure. Transmissions are very expensive and if you’re not a mechanic that may have an extra transmission sitting around this one expensive can run 1000 to 5000 dollars. But don't threat, if the car is worth it, this expensive may be worth it. For example a salvage Honda with low miles and a year or two year off the present date. If all was needed for the vehicle was a transmission, then this would be a good buy. The same holds true for engine parts.

Salvage car are not for everyone, but if you have the knowhow and access to the essentials to deal with a salvage car, then I would say go for it. You definitely will get a good deal.

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