Vintage Speedster # 18 Goes On eBay This Week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhRwfhxco7A

 Here is a link to all the pictures!  http://kvan.hopto.org/RedandBeigeSpeedster.htm

Correction.  I'm color blind and Sally tells me that the interior is Light Sand with a Tan top and carpets.

Troy isn't this going to be a challenge for the buyer to resell down the line due to the salvage title?  Not everyone is a speedster jedi salesman like yourself.  The car looks great but if I bought it and turned around and sold it later wouldn't it be difficult to get a decent price?  Have you sold salvage title speedsters before and if so what has been your experience?  Anyone else out there had any experience with S titles?

In my opinion, if someone is looking for one of these little jewels, they're most likely going to keep it and enjoy it for several years so getting a good deal on one and passing that good deal along when it is time to sell would make the choice easy whether the title says salvage or not.

I have bought and sold 2 salvaged cars in the past and didn't have a problem and they were actually salvaged by the insurance provider and the title was branded with a large red stamp "SALVAGE". I drove them for a few years and sold them for slightly less than what I paid for them which beats buying a new car and selling it a few years later for less than half of what was paid for it.

I have to say that if I were in the market for a Speedster that I would look for one for sale from Troy because of the way that he represents the cars that he sells. I don't know him at all but have seen some of the cars that he has sold in the past and he gives plenty of details, pictures and even video. I bought mine sight unseen from Florida and had it shipped to me here in New Mexico and it has turned out to be a great and fun little car but it needed more work than what was disclosed at the time of the sale but I have no regrets.

If I do ever decided to sell mine, I hope that I can represent it as well as Troy represents those that he sells.

I like this particular car for sale a LOT. The color combination alone is awesome and the condition is beautiful.

Jimmy

I don't know if you would call one transaction experience or not.  IMHO the confusion is caused by different States having different definitions.  I bought a car in California that had a salvage title because it was a theft recovery, it had not been damaged.

Apparently in California if a Insurance Company pays a claim and takes a title/possession , it is required by law to be branded with a savage title. 

The same car did not have a salvage title in Oregon but did in Washington. ?

Oregon did not honor California's title but Washington did. Confusing ? Yes

Explaining that is difficult and even with a independent professional inspection and the fact that the CPU had no record of trouble codes...including the fact that the air bags had never deployed..... it reduced the value of the car by about 25%....in that one case....soooo...

It would not bother me to buy a car with a salvage title if it shows no actual damage or the damage was repaired to my satisfaction subject to a inspection but you will need to buy it knowing that there will be a problem if you intend to sell it..

And that is just my 2 cents based upon a single experience.       

Thanks for the responses.  I agree Troy has an excellent reputation and this car looks nice.  I intend to buy a speedster and keep it for a long time, I just think its smart to protect yourself financially when making any large purchase, as we all know life throws curveballs and in the event of a forced sale you want to make sure you aren't going to take a big hit.  One of the attractive things about owning one of these beautiful cars is that the resell is strong and cost of ownership is low.

Troy is a personal friend and a stand-up kinda guy! Knowing his integrity and attention to detail, I do not think anyone can go wrong purchasing any of Troy's refurbished Speedsters! 

I would add, that the car I was buying and selling was a expensive sports car and the potential buyers were car people and were pretty sharp and did not need any financing.

I had no trouble with insurance or licensing the car but I understand some insurance companies will not insure a car with a salvage title and some banks/ect will not finance them...so some phone calls are probably a wise move. 

I would not hesitate to do it again. 

I also consider Troy a personal friend, and would not hesitate buying a tub from him, BUT "Salvage" titles have a stigma attached to them regardless of the reason, and insurance companies do have their own rules regarding salvage titles, such as not being able to get comprehensive coverage, to mention one issue.

I have owned a few Salvage title cars and as long as you realize the possible difficulty at resale, they are as good as any other vehicle other than the paper work.

My $.02 is that if you are looking to get a solid car from a good source, Troy's sounds like a winner. If you are even in the slightest bit concerned about resale later then I'd personally stear clear. I know kit cars fall under a different umbrella but not all kit cars have a salvage title and that raises a red flag for many. I only echo the insurance/financing problems that have been mentioned earlier as the reason, and not questioning the quality of the car. No doubt, Troy will find a buyer & that buyer will be a very happy owner. Troy's market just might be a little bit smaller because of that pesky salvage designation.

Are these heater tubes your addition or is this the new way Vintage is making them now?

I just checked the insurance part isn't a problem in case anyone is curious.  Also you do have to get a certification inspection (here in Colorado) to prove its road worthy before you register it.

Back in December of 2012 I bought a 57 CMC Speedster registered as a 64 VW in Nevada.  No go in Oregon!!  If you are caught robbing a bank and someone takes down the license # the cops will be looking for an old VW bug.  I have to do a bunch of paperwork and have the car registered as a replica and list engine, trans serial #s, plus vin # which does not exist. This all has to be inspected at DMV. So I am tween a rock and hard place and just drive around without plates and carry the old owners title, bill of sales etc.  So far I have had a fine summer.  A cali buyer will be fine but I have learned my lesson.

As far as the State of New Hampshire is concerned, due to it's age and that fact it does have a title, 'salvage' or not, no problem with registration and as far as Met Life is concerned, no problem there either. I'd have no problem purchasing this. Beautiful job again Troy!

Zumwoll, 

I'm not sure why you're between a rock and a hard place.  No VIN is pretty common.  They'll give you one and have a procedure for mounting it.  The rest is just paperwork.  What's the problem?

Yeah.....same thing in South Carolina, Rhode Island and Massachusetts (Where I have had no problem registering a car with a "salvage" title).  And that was NOT for my Speedster - it was for my old F150 pickup truck which sat in a rental car lot in 3 feet of water (which came up just to the bottom of the doors of a 4 wheel drive truck).  Most DMV's are OK with a salvage title, once they know the history of the car.

Here is the eBay link.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/221278965267

I think the diff with my car it was registered as a 64 Volkswagen Roadster which just did not fly.  I guess if yoiurs is registered as a Speedster I sure believe that there would be no prob.  Salvage titles I have dealt with and I only think it affects some people's perception that there is "something wrong" with the car.

I am heading to the DMV shortly and will try to get things sorted again.  I called HQ DMV today and it seems straight forward.  Apparently they had an issue with it being registered as a Bug rather than a Replica or Kit car.  Just more paperwork, standing in long lines, Going into the parking lot with someone that knows nothing about cars etc etc.  PITA for me.ITMT I am still scooting around.  DId not mean to rain on your parade.  IN fact I was going to get in touch with you to see what other cars you had in the works.  Stuff you have posted looks very clean.

With all the VW pans available in So Cal it seems odd to me that he would build a new car on a salvage pan.  Did Vintage tell you why he used a salvage pan in the first place? 

I called Vintage and was told "I can't remember the last time we've had a salvage title pan in here".

I don't know. Have you tried to source a complete pan lately? They are far and few to find, even Cal. Especially in any quantity.  A wrecked bug with bent, rusted pan is going for $800-1200. Then you need to cut out the floor and weld in Empi replacements to make them sturdy again.

-=theron

The only time I have purchased anything with a salvaged title is if it's a race bike or car. Meaning, a track vehicle only. And even then, the price is reduced dramatically to reflect the title status.

Another VERY important thing to consider when dealing with salvaged titles. Insurance company's ask if it's salvaged or not. Might want to check with them to see if they will even insure a salvaged car for such a high value.

It's a nice car for sure and it looks like he already sold it! Cool!

I imagine that some of the pans that come to Kirk, come without a title, and since the number is stamped on the tunnel, it would be reasonable to assume that Kirk does not know it's a salvage until he gets a new title from the DMV....by then the car could already be complete and ready for the customer...

Again, I assume the only important thing is that VIN number, so it is possible one slips by occasionally...

I'm just saying....

Here on the right coast, there are a number of small VW shops that do complete pan resto's.

By the time you add in a complete spindle to spindle adjustable beam, disc brakes, residual valve, lines, cables, shortening the pans, axles, reman trans, mounts etc. it can easily cost $3,500 w/ labor.

Alan, that does not sound like very much money for an entire rolling automobile chassis, all fixed. 

To clarify, the paperwork that Kirk sends to the DMV is not the "original" pink

issued back in the day, new title (pinks) is issued.......

Troy- congrats on the sale.

I've got no skin in this game.  I'm just passing on what I was told when I called vintage.  I was interested in the car so I was just doing what any smart potential buyer would by researching the car.  

Hi Vince.

I'm not sure if you are referring to my post or your own post, but the copy of the Pink that I have is the pink that was provided to the new owner from the DMV based on the paperwork that Vintage provided to the DMV.

you are correct in that statement Troy...Just wanted to clear up that the pink you get from Kirk (in the mail from the DMV) is brand new issue and that Kirk does not see a pink for all those rusty old pans that he receives, so he has no idea if one is a Salvage title until it is recorded and verified by the DMV, which is basically after the pan is cleaned up and rebodied....

At least that is what I believe....

I'm not sure how he would get them registered if he didn't have proof of ownership.

You are lucky not to live in New York. It is virtually impossible to register a replica in NY from out of state.

SOLD SOLD SOLD!!!

Nice Troy! 

Great Job Troy....  For the record, my vintage speedster came with a salvage title.  Was built in 2003 and made total sense to me why a salvage pan would be used.  I have been to VS and there are stacks of pans there.  For those that had a issue with title, remember these at "kit" cars.  I would be more worried with the builder than the title.

When I registered in NV, title came back clean.

CONGRATS.  HOW COULD IT NOT BE SOLD?