Scotty I'm thinking of getting a 2020 Toyota Corolla Le with an automatic transmission from a salvage yard for $13k. Comes with a standard title and 56,000 miles. My father, who's been a mechanic for over 40 years checked it and needs $2k for rear end repairs. Think this is a good buy?
A car from a salvage yard with a normal title. I would not even touch that at all. I would look at something else.
I would run as far as you can from a salvage title car, don't even think about touching one.
I bought a car from a junkyard about 15 years ago and had a regular title for it. Whoever owned it before had provided the junkard with a signed title and it was never transferred before I bought it. Of course I only paid $500 for the car and that included them delivering it plus letting me pull whatever parts I thought I needed off of other similar cars in the yard. Drove it for about 10 years as a secondary vehicle after fixing it up.
I sure as heck wouldn't fork $13,000 over to a junkyard for a car though.
Cars don't come from the salvage yard with a regular title. That's why it's called a salvage yard. Check to see that you can even find a carrier that will write a minimum liability policy on the vehicle before buying it. $13,000? Is this a joke?
This sounds like an auction car rather than salvage but it all depends on the damage I guess. I don't see why you wouldn't if you dad is a mechanic and the cost to fix is only $2K. I'd go for it but doesn't hurt to get a second opinion I guess.
