Looking for buying advice - 1990 with 1994 Salvage Title in

[Mwishlist]

Hello, I found an E30 90 vert for sale. It's looks like its in good shape and I am getting ready to do a test drive tomorrow or the next day.

I ran a carfax expecting to see some craziness for your typical car this old but what I found was the car had a salvage title issued in 1994 with 28k miles on it. The title was updated at 56K miles with a new owner. So since it was a salvage title in 94, its currently got 154K miles on over a few owners. I am guessing it was wrecked and fixed or possibly flooded but since it's been on the road for 20 years since the salvage title that shouldn't be anything to worry about or should it?

[kickinindian]

was probably stolen then sold from a junkyard or Lien from a tow yard since the original owner got a write off for it being stolen it is technically salvage

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[Vivek]

I wouldn't really worry about a car that was salvaged 20 years ago. If the car is up to your expectations don't let it deter you other than using it as a negotiation point.

[Mwishlist]

I wouldn't really worry about a car that was salvaged 20 years ago. If the car is up to your expectations don't let it deter you other than using it as a negotiation point.

Thanks, that's what I figured, but I thought I would ask.

[mkcman17]

Nowadays almost any damage will total an E30. Back then it would have taken more serious damage as the car was only a few years old.

I wouldn't put money into a salvage car, but that's just me

[smooth]

Nowadays almost any damage will total an E30. Back then it would have taken more serious damage as the car was only a few years old.

I wouldn't put money into a salvage car, but that's just me

on the flip side of that it would have been financed with full coverage insurance and the repair would have been done through an authorized repair center with an astronomical bill.

[mkcman17]

There's no difference in how estimates are written between 'full coverage' and collision. It's the same insurance policy and the same repair shops.

[smooth]

There's no difference in how estimates are written between 'full coverage' and collision. It's the same insurance policy and the same repair shops.

LMAO, no it isn't

When you have collision you're responsible for your own vehicle repairs and you can go where you want. When you have full coverage you have to take it to an authorized center you can't just go and repair the fender and blend paint and call it good. Or even if you could, someone with a 4 year old BMW isn't going to do that...they're going to have it taken to the dealer and fixed. And if you're paying for full coverage it's to your advantage to get it repaired at an authorized service center even if you weren't forced to. Why would you choose a subpar repair on your new car unless you had something worked out under the table?

someone sideswiped my fender and I got a private estimate then went and got two estimates from authorized repair centers. They were about $2,000 dollars higher because they count every single thing, like bumper trim, side markers, even down to a new OE tire. The person who hit me had the choice, either pay me cash and I'd handle the repair privately or go through insurance and authorized repair centers.

[mkcman17]

LMAO, no it isn't

When you have collision you're responsible for your own vehicle repairs and you can go where you want. When you have full coverage you have to take it to an authorized center you can't just go and repair the fender and blend paint and call it good. Or even if you could, someone with a 4 year old BMW isn't going to do that...they're going to have it taken to the dealer and fixed. And if you're paying for full coverage it's to your advantage to get it repaired at an authorized service center even if you weren't forced to. Why would you choose a subpar repair on your new car unless you had something worked out under the table?

someone sideswiped my fender and I got a private estimate then went and got two estimates from authorized repair centers. They were about $2,000 dollars higher because they count every single thing, like bumper trim, side markers, even down to a new OE tire. The person who hit me had the choice, either pay me cash and I'd handle the repair privately or go through insurance and authorized repair centers.

Sorry, but that's incorrect. The term 'full coverage' doesn't actually mean anything, but usually refers to having comprehensive, collision and liability coverages. Collision coverage pays for your damages up front with a deductible. Under a collision claim, an insurance company has an obligation to oversee and warantee repairs completed, or if the repairs exceed the threshold for repair total the car out.

It sounds like you didn't carry collision, meaning you were at the mercy of the claimant's carrier. A claimant carrier often does write an estimate and can cash-out either the repair cost or total loss under the other party's property damage liability coverage.

[Mwishlist]

From the pics, the interior is in phenomenal shape and it looks all original / unmolested. The are no cracks in the dash, no tears in the seats, body looks straight with no rust, etc. The last two owners had it for about 3 years each and it looks like they each put a few thousand miles on it. They current owners are asking $4500 for it. Only negative is its an auto. I can not find a manual convertible anywhere close to me.

The proof will be once I get to actually drive it which may be tomorrow but probably Thursday.

So if it took a major hit or accident what should I look for? I have been reading the forum for a while and anything I can find on what to look for when buying an E30, but I wasn't expecting a salvage title on the first E30 I was really interested in. So I'm open on tips on what to look for.

A little background, I had a 1966 Mustang previously that I completely rebuilt and drive a 2008 328i E90 now. I am mainly looking for a rust free body with decent paint because I can't do body work, but mechanically I can fix just about anything.

[smooth]

Sorry, but that's incorrect. The term 'full coverage' doesn't actually mean anything, but usually refers to having comprehensive, collision and liability coverages. Collision coverage pays for your damages up front with a deductible. Under a collision claim, an insurance company has an obligation to oversee and warantee repairs completed, or if the repairs exceed the threshold for repair total the car out.

It sounds like you didn't carry collision, meaning you were at the mercy of the claimant's carrier. A claimant carrier often does write an estimate and can cash-out either the repair cost or total loss under the other party's property damage liability coverage.

I never said there was a difference between full coverage and collision. You piped in with that comment in response to me stating that a financed car has to be fully insured and that repairs would have been done at an authorized repair center.

Most people here are going to be driving cars with basic liability *only* and are responsible for their own repairs and can go wherever they want to repair their cars. That wouldn't have been the case in 1994 when the 1990 car was in an accident.

It could have, for example, hit a tree and ruined the front end and taken out the engine. The car would have been repaired to how it rolled off the car lot back then. Now you can just grab a used engine from anywhere and roll around with an off-color hood and smashed grill. So saying it must have taken a lot of damage is misleading because that ignores a whole lot of other factors that go into repairing and totaling a brand new car that is still being financed.

[smooth]

So if it took a major hit or accident what should I look for? I have been reading the forum for a while and anything I can find on what to look for when buying an E30, but I wasn't expecting a salvage title on the first E30 I was really interested in. So I'm open on tips on what to look for.

If you're really that worried about it then take it to a body shop and they'll be able to tell you where it was hit and what kinds of damage it sustained. When you drive it over check whether the car drives straight. You can look at the frame rails and see if they are wrinkled up and where those are. Main concern would be a bent frame rail between wheels.

But at the end of the day it's been on the road for twenty years and it's hard to believe there'd be really huge problems this long afterwards. Far more likely it was stolen and written off or a large smash that was repairable.

[mkcman17]

But my point is that you can smash up your liability-only car and not get a salvage title, however for those of us that do carry collision these days it doesn't take much to get one from an insurance company.

Insurance companies don't like paying for new cars. If it was given a salvage title in 94 the damage most likely was structural to some extent.

[Mwishlist]

All good points. Thanks!

[mkcman17]

Haha sorry to derail you! Insurance will total at 75-80% threshold estimate vs value. That was proportionally a much bigger number in 94.