Need advice on salvage title 95 Viper

[shifty556]

Just a brief preface, I am somewhat mechanically inclined. I have swapped a new motor, trans, transfercase, injectors, exhaust, front mount intercooler and turbochargers into my 3000GT VR-4. I also installed Apex'i turbo timer, boost controller and fuel/air piggyback controller and Innovate LC-1 wideband, wired them myself and street-tuned for ~300 awhp.
They come stock with 320 bhp, then consider drivetrain loss since it's all wheel drive, and 300 awhp feels pretty nice!

Anyways, working on a 3000 is like working inside a phonebooth filled with wolverines and snapping turtles, total pain in every way. I guess the relevance of starting with that is to say that I am guessing I can find my way around a Viper.

I have my eye on a 95. It's red and looks nice, but...sadly, has a salvage title. The guy wants $17,000 for it. I asked him for pictures of the wreck, but he doesn't have any, as the previous owner didn't provide them. He has a CarFax, which I'm going to have him fax to me. He said that the previous owner claimed "light damage", but I don't know enough about salvage titles to claim B.S.

For the too-good-to-be-true price of $17,000, I'd love to have one of you guys in the Ohio-land area come with me to test drive it. Win/lose/draw I'd pay for your gas, time and food to give me an honest assessment of the car. I'm not a sucker, and I know a trap when I see one, usually. But, for this price on a Viper, I honestly can't help myself from at least going to take a test drive.

Thoughts, anyone? Any help is greatly appreciated. I am happy with my 3000GT's, they are paid off and I know them inside and out, but I'd love a Viper.

 

[shifty556]

Forgot, mileage is 35k. I do realize the mileage could, and probably does, mean jack-crap when you consider it's a salvage title.

 

[plumcrazy]

if damage is light like he said, id do it. work on it over the winter and have it ready to go for spring.

theres plenty of guys around to help look at it.

what town in ohio ?

 

[big-n-italian]

first thing first - GET PICS. you need to know what you are getting into.

second - 17k may sound like a good deal on a viper, but keep in mind some parts are stupidly expensive and repair costs can add up quickly, especially when parts and services carry the dreaded viper tax.

lastly, its a salvage title. a salvage title car will always be a PITA to sell (can a salvage title car be financed?), and will never really be of any any great value.

my advice - clean vipers are cheap right now. save yourself alot of grief and spend the additional money to get yourself a clean-titled viper you can enjoy right away.

good luck in your decision.

 

[shifty556]

VERY good point. I do not know if a salvage title car can be financed. Dealer may finance, but I'll really only deal with my bank, so that is something I will check.

I can probably do most of the work myself (I really do not want that to sound know-it-all-ish, but I am mechanically competent) I do know the parts can be ******** expensive.

I don't want to go any higher than 20k. It's not like I'm in the poorhouse, I'm just sayin.

See attached pics...

 

[speedracervr4]

First gen Vipers (non salvage) can be had for 18500-29k right now. I would wait for a non salvage one. If you don't care about the resale value it might be worth a look. I also have a moddified VR-4 and the Viper is easier to work on...I just worry about scratching the paint. Good luck!!

 

[shifty556]

A fellow 3si guy, alright!

Well, anyways, I can post the site of the dealership selling this...just no one ****** it from me! (Bad experience on another forum)

1995 Dodge Viper RT/10 - Cars For Sale Lisbon, OH Lots of pics of underneath car.

 

[01sapphirebob]

What town in Ohio?

 

[eucharistos]

based on the pics, it looks good, need more angles, but most of the c=gaps look even, and the reservoirs are clean (can't steam clean those, maybe replaced in the wreck)

how long ago was the wreck?

if you are a wrencher, these cars are not that expensive for regular maint.

check the age of the tires and anything else you would on any other car.

post up what you decide

 

[shifty556]

Lisbon. Been talking with the guy back and forth, might be able to take it away for 16k. Again, I know well the saying about too good to be true. But, at this price, and considering the pictures of it, it looks decent. I know it can also be very easy to take good looking pics and still hide issues. I know when I test drive it I won't have the luxury of having it up in the air to look at.

 

[speedracervr4]

Ask them to put it on the lift prior to buying it...or ask if you can take it to a shop to put it on a lift.

 

[01sapphirebob]

The tires will need to go. First thing I noticed. Still have the OEMs on the front and mismatched tires on the rear. New PS2's could run you $1500.00 depending on who you buy from. Car LOOKS good but it could be a total mess. Anyone can clean up a car for photos. However, with it looking like a small town dealer they may just want to get rid of the car and are trying to sell it a.s.a.p.

 

[eucharistos]

A fellow 3si guy, alright!

Well, anyways, I can post the site of the dealership selling this...just no one ****** it from me! (Bad experience on another forum)

1995 Dodge Viper RT/10 - Cars For Sale Lisbon, OH Lots of pics of underneath car.

just looked at the rest of the pics,

you will need tires right away (after you burn those up )

body looks good, has top and windows, others can comment on the undercarriage

if you like the coin, at that price, salvage title does not bother me, unless i was looking at a comparable car w/o it

 

[shifty556]

Well aware of the wonders of photography, I always suspect that someone is hiding something, no matter the venue.

This guy texted me yesterday to tell me the oil was changed the other day and the rear tires were replaced while car was in his possession. He says less than 100 miles on the tires.

He could say the moon is made of Frito's, I know that doesn't make it true, but it'd make me want to be an astronaut.


*Edit* I do like the idea of prettying up my VR-4, new paint and going big with the turbo's. I have a heated garage and can screw with my cars year round. But, I can't take my eyes off this thing and its price tag. At the very least, worth taking a day off work and driving 9 hours to test it, I'd hope.

 

[01sapphirebob]

the rear tires were replaced while car was in his possession. He says less than 100 miles on the tires.

ALL the tires should be replaced if you buy it.

 

[shifty556]

ALL the tires should be replaced if you buy it.

Understandable. You guys know your stuff, just trying to decide if this is for me. If I don't get this, I'll be living debt free for a while and have the money to really make my VR-4 something special.

Would you guys advise me to save a couple thousand over the winter and put a 7-8k down payment on a different Viper? This sounds like where this is going. Not trying to cop an attitude or anything, I'm just starting to believe that's probably the better route.

 

[eucharistos]

it depends on what your (at this time) long term plans for the viper are

if you plan on keeping it and driving it, the salvage title saves you money,
but sounds like coin is a little issue, so you buy cheap and sell cheap (though may be harder to find a buyer) so it is a wash

if you get to drive the car, the weather is good and the tires bite (give you traction) you will buy it

let us know

 

[shifty556]

it depends on what your (at this time) long term plans for the viper are

if you plan on keeping it and driving it, the salvage title saves you money,
but sounds like coin is a little issue, so you buy cheap and sell cheap (though may be harder to find a buyer) so it is a wash

if you get to drive the car, the weather is good and the tires bite (give you traction) you will buy it

let us know

Right, money isn't a huuuuge issue, otherwise I'd listen to my dad and get a Corolla. For the money I've put into my 3000 I could already be in a Viper, but hey. I like my 3000, nothing like a 450 crank horsepower car you can drive in the rain and snow, leaking oil all over, and raising hell.

I do believe you about the inevitibility of buying after driving it, which is why unless the stars at least attempt to align I'm not going to go. We'll see though, definitely will keep everyone posted.

 

[eucharistos]

.....For the money I've put into my 3000 I could already be in a Viper, but hey. I like my 3000, nothing like a 450 crank horsepower car you can drive in the rain and snow, leaking oil all over, and raising hell.
....

some may think this an ae for a canuck bud (<-- cryptic, i know)

so your dilemma is having 1 really nice rides or 2

not bad, not bad

 

[shifty556]

At least with the 3000, when the transfer case grenades, one can be had for $150 and installed in 15 minutes. Got that one down to a science.

 

[99 R/T 10]

I bet you can get that car for $16K,

 

[shifty556]

I bet you can get that car for $16K,

Will try my best to get him lower and lower. We'll see. If I can hold off til the spring and it's still available, I can put a hefty down payment on it. As it stands, I can put about 4k down on it now.

Also, I am going to call my insurance lady and see about insuring a salvage title car for full coverage. I can't buy this thing outright, so if they won't give me full coverage, that's where my dreaming has to stop, haha.

 

[slysnake]

Salvage title or rebuilt title? Salvage means it's a wreck and needs to be fixed up. Looks like it is a rebuilt one, eh.

I do not know if a salvage title car can be financed.

Some banks will finance salvage, most will do a rebuilt with no problem.

insuring a salvage title car for full coverage

Again, salvage or rebuilt? Rebuilt is no problem, salvage may be a different story.

If you want to buy it to have it that's one thing. If you want to buy it to resell it don't even think about it.

working on a 3000 is like working inside a phonebooth filled with wolverines and snapping turtles

Working on a viper is much nicer, some would even say fun. Pretty easy to work on even for a less mechanicly inclined person like me.

 

[shifty556]

Definitely NOT buying to resell. The only time I'd sell is if I came upon hard times, and even then I'd be happy to just sell it for the remaining balance on loan (within reason). I don't expect to sell it for more than I pay, I would say that I expect that it can be sold for 13-14k without someone thinking twice.

But yeah, you're right, it's probably a rebuilt title. I'll find out more about it.

 

[shifty556]

Also, as one poster pointed out...the car has OEM front tires. Can that be seen as a good thing, in that whatever damage this car took on it wasn't bad enough to damage the front wheels and tires?

I am just guessing it was front end damage, every friggin' wrecked Viper I see has a mashed up front end. But, anyways, just thought of that and figured I'd ask.

 

[v10enomous]

In some states you will need the before pictures to get a registration... Check your local laws and go to the DMV and ask. Not the local DMV but the state capital. I looked at a salvage car and after looking at the DMV/MVC process I decided it wasn't worth it. There are nice Gen1s going in the very low 20s now and even high teens depending on seller circumstances.

Dodge : Viper: eBay Motors (item 260684494549 end time Nov-04-10 09:53:47 PDT)

 

[paul fettig]

A couple of questions come to mind. One, does your state allow you to change the status of the title and what would you have to do to get it changed? Second, you can pay more for a non salvaged car but that does not mean you will get a better car.

 

[shifty556]

I still haven't heard back from the guy to make absolute sure it's a salvage title. I thought I remembered him saying it on the phone, but not 100%, I just remember that somehow that concept got into my head.

If it's not a salvage title, and I know it's not clean, there is a "rebuilt" title, correct? One poster above mentioned this.

I called my insurance agent and with a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 1992 3000GT VR-4 and 1995 Viper, it'll be $160 per month, as long as I drive the Viper < 7,500 miles per year. I have no barometer, but that seems reasonable considering the sports cars that are being covered.

 

[Phun70]

Shifty, just go for it. You will never have more fun than with the viper. The title will probably be listed as prior salvage/regular. The ins co will give you full coverage no problem. The gaps on the car look pretty good, so I don't know how worried I would be, but not much. It should be easy to tell how bad she was hit, just look under the side of the car under where the drivers and passengers feet would be, and if the floorboards aren't flat, then it was probably hit pretty hard. If they've buckled, then the frame isn't straight.