RE:wrecked cars and ways to prevent buying them..........

[Milanogold@xxxxxxx]

Greetings Alfisti!
       Saw the ad for the Verde located in Kansas.(Drool,drool
drool.............).Tempered the drooling with the fact that the car is from
Kansas.Kansas is one (think it's the only) state where a car can be wrecked
and written off as a total loss.then can be rebuilt (in a reputable or
Disreputable repair shop) ,inspected by their police and given a CLEAN,NO
DAMAGE HISTORY title.Most other states will,when a car is wrecked, rebuilt and
inspected;issue either a title stamped with a "salvage history"or "rebuilt"
stamp on the title(Different states, different terminology) if the damage and
repair costs over 50% of the total value of the car. This is called a
"branded"title.If the damage and repair costs less than 50% of the total value
of the car,the car is given a clean title,without a "salvage history"
stamp,but previous damage info is not noted anywhere on the title.(This is
called an "unbranded title")DMV keeps it in their records however..........
    The moral of my little story is,buyer beware.RUN THE VIN number through a
title search service (I ran Alfie's VIN through www.carfax.com,no financial
interest, etc.and found it had a salvage history.It had an "unbranded
title".Alfie ('87 Milano gold) had a right side fender and nose-ectomy in
1994) I wasn't aware of even the differences in titling until I went to a job
fair where Carfax had a booth.They ran the VIN for me free;it's usually
$19.95.If your'e going to plop down hard earned money make sure you're not
going to get a pig in a poke (GA.speak for being sold something that isn't
quite as advertised).
Being helpful, hopefully,
Terry and Sharon Akins
Alexandria,Va
1987Milano gold (Alfie)
1984 GTV 6 (Vito)

  

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