LS4 Performance - WTF: My car has a salvage title?...

***UPDATE to message below***
I couldn't resist, had to pull the Carfax. The car was originally registered in a count in Louisiana that was declared a disaster area after Katrina. For that reason, the title was branded Salvage in September of 2008...almost a year after I bought it with a clear title. WTF?? There is a link on Carfax where I can contact the Louisiana DMV (which made the declaration) to inform them that it did not sustain damage during the storm. They then may require that a Louisiana state officer verify this. Then they have to contact the insurance company (or vice versa) and confirm. All of which I can't technically verify because I bought the car 2 years after Katrina and I live in Texas, which makes it a bit inconvenient to have a Louisiana state officer inspect the car. Again: WTF? How can a title be one thing when you buy it then randomly be declared something else in the middle of ownership. "Here you go dude, we just chopped the value of your car in half. Oh, and you can't get any warranty work performed. Sorry to rant, but I never have time to drop my car off for work; and now that I do I can't.
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Hi all.

Ok, long story short, I've had my car for 1.5 yrs and am financing it on a 5 yr note.

I am taking a couple of days off this week and called the local dealer to check and see if the power steering hose recall has been done. They informed me that they can't do anything for me because the car has a salvage branded title. I ran down to the dealer and they produced the GM paperwork that confirmed the car was branded 4 months before I bought it.

I find it odd because I bought the car from a dealer. I signed a clear blue TX title, my bank ran the VIN because they won't fund salvage cars and then later the bank accidentally sent me the new clear blue texas title (which I had to send back, of course.) At no time was I presented any sort of red reconditioned or salvage title. I bought the car with 60k on it and signed the deal "as-is" no warranty, so I know that I probably can't do anything, but holy crap: I paid a clear title car price.

I've emailed the dealer and I'm going to contact both my bank and my lawyer tomorrow just to be on the safe side. I love the car but I have spent a little over 6 grand in maintenance and repairs in the last 18 months.

Has anyone else had any similar experience? I must've pissed someone off on a cosmic level because my last car (a little Honda commuter) turned out to have a salvage history when I went to sell it (again--I had a clear Texas title and bill of sale stating that it was free of any salvage history--none of which mattered in the end.) I am a huge fan of carfax now. I didn't pull the carfax on the GXP bc I bought it from a dealer.

Before anyone says it's my fault for not checking--I get it, do your homework. I still don't think that makes it ok for this sort of thing to happen, but my question is, HOW does it happen?

Thanks,
BJ

a regualer dealer usually wont touch a salvage car so that really dont make sense.

That is weird, my dealer will wholesale anything with that high mileage and anything with a salvage title.

Sorry to hear man, that's some bad juju

that sucks.

Is the PS hose recall only for the GXP or all LS4's?

That's the only full on recall that showed up in All Data for my car. There are a good handful of TSBs though. I think my car had every one of them. I have to say, though, Having fixed most of them, the car is running better and better (way better than when I bought it.)

Thanks,
BJ

Hey slomaro2
Sorry to hear this crap happened!
With the financing did you get the insurance on the loan?
You are correct in getting a lawer.
go after the dealer , the dmv, the bank, for they all checked it out before you!
Good Luck man!

They did this for all south Louisiana vehicles after Katrina the bitch
And I drove the Grand Prix out of here was up in Arkansas at the time of the storm
My Insurance company had to send and email to DMV stating that the car had no damage and no claim was filed I was waiting on my personial plate and they helsd it up by two month
http://www.motortopia.com/files/1201/album_gtp/44d495ddb75f0/Picture_161.jpg

Slo, what dealer did you buy from?

CORNY in da housssssse!!!!

:jest:

It was a smaller independent dealer in Dallas (Legendary Motors). They typically have 200 or so units in a warehouse by the airport and they have a good reputation. The owner has since emailed me that he is going to research this.

Since my last message, I've contacted my bank, who said that this does happen but it's unusual that the state would've waited until September of 2008 to brand the title. They assured me that they won't have to call the balance of my auto loan due (but the had to put me on hold to verify this--that would've sucked.) They told me to try and contact the dealer and the state of Louisiana. Soooooo....

I called the Louisiana DMV and spoke with a fella' named Selby who is probably the most amiable and helpful DMV employee with whom I've ever spoken. He concurred that it doesn't make sense that the brand didn't show up on the title until last September. He said that normally, the original owner can get the flag removed by filling out a form that there was no damage, along with their insurance company. In my case, he wasn't sure what the procedure will be, if there is any. He mentioned that we may be able to use a form that they can send to a mechanic, requiring them to inspect the car and verify that there is no flood damage. The person who might be able to answer the question is out until Tuesday, so I'll have to find out then.

Fun stuff. I was stoked to have enough time to drop my car off and have that recall campaign knocked out. So much for that. Now I'll just be happy to get that salvage brand removed from my title. My bank said my car is effectively worth less than half of what I owe on it thanks to that.

I appreciate the sympathies, though, and I hope no one else has to go through this.

Thank you,
BJ

i found out before i bought my car the previous owner (rental car place) had to replace the PCM that kinda freaked me out

This situation is major effed up...but is Legendary Motorsports those scumbags that sell CETA, WS6, and SS fakes on eBay claiming the real thing and jacking up prices majorly for used cars in poor mechanical condition. If they are then I could REALLY understand the situation.

I don't think it's the same one. These folks seem to be fairly stand-up as well. From what I can tell, they sold the car with the information as they had it. It really looks like the state of Louisiana just waited a loooooong time to flag the title. So long, in fact, that it may be what hoses me. I still don't know what has to be done to correct the title. I talked to one of the shop that has done work on my car (the body shop that fixed the damage caused by my run-in with Bambi) and they said they didn't see anything at all that would've caused concern for flood damage. I don't know. I'll just be glad to be back to square one with a clear title.