[Varner321]

UPDATE
Hey guys, I am grateful to all who have contributed to my previous post, while on my personal research I wanted to know more about the vehicle so I did what you guys recommended to get the carfax report, but I did found another website which is cheaper of course, it's Detailed Vehicle History Report For any Vehicle - 100% Accurate ( I recommend you guys if you don't want to spend $40), so in the report I found the auction records and the pictures of the vehicle, the damage seems very minor, I want you guys to have a look, and give me your thought. Thanks guys
Here is the car report: https://app.detailedvehiclehistory.com/report/vin/2B3HD46TXTH222126


Hey Dodge Intrepid team! Hope you all are doing well, thanks for having me here, straight to the topic, I'm interested in owning a 1996 Dodge Intrepid, This car has a SALVAGE TITLE! here in my location, before ending the deal, I really want to make sure that I'm getting a good reliable car for what I pay, I want to know that what I should be looking for when purchasing this Intrepid, anything to take into consideration, what to look for or any suggestion you guys have, please share it with me,

Some things that I will be looking out for during my inspection day:
noises in the engine
check transmission for slips jolts etc
verify all electrics / features / lights,
coolant or oil leaks
They are asking for the price of $2500 and it has 67939 Miles with a Salvage Title. Is it worth it or not?

If you guys have any suggestions on what to look at.
thanks

 

[NOLAdude]

Nope. It would honestly only be worth about $2500 on a good day with a GOOD, BLEMISH FREE title. I'm assuming it doesn't have any rust or rot being that it's in Nevada, so that's at least one good thing it has going for it. But to be perfectly and painfully honest, that car is superb condition is only really worth about $1000 with a salvage title, $1500 would be a far stretch. If the seller thinks it's worth more just because of this crazy car market these days, more power to them. I'd personally pass on it if they refuse to go down below $1200. $1200 would be my TOP number with a Salvage title. I can see from the pics that the sun has taken a toll on it. Faded paint, missing C-pillar covers (passenger side one is gone at least) and I'd bet my paycheck that the wiper cowl is so baked and brittle that if you touched it, it would crumble like potato chips.

 

[D725U]

You'd be lucky to fetch even $500 for a mint 1st gen LH these days. There's simply no market demand for these cars anymore.

 

[JordanS]

You'd be lucky to fetch even $500 for a mint 1st gen LH these days. There's simply no market demand for these cars anymore.

Thats true. I would still haggle a little if you can because while these are getting harder and harder to find, it's still got a salvage title. I'd find out if it was actually totaled or if it was just totaled by insurance. I saw a super clean 04 SXT with 40k miles selling for 4kk because they hit a deer and cracked the bumper and broke a headlight. The crack in the bumper was so small even up close it was hard to see and aftermarket headlights cost at most $190 a set so the insurance definitely totaled it out for these small things. Just do some research on this particular car if youre really interested in it.

 

[Ronbo]

I wouldn't even bother with it with the salvage title. But that's just me.

 

[JordanS]

I wouldn't even bother with it with the salvage title. But that's just me.

I mean yea but since the resale value of these are so low and if the milage hasn't been rolled back, it would be worth looking into if you're really interested in the car.

 

[Ronbo]

Get a Carfax and find out what caused it to get a salvage title. I wouldn't bother with a first gen myself. Just me. Only certain models/years of second gens I would consider also.

 

[Varner321]

Thats true. I would still haggle a little if you can because while these are getting harder and harder to find, it's still got a salvage title. I'd find out if it was actually totaled or if it was just totaled by insurance. I saw a super clean 04 SXT with 40k miles selling for 4kk because they hit a deer and cracked the bumper and broke a headlight. The crack in the bumper was so small even up close it was hard to see and aftermarket headlights cost at most $190 a set so the insurance definitely totaled it out for these small things. Just do some research on this particular car if youre really interested in it.

Thanks for your suggestion, yes i will do some research on it.

 

[Varner321]

Get a Carfax and find out what caused it to get a salvage title. I wouldn't bother with a first gen myself. Just me. Only certain models/years of second gens I would consider also.

Thanks I will get the Carfax report, before going to inspect report, Thanks again for your suggestion.

 

[JordanS]

Thanks for your suggestion, yes i will do some research on it.

You’re welcome and good luck!

 

[Varner321]

Hey guys, I am grateful to all who have contributed to my previous post, while on my personal research I wanted to know more about the vehicle so I did what you guys recommended to get the carfax report, but I did found another website which is cheaper of course, it's Detailed Vehicle History Report For any Vehicle - 100% Accurate ( I recommend you guys if you don't want to spend $40), so in the report I found the auction records and the pictures of the vehicle, the damage seems very minor, I want you guys to have a look, and give me your thought. Thanks guys
Here is the car report: https://app.detailedvehiclehistory.com/report/vin/2B3HD46TXTH222126

 

[JordanS]

Oh that doesn't look too bad. It's all cosmetic stuff so I bet it's just insurance totaled.

 

[Ronbo]

Looks like a bumper cover, left tai light and the foam energy absorber under the bumper cover. There's a metal bracket under there that runs almost the width of the car needs to be checked too.

Overall not super expensive except for the paint/color matching

 

[IntrepidLover1956]

Although you need to inspect for additional damage under the bumper, the cover itself shouldn't be a major problem. I have had great luck with using a heat gun to remove the dents in a bumper cover. I would remove the bumper cover from the car for this procedure - there are probably YouTube videos detailing the removal. Additionally, removing the bumper cover would allow you to easily inspect for additional damage that may be hidden while the cover is on.

You should be able to find the taillight assembly used on eBay or Amazon for not too much money (1995-1997 DODGE INTREPID LEFT DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT LAMP OEM, 166-01477 | eBay, Dodge INTREPID 1995 1996 1997 TAIL LIGHT Lamp Driver Left LH Side OEM Genuine | eBay, 93-97 DODGE INTREPID LH L LEFT HAND DRIVER SIDE LOWER TAIL LIGHT BODY FILLER OEM | eBay (the taillight assembly is actually two pieces - you might be able to get away with just this piece)). Additionally, there are two UPull locations near me, and I'm on the notification list if any of them are brought into the locations. I could keep an eye out for one, if you'd like me to.

As for the rest of the Intrepid, I have a 3.5L engine with more than 307,000 miles on it. The only non-maintenance work on it has been replacing a leaking camshaft seal (some time prior to 200,000 miles) and replacing a bad head gasket at about 286,000 miles. I've really liked and enjoy this car. I've never owned one that I liked better. I'm hoping that I die before the car does (and hope that parts, which are somewhat hard to come by these days, remain available).

I noticed on the report that you linked that the car was sold for $300. Were you the buyer?

 

[JordanS]

Although you need to inspect for additional damage under the bumper, the cover itself shouldn't be a major problem. I have had great luck with using a heat gun to remove the dents in a bumper cover. I would remove the bumper cover from the car for this procedure - there are probably YouTube videos detailing the removal. Additionally, removing the bumper cover would allow you to easily inspect for additional damage that may be hidden while the cover is on.

You should be able to find the taillight assembly used on eBay or Amazon for not too much money (1995-1997 DODGE INTREPID LEFT DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT LAMP OEM, 166-01477 | eBay, Dodge INTREPID 1995 1996 1997 TAIL LIGHT Lamp Driver Left LH Side OEM Genuine | eBay, 93-97 DODGE INTREPID LH L LEFT HAND DRIVER SIDE LOWER TAIL LIGHT BODY FILLER OEM | eBay (the taillight assembly is actually two pieces - you might be able to get away with just this piece)). Additionally, there are two UPull locations near me, and I'm on the notification list if any of them are brought into the locations. I could keep an eye out for one, if you'd like me to.

As for the rest of the Intrepid, I have a 3.5L engine with more than 307,000 miles on it. The only non-maintenance work on it has been replacing a leaking camshaft seal (some time prior to 200,000 miles) and replacing a bad head gasket at about 286,000 miles. I've really liked and enjoy this car. I've never owned one that I liked better. I'm hoping that I die before the car does (and hope that parts, which are somewhat hard to come by these days, remain available).

I noticed on the report that you linked that the car was sold for $300. Were you the buyer?

I agree with you. I love my 2.7 even though it can’t stop breaking on me lol! I plan on keeping it til I’m dead.

 

[zerokool]

would be good for groceries.. and for winter driving

 

[JordanS]

would be good for groceries.. and for winter driving

It is though I want this winter I want to keep it out of the salt and snow. It's starting to rust on the inside of the trunk and on the passenger rear fender (I've noticed this is a really common place for these to rust) so I want to get that fixed before winter or at minimum, do my best to slow the progresson of it until I can afford the body work to be done.

 

[Varner321]

Anyone here has experienced buying a used salvage car