Car_Fynatik

I came across a very clean 02 S4 Avant a local guy is selling. It is a silver 6sp manual with just about every option available. Interior is rip free and a simple detail away from looking new (its a little dirty). Exterior has a couple small dings & rock chips, but thats it.
The car is in great mechanical condition, it runs & drives great. Owner has all of the service history and receipts from the time he bought it, and has had no problems with it. The only problem with the car is it has a salvage title, which will kill resale &/or allow an insurance company to rape me if I am in an accident.

The car was in a frontal collision, and smashed in the front drivers side.
The guy bought the car from an insurance company as a totaled vehicle. (paid $4500 for it)
He works at a body shop, which happens to be one of the few VERY reputable shops in town.
I trust the work was done right, and he did transport his 2 kids in there for the last few years, showing he trusts it too. He got the car with 50k on the clock, fixed everything and since has put 81k on it.
The reason he is selling it is to get into an A6 for the bigger back seat since his kids are getting bigger.

He's asking $8000 which would be a good deal with a clean title, but with the salvage title I am not so sure.

Any ideas what you guys would consider to be a fair offer?
Thanks in advance.

pber13

depends on your goals. IMO, there is nothing wrong with buying a salvage title if you know what you're doing. they're cheap, and if they're fixed right, they're just as good as a clean title car. I would have a mechanic go over it, just to be safe. if everything checks out I would say go for it!

as for the price, KBB states that salvage title cars are worth half the value of it if it was a clean title. so KBB it, and half the price it gives you. start from there negotiating with him.

Car_Fynatik

KBB prices the car at $9200, & their FAQ says 20%-40% deduction for salvaged title.

I was thinking about starting out with an offer of $5500, but I know its worth more than that.

jibberjive

Not a bad price for an avant.