Salvage Title Prius

Hi guys!

DO NOT buy a salvage title Prius--A dose of reality for anyone looking to buy a Prius.


Do not get ripped off with the lies, and don't waste your time. There are many Craigslist postings for these cars and every one of them is a potential danger to your health, safety and your wallet. The above photos (not too pretty are they?) are something you don't see when these guys try to sell you a salvage title Prius. They're hiding the truth from you in order to swindle your hard earned money. Please read my posting to illuminate yourself to the danger:
My posting is a public service announcement and helpful to those who are considering purchasing a salvage title Prius. That said, I've done extensive due diligence on the subject. First of all, please note that I am not a dealership or a sales person involved with a dealership, nor do I sell cars for a living. However, I know quite a bit about cars because I have owned at least 9 of them in the past 20 years. I also worked for my uncle's auto shop for several years as a teen, and then hung out with a few friends who taught me how to work on cars mechanically--so I know what to look for and what matters.

Now onto the matter at hand: I have met and seen many of these cars here locally and also in Sacramento where the majority of this 'salvage title Prius' activity takes place. There are many ex-Soviet people namely, Russians and Ukrainians who traffic in salvage title Prius cars because they know there's a huge pent up demand for eco-friendly cars. They purchase them from insurance auto auctions like Copart with their pal's dealer license and do some work repairing the cars. From my field report these people do awful body repair. The paint color rarely matches the car's original color and they use cheaper parts when possible. The work detail to bottom-line it for you is very sloppy, unprofessional as it is unappealing.

The cars are drivable, but not what you are expecting. Especially not for the price you will be paying. Therein lies the problem. Had the car's cost been half of what a clean title Prius is going for, then there is a potential bargain to be had. This is not what is happening. Due to the high demand of Toyota Prius, these people are asking and in many cases getting close to what a clean title Prius is going for. This is very dangerous for a few reasons.

The cars structural identity is compromised from the 'fender bender' which in all honesty is a lie. Take a look at the photos that I have found. They will show the level of intense damage these cars have taken. The frame is clearly damaged and in many cases, the airbags have gone off. These cars have been WORKED over good in tragic accidents. I would not think the original owners of these cars may have died in them. This is entirely possible.

I have seen these cars in their various states of repair and I can tell you that they were in severe accidents. Insurance companies will not release a car to salvage title without cause. It had to have been quite severe in order for the insurance company to do this. I have seen entire front ends collapsed and torn off (again, see the photos attached to this posting to serve as evidence). I have also seen the motor pushed back behind the firewall and the radiator destroyed along with all the a/c lines and fuel lines. In one of these Craigslist 'salvage title Prius' ads from the Sacramento area, I witnessed the electric motor in some cases are so damaged that it makes a whirring sound the moment you start the car and accelerate. This sound does not stop because the motor is damaged. Try taking it for a spin. After you buy it the car will stop running. How much do you think that will cost you?

Secondly, the cars are no longer warranty-able. Toyota North America will never allow a salvage title car to purchase additional warranty coverage (have you seen my photos guys???) Third, the possibility for you to spend even more money to fix what these people overlooked or did not is great. These guys are horrible mechanics. I have seen them at work. They are quick and pay no attention to detail.

Lastly, as my posting stated. The registration has not been paid for in many of these cars..for years. Which means you will end up paying when you go to the DMV to register the car. Be ready for that.

There are currently two types of people buying these cars, people who don't know anything about salvage title cars who read only what these people post online and actually believe them..and Taxi Cab companies.

Finally, beware that Car fax is only as good as the owner of the vehicle. Car fax is quite the joke. It can be gamed and most often times it is. If the owner doesn't report an accident, Car fax does not know anything. Car fax is not 100% fool proof. I recently saw an ad for a Toyota Prius on Craigslist that stated it had a "clean car fax". I mean, what the **** does that mean? I got suspicious and asked him what this meant. The owner did not disclose his Prius was in an accident and therefore, this would not be listed in the Car fax. It was only after I asked to see the 'clean title' that he disclosed this accident..and of course, he played it down as if it were a minor fender bender, like every single one of these people who sell salvage title cars do.
Please help others by getting the word out and feel free to repost this message to any message board.