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**UPDATE**Accidents Record Found**I found a used 2002 Chevrolet s10 zr2 for sale!

1495 Views 17 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  desertpatriot
Hello guys
Thanks for creating this awesome forum and meeting wonderful people here. I am looking to get a 2002 Chevrolet s10 zr2 or anything similar but I'm really interested in this one, unfortunately this car has salvage title and I am looking to the community to check if there is anything else I should be looking out for while doing my inspection day, and I will purchase the car report to see damage and other details.

Some things that I will be looking out for during my inspection today:

noises in the engine
check transmission for slips jolts etc
verify all electrics / features / lights,
coolant or oil leaks
They are asking for the price of $14,900 and it has 59000 miles with a Salvage Title.

UPDATE
Thanks for everyone comments, I've gone through everyone comments
I decide to run the VIN Check on this luckily found the auction records but unluckily the auction records is removed, as it's already sold. What do you guys think, there was accident reported but I can't find the pictures! please have a look at the report (It's only $15 if you guys don't want to spend $40 for a Carfax)

here is the report: Get Instant Vehicle History Report
Automotive parking light Car Land vehicle Vehicle Tire

Wheel Tire Car Land vehicle Vehicle

Vehicle Window Hood Motor vehicle Plant
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I'm impressed by that comment. Didn't think a 2wd guy would catch that so quickly. Good job.
Must've been repaired with used parts. Which is actually a good thing since imported replacement parts are not as high quality. I have bought numerous salvage title vehicle over the years. If the repairs were done right it can be a non-issue.
Since the front was where it was damaged the door gaps will tell you a lot about the quality of the repairs. The correct painted blackish base front bumper should be an easy find in a SoCal pic a part. The flarettes may take a while to find, but they're out there. Just found a front wheel for my salvage Grand Prix GXP after looking for 12 years. Rare forged aluminum Alcoa wheel and never thought I'd find just one front one. When they were available new they were over $800 each. Your tiny front flare pieces were over $250 each back when you could buy them from a dealer. Again the trick will be finding just them and not have to buy a complete set to get them. My ZR2 has the originals and they are both cracked.
Since there is a palm tree in one pic and no sign of any rust and CA plates you needn't worry about rust. Even tho ZR2's like to rust behind the flares.
If you really want a clean rust free low miles ZR2 I personally don't think it is over priced. Finding one like this is rare. Most were driven into the ground by now or modified a bunch. Hopefully it even has the original unaltered radio. Most came with an RDS CD unit. Should be double din, but I think that change was made mid year during 2002. So it could be din and a half. I notice that it doesn't have a trailer hitch. I consider that a good thing. Again not modified and also means the PO didn't drag a heavy trailer thru the mountains with it.
Would love to have it here in the salt belt. My ZR2 is a rust bucket with 200K and has had an engine swap. I paid $500 for it as a roller with bad engine and trans. Not gong to fix the rust, it'll just return.
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When you consider they cost over $26K new. Add destination charges and sales tax your getting near $30K. Asking 50% of that for one with only 60K miles isn't outrageous.
That's $15K depreciation which is about right for the miles.
If it were a 2019 for $15K you'd think that was OK and it'd probably have more miles.
The rarity of ZR2's this nice offsets the fact it's been around 20 years. Once they reach this age the year is irrelevant.
I've seen a lot worse ones with asking in the $9 -10 neighbor hood. And remember that's asking price. That's where you start the negotiations.
You could, I suppose, buy a new $50K Blazer or Bronco instead and you'd be the one absorbing the $20K depreciation in a couple years.
If you take good care of it, it'd be an investment. You can drive it 5 years and I bet sell it for the same or more money. Especially when you throw in inflation currently. As long as you didn't go way up in miles, jack it up or take it to Chicago or some other nasty salty place.
Not a truck to go bonnie bashing with or use as a DD.
The salvage title used to be something serious. With parts and labor what they are today if you flatten the grille to the support it's totaled. With no structural damage needed.
I just paid $350 for one refinished wheel for my GXP. Add a bumper some lights and a front valance, labor and paint and your at an easy $10K. Headlights for an Escalade are $1800 each. With labor that's totaled if it's 5 years old.
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Our Equinox has nearly the same little 3.6. Only 300 HP in 2016, but a fun driver. Handles great, too. Really quick steering.
BTW it has a salvage title. Bought it from a retired body man who does rebuilds as a side hustle. He did a good job on it. Haven't had a single problem in 3 years.
Only paid $6500 when it was 3 years old. It's the LTZ with everything. Comparables were going close to $15k at the dealerships at that time. Her son had a base 2wd version with the Chinese 4 cyl. What a POS. It blew up.
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Be glad you didn't buy it. It was not only in an accident, it was totaled and junked. Then salvaged and repaired. Making the price utterly ridiculous. As a rule you can knock at least 25% off the value for having been salvaged and you'd need to look it over with a fine tooth comb before purchase. Vehicles with salvage titles can be a good deal if the frame wasn't bent and the repairs done by an expert. Or they can be a constant problem. Depends on who did the rebuild and if they wanted to do it right or just flip it for a quick profit.
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