Is this 2005 VW Golf worth $3000.00?

Normally, a car that has been deemed salvage has a value for parts only of about 25% of its wholesale book value, though in some exceptional cases it could reach 40%; this means if the car is worth 10,000 at wholesale value as a running clear titled car, it should bring $2500USD for parts only.

In some states, a car can obtain a "rebuilt" title status; this means that the car was "totaled" by an insurance company and that the car has been repaired to a reasonably road worthy status (subject to a very tough state or independent inspection before a rebuilt title can be issued). In some states like California, we don't have a rebuilt title status, but before a new title can be issued or the car can be registered for license plates etc.. it must pass a smog, lamp and brake certification before the state will permit it to be licensed on the road.

I've owned a few salvage titled cars over the years and have actually gone thru the process of obtaining the needed smog, lamp and brake certifications in order to obtain a license and title in California; but just because its passed these items doesn't mean its safe, just that the state knows that all the lights, emissions equipment and brakes do work.

A salvage titled car can be way to get wheels on the cheap; but it requires a lot of patience, knowledge to repair the car and also the ok of your insurance carrier. Some insurance companies will not insure a salvage or rebuilt titled car; my previous insurance carrier would not insure a salvage or rebuilt titled car under any circumstances. Also be aware that the value of a salvage titled car is anywhere from 25% to 50%+ less than the wholesale book value of the car, depending upon who is doing the evaluation. My largest concern with salvage titled cars is safety; you don't know if the safety systems are going to work as designed in a crash; to properly repair an air bag system usually items like the crash sensors, air bag computer, sometimes wiring and clock spring require repair/replacement and although a air bag system may pass a "static" test with the computer reader/anaylizer, it doesn't mean that it will actually work in an impact. I've seen many cars over the 35+ years that I've been in this industry cars that have been repaired/rebult and in my humble opinion, only a few of them were road worthy enough that I would even consider owning them. Most were poorly repaired and some were so unsafe that we notified the owner that he/she would have to have the vehicle towed out of the shop and not driven out!

Ask your insurance carrier what this car would be worth if repaired and issued a rebuilt title and what they would pay if it got totalled. This will give you an idea of its worth $3000 you are concerned about. In general, I'm against purchasing a salvage titled car because most people are not qualified to perform an inspect to get a realistic cost of making a car roadworthy again. Add the time it sometimes takes to get a new titled issued and in many cases the "savings" aren't worth the effort.

Hope this helps, a car nut.

You would need to take it to a front end alignment shop.

If the front end got warped, it may not be repairable.

And they could easily tell you.

If they say it is ok, then go ahead.

The rest of the body work would not cost must to finish.

About $800 or so.

As for salvage titles, transfer the title through another state that does not have the same salvage title system, and you can get it cleared. No one has to know it ever had an accident. In reality, almost all cars have had an accident of some sort.