To Buy or Not to Buy a totaled Jeep......that is the question

[Paul65k]

So as you may have seen the wife had a pretty small accident in our Jeep LJ Rubicon and the insurance company has decided they will be totaling it. I feel pretty good with the amount they have offered although I think I can get a little more when I send them some detail on recent purchases....but I have decided that I want to move on to a 4 door Rubicon that I can also use to show lots in my RE business.

I have the option to buy the jeep back for $7,500 with Salvage title and not sure if it would make sense to try and flip it/part it out??? It pretty much needs front bumper, fenders/hood and a little suspension work in front (plus the airbags if they get replaced of course).

On the good side the engine, radiator and all components there are intact and run fine as well as 3 brand new wheels and tires (4th was damaged in accident).........it's just that this is a pretty desirable jeep so I just don't know.....what to do.

What does the RDP brain trust say??

 

[Paul65k]

Pics

 

[Singleton]

If the frame is not bent, roll the dice. Brandon (Cole Trickle) to the white curtesy phone. That dude has a ton of knowledge on Jeeps.

 

[wsuwrhr]

Do you want to fuck with it?

 

[Paul65k]

Do you want to fuck with it?

Yeah......good question!!
Not really but then again if a real Jeep guy thinks it's worth the $$ I might just let them have it, hate to see an old friend go to the scrap pile.......I just don't know if that is a high or low number though!!

 

[ArizonaKevin]

Is it an LJ or TJ? People go nuts for LJ rubicons and will pay through the nose for one.

 

[Singleton]

Yeah......good question!!
Not really but then again if a real Jeep guy thinks it's worth the $$ I might just let them have it, hate to see an old friend go to the scrap pile.......I just don't know if that is a high or low number though!!

Post it as is with savage title and see if someone jumps in it. Explain you can buy it back but only if someone shows interest. Only bad part to this is all the CL scammers.

 

[Paul65k]

Is it an LJ or TJ? People go nuts for LJ rubicons and will pay through the nose for one.

LJ Rubicon........apparently only 12K were ever built during the 2005 and 2006 model years.

 

[ArizonaKevin]

Agree with what singleton said above, post it to Pirate4x4, I would imagine that you could get some good offers.

 

[Cole Trickle]

LJ rubicon’s are bringing 18k+

If you were going to keep it and build it I would say it might be a good deal. I’m not sure there is a ton of $$$ parting it out and I’m not sure there will be a ton of $$$ putting it back together and selling it.

How much would you pay for a complete salvaged title LJ rubicon? 13-15k?

I imagine you will have 2-4K+ to put it back together if you score parts and do the work yourself.

 

[Cole Trickle]

I’m almost intrigued at $7500 to build a new crawler.....is it a stick or auto?

My dad’s new build is getting close. View attachment 615589

 

[Cole Trickle]

On shot never mind...both air bags popped... I would walk just that alone will be bucks.

 

[wsuwrhr]

Yeah......good question!!
Not really but then again if a real Jeep guy thinks it's worth the $$ I might just let them have it, hate to see an old friend go to the scrap pile.......I just don't know if that is a high or low number though!!

It wont be scrapped, it wil go to auction and bring 3-4K and will likely be parted out or be put back together and sold with a salvage title.

Im thinkin 4k is the number for you to buy it back, otherwise you are just trading dollars and it sounds like you aren't wanting it for yourself. The salvage title will scare anyone away except for someone wanting a rock crawler and doesn't care about comp insurance. I don't think you can get full coverage insurance with a salvage title. Titles used to be able to be "washed" though a lien or interstate sales, but that is long gone.

 

[wsuwrhr]

On shot never mind...both air bags popped... I would walk just that alone will be bucks.

Those are all available used or new.....

 

[Taboma]

Hopefully you got a few accessories off before the ins dude took pictures

 

[Cole Trickle]

Those are all available used or new.....

Air bags aren’t usually that cheap... maybe because there are a lot of crossover vehicles you could buy them off eBay and take a gamble?

 

[fishing fool]

I had a 91 jeep that had a salvage title. It was a theft recovery, only needed roll bar, seats, doors, bumpers and wheels. To register it in cali I had to get a brake and light inspection. Each was like $100. Loved it and drove the wheels off it.
Down side would be resale. But if you don't plan on keeping it then no problem.

If the frame is good your biggest price will be airbags.

 

[Runs2rch]

On shot never mind...both air bags popped... I would walk just that alone will be bucks.

Cold do both bags with clockspring for under 1500.

 

[pwerwagn]

I’d love to have an LJ rubi. But I think their buyback price is high. I would have expected more in the 2500-4K range.

I’ve back bought quite a few salvage vehicles. I’d pass on it for 7500 if I were you. By the time you put ~4K in it to get it back to normal, you still have a 12-13k$ salvage title jeep.

 

[Cole Trickle]

Cold do both bags with clockspring for under 1500.

Now your at 9k

Probably another 2k best case scenario for hood,fenders,bumper if you have a paint hook up.

Another $500-1000 misc. (wheel/tire,etc...)

Be a good buy for how clean it is if you plan to keep it and use it.

 

[Runs2rch]

Now your at 9k

Probably another 2k best case scenario for hood,fenders,bumper if you have a paint hook up.

Another $500-1000 misc. (wheel/tire,etc...)

Be a good buy for how clean it is if you plan to keep it and use it.

Def would be a keep it and use it.

 

[Paul65k]

Here's what it looked like before the new bumpers and the BRAND new tires and wheels

 

[sml]

7,500 buy back seems way too high in my opinion!


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[Paul65k]

Thanks all....I think you guys are right......best to just take the $$ and run to the next one.......which I think I found BTW

 

[sml]

Like wsuwrhr commented it will go to auction but i think it may get 5k. Someone will fix it and someone else will be stoked to buy it whether it has a salvage title or not (pretty sure noone gives a shit about that east of CA &AZ). A (editerfect condition) non rusty framed LJ from AZ is like having a winning lottery ticket in your hand over here in the rust belt.


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[Flying_Lavey]

Well any good Jeep is Jest Exchange Every Part anyways so..... it would likely just end up that way anyways.. ....

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[2Driver]

Good choice. By the time you screw with it, its not worth your time. With a salvage title it will only bring rough to average trade-in for a NADA book value, maybe a little more. Its like saying, I bought a set of used tires for half price and they still have 50% tread left on them. You have better things to do.

 

[Bowtiepower00]

LJ Rubicon is the unicorn. I think you can make money selling it after you buy it back. I bet you can get 9k+. If you rebuild it with the right parts I can see 3500+ profit, the salvage title won't be as big a hit having proof of the original accident, just do a build thread and you're golden. Just about any other rig I'd say let it go...

 

[Paul65k]

LJ Rubicon is the unicorn. I think you can make money selling it after you buy it back. I bet you can get 9k+. If you rebuild it with the right parts I can see 3500+ profit, the salvage title won't be as big a hit having proof of the original accident, just do a build thread and you're golden. Just about any other rig I'd say let it go...

It's yours for $7500 if you want it!!

 

[Bowtiepower00]

Believe me, if I could convince my better half to invest in a "totaled" Jeep build I would in a second, I remember shopping them new in 07, I wanted the LJ, and she wanted a Silverado lol...great truck that never really depreciated but I still wish we got the Jeep...

 

[sml]

For that buy back price i would walk away unless you really wanted it to build a legit crawler or dune machine. In that case i would negotiate them down as much as possible.

It sounds like you made the decision already and time to move on!

To give you an idea of prices, this place moves a shitload of salvage title LJ’s......

http://www.daveysjeeps.com/repairables.html


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[welldigger00]

Is it an auto, or standard shift?


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[boatpi]

Go the the shop, get a copy of the estimate and discuss it with them. You could have more damage that is undetected, so ask them what could this additional be once they open it up, like bent axle, etc. You CANNOT register it in CA unless the airbags are replaced and inspected.

 

[Paul65k]

Is it an auto, or standard shift?


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Auto

 

[Paul65k]

Go the the shop, get a copy of the estimate and discuss it with them. You could have more damage that is undetected, so ask them what could this additional be once they open it up, like bent axle, etc. You CANNOT register it in CA unless the airbags are replaced and inspected.

Wasnt done at a shop. State Farm towed it to PHX (Salvage yard) and did the assessment there.....I can get a copy of the estimate but talking to shop in person ain't gonna happen

 

[Paul65k]

You guys are awesome....thanks for all the feedback

 

[welldigger00]

I’d jump on this if it was standard. Long arm kit, steel fenders, dynatracks, this thing would be so badass.


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[TCHB]

I would pass on it and look for a another Jeep if that is what you want.

 

[RiverDave]

Not for anything, but I wouldn’t buy it..

 

[Paul65k]

I’d jump on this if it was standard. Long arm kit, steel fenders, dynatracks, this thing would be so badass.


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Weird.....most of the serious crawlers I know out here all prefer the Auto, but then again the manual does put a bit more HP to the wheels!!

 

[welldigger00]

I love up in arrowhead, and driving up and down the mountain is the number one reason I prefer standard shift. I’ve owned several TJ’s, and some of my friends have autos. I agree that autos are nice to wheel, but if you have a properly setup manual trans/transfer case, and a thumb throttle, it works well. I dream about getting an LJ, they’re the pinnacle of jeep design.


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[DaBank]

$4k to $5k. $7500 You be paying retail for it as it is with a salvage title and the damage it needs repaired. At $4k you would be coming out ahead and the $ and labor it needs.
Also if I remember right this was a ex goverment vehicle ? If so in the long run it will have a lot of negatives on the car fax that people will want to adjust the sale price.

Now if you wanted to fix it and keep it because you know the Jeep then you can pay more for it but $7.5k still seems to much?

 

[Riverbottom]

It is a white LJ Rubicon, worth a lot of money to the right person. Might put it on the forums at AEV (American Expedition Vehicles ) I think you might be able to negotiate the salvage value with State Farm. ( I have in the past ) I was offered $ 27,500 for my 05 LJ a few months back, and I don't even have it for sale.

 

[DaBank]

I passed like a idiot a few months ago on a 2013 JKU with 50k miles and $50k plus in Evo coilovers suspension and dana 60s and hyd steering and beadlock 40's,etc. It was a flop over that the roof also hit a rock (a mountain lol) that was a total from insurance company. It need a new body to do it right. Nothing else was damaged and drove perfect. It was a friend of friend that was iin the same deal as you, I was offered it for $15k and I keep doing the math on swapping new body and new the parts alone was worth more than $15k.
Needless to say my friend bought it for $12.5.....his friend bought it back from his insurance company for $10k. He parted it out in 1 week for $20k for almost all the upgrades minus the wheels and tires he used on his jeep and still has the rest of the Jeep.

So $7500 for yours vs $10k for the above JKU i think the insurance company is the only one coming out ahead.

 

[2Driver]

Paul did you ever say how many miles are on your LJ? ??

State Farm knows auction prices are running high and have the historical data in their claims software. I can buy at dealer auction and dont even bother as the low end dealers bid things up to private party prices.

Its insane. A rebuild dealer will buy that totaled for top dollar, work on it for 2 weeks and make $500 and be happy. Margins are stupid thin but I guess it beats working at circle K

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I don’t know jeeps well enough, but parting it could make money but be a hassle. If you can buy it back, and make $1000+ just flipping the entire thing I’d do it.

Throw and ad on Craigslist with the pictures and see what pops out of the wood work. There are shops with the parts to fix the Jeep sitting on a shelf.

When I sold my wrecked CTS-V, it was mostly owners of shops that reached out to buy it.

Repair estimate was $32k, the car was fixed by the new owner for $10k

 

[Paul65k]

Lots of thoughts on the thing......it is a white LJ/auto/hardtop and as such is at the top of the TJ food-chain and with around 95K it's not too many miles but still quite a few. The hard top alone would likely bring some good $$ but I'm probably just gonna pass and get on with the replacement.

If anyone on here would like it I'll pass it through for you at the $7500 but if not I'm pretty happy with the settlement they have offered and would easily be able to replace it with another LJ with what they are going to give me.........but as I said I'm moving up to a JKU with a lot of really nice stuff and most importantly the wife is fine.

Thanks again everyone!!

 

[guest hs]

Can I have the wheels and tires from it ? You can have your old ones back. Lol

 

[wsuwrhr]

Lots of thoughts on the thing......it is a white LJ/auto/hardtop and as such is at the top of the TJ food-chain and with around 95K it's not too many miles but still quite a few. The hard top alone would likely bring some good $$ but I'm probably just gonna pass and get on with the replacement.

If anyone on here would like it I'll pass it through for you at the $7500 but if not I'm pretty happy with the settlement they have offered and would easily be able to replace it with another LJ with what they are going to give me.........but as I said I'm moving up to a JKU with a lot of really nice stuff and most importantly the wife is fine.

Thanks again everyone!!

I figured a guy of your stature would at LEAST try and negotiate a lesser buyback value.

 

[nameisbond]

IMHO, its not worth buying back unless you have connections with body shop work. Nobody, likes salvage titled vehicles.