'03 Mach 1 w/ Rebuilt Title

wg3497

New Member
Jan 13, 2004
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I just test drove a gray '03 Mach1 with 5000 miles. It was was wrecked new so they salvaged it. The guy that bought it had the work done to fix it up: new rim, bumper, lights, passenger fender and radiator support. The frame and engine were not damaged. I know it's true because, by a freak coincidence, a co-worker of mine saw the car wrecked and knows the guy who did the work. He verified everything that the seller said. Anyway, the seller is asking $15000, but said he'd be willing to come down some. I guess driving with my brother in his '69 Mach 1 to check it out helped since he knows we're Mustang fans and could appreciate the car. I'm just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on pricing or could give some feedback. Oh, and anyone want a '94 GT?
 
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Well, obviously if you're just thinking about the purchasing part, that price is pretty good since the damage was fairly minor. The only thing I'd worry about is that if you ever go to sell it you have that rebuild title...and the person buying it will not "by an odd coincidence" know that it was minor damage. If you plan to keep it for a long while, I say go for it.
 
By the time I buy it, if I do, it will have a "rebuilt/restored" title. And I'm not sure why they decided to just salvage it. Everyone I've talked to says it's because it was so new and had a fair amount of visible damage. The damage has been repaired and there are only a few visible blemishes, including a slight difference in the metallic flake between the hood and passenger fender. The alignment between that fender and the hood is just off too. There is some dust around the engine bay because the guy who wrecked it slid into a sand pile. That may have also led to the salvage title because after the wreck it was covered in dust.
 
Yeah, have a good impartial body shop check the unibody alignment. If it is out of spec that is a deal killer.

And yeah, that shiot will always be in Carfax so the value will always be low, when you try to sell it.

Have you seen the actual Carfax report? Make the seller provide it for free...
 
I'd be very careful. I'd follow some of the advice already given. Take the car to someone/place that is completly neutral and have everything checked out as throughly as possible. If the car has a salvage title, chances are there was some major damage. Insurance companies arent going to salvage a car for something minor. Plus salvage titles always make it hard to sell later on. If it was me.....I would pass. Good luck either way though.
 
RUN, RUN, RUN AWAY - a salvage title?!?! That's telling me that this car was totaled. If you are really that interested, be sure to get the frame checked.
In the end, I think you are asking for trouble...
 
I wouldn't be afraid to buy it if I were planning to keep it until the wheels fall off. If you even think you might want to sell it some day than I would think long and hard. I think 15K is way to much for a car without a clean title.
 
rjstaaf said:
I wouldn't be afraid to buy it if I were planning to keep it until the wheels fall off. If you even think you might want to sell it some day than I would think long and hard. I think 15K is way to much for a car without a clean title.
I agree...when I was looking for a mustang this one guy wanted $7500 for a 1991 white LX hatch with a salvage title because, and I quote, "The seats were stolen" :lol:
 
^ LOL, people think buyers are stupid I guess....as for the mach, 15K is a good price to me, IF your planning on keeping the car AND if there is nothing wrong with it....have someone drive behind you and make sure the car is driving straight, and there should be almost no vibration. If everything was good, then i would get it....but i usually plan on keeping the cars I buy forever.
 
rjstaaf said:
I wouldn't be afraid to buy it if I were planning to keep it until the wheels fall off. If you even think you might want to sell it some day than I would think long and hard. I think 15K is way to much for a car without a clean title.
Agreed - have you asked why it has a salvage title if the accident was so minor? Something doesn't add up here...
 
If it were a stolen salvage it's a different story. But a salvage from an accident is different. Things could pop up a year down the road and you would be possibly stuck with a car that isn't driveable.