2006 Vibe - should I buy it?

[Mikesan]

New guy here. I have a chance to buy a 2006 FWD dark blue auto Vibe with PW, PM, PDL, Cruise, and monotone paint. No sunroof, onstar or leather. $8500 and it only has 7800 miles. But here's the kicker, it has a salvage title. Supposedly it had been hit/scratched on the driver's side front and rear doors and they were replaced. Everything works like it should and it drives great. It's clean and just got an oil change. Would you buy?

[kunkstyle]

I wouldn't touch a salvage title with a 20 foot dipstick. Even if it was honestly written off for a minor reason, you'll have a bear of a time if you ever try to re-sell it. Only time I'd bother with a a salvage is either for a parts car, or a labour of love (to restore said car from scratch with no intentions or hopes of selling it).

[reaper]

no, don't waste ur time if it has a salvage title. The only way I would buy a salvage car is if it was a 6 speed gt, but that's just my opinon, do what u think is right for u.

[Caretaker]

Uh, it shouldn't have a salvage title if it only had body panels replaced. I don't get a salvage title every time a deer tries to hitchhike with me. A salvage title is an automobile title with a notation that the vehicle has been damaged in excess of approximately 70% of its pre-accident market value. The exact percentage depends on the insurance provider and any applicable laws and regulations. This notation gets applied to a title when an insurance company pays a total-loss claim on a vehicle, but then allows the owner to retain or buy back the vehicle at its post-damage market value, which is often negligibly low. Often a vehicle is still safely driveable even if technically considered a total loss by an insurance company, particularly with older vehicles where even minor cosmetic damage would cost more to fix than the vehicle's original market value. I cannot see how two body panels would equate to 70% of the value of a 2006 vehicle. Run away from this one fast.

[Wolfman213]

Like everyone has said, run away!!! But still keep in the market for a Vibe!

[psiu]

If that's all they told you, they are hiding something else. My neighbor at the old apts that had the Vibe that inspired me into looking into one had a salvage title on his. But it was his cousin or something who worked at the salvage place to steer him towards it.And definitely not for $8500. Maybe $3000 with a salvage title, AND I would have an independent mechanic check it out.

[oriden]

defnitly not!

[lowincash]

this sounds similar to when i bought my first car...i bought a fully loaded 2000 accord v6 coupe back in 2002 and that car only had 8000'ish miles on it for $13,500 (which was a good deal at the time) but had a salvaged title w/ front end damage. i bought the car and had no problems with it in the 3 or so years i've owned it. if they fixed the car well then you shouldn't have any problems with it...the car had over 60,000 miles before i got into a wreck. but yeah definitely have a mechanic check it out. my cousin use to be a mechanic and i took him to check the car before i bought it.

[NibCrom]

You'll probably have trouble reselling it, so only buy it if you're planning on driving it for a long time. The story seems fishy. Something else was probably damaged, or someone is not telling you the extent of the original damage. Don't even touch it unless you have a trusted mechanic look at it. Otherwise run for the hills!

[ClunkClunk]

I've been looking for a Vibe in the Bay Area and Sacramento area for about 2 months now, and I've come across a number of salvage titles in Sacramento. There seems to be a group of Russian guys fixing them up and selling them ("Alex" seems to be the guy answering the phone, and they have at least 3 Vibes and a Matrix for sale over the last few months). Even ignoring the facts about salvage titles having horrible resale value, and you can't vet the quality of the work, something about these guys came across as really fishy to me.

[keithvibe]

In the state of PA, YOU wouldn't be able to even register your car if it has a salvaged title with out MAJOR documentation, of the repairs that have been done to the car. You are required to prove that the car is road worthy and not a death trap

[w8_4_me]

I'd be leary of a salvage title with only dented/scratched doors like you state. In order to be salvaged..it usually indicates there was more damage than the car was worth, but someone bought the car from the insurance company because it was considered "totaled". Beware.