Help with a salvage title situation

[thurat2099]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum but I do need some help.

So, I found an RV for sale for next to nothing on the website Camping World. It was in their Georgetown, KY which is an hour from me.

I knew it was damaged and rated as "B2" but they didn't tell me more. I bought it because it had an awning that would fit mine but also because my father is a Master Carpenter with a lot of RV experience (he use to own an RV park)and he wanted it for a project.

So, after negotiation, I ended up buying it for just the store fees ($552!!!! That is a lot of fees) because it's floor had extensive water damage causing the inside of the camper to have to be stripped, the floor removed and a new one installed then everything reinstalled.

It is a big job, but Dad has the tools, the skills, and the ability to do it.

The thing towed great, so mechanically it is fine. Even the breaks worked great on it.

The issue is that they didn't tell me that it has a salvage title and I didn't know that until it arrived in the mail yesterday.

I live in Indiana and the title is Kentucky and now I have to deal with this salvage title situation that was unexpected.

I'm a little upset that Camping world didn't disclose that fact to me but I'm sure they will say that as I bought it AS IS that includes that fact but I'm still very disappointed in that and may not buy from them again. At that I might just have to add that to my review on google of the transaction.

More important is I don't know if we can get the "salvage" removed from the title legally. This really will affect the resale value of the unit. Not that Dad plans to resale it at this point, but I want him to keep the option available and if he does resale it I want him to get the best price he can on it.

So can anyone advise me as to my options here?

Thanks,
Brenda

[thurat2099]

DutchmenSport,
Well, the awning is already removed and installed on my camper. I don't think it appropriate to just trash the whole thing as it has a good working refrigerator and stove and sink in it plus the tables and cabinets and everything else are undamaged. The only damage is to the floor.

Before I would just junk the whole thing, I would strip it and sell or reuse all the components in something else and use the frame to build a lowboy type trailer.

Still, it would be nice if it could be used in its original configuration because it is a very nice trailer if it was undamaged. After all it is a 2004 aerolite cub hybrid. Literally everything else in it is in good working order except for the damaged floor.

[Tyler0215]

You bought it, you own it! You have the awning you wanted. Take it off and install on your old trailer, scrap the rest and get as much of your money back as you can and look for another project for dad. Lesson learned.

[DutchmenSport]

Delete

[garyemunson]

With many insurance companies, a vehicle with a 'salvage' title cannot be insured.

[colliehauler]

Not trying to be unsympathetic. I had something similar happen many years ago. I purchased a repo car from a bank as is. When I got the title it was a salvage-rebuilt. The car had a book of about $3500 and I paid 1250. I drove the car two or three years and purchased a new car, same make and model. Since it had a salvage-rebuilt title I did not even try to sell it. I donated the car to the Humane Society and took the tax write off.

[toedtoes]

Because the dealer is in Kentucky, check out THIS. If you scroll down to Transferring ownership, there is a link to report suspected fraudulent titling practices under the "Selling a Vehicle to an Out-of-State Resident" paragraph. You might want to check with them.

[thurat2099]

Yes, DownTheAvenue, I would have bought it, but I can't with certainty say that my father would have, so I guess I feel cheated on his behalf and am working on the options to present to him on it, because I will have to do that work and I want to minimize it while maximizing his value.

CavemanCharlie, Yes I would have that option. Actually I don't think I would even have to remove the logos but we can rebuild it and get a new title issued as a rebuilt with a new VIN but in Indiana it is a long drawn out process with multiple trips to the BMV and from the police. It is an option of last resort.

Yes, Bird Freak, They told me upfront that it was rated "B2" but they explained it as just not passing their inspection as being ready to use, saying that it would need extensive repair. I didn't know it was a legal classification in Kentucky until after the sell and they never did explain to me what it meant. I really thought we were getting a trailer that was in too bad of shape for them to sell for a profit and that they just wanted to get it off the lot before they had to add it to the end of year inventory.

I really do feel that Camping World of Georgetown was negligent in not explaining to me what "B2" meant and in not being up front and telling me it was a salvage title. Even if I would have still bought it in the end, the fact is that this was not disclosed to me until the title showed up in my mailbox a week later and that is upsetting. I feel that they meant to cheat me. The fact that it might not hurt me in the end is irrelevant, because I will now have jump though hoops that I didn't know I would have to, including having to research my options.

I have the added issue that even though I live 6/10th of a mile from the Kentucky boarder and work there, I do live in Indiana and this camper has a Kentucky Salvage title. I'm not even positive that camping world filled out the paperwork right or can legally even transfer said title.

So the long and the short of it is, I bought a mess and I'm not happy about it. I'm happy about the purchase and even the condition of the camper. I'm not happy about the legal **** that came with it.


Thanks for the input so far.

Suggestions are still welcome. If you are going to say "what did you expect" then please don't. Enough people have asked that already and it is answered in my responses.

[DownTheAvenue]

colliehauler wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:

colliehauler wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:
1. Any question regarding the salvage title must be addressed to your state's DMV, as anyone posting here about their state or personal experience is not helpful.
2. You also need to check with your insurance carrier, as some will not insure anything with a salvage title.
3. Laws vary state to state, but Camping World materially misrepresented the RV, and you probably have significant recourse the least of which would be to return the RV and get your money back. Buying "as is" refers to the condition, not the legality of ownership. You should contact the Attorney General of the state where your purchased the RV.

How would it be a question of ownership when he has a valid salvage title?

You are right that was a poor choice of words, I should have said marketable title.

How do you know what was said in the transaction or the sales contract? Who would think it wasn't salvage with extensive damage and a salvage price of $550. ?

I don't know. But I do know what the OP posted in the initial post. He said, if you had read the post, that they did not tell him it had a salvage title. Apparently, he was not put on notice, either in writing or verbally, about the salvage title. It is now a moot point, however, since the OP has stated that he would have bought it anyway with the salvage title.

[badsix]

you really need to go and talk with someone at your local licensing agency. and do what they tell you you have to do. I would think that Camping World should have been required to have you sign a form that states that this vehicle had a salvage title. it protects them and you both. I would check the law on this. here in Oregon I believe its required.
Jay D.

[CavemanCharlie]

Hum,,,, I wonder if you rebuilt it completely (technically anyway) that you could call it a Homemade trailer and just apply for a new title ? You would have to remove all of the manufactures insignia and such. I have no idea the legality of this. It is just a thought . I am not recommending that you do, or do not do, anything like this.

[Bird_Freak]

You need to realize that most of your responses here are for motor vehicle laws and you have a TRAILER. Most of the time it is different rules. You bought a as is trailer for $1.00 plus fees. What did you really think you were getting? You knew it was classed as B2.

[thurat2099]

Ok, to answer some questions and my thoughts.

My primary reason for wanting this camper is that it has a nice awning and my camper that I bought a couple of months ago was missing it's awning and this one was a perfect fit. The list price was $311 and it listed on the site just like any other. I knew that it must be damaged but the worst case I could take the awning and then pull out any other parts that were usable.

I called my father and he was interested in it for a property that he owns. We almost walked away from it when they gave me the final price and it was $995 after all the fees.

I told them that if the fees were going to make it that expensive no one would be willing to buy it. They dropped the sale price to $1 but with still the fees so that the sale price became $552.

I would have bought it even with the salvage title but I would have liked to know it.

On inspection of the unit, I found that there seemed to be nothing that didn't work, only an extremely damaged floor. That would allow my father, who is very capable of fully repairing it to do those repairs and if he choose to sell it he could or he could keep and use it.

I don't like that his options are limited or that we will have to go though extra steps that without being made aware of them.

I was also hoping that someone here had experience with something similar to this in either Kentucky or Indiana and might be able to give me an idea of our options. Hell, I'm not even sure that I can title the camper in Indiana and transfer it to my father.

As for the "B2" rating, that comes from Kentucky's code for manufactured housing:
"The Manufactured Housing Section issues two 2)types of seals when conducting inspections.
A. B1 - This is a seal issued to a unit that has satisfactorily passed and
inspection and is deemed safe for Human Occupancy.

B. B2 - This is a seal issued to a unit that has not passed an inspection and is deemed not safe for human occupancy.
Manufactured home units shall only be sold for the purpose of use as a storage or utility building."

I did not realize that a dealer could sell a vehicle that could not be registered to drive on the road without telling you such. Hell, I'm not sure it was legal for me to tow it to Dad's but they did give me dealer tags so....

No, I would have bought it with the salvage title, but I think it was crappy business to not make sure I was informed of it only because it limits my options on what to do with it.

I also think it is incredibility bad business to not disclose all of your fees on your website when you accept online offers. There really should be something to alert me as to the fees (beyond just sales tax) that I will need to pay as part of my purchase and in addition to the accepted price.

Thank you for all the input so far. I look forward to other ideas and suggestions.

[DutchmenSport]

Delete

[colliehauler]

DownTheAvenue wrote:

colliehauler wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:
1. Any question regarding the salvage title must be addressed to your state's DMV, as anyone posting here about their state or personal experience is not helpful.
2. You also need to check with your insurance carrier, as some will not insure anything with a salvage title.
3. Laws vary state to state, but Camping World materially misrepresented the RV, and you probably have significant recourse the least of which would be to return the RV and get your money back. Buying "as is" refers to the condition, not the legality of ownership. You should contact the Attorney General of the state where your purchased the RV.

How would it be a question of ownership when he has a valid salvage title?

You are right that was a poor choice of words, I should have said marketable title.

How do you know what was said in the transaction or the sales contract? Who would think it wasn't salvage with extensive damage and a salvage price of $550. ?

[Bobbo]

thurat2099 wrote:
I knew it was damaged and rated as "B2" but they didn't tell me more.

Your case against Camping World hinges upon this statement. If they have documentation that "B2" includes a salvage title and that information was available to you, you may not have a good case. Note that I did not say that information was pointed out to you.

As far as the salvage title, itself, is concerned, I agree with everybody else that you need to check with your state and your insurance company.