I am in a bind INGO...car help...

[gvsugod]

So here is the story, a few questions at the bottom.

I bought this nice Jeep Cherokee from my then girlfriends mom (now inlaws) back in 2010. Drove it, been a good car for me. I want to upgrade to a pick up so tonight I took it into a dealer to look at this truck: Used 1994 Ford F-150 XL 2D Extended Cab near Indianapolis #C15171A | Andy Mohr Ford
Its not great, but its a big truck like I want, and I dont want to take on a payment for a fun, barely drive it truck (we have a family car). I check the truck out it has a lot of problems, to which I do not know the severity (question regarding this in a moment). Then we say, ok lets look at the Jeep and I was expecting a trade in price at or near that pick up.

They come back and it turns out its a salvage title. I had no idea, my in laws have no idea. But I bought the carfax and it shows its a total loss vehicle. My physical paper title says "NORMAL" under title type though.

I didnt buy the truck, drove the Jeep home and we are trying to figure this all out.

So...questions:

1. Is there any chance its NOT a salvaged vehicle?
2. The salesperson kept pushing me to make a cash offer, really seemed like they want it gone. How low should I push on the f150?
3. I am not very mechanical, but I noticed some problems with the f150. I made an appt to go back Saturday morning (Andy Mohr Ford in Plainfield) at 8:30am, is there someone that would come/meet me there and take a look at the f150, give me an idea of whats wrong? I like the truck a lot but I dont want to get buried in a(nother) money pit. I can pay if you need me to, or pay in beer and/or whiskey.

 

[K_W]

Don't go back there.

 

[gvsugod]

Don't go back there.

Care to elaborate? I am gladly accepting advice, just need to know more!

 

[churchmouse]

Do not buy it.

 

[K_W]

Care to elaborate? I am gladly accepting advice, just need to know more!

You said you don't want a money pit, but you're looking at a MODIFIED (means likely abused) Indiana driven 94 Ford pick-up. (94 ford is a good truck, but prone to issues in the rust belt) Salt causes rust and rust attacks... frame, body, fluid lines, brakes, suspension... basically everything metal...

They want too much for a 94 f150...

The vehicle you want to buy has issues they don't bother to tell you about, even though you as a non-car guy can plainly see them...

2 of those expensive Mickey Thompson mud tires are bald... (since the bald ones are on the front, they either drove or burnt the tread off them then rotated them, or the front suspension has alignment issues or was improperly lifted)

They're rushing your decision to off load a money loser...

(Personal experiance of 7 years selling replacement parts for rusted parts on Indiana vehicles)

 

[96firephoenix]

info on getting a restored title

Basically salvaged is total loss vehicle, rebuilt is total loss that was put back together and inspected.

I'd look on the carfax for the accident date and location, then see if the applicable police dept (any total loss accident surely would have been above the threshhold to call the cops on dollar amount of prop. damage) and see if they have any info on it, such as a report etc...

You may have more time/money fighting the BMV than this Jeep is worth.

Also, I've had mixed dealings with AndyMohr out in plainfield. they would be pretty low on my list of places to buy from, and I will warn you from first-hand experience, don't try to buy something off of ebay from them.

Edit: I looked at the pics of that f150... don't buy it. I've got a bit of car experience, and that has frame rot that is visible (look through the gap in the tailgate/bumper area.) as well as rotted out fenders and rocker panels. The tires are almost gone in the front, and replacing the tires on that would be almost what they are asking for the truck.

If they will replace the tires, I'd buy it for that price, but then I'd get some junkyard wheels/tires, sell the new tires and wheels online, then drive the truck into the ground, having happily bought the truck for a net of about $50 after selling the tires/wheels.

Without knowing more about your jeep, I'd say keep ahold of it until something better comes along. Don't just buy the first truck that looks good. Case in point, I looked at an S-10 once with a brand new paint job... that was put on top of active rust. I was able to put my pocketknife through the frame.

 

[Riflemen14]

Stay away, dealer took the truck in trade, for next to nothing. Most likely to dump at an auction house. Til you came along. You can find better a better truck with way less issues.

 

[hooky]

You've gotten some good advice so far. Run away from that problem and don't make it yours.

 

[gvsugod]

This is all good information.

So maybe this is a dumb question, but this truck will get driven next to never, one MAYBE two trips a year to deer camp in MI. And occasionally around town, when the wife is gone and I am not, which is almost never.

Does that change anything?

 

[Darral27]

A salvage title on an older vehicle does not mean much. Could have got a dented fender and insurance just said it was totalled instead of fixing it. You didn't say what year the jeep was but if it is mid to late 90's with the 4.0 it should be worth more than that truck IMO. If it's not a daily driver I would sell the jeep on cl and find a truck with cash. Dealer is going to screw you over any way they can just because there is not really any money in this deal.

 

[churchmouse]

This is all good information.

So maybe this is a dumb question, but this truck will get driven next to never, one MAYBE two trips a year to deer camp in MI. And occasionally around town, when the wife is gone and I am not, which is almost never.

Does that change anything?

If it was wadded up badly enough to get a salvage title you need to let it go. I would not trust it out on the road the distances you are stating. Look for a private sale. Something that has not been wrapped around a poll or on its lid in a ditch.
After a violent hit a vehicle is never the same again. Every thing gets shaken up.
Let it go and find something better. For that money you should be able to.

I also have heard some things about that dealership.

 

[gvsugod]

A salvage title on an older vehicle does not mean much. Could have got a dented fender and insurance just said it was totalled instead of fixing it. You didn't say what year the jeep was but if it is mid to late 90's with the 4.0 it should be worth more than that truck IMO. If it's not a daily driver I would sell the jeep on cl and find a truck with cash. Dealer is going to screw you over any way they can just because there is not really any money in this deal.

2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport. It was rearended.

My plan was to go into there, and get more than the price of that truck and use that to get some repairs. They offered me $500 in trade.

 

[K_W]

This is all good information.

So maybe this is a dumb question, but this truck will get driven next to never, one MAYBE two trips a year to deer camp in MI. And occasionally around town, when the wife is gone and I am not, which is almost never.

Does that change anything?

Sitting causes issues too... dead then bad batteries, rubber dry rot, out of round tires (expensive on that truck), animal damage, seized parts, brake system damage, ticked off neighbors...

 

[gvsugod]

If it was wadded up badly enough to get a salvage title you need to let it go. I would not trust it out on the road the distances you are stating. Look for a private sale. Something that has not been wrapped around a poll or on its lid in a ditch.
After a violent hit a vehicle is never the same again. Every thing gets shaken up.
Let it go and find something better. For that money you should be able to.

I also have heard some things about that dealership.

I am trying to unload the Jeep mostly because I want a pick up, and its a bit small for me. I didnt know it was salvaged. Runs and drives pretty decent still.

 

[K_W]

2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport. It was rearended.

My plan was to go into there, and get more than the price of that truck and use that to get some repairs. They offered me $500 in trade.

I'd give you well over $500 for any running driving Cherokee... but I'm not buying vehicles right now.

 

[churchmouse]

Sitting causes issues too... dead then bad batteries, rubber dry rot, out of round tires (expensive on that truck), animal damage, seized parts, brake system damage, ticked off neighbors...

It is very hard on older vehicles to just sit.

 

[gvsugod]

ticked off neighbors...

Lol, my neighbors car is up on ramps with its transmission laying underneath it right now. My neighbors are all pretty cool.

 

[HoughMade]

It seems that some of you are missing that it is HIS JEEP, the one he owns, that has the salvage title.

Back in the pre-internet, pre-carfax days, getting away with this was easier. Some states don't have a classification of "Salvage Title", so some dealers, and individuals would repair the vehicles after a total loss, get a "Rebuilt" or "Salvage" title, the have a deal with someone in a state that did not have salvage titles, and get it titled there. Then, they would have the car titled back to them, title from other state not indicating salvage in hand, and get a "clear" title. It may be illegal some places, but not all. It may pay to use the Carfax to trace ownership and see who "cleaned" the title. If a dealer was involved, I guarantee that the state authorities will be interested.

Now, as a driver, as long as it was repaired correctly, I don't care. For resale, it's devastating, but I drive the wheels off my cars. I have had 2 "salvage" and "rebuilt" vehicles- '88 Pontiac 6000 and '90 GMC S-15 Jimmy. The Pontiac was a hard T Bone, repaired with a side from a Buick Century. The Jimmy was stolen, stripped and recovered. After college, before law school, I worked at a dealership where we bought salvage vehicles, rebuilt and sold them- all fully disclosed. We did pretty well because we bought cheap and stuck to the same kinds of vehicles (GM pickups, SUVs and GM "A" bodies). This way we had plenty of donor parts and did not have to buy many new.

It is possible that there is a mistake on the Carfax, but I doubt it. Back before these services, there was really no way to check all the way back. Now, once it's issued a salvage title, it's there for life.

 

[gvsugod]

I'd give you well over $500 for any running driving Cherokee... but I'm not buying vehicles right now.

Oh I know its worth well more than that. My father in law felt bad and is looking for a "when he visits MI car" and said he'd buy it back from me if I dont find an alternative.

 

[K_W]

If you really want the truck, buy it and keep the Cherokee because they're low balling you on a $1500 minmum Jeep

But, be prepared to spend money to keep the Ford in turn-key-and-go condition.