I'm looking at an 03 ZX5 with low mileage (56K) but had the right front hit and was totaled in 2008. Current owner bought it early 2009 from a large salvage repair operation and put another 20K miles on it. He said he replaced the front struts because they were bent slightly (red flag on that), also replaced the clutch recently. (I appreciate his honesty)
C-List sale price is under $7K, but I'm waiting to look over the car in person before I make an offer. Worried about the front end damage, not too concerned about the plastic bumper or paint respray as it will be my DD.
Anyone else out there embrace the salvaged ones??

price is high for a rebuilt or salvage title.


should be in the 3500-4000 range.

price is high for a rebuilt or salvage title.


should be in the 3500-4000 range.

yes what he said! Especially with a questionable repair history!

Way to much for salvaged car!!

You would be amazed at what gets totaled by insurance companies. I have an 04 SVT Euro ZX5 with a salvage title that had 46k on it when I got it.
I got the car through a friend, who picked it up via a salvage auction.
According to the original owner, he hit a median curb on a rain slicked freeway.
Farmer’s insurance totaled the car saying it needed a complete repaint, front end damage, etc. Something well over $9500 all told. The only damage that was found was a broken outer lip on the left front wheel, a bent tie rod and a punctured intercooler heat exchanger.(It had a three month old Powerworks on it.) BTW, the heat exchanger was damaged by the tow truck operator. I think it cost less than $600 to put the car back on the road. Not including a new set of Euro wheels with tires because I didn't like the black Euros.
It also had the Bilstein coilover kit, a Torsen, a Ford Racing ceramic coated header, Borla exhaust and a shifter.
I’ve had the car about a little over a year and have put ~7k miles and 17 track days on it with no issues.
Last week, while I had the car on a lift inspecting it after a three day track weekend in Canada, I was thinking how could a car with no paint or body damage ever get totaled?

I know of another salvage auction SVT Euro that my friend picked up with 50K miles. It had a RF blowout which resulted in a bent header/cat/O2 sensor, a bent wheel and it tweaked the RF fender on the lip. It was totaled in the same way mine was with an outrageously high estimated repair cost. What probably did it in was a shifter cable popped off and the adjuster figured the transmission was toast because it wouldn’t go into gear. A new tire, a used header and cat and painted fender from another car and it was put back on the road with no issues. I met the new owner at Watkins Glen last month and he is very happy with the car.

If you are okay with the fact that the salvage title is going to adversely affect the cars resale value if/when you decide to sell it, they can be great finds. That is if you are certain of the extent of the damage and that it has been repaired satisfactorily. I would check it over very carefully before making an offer. Check the strut tower where the struts mount for any paint chipping etc. Get it up in the air, preferably on a lift to look for any residual damage.

Here is a shot of my car at the auction.
http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l324/shlbygt/SVT%20Focus/09397999_1X.jpg[/IMG]

After it was cleaned up.
http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l324/shlbygt/SVT%20Focus/DSCI0032.jpg

Yes the value of the car will be affected,but if repaired right salvage is just a way to find a great car for less money.My 2003 orange EAP has a salvage title I have put 50,000 miles on it and have had no problems with it.

remember too that at auto auctions, if the idiot that goes over the car picks it up wrong and crushes a few spots on the pinch welds, they'll change it to be sold as a salvage because it's considered frame damage.

Yes I have picked up several cars from auctions and some of those guys running the fork are not very careful.