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

In my limited experience in this area, I think the following is true:The salvage title cannot be removed. Repairs to any drive train, brakes, lighting, safety equipment, etc. requires replacements with ONLY original equpment as installed by the manufactureer. Aftermarket parts not allowed, EVEN IF THEY ARE SUPERIOR.There will be required extensive inspections regarding the above.Good luck with all of your project. If and when you sell it, you are required to stipulate that it has a salvage title.The initail reason for salvage title WAS because the value of the vehicle was that repairs costs were more than the blue book value of the vehicle.

In some places you can get it changed to "rebuilt salvage" but that's it. Making it normal again would be fraud or more specifically, Title Laundering.Options?Since the floor is put down first and the walls mounted on top of it, I would sell the good parts and maybe even strip it down to the raw frame and sell that too.

Well that was very sneaky of them.

azrving wrote:Well that was very sneaky of them.Unethical too. I'd think you'd have some legal recourse against them.I believe it's against DMV or dealers regulations / state laws, etc to sell a vehicle (RV, etc) that has a salvage title that isn't revealed to the buyer.Once it's a salvage (branded) title, the "title brand" can't be removed.

California motor vehicle codes are among the strictest in the country and you just can't get a salvage title changed unless you can prove the repair estimate was too high or the resale value used was too low. Even if you or your father has to keep the trailer you may not lose money on the deal, it depends on how much it cost to repair.My daughter was involved in an accident here in California and the other drivers insurance company called her van a total, she had an apprentice mechanic do the mechanical repairs and replace the body parts. Neither the headlight assembly nor the fender were available for sale, so aftermarket parts can be used here. All she was required to do was present her van for CHP inspection and certification and show the CHP Officer the bills for the parts.Both of these examples show one thing, don't ask for legal advice from a layman, call the State or an attorney.

Help with a salvage title situation | Good Sam Community

Huntindog
Explorer
Jan 25, 2019
Ralph Cramden wrote:
Bobbo wrote:

This is true.

A

I believe because an X chock won't work as when the tire cools and shrinks by 3/1000 of an inch the X chock might fall out.

Oh the humanity.

Gee Ralph, all I know is that if I install my homemade chocks on hot tires as tight as I can get them that the next day, I can pull them out from between tires by hand.... No Idea on what that measures out to, but I bet it's more than 3/1000 of an inch
Huntindog
Explorer
Jan 25, 2019
Don't sweat the title.
25+ years ago, my brother bought a 3/4 ton truck with a salvage title. It was in decent shape, and he got it about 30-40% cheaper than a truck with a regular title. He still has that truck, and it has been a great buy for him. I doubt he would ever sell it, but if he did, I doubt he would have any trouble finding a buyer.
With older used stuff.... Condition is everything.
dward51
Explorer
Jan 25, 2019
The only thing that matters is the title statutes in Indiana as that is where he is wanting to title it next. So you need to talk to the DMV there about salvage titles and can the brand be removed after repair and inspection? Some states have a procedure to rehabilitate a title. Others will remove the brand from the title after a certain period of time. Others will never remove it. I presume you are intending on flipping the trailer rather than using it.

A salvage title brand does not make a trailer/title unmarketable, it may however make it harder to sell/trade and impact final sale value based mostly on the perception a potential buyer would have of a "salvage" vehicle. Truth is if it's fixed, it's fixed and the brand is just on paper.

Heck you paid less than $600 for the trailer. If nothing else part it out by components if you don't think it's worth the work to rehab and flip.
Ralph_Cramden
Explorer II
Jan 09, 2019
Bobbo wrote:

This is true.

Ahhhhh yes it is................but makes for some entertaining reading.
For a few good laughs have you read through the post about carrying extra fuel or gas cans or whatever they were discussing? I am shocked some on these boards have enough stones to ever leave the house.

What's even better is where people have come up with scientifically ANALyzed methods using multiple numbered blocks of different dimensions to chock a wheel. I believe because an X chock won't work as when the tire cools and shrinks by 3/1000 of an inch the X chock might fall out.

Oh the humanity.
Bobbo
Explorer II
Jan 09, 2019
Ralph Cramden wrote:
drsteve wrote:
ExxWhy wrote:

Best post in this entire thread.

But then again this is an RV forum, more specifically RV.Net, where the uncomplicated must be over-complicated to the umpteenth degree. That's no matter how simple the issue, topic, or item/product being discussed was prior to being mentioned here LOL.

This is true. A couple of years ago when I bought my truck and TT, the "experts" on RV.NET informed me in no uncertain terms that I didn't have NEARLY enough truck. My TW was literally less than 1/2 of the hitch capacity, which, itself, was 2/3 of the payload rating. My TT weight was literally half of my towing capacity. I got a Reese Strait-Line hitch, so I had good WD and sway control. People still told me I was going to die and take other drivers with me.
Ralph_Cramden
Explorer II
Jan 08, 2019
drsteve wrote:
ExxWhy wrote:

Best post in this entire thread.

But then again this is an RV forum, more specifically RV.Net, where the uncomplicated must be over-complicated to the umpteenth degree. That's no matter how simple the issue, topic, or item/product being discussed was prior to being mentioned here LOL.
drsteve
Explorer
Jan 08, 2019
ExxWhy wrote:
I can't specifically speak to the laws of IN or KY, but I believe they aren't all that different from Ohio in practice. As others have said, check with your DMV.

I had a trailer I bought with a salvage title. Bought it from a company that specializes in this sort of unit, so I knew upfront. Tree limb had fallen on it and bent some trim on the slideout and punctured the roof. I made my roof repairs and added a slide topper that covered the bent trim. Took it to a state inspection station and they gave me a "rebuilt" title. Makes it legal to register and use which I did. Also made it insurable. (I have Allstate) We happily enjoyed it for a few years and eventually sold it. Had no trouble selling it, yes we were very clear about the title and the repairs. This was a trailer that was worth maybe 9,000 with a clean title, bought it for 4,000 and sold it for 4,000.(I put a couple thousand in it for tires and the inevitable upgrades.)

My point is a salvage or rebuilt title is nothing to get that exited over as long as you account for the reduced value. For a $500 trailer, it does not matter what kind of title it has. The value is in the condition and usability of the trailer at that price point. If your dad wants to use and enjoy it, then do so. Should be just some minor hoops to jump through to get the paperwork legal.

Best post in this entire thread.
ExxWhy
Explorer
Jan 08, 2019
I can't specifically speak to the laws of IN or KY, but I believe they aren't all that different from Ohio in practice. As others have said, check with your DMV.

I had a trailer I bought with a salvage title. Bought it from a company that specializes in this sort of unit, so I knew upfront. Tree limb had fallen on it and bent some trim on the slideout and punctured the roof. I made my roof repairs and added a slide topper that covered the bent trim. Took it to a state inspection station and they gave me a "rebuilt" title. Makes it legal to register and use which I did. Also made it insurable. (I have Allstate) We happily enjoyed it for a few years and eventually sold it. Had no trouble selling it, yes we were very clear about the title and the repairs. This was a trailer that was worth maybe 9,000 with a clean title, bought it for 4,000 and sold it for 4,000.(I put a couple thousand in it for tires and the inevitable upgrades.)

My point is a salvage or rebuilt title is nothing to get that exited over as long as you account for the reduced value. For a $500 trailer, it does not matter what kind of title it has. The value is in the condition and usability of the trailer at that price point. If your dad wants to use and enjoy it, then do so. Should be just some minor hoops to jump through to get the paperwork legal.
Walaby
Explorer II
Jan 07, 2019
bstar1952 wrote:
I'd get with that CW's GM and demand they fix it somehow. Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

Just what/how EXACTLY would you expect them to "fix it"? They can't change the fact that it's a salvage title. What would they do, give him back another dollar so that he only paid the fees, and they didn't sell it for a "profit"?

Or maybe they take it back? Then he has to put the awning back on it and return it back to the "condition" it was in when he "purchased" it

Heck, maybe they'll give him a Good Sams membership extension.

Mike
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Jan 07, 2019
thurat2099 wrote:
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.

A friend of mine did that once. He sold all the stuff out of the Travel Trailer to me and I have gotten use out of most of it over the years. Then he striped it, sold the siding for aluminum scrap, and converted the frame into a snowmobile trailer that he sold. It is easy to get a homemade title around here for something like a snowmobile trailer. He made good money doing this in his spare time.