I think flipping salvage cars is a losing game for most people

I tried it for 6 months in Cleveland after a buddy swore it was easy money. Spent 2 weeks and $1,200 trying to get a 2013 Civic with frame damage to pass inspection, only to sell it for $3,800. Has anyone here actually made consistent profit doing this long term?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivan_harris1d agoTop Commenter

Yeah but I gotta push back a little here. @wader71 your Grand Cherokee story is rough, no doubt, but that's exactly the kind of car I tell new guys to skip. I've been flipping salvage cars for three years now and I'm consistent because I'm super picky. I only buy cars where the damage is cosmetic or mechanical with a clean frame. Like last year I grabbed a 2015 Ford Focus with a smashed front bumper and a broken radiator support for $1,800. Threw in a used bumper and a new radiator for $400 total, sold it for $5,200 in two weeks. Frame damage is a TOTAL waste of time unless you own a shop and have a frame machine. Stick to the easy stuff and you'll profit every time.

the_oliver1d ago

Stick to smaller damage only, like dented bumpers or busted taillights. Frame damage is a money pit 9 times out of 10, especially on unibody cars where you can't just bolt on a new frame section.

wader711d ago

Used to think guys like you just didn't have the knack for it, but my shot with a salvage Jeep Grand Cherokee changed my mind real quick. Bought one with a clean interior but a bent rear subframe, figured a weekend with a come-along and I'd be golden. Three weeks later, I was still chasing alignment issues and the shop said the frame was tweaked worse than the insurance photos showed. Ended up selling it as a parts car for barely half what I put in. Makes you wonder if the only ones really making money are the ones who have their own body shop and a couple grand sitting around for parts.

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