Problems with a rebuilt/salvage title

Joined
Apr 25, 2020
Messages
6,546
City & State/Province
NW Georgia
I bought a 2012 F250 last week, that had a Texas salvage title. It was a good deal on just the kind of truck I like. Single cab. 4wd, roll up windows, manual door locks, rubber mat, manual locking hubs, manual transfer case. Had a bed liner, GN hitch in it, and good electric brake controller. Truck had been hit in the front, and was totaled. Dude who bought it said it was because the adjuster said frame damage due to tow hook bent down. but he got it, and there was no frame damage. He put a cowboy bumper on it, new grill, radiator and head lights. Had 89k miles on it when he bought it, and has 193k now. So, I go to get my tag and title changed, and they tell me I have to get it inspected by a GA state inspector in order to get a tag and tile it. They give me a list of the names of the ones in GA. Only one of them in the Atlanta are. All the rest are in south, middle and east GA. Closest one other than the one in Marietta, is 3 hours away. And they don't make appointments. You have to show up at 7:30 AM ( an hour away) and they take you first come-first serve. They say it make take several hours, and that they have no public restrooms. The list shows 4 that will come to you, but you have to pay them the $125 for the state inspection, plus what they charge you to come out. Closest one was 4 hours away, and they want $400 to come out! I called one in west Ga, about 90 mins away, and he said to come to his shop between 12 and 5, and that it took 30-45 minutes. So yesterday, I hired this gal to come stay with Momma for 4 hours, and here I went. The truck had 3 tiny little pings in the wind shield...way up in the passenger side, up high. He said he couldn't pass it because of that. So I had to come home, and call Safelight to come fix it today. You also have to turn the key on, and the ABS and airbag light have to come on, stay on for 7-13 seconds, then NOT come back on. Well both of mine come on, but the ABS light stays on 4-5 seconds, and the airbag light stays on 6 seconds. He said he would p[ass it, though. I had asked the man when I bought it, why he had never changed the title, and why it still had Texas plates, and he said he just never changed it. He still has a place near Waco, too, and about half his trucks still have Texas plates. Now I know why he never changed the title on this one! 1761752593073.png
 
Last edited:
I bought one with a Texas Salvage Title in 2019, I rebuilt it and filed for a rebuilt title. In Arkansas a State Trooper will come to your house for the inspection. Had to provide receipts where all the parts came from and list what had been replaced or repaired.
 
Nice truck with not a lot of bells and whistles to go bad. In Virginia it is a cluster, but no worse than that. Good luck.
 
I bought one with a Texas Salvage Title in 2019, I rebuilt it and filed for a rebuilt title. In Arkansas a State Trooper will come to your house for the inspection. Had to provide receipts where all the parts came from and list what had been replaced or repaired.
Used to, the state of Ga had inspectors that were state employees, that would come out and do it. But, when Nathan Deal became governor, he changed it to where they got rid of that department, and put in a system where you could go to "state certified inspection places" to get it done. It just so happened at that time, he owned the only place in Ga that you could get this done, and it took all of these other places jumping through a lot of hoops to get certified to do inspections.
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.
I had a scrap guy come out and haul off my old refrigerator yesterday. His trailer had Tennessee tags and his truck had a metal "temporary" Texas tag that expired in 2023.

It would probably be cheaper on your truck Warren to just drive it and pay the occasional ticket.
 
I had a scrap guy come out and haul off my old refrigerator yesterday. His trailer had Tennessee tags and his truck had a metal "temporary" Texas tag that expired in 2023.

It would probably be cheaper on your truck Warren to just drive it and pay the occasional ticket.
Yes, I thought of that. Here in Ga, you don't let the tag go with the vehicle anymore. You keep it, and put in on the next truck you buy. You have to goo the tag office and get it transferred, though. I have sold all of my big trucks....two F250s, an F350, and an F450 since I sold out of cows this spring. I might just put one of them on it, and like you say, just pay a ticket if I get one.
 
What would your insurance say if you were to have an accident in an unlicensed vehicle? I would not take the chance.
I already insured it. Don't have to have a title back in order to insure it. I could borrow your truck, and if I wrecked it, my liability insurance covers me for personal and property liability as a result of the accident. Technically, cars don't actually have insurance...people do. Yeah., insurers require you to list all vehicles you own so they can get the premium for them.
 
Salvage title is much different. An insurance company bought the truck once. The new policy will insure a roadworthy vehicle which is not guaranteed with a salvage title. Take your ''technicality'' to your insurance company and get that salvage title vehicle covered in an accident.
 
A salvage title reduces the value of the vehicle by approximately 40%. So, the truck will be insured for 60% of the retail value. I do not know any that will insure for full retail value.
 
Salvage title is much different. An insurance company bought the truck once. The new policy will insure a roadworthy vehicle which is not guaranteed with a salvage title. Take your ''technicality'' to your insurance company and get that salvage title vehicle covered in an accident.
Wasn't talking about property coverage. I was talking liability coverage, and a salvage title has nothing to do with that.
 
A salvage title reduces the value of the vehicle by approximately 40%. So, the truck will be insured for 60% of the retail value. I do not know any that will insure for full retail value.

No reason to insure for collision on a cheap truck. All you need is liability.

I'm on my third salvage title vehicle. I get them for less than half price and can fix them in my driveway for less than $500. I don't buy them if they need body panels. The one I'm driving today had 68K on it. It was T-boned in the left rear wheel and the rear end was loose on the left side, and the frame needed straightening. I needed a magnesium wheel, a brake drum, an emergency brake cable, a u-joint, and new differential u-bolts. I had to rework the left spring hardware so it was straight and could be reused, and I put a left axle in it. The driveshaft was hanging loose and I thought it would have to be replaced, but it was straight. I straightened the frame with a come along and a sledge hammer. The truck has almost 99K on it now and I haven't had any problems. I don't baby it in any way, and I go offroad in remote places. I put new tires on it immediately before fixing anything, and it tracks fine and the tires will last another 30K easily.

My first one was repaired but needed a spindle that was never replaced before I bought it. Not a big deal. The second salvage title vehicle I had, I sold for a profit after driving it for years.

People that know nothing about salvage vehicles are scared of them, but people that have experience like to buy them.
 
No reason to insure for collision on a cheap truck. All you need is liability.

I'm on my third salvage title vehicle. I get them for less than half price and can fix them in my driveway for less than $500. I don't buy them if they need body panels. The one I'm driving today had 68K on it. It was T-boned in the left rear wheel and the rear end was loose on the left side, and the frame needed straightening. I needed an magnesium wheel, a brake drum, an emergency brake cable, a u-joint, and new differential u-bolts. I had to rework the left spring hardware so it was straight and could be reused, and I put a left axle in it. The driveshaft was hanging loose and I thought it would have to be replaced, but it was straight. I straightened the frame with a come along and a sledge hammer. The truck has almost 99K on it now and I haven't had any problems. I don't baby it in any way, and I go offroad in remote places. I put new tires on it immediately before fixing anything, and it tracks fine and the tires will last another 30K easily.

My first one was repaired but needed a spindle that was never replaced. Not a big deal. The second one I sold for a profit after driving it for years.

People that know nothing about salvage vehicles are scared of them, but people that have experience like to buy them.


Will your state let you license a vehicle with a ''salvage'' title? We have to have it inspected and get a ''rebuilt'' title before it can be licensed. Nothing wrong with a salvage vehicle it is just a bit more work.
 
Will your state let you license a vehicle with a ''salvage'' title? We have to have it inspected and get a ''rebuilt'' title before it can be licensed. Nothing wrong with a salvage vehicle it is just a bit more work.
No inspections and I think it's still a salvage title. I never really looked. Maybe it's a rebuilt title. This may be what @Warren Allison is running into.
 
Wasn't talking about property coverage. I was talking liability coverage, and a salvage title has nothing to do with that.
That would be risky as who ever you hit would have a good case to exceed the liability coverage and come after you for negligence.

A lot of these people who chance stuff like that have nothing to loose. Doesnt work for many of us with assets.
 
That would be risky as who ever you hit would have a good case to exceed the liability coverage and come after you for negligence.

A lot of these people who chance stuff like that have nothing to loose. Doesnt work for many of us with assets.

Liability covers property damage on the other vehicle.

Collision and comprehensive only covers your own vehicle.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top