Buying Repaired Salvage Cars For Sale | A Few Practical Tips

repaired salvage cars for sale
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Buying repaired salvage cars for sale is much trickier than purchasing a brand new car. Before paying, it is recommended to have the vehicle checked by an expert in case there are any hidden problems. Although most countries have laws that prevent unscrupulous sellers from taking advantage of potential buyers, you can save yourself plenty of time by getting your salvage cars inspected prior to buying it.

What Should You Look For?

Some flaws are visible to any consumer, such as a scratched paint job or worn tires. However, other problems can be hidden from even an experienced driver, such as the integral soundness of the vehicle or the inner frame. Once damaged cars have been repaired and polished up, it is very difficult for most buyers to detect if there are any problems.

Ask First

Body and frame repairs can often cost more than a vehicle is worth. Additionally, improper repairs can leave used salvage cars structurally unsafe and may result in serious accidents. Always ask the seller if any repairs have been made on the vehicle, and if so, ask what parts were changed.

The Paint job

Look for paint primer or over spray near the engine compartment, trunk, or doorjambs. Spray marks are usually a sign of body repairs. Make sure the body panel gaps are equal and that the doors shut properly. If one of the doors or the trunk lid is a slightly different color than the rest of the vehicle, it is a sure sign that a repair was made, or that panel was replaced.

The “Salvage” Title

Is the vehicle officially labeled a “salvage” car. Salvage means that an expert has found that the cost to repair the vehicle will probably higher than its actual worth. This usually occurs after the vehicle has been through a serious accident or is very old. There are also cars which have very few problems but because of the low resell value of the car the insurance company will write them off as salvage, they are usually sold as salvage rebuildable cars. Not all salvage title cars are bad quality, but they need to be checked more thoroughly for problems.

Rebuilt Cars

Rebuilt cars are not salvage cars, and they need to be titled as such. Owners are required to specify what major component parts where change along with which vehicles the parts were taken from. If you want a vehicle that will last longer than a salvage car and are willing to pay extra, then a rebuilt car is a good choice.

Buying a Used Damaged Car

Just about any time or place you happen to be in the U.S. today there is most likely to be a damaged car auction some place close by. Some people have decided that this just may be the best way to get that car that they have always wanted. Even though they are classed as salvage cars this does not mean that they do not have some useful life left in them. If they only have damage to the body panels from a collision they may still run like a new car. Many people today are looking into buying damaged cars just for these very reasons.

Some places to find more information on these types of car auctions are all around. One place would be your local news paper. If they list these auctions they will usually publish the date and time along with the location and usually the sponsor. Another good lead might be to call a few of the local insurance agents in your area to see if they could give you a few leads on up coming auctions.

The easiest place to find damaged cars for sale whether in an auction or not is probably going to be on the internet. There are sites which list the local auctions all over the country as well as auction sites on line and classified sites which list cars for sale. These sites usually list all of the details that you are looking for, for a particular auction. Some even list the cars that are up for sale as well as the amounts that are bid.

Most of the cars that you find in this manner can usually be had for a very low price; some even say give away prices. Some even advertise that they sell for up to 90% off of the original price which can be deceiving because just being a used car will already have lowered the price considerably.

This however does not mean that you can spend foolishly just because of a lower price. It is just the opposite; it is the time that you really have to watch your budget. after all these are used damaged cars and you do not want to spend too much leaving you with little cash left to make the necessary repairs.

Once that you have found the car that you want to consider one of the first things that you will want to do is to check it over thorghly to determine what condition that is in. You will also want to make sure that it is in good running condition in spite of the apparent damage. What you are trying to do is determine what the needed repairs are going to cost you and how much of the work that you can do yourself.

So that ends our look at buying a used damaged car and what you can expect, whether looking for a used hatch back, or maybe more of a family vehicle like a 7 seater car, the damaged car auction may just be the place to look.