Most salvage auctions you need a person with access to them. A lot are not public auctions so typically a dealer or collision shop who does work can get a listing and figure out a price to get the car and inspect it to make sure initial thoughts as to why it has been salvaged are correct and there is not some big underlying problem you didnt notice.
I grew up in Rochester and when I was in high school, I went through Sofia because my family knew him and it was an awesome result since they had estimates on buying the busted car, the total repair costs and what it needed and had someone who went to the auction to buy it but that was 10 years ago so who knows.
There are 3 salvage vehicles i see on a daily basis. None of them can be ID’ed as salvage w/o looking at the title. 2 are theft recovery’s (no real damage) and one was driven into a large puddle (computers didnt even get wet)
“salvage” is an imaginary line drawn in the sand that means nothing in reality. MY mother thinks that replacing a fender on a car means it will never drive properly again. People like her are the ones that will tell you that a salvage vehicle should be avoided. Ignore them and check the vehicle out yourself … and then negotiate the price based on the stigma that “salvage” carries. LOL
Honestly id much rather get a flooded car over a hit car any day. Electronics are fragile little shits but id much rather tear into a car to replace a few electrical componets/ sensors/ecu/etc. There was a flooded 350z on here not too long ago that my wife almost convinced me to pick up.
About 10 years ago the DVP in Toronto flooded and quite a few people drove through it and ended up having their cars salvaged out. Me and a few friends picked up about a dozzen of them at an auction. Getting those cars and repairing them I think was a lot easier and cheaper than needing to straighten a frame out. Just my 2 cents though.
I’ve bought fixed and sold quite a few salvage cars. I don’t feel like reading the bs above, if u want info pm me. I’ve gone threw the nys salvage inspection many times. I love salvage cars
To each his own of course. For me, no way in hell would I touch water damage without a MASSIVE discount. The ECU and basics are easy to replace but I view it as in the long term damage has been done. Cables corrode, relays stick etc… even without being in a flood. The 350z you’re talking about I almost sprung on myself, the price was pretty right on that baby.
I went and looked at that 350z. It was flooded over the roof, full of mud. I don’t touch salvage cars unless I am parting them out, or gutting them for a track car. Not worth the effort. Even then I’d prefer something with a clean title.
This I can agree with.
I have only purchased one “salvaged” vehicle, and it’s been one of the best running, most reliable cars I’ve owned. Other than typical regular maintenance items that need to be replaced, it’s run great!
