Salvage because of fees not paid in California?

[4GNomad]

Found this at a dealer listing today for a GMC Savana. Does anyone know what this means? Just curious as the van is around the price range I was looking for.

 

[4GNomad]

I called the dealer directly. It appears the vehicle was never registered in California with the previous owner so the insurance company ended up salvaging it because of the fees. Dealer says the title is clear now.

 

[4GNomad]

Has anyone heard of this before?

 

[pmekdahl01]

I would ask for some kind of proof of that claim. Because salvage is usually reserved for damaged vehicles.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

Sounds strange to me, but I don't know much---especially about how california runs. Around here a salvage title is one for a wreck or a relic to be restored that hasn't been on the road in a while. Too many people--dealer, insurance co, previous owner---in the mix for me unless somehow it could be verified with the state.

Best of luck!

 

[SoulRaven]

Sounds fishy to me, if the insurance was involved, then there was some sort of an insurance claim made on it. Either a bad wreck, flood damage, or something.

 

[4GNomad]

K... Thanks for the input.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Yep, I wouldn't accept that excuse at all.

 

[blars]

If it was registered in California, and the owner ignored the registration rather than filing a "planned non-operational", California wants the back registration and overdue fees for all the time it wasn't registered. This can exceed the value of the vehicle. If you get caught driving it in California with a slavage title from another state, they may want to collect the fees from you.

 

[highdesertranger]

blars is right. if you don't pay your fees in kalifornia the penalties are unbelievable. it soon becomes more to register than the vehicle is worth, thus it's basically a total loss. now I don't know about this specific situation but I was under the impression that the fees must be paid, so I find it hard to understand that if the fees were that much who paid them? how are they going to make a profit if the fees were that much? I smell fish. I would demand to see the paperwork. highdesertranger

 

[4GNomad]

This the van I am actually looking at...

http://www.richscarsncredit.com/2008_GMC_Savana_N Logan_UT_254326155.veh

 

[Van-Tramp]

Kelly Blue Book values that van between 13-16k and these guys are only asking 11k? Plus a salvaged title?

First, it may have been a flood vehicle which you can never clean enough to prevent the amount of rust (and mold) that will come...
Second, you may have a very difficult time even registering it. You would pay a ton to get it off salvage title if you can at all.
Third, you may have a very difficult time insuring it and even if you do it will be liability only. No insurance company will pay you full coverage value on salvaged car. Sure they will take your monthly insurance payment, but if you ever filed a claim on it they would give you the value of the *salvage* (which is about $250 in my state)

If you have 10k to spend, you can find a better vehicle without all these MAJOR potential problems. There are some pretty big red-flags here

 

[Van-Tramp]

PS, California defines a salvaged vehicle as one that has been either totally destroyed or damaged beyond what the insurance company is willing to pay to fix it, so the owner never gets the vehicle repaired. http://www.dmv.org/ca-california/salvaged-vehicles.php

CA DMV does not mention that not paying registration will get your vehicle "salvaged" by the DMV. It only mentions % increase in fee.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/vr/vr_info

This is clearly BS

 

[4GNomad]

Thanks Van-Tramp. This is one of the reasons I come here for the well thought out and detailed opinions. I have learned a lot the past couple weeks from you all and am still learning as you can see. I am terrible with cars which is why I might end up going back to the A-Frame hardside idea and pull it with my existing car instead of being at the mercy of a used car of someone else's doing. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Bandit2]

Taxachusettes plays the same game .
Buy a car and don't register it right away , it happened to me about 10 years ago .
With what they wanted for Lost Fees and penalty interest for not having the p/u truck on the road , with the town and state losing out on the taxes , it was cheaper to sell it to a dealer friend for $ 100. and buy it back .