Totaled vehicles...sometimes surprising.

mleekamp wrote:
In Jan 2019, I bought a used 2005 Jeep Wrangler for a dinghy for our new C. I picked it up in SLC, Utah, and began the drive home -- 900 miles. Just east of Des Moines, IA, hit black ice (dozens of cars off the road) and rolled the Jeep 3 times. Cut myself out of the seat belt. Roof came off, body damaged and it rested on it's side. Stayed there 2 days until weather cleared up to get it out. Totaled.

Got a call 6 months later, from the guy who bought it...AT A USED CAR LOT! How did he know me? My papers were still in the glove box. I was 250 miles from home, so no, I didn't go back and collect my things.

He told me about all the problems he's having and asked why I traded it in. I told him the story...and said how the hell did you buy it? He knew it had a salvage title, but dealer told him it was minor (it was NOT). Anyway, I told him good luck...insurance paid out and totaled it. Was out of my hands.

I don't know the answer -- but got to be some better way of not letting true totaled vehicles back on the road. Minor damage that costs more to fix than it's worth is another thing.

That is funny. Had a similar thing happen to me. Sold a diesel truck to Copart. It was running but I knew the internal damage was significant and only a matter of time before it gave up. The repair cost would be far in excess of the value and I got a pretty good price from the salvage yard.

I went this route because I did not want to deal with selling it and having someone try and come back on me claiming I was trying to pawn off a bad vehicle. Yes, I would disclose the issues if I tried to sell it private party.

In any case. The truck sold at the Copart auction and the purchaser must have tracked me down by the vin and called me. Asking me what was wrong with it and how much did they think it would cost to fix. I simply stated I don't know, that is why I sent it to auction. So much for sending it to auction to avoid this very issue.