About a year ago I purchased an 05 base TL with about 103k miles for $7,000 total - including taxes, title everything. The catch is the car has a salvage title due to a front end collision. The dealer I got it from is a small business that also does body and mechanical work and they performed all the repairs themselves. I was shown a copy of the accident report along with pictures of the wreck but no details as to what components were replaced. The body work looked fine aside from the hood sitting slightly off where it meets the body. Also there was a minor ding near rear wheel well and a few other minor scratches and the plastic rear license plate panel was cracked. I was allowed to do an inspection on the underbody and anything I wanted and noticed that it looked like the engine cradle was brand new. Everything else looked good. There was even what appears to be a rubbery anti-rust coating sprayed over most of the underbody. The interior was in fair condition. Typical cracks in the leather seats and a few minor burns from the previous smoker and the cd player didn't work. I thought the car drove great with plenty of get up and go but my previous car was a 99 Buick lol so I wasn't used to the sporty performance. One year later and I absolutely love the car but have began to question whether or not I paid a fair price. I did the 105k maintainence myself, also did a 3x3 drain and fill on transmission because it gave me a few scares where there was a delay in catching reverse gear for several seconds. I haven't had the issue since. I had a seized caliper so I replaced all 4. I fixed the o-ring issue on the power steering pump. My front driver axle snapped in half when I accelerated in traffic and I replaced that myself as well. Looking back I assume the axle had been replaced previously with a junk axle after the wreck. Now my next issues are struts need to be replaced as the front right strut is hemorrhaging fluid and sway bar end links are clunking. The car has taken me on 2 road trips and now has 117k on it and still drives smooth aside from my suspension issues which in turn are causing alignment problems. I plan to fix it but I'm beginning to feel I've paid a lot in maintainance and repairs in only my first year of ownership. I'd really like some other opinions whether they be what I want to hear or not lol. Thanks! I'll post pics

 

Sorry no interior pics

 

For what you paid you should not have had all these problems and the 105k service should have already been done as well.

A salvage title decreases the sellable value of the car.

If I had to make an inference I would say the vehicle was overpaid for. You can get an 04-05 base TL with a clean title in the 3-6k range.

 

You overpaid and with a front end collision I would bet you'll never resolve your suspension and alignment issues. You could've found a clean 1 owner with 130k miles for $4500 - $5500. Are you making payments are this TL? If notsell that car for what it's work and cut your losses.

 

The body work looked fine aside from the hood sitting slightly off where it meets the body? Sounds like frame damage to me.