Modern Vespa

How do you feel about buying a scooter or motorcycle with a salvage title?
Craigs list has some pretty amazing looking machines, but with the dreaded
SALVAGE TITLE. Beside the resale issue, what about their safety as an issue?

Example:

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/2832285707.html

If I personally knew of the bike, and was friends with the owner, I would consider a salvage titled bike.

Otherwise, I wouldn't touch it unless I just wanted it for parts. But that's just me. I use my scoots as my only transportation, so I can't afford to have any hidden problems that could cause serious downtime, or render the bike useless without hope of decent repairs.

Of course, sometimes the insurance companies do total bikes that don't really have any structural damage. But I personally do not feel that I am qualified enough to assess something like that. I'd rather be on the safe side.

most insurance companies will never do full coverage on a salvage title. Some states have indepth inspection requirements so you can tag them. just know what your state requires and know their probably is hidden damage, possibly bent/cracked frames.

I bought my car with a salvage title. I had it inspected by a body shop that I trust and they said that it was repaired correctly. I got it for half what it would have been with a clean title. Still, it's taking a chance.

I have bought and fixed up two in the past six months. A 2006 lx150 with one season on it for $375 and a 2008 with 3900 miles on it for $500.

Parts are readily available on ebay, bent frames will have to be straightened. A paint job can be expensive though if you have to farm it out.

Would I buy one that someone else did? You bet I would and save a ton of money to boot. Take it for a ride, see if it tracks straight. These are simple machines, many of them get totaled for cosmetic issues.

Joe

On modern motorcycles, a low side will damage enough bodywork to total the bike. If you can live with aftermarket bodywork and paint you can have a bike for half of bluebook and mechanically it will be perfect. Looking at the BMW in question, most mechanical pieces are clearly visible. Have a shop check the alignment and ride the bike - if all was right I would be comfortable buying it.

Someone told me here in Ohio insurance companies won't insure a salvage title car. I didn't check their facts but that's what I was told.

I would assume the same would hold true of scooters and motorcycles.

When does and insurance company even ask? Besides it's legal to license a recontructed vehicle. Never heard of such a thing.

Joe

Well my story came from someone that had a salvage title vehicle that got wrecked. When the insurance company found it had a salvage title they didn't pay the claim.

I don't know this first hand but it's what I was told.

You can always get liability insurance so that you can tag it. My insurance company (Farm Breau) said that they would sell me comprehensive coverage at the same price as if it had a clean title but would only pay out what it was worth with the salvage title. I opted to take my chances.

I think also the kicker would come when it came time to sell it

In Iowa, the insurance co always talks to DMV before they will insure. We did not know a vehicle we had bought was on a salvage title until our insurance co told us.

It was already part of our stable by then, so we kept it. Our repair guy checked it out and declared it safe. Our insurance co covered it, probably because we have a lot of rolling stock insured with them, but we still got the hairy eyeball while they thought about it.

A different company said they would not insure anything on salvage.

Once again we lucked out. 8)

insurance companies run the vin# and they see that is was a rebuilt title or salvage. So if you want full coverage your probably out of luck.

I bought a 2003 Chevy with a rebuilt title. In Michigan, at least, I have had full coverage for years....and they have paid for three claims so far.....
No problems....

But I thought Angeo did not have salvaged title?

Angeos title is clear I'm talking about Kiki.

I have bought one scooter at a salvage auction and another that would have been salvage if the owner had full coverage. One was completely bent in half and the other had a couple of dents and some gouges in the paint.

Having looked at salvage auctions for a while, I can tell you that for every Vespa with a cracked or bent frame there is another that was dropped in someone's driveway or knocked over in a parking lot.

I would never buy a salvage bike without seeing the "before" pics, but I wouldn't walk away from a deal because of the title.

A salvage title may preclude some insurance coverages.

Well, if you put word "salvaged" in front of anything, it won't sound good and it will scare 90% of the people away, which I am glad it does.

Because my GTS300 is salvaged, cost me half the price. And my truck is salvaged, cost me quarter of the price.

Special highway patrol inspection is required in CA, but no problems getting insured.


It just depends on the extent of damage and how well it was repaired. I repaired my scooter myself.