R-Title Vehicles

[travj31]

What's your thoughts/opinions on such vehicles as DD's?

Obviously... first and foremost they have to be done/fixed right to even be a consideration.

[sutyak]

First thing I'd do is call your insurance agent. Mine won't insure an R Title. Otherwise I'd most definitely own one.

[Dan B.]

Erie will insure them. I'd swing it if it were something you were going to have a while and get your monies worth of use. Trying to resell a R-title can be a PITA.

[Silverhatch]

As long as theyre fixed right. There are probably more clean titled vehicles that are worse than r's being that many go unreported.

[PaxtonShelby]

R title is the way to go for a DD. I have never had any problems insuring an R title car. My truck was a theft recovery. Recovery happened after the claim was completed. If the vehicle is clean and repairs ( if any ) are well done you can save a bunch of money. Of course - you don't want a vehice that was t-boned by a semi or rolled over 5 times...

[Erin Weber]

We represent Erie Insurance and we do not have an issue with R titles, as long as there registration and inspections are up to date. Personally I've always been under the impression that the standards and hoops you have to go through in order to get an R title are more difficult then the tests new autos are put through.

[Mark Aubele]

I had a nightmare trying to sell an r-titled M3, so basically if you can get it for 50% of a clean title go for it. If not I wouldn't touch it.

[Donstang86]

First thing I'd do is call your insurance agent. Mine won't insure an R Title. Otherwise I'd most definitely own one.

My wife works for Nationwide and they will not insure "R" title vehicles.

If you get a "R" title vehicle cheap enough and can get it insured then maybe it will work. If you get one I would plan on keeping it for a while.

Selling A "R" title vehicle you will have to sell it cheap to get rid of it.

I would think "R" title and salvage are the same. What the determined value of the vehicle would be if there is a claim needs to be asked of the insurance company.

If you crunch it, you may not get anything back for it.

[travj31]

I had one as my first car and I had no issues with it what-so-ever. It was cheap and reliable and that was exactly what I needed for that period of time.

Fast forward to now, my wife and I both have good reliable DD cars (2012 Subaru Impreza Sport/2011 Impala LT) but we are expecting our first child in April and understandably she would like to get an SUV to haul the baby around since she will have him 90% of the time.

I've been thinking of trading in my Impala on something for her and then me taking the Subaru, but like any other new vehicle on the market the prices for something new are just ridiculous to me. We both are fairly simple people, but I think we would be hard pressed to find something brand new that suits are needs/wants for less than high 20's or low 30's at a minimum.

What got me thinking was that I found (2) loaded, low mileage Jeeps that were the same year, similar in mileage and options, but one was a clean title and the other was an R. The difference in price was damn near 10 grand. As I told my wife... no matter what we buy we/she will need to keep for at least 5 years if not longer. I know they can be a PITA to sell when that time comes, but I've almost convinced myself that this might be the way to go for our needs.

[Dan B.]

IMO............I don't see why folks think they automatically need a SUV or minivan ASA they pop out a kid. It's not like they are the size of an elephant. The car will work just fine.

[PaxtonShelby]

A salvage title is issued when a vehicle is totaled - a reconstructed title is given when a salvage title vehicle is fixed to high standards and allowed to be legally driven again. You cannot register a vehicle with a salvage title.

[travj31]

I agree, but my wife basically needs to live out of her car for her job and already doesn't have room. Plus she drives the PA turnpike daily and would feel more comfortable sitting up higher and her little Impreza gets blown around with all the trucks... I can't blame her for wanting an SUV. She puts up with all my nonsense so I figured if she wants an SUV its the least I could do. HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE!!! HaHa


IMO............I don't see why folks think they automatically need a SUV or minivan ASA they pop out a kid. It's not like they are the size of an elephant. The car will work just fine.

[PaxtonShelby]

I bought a 1987 GT conv with an R-title for $6500, drove it for 3 years & 30k miles ( up to 110k miles ), and sold it in a weekend for $5500. It isn't always hard to sell an R-title car. My sales price was only about $2k under market value compared to a clean-titled car.

[Red98GT]

Don't worry about resale value. I have two boys 19 months apart with the oldest turning 2 this month. Those little monsters destroy vehicle interiors. I can't believe all the crap we have to take with us to go to the store either lol. Get something affordable and reliable and let your wife run it into the ground.

[travj31]

yeah... that's kind of where my thinking is right now. as long as it's safe and reliable i really don't care what it is.


Don't worry about resale value. I have two boys 19 months apart with the oldest turning 2 this month. Those little monsters destroy vehicle interiors. I can't believe all the crap we have to take with us to go to the store either lol. Get something affordable and reliable and let your wife run it into the ground.

[03 OW SVT]

Only problem with R title cars are sometimes banks won't finance them. I tried to buy an R titled 87 Buick GN several years ago and the bank said they wouldn't do it because of the R title. So, if you plan on financing check with the bank first to see if they'll do it.

[95V6]

My biggest problem is who did the work to get it back on the road and did they do it right.

[PaxtonShelby]

Pre-fix pics are a big help. Invoices for replacement parts help too. Once fixed the car has to go thru an inspection that is much more involved than the annual lick-n-stick...at least in PA. I have heard bad things about R-title cars coming out of other states...New Jersey in particular.

[PSPstang]

Huh???
I use Jared Meeder nationwide in greensburg and have never had any any issues insuring the past DD R title cars I have owned.
My most recent one was a 08 Grand Prix.

My dad and I have bought numerous salvage title wrecks in the past, repaired them, drove the shit out of them and sell them after a few years of use. He has an 08 impala ss r title car now.

My first car was a 88 dodge Daytona we bought my senior year of high school in 1993 wrecked with 48k miles for $950. That car got me thru college and I sold it years later with close to 150k miles on it.

The only thing i can say is with the r title, plan on keeping it for a long time. My last two (08 Grand Prix and 02 grand am) i drove the heck out of and then Sold them to co workers for their kids to drive.










My wife works for Nationwide and they will not insure "R" title vehicles.

If you get a "R" title vehicle cheap enough and can get it insured then maybe it will work. If you get one I would plan on keeping it for a while.

Selling A "R" title vehicle you will have to sell it cheap to get rid of it.

I would think "R" title and salvage are the same. What the determined value of the vehicle would be if there is a claim needs to be asked of the insurance company.

If you crunch it, you may not get anything back for it.

[somethingclever]

Cars are built the first time from various pieces of structure welded together within certain tolerances.

Why can't this be done twice?


Of course it can....



R title FTW....

[KeystoneJohnny]

We personally buy/sell these out at the shop. I do not have a problem myself personally with these and have owned several. Use your judgement and these vehicles are not worth half like people think. Also, we never have a problem selling one. ( Yes, you will have some uneasiness from certain people) I believe it is a way to get a better vehicle than some of us can afford for less money. I also think the stigma that surrounds these vehicles are because of peoples misconception of what really totals a car buy the insurance company. (Trust me depending on the company a lot less than you think) And stories of a friend of a friend, relative etc.... that they had a bad experience. You would be surprised how many clean title cars that should be junked are repaired sometimes. There is a lot of speculation and not a lot of facts when it comes to these type of vehicles. Below is a small info, I have saved from a year or two ago.

HOW TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF A SALVAGED CAR

Although there is not one set calculation for determining the value of a salvaged car, there are basic methods you can use to determine the approximate salvage value. The value of a salvaged car relies heavily on the amount of damage it has sustained, and also on the exact mathematical formula used by the insurance company. First, you must determine the current retail and trade-in values for the car based on its year, make, and model, which are used to calculate the car's market value. You must then contact your insurance company to obtain the percentage rate they use against the market value in determining the final salvage value. Continue reading this article to learn of the steps you must take to determine the approximate value of a salvaged car.

1. Use blue book tools to evaluate the car's values. Both the retail value and trade-in value (also known as wholesale value) for your car will be found in a blue book.
Consult with the Kelley Blue Book, NADA Guide, or Edmunds websites to determine both the retail and trade-in values of your car.

2. Use the retail and trade-in values to determine the car's market value. The market value will be an average of the retail and trade-in values.
Add the retail and trade-in values, then divide the sum by 2 to obtain the current market value. For example, if a car has a retail value of 7,000 dollars (5,502 euros), and a trade-in value of 5,000 dollars (3,930 euros), the sum is 12,000 dollars (9,432 euros). 12,000 divided by 2 is 6,000, so the market value of the car will be 6,000 dollars (4,716 euros).

3. Contact your insurance company to obtain the percentage used for the salvage value calculation. Every insurance company uses a different percentage based on their policies and procedures in assessing the damage of the salvaged car. In most cases, the percentage used by insurance companies is between 75 and 80 percent. Or just use the 80%.

4. Calculate the value of the salvaged vehicle. The salvage value calculation will require you to use the market value and the percentage given to you by your insurance company.
Multiply the market value by the percentage provided to you by the insurance company. For example, if the market value of your car is 6,000 dollars, and the insurance company calculates the salvaged value using 80 percent, the salvaged value of the car is 4,800 dollars.

[Dan B.]

Cars are built the first time from various pieces of structure welded together within certain tolerances.

Why can't this be done twice?


Of course it can....



R title FTW....

and GM asks for them back all the time to fix mistakes. Maybe they should be R titled when new?!

[Tom]

and GM asks for them back all the time to fix mistakes. Maybe they should be R titled when new?!

I've had some GM cars that I would have considered totaled when new. lol

[cwh19]

My first Mustang was an R titled 96 GT convertible. I could never find any evidence that it was wrecked or repaired other than some dust in the respray.


FWIW, it was insured with nationwide for 3 years.

[cLockWise]

I agree, but my wife basically needs to live out of her car for her job and already doesn't have room. Plus she drives the PA turnpike daily and would feel more comfortable sitting up higher and her little Impreza gets blown around with all the trucks... I can't blame her for wanting an SUV. She puts up with all my nonsense so I figured if she wants an SUV its the least I could do. HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE!!! HaHa

Honestly, my soon to be wife was driving a Cobalt last year when the whole mess went down and the ignitions started dying out on them. She drives the turnpike and Rt 28 every day as well and I wanted her to be in something safer especially when it's snowing considering the Cobalt went like poo in the snow. Her dad and I talked and he wanted her to get a RAV4. They went out that weekend and bought a RAV4, used like 2 years old for a really good price. I've driven it multiple times, and I just had it up in Erie the bad weekend with the huge car pile up. I had ZERO issues driving on their roads that weren't even touched yet, it runs pretty good for a 4 cylinder (they have a 3.5L 6 cylinder as well), its comfortable, has a lot of room and it really does go well. I know it's not the most appealing looking thing, but you're thinking about practicability rather than something looks savvy. That's just my .02.

[Dan B.]

We drove several rav's before we bought the latest outback. Thought they rode rough. Could really feel the road under your feet. Nice looking and excellent cargo area. Just didn't feel very solid.

[travj31]

My wife had a Grand Cherokee before the Subaru and she absolutely loved it... She probably would still have it but the tranny shit the bed with a little over 80k miles on it. She comes from a Jeep family and would love to have another one (4 Door Wrangler or Grand Cherokee) but the reliability issues and price tags are the big hold-up for me.

She also loves the 4 door Nissan Frontier trucks, but I don't know how I feel about that.

[fran]

Don, that is wrong, i have a R-title taurus that i will run the wheels off off & it's insured by Nationwide.

[Terminated]

Been driving my DD Cavalier for 9 yrs with an R title. Came from a police seizure and was sold with Salvage title. Never was hit, never had a problem with it.

Worst part about it was what I paid for it (good deal) vs. what the guy I bought it from got it for (unbelievable).

[RUTHLESS]

Hey guys I am in the same boat now. My wife has been looking for a 2013 ish Explorer under 30k miles and in our price range with all the options she wants. Well yesterday when I came home from work she was showing me an add for the "perfect one" but she couldn't figure out why it was listed cheaper then others for its options, mileage and condition from all the pictures. After some investigation, its being sold by a body shop that takes wrecks and fixes them back up. They have five or so listed on their site. The explorer currently has a New York R-title, vehicle is being sold in Michigan, and that brings up some questions. Would anyone know what the process is to get it transferred to PA? Would it have to be inspected by a PA shop or anything extra over transferring a clean title vehicle? The shop is offering a 1 year warranty but that is not going to help us at all seeing the distance we would have to go to get it.

[Dan B.]

I think if it was R'ed in NY, they required it to go to a NY Enhanced Inspection Station before it's allowed to be registered in another state. My cousin has a dealer and bought a car from a NY auction w/o knowing the process. After they fixed it they had to haul it to NY for an inspection before they could sell it.

[ccoyle0103]

ALL vehicles that are to be transferred into Pa with an R title or salvage from another state MUST go through a PA enhanced inspection prior to being titled in Pa. I would ask the companies that are selling these vehicles to have the Pa inspection done prior to buying it. If you buy one that is an out of state salvage it may not pass in Pa. I have personally seen New York salvages miss marked as non repairable by New York that someone bought and could not process in Pa...The customer in essence just paid close to retail for scrap....Just be aware of what you are buying from other states.

[RUTHLESS]

I think if it was R'ed in NY, they required it to go to a NY Enhanced Inspection Station before it's allowed to be registered in another state. My cousin has a dealer and bought a car from a NY auction w/o knowing the process. After they fixed it they had to haul it to NY for an inspection before they could sell it.

Sound good but what if the vehicle is already fixed? Car fax is showing that it was Total Loss Vehicle (New York Damage Report) 12/18/2014. Then Salvage title/certification issued (New York Motor Vehicle Dept. Atlanta, GA) 3/5/2015. After that, Title or registration issued to insurance company (New York Vehicle Dept.) 3/7/2015.

[RUTHLESS]

I have been on the phone off and on all morning and have some info. Since the shop that is selling the car already has the vehicle repaired and went to New York to get the r-title, they have made things easier. My shop was telling me what was involved to buy a vehicle before being fixed and that after being fixed they had to take the car to New York to get an r-title in that state and then had it transferred to PA. This mess took MONTHS to get complete. I also talked to a local notary that gave me a number for a local shop that works with r-titles directly and I hope they can give me the rest of the information of what is involved since we can't wait months to get all the paperwork in hand.

[PaxtonShelby]

Being a newer vehicle, the damage must have been pretty severe in order to be a total loss. I would think about that. Does the seller have pics and documentation as to the parts & repairs that were needed?

My truck is an R-title, but that's because it was stolen and not recovered until the insurance claim had been settled.

[RUTHLESS]

Well it sold and not to us so I am pulling the pics.

Ok never mind, it doesn't look like I can.

[Tom]

How does the warranty work with an R Title? Will ford still replace the motor is it blows withn 36k miles or whatever it is now?

[RUTHLESS]

My understanding is that the warranty is void. Then again I took my new super duty in to have a tire pressure sensor replaced and had to fight for it. With that said I am sure they will find a way to get out of an engine replacement on a mint vehicle.

[PSPstang]

How does the warranty work with an R Title? Will ford still replace the motor is it blows withn 36k miles or whatever it is now?

It's void.

[Troll]

Ruthless, I'd say you're good. In the last pic, it appears, as though, someone already took it in the ass on this car. :rotflmao:

[cwh19]

Ruthless, I'd say you're good. In the last pic, it appears, as though, someone already took it in the ass on this car. :rotflmao:

26123

[PaxtonShelby]

Ruthless, I'd say you're good. In the last pic, it appears, as though, someone already took it in the ass on this car. :rotflmao:

Soup kitchen?

[KeystoneJohnny]

I have read this thread and figured I would chime in. I do this for part of my living with a partner at a dealer. I can tell you don't always assume a vehicle as been creamed to be totaled. You would be sadly surprised to see what is fixed and what is totaled by insurance companies. I have personally seen cars that weren't even damaged (THEFT) and were issued (Certificate of Destruction) which can only be titled in certain states but can never leave there. Here in the past few years even our state will do a title search in the computer and catch titles that have been washed or not properly recorded as rebuilt. ( Has happened to us personally) There are many cars & trucks that are repaired that should be totaled and are not. I'm still baffled on how the decision is made. Some of it is done by the owner and the adjuster. Their are some who will ask the owner if they want it saved or not. (Not ethical but happens) Also, don't pay to much attention what state the title or vehicle is in. We buy out of state and have vehicles shipped in all the time. You go where you can get the best deal. Also, yes someone mentioned I forget who but you have to watch New York (and a few other states) as they have a New York Salvage and something called a MV-907A. Stay away from that as you have to go there to have it inspected or you should just part it out. To much hassle IMO. Also, looking at the pics you provided there is not to much serious damage to this unit. Personally, I feel it should have been fixed for it's previous owner. At any rate, If you feel you are getting a deal then go for it. You can't go wrong. It a great way to get a vehicle and save some cash. Besides nobody knows it's a "R" title except for you and regardless of what people tell you. You will not loose as much as people think when it comes time to resale. Keep track of before pics and receipts and be open and honest with buyer down the road when you sell it. It's what we do and people do appreciate it. And besides it's just a piece of paper. Remember, a lot of cars are damaged like this one and have been repaired and have clean titles. Sometimes the damage is not reported and therefore will not show up on a CARFAX or similar service. (Even though people believe they are the bible for a cars history.) The repair process is what's important. Make sure you get quality work. We have an in house body shop so we do our own repairs. It's like anything, if it's fixed right all is well. Also, there is always someone who has had a bad experience and will stay away. I personally have owned several in my day and I never have a problem of selling them or owning them. I say buy it and be happy. Also, you do not have to transfer the salvage certificate into a PA salvage certificate before you can do the enhanced inspection. There is paperwork for those instances for out of state salvage certificates.

[RUTHLESS]

^ Thank you for the info but it is marked as sold as of this morning. Guess we missed out on this one.

[RUTHLESS]

It sold but not to us.

[SonofaBish]

I can confirm several of these comments with my own experience.....

1.) When i wrecked my TransAm back in 2002, the insurance adjuster asked me what i wanted to do - he stated that it was close enough to a total loss that he could total it, or he could fix it.... i chose to fix it and keep it.... damage was something like $7K since i had bent the B-pillar across a tree, but nowhere near total loss

2.) My Harley F-150 was a R-title... i had pics of the damage since the guy i bought it off of had bought it as a salvage and rebuilt it... he gave me receipts for the repair which totaled $4K (including paint), and the truck's market value at the time was a good $22-$25K .... it was a great vehicle, and though the value does get hit really hard, you should be able to buy it at that super discount, so you shouldn't lose your butt... the biggest problem is marketing a R-title, as many people don't want to buy it - and i don't think dealers will take it on trade-in

3.) Carfax is not that good.... My Lexus IS350 had been backed into in a parking lot TWICE... both very expensive repairs since it was a very costly paint job, and neither showed up on a Carfax.... if i had sold it privately, i would have felt bad - since i traded it in to a dealer, i didnt feel bad... :)


I have read this thread and figured I would chime in. I do this for part of my living with a partner at a dealer. I can tell you don't always assume a vehicle as been creamed to be totaled. You would be sadly surprised to see what is fixed and what is totaled by insurance companies. I have personally seen cars that weren't even damaged (THEFT) and were issued (Certificate of Destruction) which can only be titled in certain states but can never leave there. Here in the past few years even our state will do a title search in the computer and catch titles that have been washed or not properly recorded as rebuilt. ( Has happened to us personally) There are many cars & trucks that are repaired that should be totaled and are not. I'm still baffled on how the decision is made. Some of it is done by the owner and the adjuster. Their are some who will ask the owner if they want it saved or not. (Not ethical but happens) Also, don't pay to much attention what state the title or vehicle is in. We buy out of state and have vehicles shipped in all the time. You go where you can get the best deal. Also, yes someone mentioned I forget who but you have to watch New York (and a few other states) as they have a New York Salvage and something called a MV-907A. Stay away from that as you have to go there to have it inspected or you should just part it out. To much hassle IMO. Also, looking at the pics you provided there is not to much serious damage to this unit. Personally, I feel it should have been fixed for it's previous owner. At any rate, If you feel you are getting a deal then go for it. You can't go wrong. It a great way to get a vehicle and save some cash. Besides nobody knows it's a "R" title except for you and regardless of what people tell you. You will not loose as much as people think when it comes time to resale. Keep track of before pics and receipts and be open and honest with buyer down the road when you sell it. It's what we do and people do appreciate it. And besides it's just a piece of paper. Remember, a lot of cars are damaged like this one and have been repaired and have clean titles. Sometimes the damage is not reported and therefore will not show up on a CARFAX or similar service. (Even though people believe they are the bible for a cars history.) The repair process is what's important. Make sure you get quality work. We have an in house body shop so we do our own repairs. It's like anything, if it's fixed right all is well. Also, there is always someone who has had a bad experience and will stay away. I personally have owned several in my day and I never have a problem of selling them or owning them. I say buy it and be happy. Also, you do not have to transfer the salvage certificate into a PA salvage certificate before you can do the enhanced inspection. There is paperwork for those instances for out of state salvage certificates.

[SlowSix]

also from personal experience.... my mustang had the whole passenger rear quarter replaced, the rear sail panel/window, the passenger door, and the rear bumper, and the front bumper all replaced when I had my accident.
I was hoping it was going to be totaled, but the adjuster called me and told me the car was worth some ridiculous figure (somewhere in the realm of 8 grand I believe) and that they were going to repair it.

My car probably had more body damage than some R title cars, and has a clean title.
I don't think you can really tell unless I were to tell you though.

[Dan B.]

We do a lot of paint and body work in my garage..........nothing has ever been reported to carfax......

[03 OW SVT]

Our old 07, Audi A4 (loved that car) had been rear ended about a year or so after we bought it. My wife was sitting at a red light and this guy in a new Jetta plowed into her. The damage was over 7g's and the car was repaired perfectly . Shortly after the repairs we decided to sell it, not because there was anything wrong with it she just wanted something new..... Anyway, we did a Carfax on it just before we traded it and there was nothing on the Carfax saying it had been repaired or in an accident.