My 1986 300SDL was recently t-boned by a snowbird driving a Saturn. Found out the insurance company has declaired it a total loss. I can buy the car back for the salvage price......$262.00. My guess is I can fix the for around $500- new quarter panel, door, and tire. My dilemma is the fact it will now have a salvage title. I absolutely love the car and a dream on the highway. I am having a hard time with the salvage title but an equally hard time just letting it be scrapped. Any opinions on this?

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1989 560SL
1986 300SDL
1983 300D (Burning Jet-A)
1982 240D
1995 S600

Don't scrap it. Buy it back and put it together and drive it. If you got a good car and it's fixable, don't let it go. Especially since you know how it has been maintained by you and what's wrong with it.

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

The salvage title reduces resale value which only matters if/when you sell it. It'll affect how much you can claim if it's hit again so go easy on what you spend to resurrect it. Otherwise the salvage title is just some words on a piece of paper.

Sixto
83 300SD
98 E320 wagon

At the age and value of your car a salvage title will not matter to many buyers. They'll be looking for transportation.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

That's what I'm thinking as well. At this age of these cars, I could care less about a salvage title if the repair is done right and nothing is out of alignment. You don't buy these cars to sell them and expect money back, you buy them to drive them into the ground. There's no resale and you'll most likely spend almost what they're worth in parts over 2-3 years in what it's worth. They're hobby cars and make good daily drivers when up to snuff.

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

Look at it from the viewpoint of the amount of money you have in the car. It will be $262 plus whatever you put into the car to fix it. If you can fix it to its previous condition at the $500 you estimate, you will have the best ride that anyone has ever gotten for $762. Who cares about what the title says?

In new york, if, when registering, you check the box that the car has been totalled or is salvage, then you have to take it someplace where they verify repair quality and that it hasn't been done with chop shop parts. If you don't, it's just between you and an insurance company that will only offer liability coverage for that car.

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CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Just fix it. The carrier will write you a check for $3000 on a $2,000 car. You'll net $2 and sell it for another $2 to $3k. Do a walkaround showing what good shape it's in then show the damage. Show the 1st start of the day & how the little things like locks work. Keep paperwork form carrier. Check state laws and find out what has to be done to fix the title. Have a date stamp on the vid.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

How much is the insurance co going to give? I'd bet it is more than the 800 to repair it. Take the payout, buyback, repair and keep driving! Sounds like nothing structural, so your only issue will be an R on a piece of paper.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I too am in Michigan and I believe an SOS inspection after all repairs are made is all that's needed, think it costs $50, the State always gets its cash

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

it will still show up in a carfax report I imagine - but I've seen a recent salvage-titled 300D sell on BAT and I don't think the title status made the car radioactive.

If you document the damage and repair - then it's probably fine for buyers who would be interested in these cars in the first place.

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Andrew
Montclair, NJ
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1982 300D Turbo
120k
Petrol Blue Green

Thanks everybody. I am going to keep her. I can't give the car up for so little knowing it will most likely be scrapped. I really appreciate everyones thoughts and I am definitely keeping this old girl on the road.

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1989 560SL
1986 300SDL
1983 300D (Burning Jet-A)
1982 240D
1995 S600