Salavage, part out or grand prize

No fries

No fries

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Joined
Mar 31, 2005
Location
Fort Mill
I'm on the fence about another truck that is being totaled. [emoji849][emoji21] 2000 GMC standard cab, 2wd, 4.8 V8 76K miles on the odometer, 6k miles on the tires. Problem is it is in Alabama where my son is going to school. I've got some resources and a place to store it for free a few months. I'd give up$1,600 to take possession of it or get $7,800 if they keep it. Body shop estimates $5,000 +/- $500 to fix. Windshield A and B pillar are all damaged. I have till Tuesday to decide.

Thoughts? Offers.....
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I'd get them to cut me a check for just under 75% value so it's not totaled and then do a cab swap. If it had 276,000 miles...I'd just take the check, but that's pretty much a new truck.
 
1) Is there something you’d rather have for $7800
2) if no, will it be worth $6600 after the work is done
3) if no, can you get the same truck for $7800
4) if no, will it be a good enough truck to run it until the wheels fall off.

But I’d lean towards taking the money and run.
 
If you do a cab swap you would have to use the other trucks vin number so it would not matter if it was totaled. You could take the whole dollar amount.

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Hadn't thought about a cab swap, I am leaning towards the $7,800 just for lack of hassle, we bought the truck a year ago for $7k so I am "ahead" but it took forever to find a truck that wasn't ragged out. He might be driving a car soon, better gas mileage and a little newer, so we dont have to sink a bunch of $$ into it.

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No fries said:
Hadn't thought about a cab swap, I am leaning towards the $7,800 just for lack of hassle, we bought the truck a year ago for $7k so I am "ahead" but it took forever to find a truck that wasn't ragged out. He might be driving a car soon, better gas mileage and a little newer, so we dont have to sink a bunch of $$ into it.

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If he can get over the ‘old person’ stigma, I’m in love with these cars. I like the body styles of the 08-11’s...V6’s are 265ish hp, so can be fun to drive and get 27-28mpg on the highway. You get some class and luxury out of it...and you can find 25-50,000 mile little old lady used cars for sub-$10k all day long.

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Yea I've thought about those for myself. However I dont want to put him in something fun to drive. He is only 19. I think he would get himself in trouble, with something sporty. Truth is though any car we will probably be more power to weight ratio and handle better than the truck.

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No fries said:
Hadn't thought about a cab swap, I am leaning towards the $7,800 just for lack of hassle, we bought the truck a year ago for $7k so I am "ahead" but it took forever to find a truck that wasn't ragged out. He might be driving a car soon, better gas mileage and a little newer, so we dont have to sink a bunch of $$ into it.
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Here's my practical advice (my advice is rarely practical...:D):

It's a 20 year old truck with a 4.8L and silver paint, that you just bought recently for a relatively good price and have no sentimental attachment to it (Grandpa didn't buy it new from the dealer, and Dad didn't drive you home from the hospital in it). The only relative value is the low mileage, which is not rare for a truck unless the truck is 20 years old.

Your argument is whether you want to pay $6600 (minimum) to get it back and have it repaired, and you've already paid for it once, so you'd then be into the truck for $7k+$6.6k=$13.6k minimum to have it road worthy. If you take the $7800, you'd be slightly ahead of break-even. If you part it out, who knows where you'll end up for recovered money, but there's a lot of work involved and lot of interesting people to deal with (and it's currently in Alabama).

So I think it really comes down to this: Do you want to have a total of $13.6k into a 20-year-old truck with a 4.8L and silver paint (and a salvage title), that you just bought a year ago, just because it has low mileage?
Or to rephrase a different way: Would you have paid $13.6k a year ago to buy this truck?


No fries said:
Truth is though any car we will probably be more power to weight ratio and handle better than the truck.
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It's a 20 year old truck with a 4.8L, so let's hope so.....
 
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Fixing it from a salvage title isnt really something I considered too much. I dont think it is worth it to do that at all either. Parting out is really the other option I thought is a possibility. Sell engine, bed, wheels and tires, pass door, maybe axle. Trying to see if a mechanic might want to buy it for a couple hundred over the $1,600 he could potentially make some $$ and me too.

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anvilrubi said:
Cash the check
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Yea really leaning this way. From the start, I've thought this is the best option. Just exploring all options and maybe get a little extra if possible. I think the $7,800 is fair.

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mikey1369 said:
If you do a cab swap you would have to use the other trucks vin number so it would not matter if it was totaled. You could take the whole dollar amount.

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Titles are supposed to go with frames not cabs. You wouldnt use the other vin.

Id take the cash
 
I didnt say mismatched vins werent a problem. I said the title goes with the frame. Anytime you change an engine or body you are supposed to contact the dmv. They may even issue one of their nc numbers after inspection idk. There are also forms youre to fill out. Dont know how involved it actually gets as ive not gone thru the process. Actually id b
e surprised if 1% of body and or engine swaps get reported to the state. but there are general statues that cover these swaps.


Fabrik8 said:
So if the cab VIN didn't match the frame vin, no problems with titling? Sounds dubious.
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sawdoff said:
Titles are supposed to go with frames not cabs. You wouldnt use the other vin.

Id take the cash
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So, I have had 3 vehicles inspected by the DMV because they are rebuilt wrecks so I can get the salvage titles. Three different inspectors and not one of them ever looked anywhere except the vin tag on the dash. They did pop the hoods and look at the frames where they had been straightened but they did not look for a vin on the frames.

That is why I say the tag on the cab better match the title. Because in my experience they only look at that vin number.

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Croatan_Kid said:
I'd get them to cut me a check for just under 75% value so it's not totaled and then do a cab swap. If it had 276,000 miles...I'd just take the check, but that's pretty much a new truck.
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mikey1369 said:
If you do a cab swap you would have to use the other trucks vin number so it would not matter if it was totaled. You could take the whole dollar amount.

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No fries said:
Hadn't thought about a cab swap, I am leaning towards the $7,800 just for lack of hassle, we bought the truck a year ago for $7k so I am "ahead" but it took forever to find a truck that wasn't ragged out. He might be driving a car soon, better gas mileage and a little newer, so we dont have to sink a bunch of $$ into it.

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Heres the question,how hard is it gonna be to do a cab swap??? The way those trucks rust underneath you might be opening a major can of worms.Meaning once you get the cab off what are you gonna find?? rusted out crossmember,fuel and brakes about rusted thru or rust holes in the frame you didn't expect??? All that stuff might be good shape but Ive saw a bunch of these trucks that were in bad shape underneath.
 
Miles don't matter. It's a 20 year old truck. All the plastic and rubber are getting brittle. Plus it will be a gold, 2wd, salvage title truck. The value is gone. Capitalize on this opportunity. Don't look back.
 
Drivetraina woulkd bring 800 easy.
Wheels and tires 500...

Everything else... maybe 500...
 
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