Worth fixing this 2003 Dodge Ram 2500?

[rmz250]

I'm thinking about buying this 2003 Dodge ram 2500 with 107,000 miles. It smacked a tree. It comes with a new hood and grill. Its at the frame shop right now getting checked out. I can get it for $4000. It also comes with a qt. of paint. What do you think I would have invested into fixing it all said and done?

[Pipeless416]

after hits like that, things will usually never be the same

[bluebaron]

Yeah you can make it look new again but through and through it's still a wrecked truck

[quad59]

Its been wrecked, prob has a salvage title. The title issue alone will make it a pain to insure and a pain to re-sell forget about it. You can find somehting better for your 4k plus the repair costs. It will also suck on gas like no other.

[TilltheEnd]

gonna need more than a qt of paint to finish it

[diangelo#67]

as long as the frame is straight and not a slavage title hell yeah its worth fixing, through a diesel in it, badazz

Originally posted by quad59
Its been wrecked, prob has a salvage title. The title issue alone will make it a pain to insure and a pain to re-sell forget about it. You can find somehting better for your 4k plus the repair costs. It will also suck on gas like no other.

Wow what a bunch of bs. My dad is a salvage car dealer and we sell and buy about 2 cars a week from these salvage auctions. My mom drove her salvage car for 5 years never had a problem with it. Then we sold her car without a problem. I sell these salvage cars all the time and I never ever have problems with the cars or selling them. They all have to go through a state inspection anyways so they have to be fixed good. People always have the wrong idea about salvage cars. Yes they have been in some sort of an accident sometimes its just a crashed door or a bumber sometimes its a whole front end but they get fixed and inspected and are sold on a daily basis.

[quad59]

Originally posted by ******101
Wow what a bunch of bs. My dad is a salvage car dealer and we sell and buy about 2 cars a week from these salvage auctions. My mom drove her salvage car for 5 years never had a problem with it. Then we sold her car without a problem. I sell these salvage cars all the time and I never ever have problems with the cars or selling them. They all have to go through a state inspection anyways so they have to be fixed good. People always have the wrong idea about salvage cars. Yes they have been in some sort of an accident sometimes its just a crashed door or a bumber sometimes its a whole front end but they get fixed and inspected and are sold on a daily basis.

I guess because your daddy owns a junk yard you know it all. My daddy this and my daddy that...Every state has its own guidlines in regards to salvage titles. I didnt say it was impossible I said it was a pain to get them re-titled. Some insurance companies also require you to carry more coverage for salvage title vehicles if they will cover it at all. There is a reason insurance companies total vehicles...Oh and yes accidents mess cars up they are not always correct when fixed I dont care how good you are on the frame jig or alignments. When metal bends it stretches when you bend it back it will always have a slight little jog to it. Just becasue you sell junk doesnt mean its for everybody...There is a sucker born everyday I guess.

[fasterblaster09]

Originally posted by quad59
I guess because your daddy owns a junk yard you know it all. My daddy this and my daddy that...Every state has its own guidlines in regards to salvage titles. I didnt say it was impossible I said it was a pain to get them re-titled. Some insurance companies also require you to carry more coverage for salvage title vehicles if they will cover it at all. There is a reason insurance companies total vehicles...Oh and yes accidents mess cars up they are not always correct when fixed I dont care how good you are on the frame jig or alignments. When metal bends it stretches when you bend it back it will always have a slight little jog to it. Just becasue you sell junk doesnt mean its for everybody...There is a sucker born everyday I guess.

I think the fact that his dad owns a junkyard has nothing to do with the fact that a salvaged title car is not really a huge problem (at least around here, and obviously where he's from also) And just because a car is salvaged doesn't mean it's junk, i'm sure most will agree

[416exfreak]

Originally posted by quad59
I guess because your daddy owns a junk yard you know it all. My daddy this and my daddy that...Every state has its own guidlines in regards to salvage titles. I didnt say it was impossible I said it was a pain to get them re-titled. Some insurance companies also require you to carry more coverage for salvage title vehicles if they will cover it at all. There is a reason insurance companies total vehicles...Oh and yes accidents mess cars up they are not always correct when fixed I dont care how good you are on the frame jig or alignments. When metal bends it stretches when you bend it back it will always have a slight little jog to it. Just becasue you sell junk doesnt mean its for everybody...There is a sucker born everyday I guess.

If youve ever bought a used quad, then im sure youve bought a wrecked quad.:chinese:

Didn't think about it that way did you?:eek2:

[quad59]

I only bought one used quad in my life and that is alittle different. My kids dont ride on my quad down the road. I dont have to title it,or insure it if I dont want to. If you want to buy a 1000 salvage honda to commute to work thats cool. To spend 4000 on this truck and then all the work you have to put into it is crazy. Especially in todays economy, people are begging you to take the trucks off there hands. Go talk to the insurance man and tell me what he says about your salvage vehicle..I bet he asks if the airbags were popped..If they were I know here that means no full coverage. I see no advantage to buying junk unless your going to grind it up and send it to china. I am also getting old and my time is worth more to me.

I bought my first f150 hit just like that for a 1000. If you no how to repair it it is worth it. Just take it somewhere to paint. With salvage title you have to show bills for all the repairs. Your looking $1000 in parts min. Prob need rad and condenser. Just hoping frame aint bent. And about a few months to get a clear title for it.

So all in all your looking $6000 by the end of everything. Wile truck is still worth $14000. And that truck can make it past 160k miles if its properly maintained.


Id say go for it if your not in a rush

[ZeroLogic]

My truck is a salvage title and the thing is like brand new!:macho

But that truck ain't worth it. Looks like you'll need a lot more than a hood and a grill.:ermm:

[quad59]

need more than a thousand
hood
bumper
rad
core support
grill
prob some of the accesory drives got damaged
checked on a frame jig
alignment
cant see the far side fender so dont know
OHH AND AIR BAGS...what are were you going to do tape them in the dash.
Paint
primer
And that vehicle with a "rebuilt" title does not sell for 14000$$
I'm done its been fun but common sense usually is not present on forums.

common sence if you read his post that it has a new hood and grill. Aliment is not expensive. Bags can get pricey. Rad and condenser are really not much money. If you buy all parts from a junk yard and not a dealer it not expensive. I spent 2grand on hood lights bumper rad condenser and air bags to fix my f150. and we painted it. me and my father owned a junk yard for 20 years. both mechanics. and uncles a body man. I no a thing or to about fixing a car. So next time dont be a smartass

[quad59]

Everybody knows a thing or two about fixing cars just ask them and they"ll tell you....Oh wait you already did..

[chris46250r]

That'll buff out. :D

[quad2xtreme]

Originally posted by chris46250r
That'll buff out. :D
LMAO :D

[fastredrider44]

I think the truck could be fixed, but thats a little pricey for a dodge, and wrecked to that extent.

[Wills77]

go for it... not everybody has money for a brand new truck so they buy wrecked... i baught a 06 silverado with 46k miles for 3750, got most of the parts off a truck that was hit in the rear for 1000, and spent a couple hundred on all new sensors, module and airbag. this truck was totaled, here it is the day i braught it home

[Wills77]

heres how far i had it apart, notice the cross tube on the frame. it hit a motorcycle head on, we cut that tube off another wrecked truck and welded it in place

[Wills77]

and here is what it looks like right meow

[Mxjunkie]

say you buy the truck for 4,000, your going to have atleast 2500 in parts not counting the price for having the air bags done by a certifed tech, your going to have more then it's worth.. Just go out and buy a non wrecked car. I'm a body man and usually when someone smacks a pole like that its usually a done deal, I'd say it pulled everything in, tell him you want a picture of both door to fender gaps and the door to rear door gaps. :ermm:

Originally posted by quad59
Everybody knows a thing or two about fixing cars just ask them and they"ll tell you....Oh wait you already did..

If junkyards fix mercedes and bmw's then yea we own a junkyard. Im glad we have an expert here to tell us all were wrong. I come accross cars like this everyday and no issue with fixing or selling them so whatever shananiganz your spreading "' OMG its a salavage better scrap it for parts thats all its good for"is a common misconception. AND there is tons of cars who have been in accidents but never reported. But would I know right.