Ebay item number 142086233445 What: 1986 VFR700F
Where: Stoughton WI
Why: A low-mile salvage bargain?
Price: Opening bid $1675, no reserve
Once upon a time I was selling a like-new, '05 VFR800 in pearl white. It turned into the most difficult sale I've ever experienced. Why? It had a salvage title.
Without a known damage history, salvage or rebuilt vehicles can be a real gamble. Or they can be the buy of the year.
Where: Stoughton WI
Why: A low-mile salvage bargain?
Price: Opening bid $1675, no reserve
Once upon a time I was selling a like-new, '05 VFR800 in pearl white. It turned into the most difficult sale I've ever experienced. Why? It had a salvage title.
Without a known damage history, salvage or rebuilt vehicles can be a real gamble. Or they can be the buy of the year.
Insurance companies use a pretty basic formula to determine whether or not to total a vehicle: cost to repair versus cost to buy out the owner and dispose of the vehicle. Cosmetic damage can be very costly to fix, at least the way insurance companies do it, which is to replace parts with new OEM. I once had an insurance company total a five year-old Ducati ST2 because the fairings got scraped up when pushed over in a parking garage. I could have had the damage repaired for under $1000 but their parts replacement estimate was $6300!
We don't know the history of this repainted '86 Interceptor so no telling if there's hidden issues. The seller states that it was "completely refurbished by an authorized/licensed re-builder a few years ago." Not sure what that means, so I'd want some more details. The alternator cover is not original and the right muffler shows some rash. The bike indicates only 15,200 miles and the red with white wheels looks sharp.
So when does buying salvage make sense? Here's my guidelines:
1. When it's the bike you want and will keep it long term.
2. When it checks out mechanically and cosmetically.
3. When it's priced accordingly.
4. And you realize that its value will remain low come time to sell.
We don't know the history of this repainted '86 Interceptor so no telling if there's hidden issues. The seller states that it was "completely refurbished by an authorized/licensed re-builder a few years ago." Not sure what that means, so I'd want some more details. The alternator cover is not original and the right muffler shows some rash. The bike indicates only 15,200 miles and the red with white wheels looks sharp.
So when does buying salvage make sense? Here's my guidelines:
1. When it's the bike you want and will keep it long term.
2. When it checks out mechanically and cosmetically.
3. When it's priced accordingly.
4. And you realize that its value will remain low come time to sell.
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