Quote:
Originally Posted by Micho335is
Again testing the water not in a rush to sell it was branded a salvage title due to a rear minor fender bender. Everything was replaced from dealer.
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That is a very clean example of a 335is and I supposed this is the time to sell with the used car market being at nearly all time highs. A salvage title will definitely bring a somewhat lower value to your vehicle and a much smaller market as many people are definitely unwilling to purchase a "branded" title vehicle. I would be interested in the car but my wife and I have made a deal that our next car will have to be a Supra once inventory is actually available.
I will say though, that it is EXTREMELY rare to have "rear minor fender bender" total a car out where the insurance company would consider it totalled and would brand the title as salvaged. In many circumstances the cost to repair the damage have to exceed 80% of the vehicles value at the time of the accident or have to be structural damage to non-replaceable pieces like the unibody that the insurance company cannot guarantee the vehicles structural integrity under their warranty/safety standards.
Even if the accident appeared to be "visually minor" from the outside there must have been structural damage to the actual unibody for an insurance company to total the car out, pay the previous owner the entire value of the vehicle, and then resell the vehicle as a "salvage" title car to either the original owner or some other new owner @ auction or similar.
I have owned my share of salvaged vehicles in my time, especially back when I was a starving college student and most were great cars that were only sold after having over 300K+ miles or being again totaled in vehicles accidents that other drivers caused. But I always knew that selling one of those cars would never net the same price as a clean title vehicle no matter how well I took care of them and used only OE parts.
Long story short, it's better just to be upfront and honest about the actual damaged as trying to "play it down" just comes off as shady/dishonest and makes a potential buyer shy away because it makes them wonder what else you are trying to hide. If you have pictures of the damage definitely provide those as potential buyers will know you are being up front about the damage and be more willing to take you at your word vs thinking you are shady or dishonest.
Just my $.02 from being an experienced salvaged title buyer myself some time ago.