Greetings,

I am looking at a 1996 A6Q... I just got the title report and it shows a rebuilt/reconstructed title and also of a salvage title being issued.

The car is in very good condition. The owner states that there was an accident, and that the rear bumper was replaced – this happened when the previous owner had the car. The bent exhaust pipe shows that there was some accident. I checked all welds, he said he had the same checks done, and I can't see any evidence of structural damage - all factory welds remain, any damage that may have happened, looks to have been minor and repaired by a reputable repair shop (I have the name of the place).

I have an independent inspector going to look at the car by Monday or Tuesday, and if he approves of the car, they will issue a warranty on the car (4yr/50K) if I want to buy it.

I don't know what if any problems a rebuilt title might bring up along the line - please advise, and note that I have negotiated a price of $13,900 for the car. It is a ’96 A6Q sedan, 44,000 miles, leather, sunroof, Audi/Bose audio, cold weather pkg, convienence pkg, Quattro, etc. Edmunds and other value estimators come out at about $22-$24K retail, $18.5-$20K wholesale.

Thanks in advance!<p><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/images/msig.gif">

 

Here is the actual report:

01/01/1996 Registered as private vehicle -Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Dept - Macungie, PA

02/02/1996 - 90 Miles - Title or Registration - Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Dept - Macungie, PA

07/18/1997 - 10,336 Miles - SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE Issued - Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Dept - Pittston, PA

11/26/1997 - SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE Issued - REBUILT TITLE Issued - Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Dept - Walnutport, PA

12/23/1997 - SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE Issued - REBUILT TITLE Issued - Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Dept - Scranton, PA

01/28/1999 - 14,963 Miles - SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE Issued - REBUILT TITLE Issued - Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Dept - Scranton, PA

What can you make of this?

Thanks again!<p><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/images/msig.gif">

 

The vehicle has been totaled… Salvaged and rebuilt. The vehicle has not been in a fender bender; it has been completely destroyed and totaled out by an insurance company!

It is not worth the headache and it has questionable resale value… Take away the previous 19K and substitute a value of a scraped A6, ~$1500!

 

Have you considered a certified used Audi from an Audi dealer?

I feel that I got my used Audi at a better price then I would have ever gotten from a private individual. How is this possible?

The dealer paid a trade-in price that was well below the used retail price… Knowing what that it was a trade-in and knowing that the dealer wanted to clear their books, I got a heck of a good deal.

I know this is not for everyone, but I think I did ok.

Good luck!

 

Steven S. is right. RUN AWAY! Be patient, the right car will come along.

 

I would qualify you as a smarter purchaser of an auto than I have ever been :-)

 

RUUUUUN away. The car had a lot more than a bumper replaced. If the damage to the car exceeds the book value, the insurance company pays the owner the book vale only. Depending on the damage, the car is sold for parts & the title is stamped "salvage". Some states allow rebuilding & an inspection...this sounds like what you have. Even with a waranty, remember that the car was trashed...good luck having the waranty honored down the road.

 

Please, please, don't go there ! Worth 10K tops for perfect car

 

With a '94, with no complaints about the price or the car, just the dealer! (Plenty of them)<p><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/images/msig.gif">

 

Thanks for the responses! Of course, I have more work to do on this one before I run away. Ok, before you bring it up I am being cautious and have been since the start, or since I heard of the 'accident'. Anyway, my father purchased a used Audi about 5 or 6 years ago... he went to register the car and found it to have a salvage/junk title. Of course, the car was right in front of his eyes, nothing had been done to the car, no damage, no wreck, never totaled. He went back to the dealer he bought it from, and *then* they told him it was a recovered stolen vehicle blah blah blah. So months later, the car had a 'rebuilt' title and was on the road. 50K of good service before he sold it. There was never a problem with the car minus something to do with the ac right before he sold it. No doubt in my mind that it was in fact a recovered stolen vehicle, not totaled, even though it had a salvage title when he bought it.

While I won't buy this car if it has been totaled (for any price), and I hope the inspector can help me determine that, I don't have a reason to not buy it if it was not totaled but rather a recovered stolen car, at this time anyway. So, please fire away at that idea if you have any experience.

Just since I posted I have thought up a whole game plan which should be fun, I will let you know what comes next, if anything.

Thanks again!<p><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/images/msig.gif">