advice needed

[toplessvw]

So I bought a 2003 24v vr6 GLI off SGI three years ago with the intention of fixing it and getting the car back on the road. The car was written off due to a coil pack fire that took out the intake manifold and engine harness and other plastic items in the engine bay. The engine is repaired and ready to go. Now here is my issue I did not research the process very well before I decided to get into the project, now I come to find out that I needed before repair pictures and needed to document all replacement parts for the engine. I do not have any of this.

The salvage inspections are $400 and I was told that they are very thorough and most are not passed the first time then you have to pay for re-inspection, then on top of that I would have to get an out of province for another $150.

Now I am at the point where I am trying to decide if it is just better to part the car out, The body is mint as well as the interior but with the cost of inspection and the fact the car would still have a salvage title I do not know if I should just cut my losses and move on.

[CGY_GTI]

Re: advice needed

Pat (onceover) should be able to provide some insight here since he bought that S4 with fire damage last year and parted it out. My understanding has always been that a vehicle that was written off due to fire damage could never be registered again.

[witchcraftz]

Re: advice needed

Maybe you could just go and buy a used engine and pop it it?

There must be some pictures from insurance from the original fire, so you would only need to show the receipt for the "new" engine sitting in the bay.

[onceover]

Re: advice needed

Pat (onceover) should be able to provide some insight here since he bought that S4 with fire damage last year and parted it out. My understanding has always been that a vehicle that was written off due to fire damage could never be registered again.

The S4 was classified as a non-repairable when I bought it. It's up to the insurance company to decide whether it will be a slavage or a non-repairable.

[VW337]

Re: advice needed

Pat (onceover) should be able to provide some insight here since he bought that S4 with fire damage last year and parted it out. My understanding has always been that a vehicle that was written off due to fire damage could never be registered again.

This is false. If a car is deemed salvage by the insurance company then the car can be put back on the road providing it passes the salvage inspection. If the car passes the inspection the title is changed to "repaired" rather than "salvage". Cars that are deemed N/R (non-repairable) by the insurance company can never be registered again and are only good for parts.

I have done 4-5 salvage cars and have taken pictures every time of the damage. The inspectors like to see the pictures when doing the salvage inspection but as far as I've been told they are not mandatory. If I were you I would make some phone calls to local shops and see if they require photos or not. It would also be in your best interest to find a shop that will do both the salvage inspection and out of province inspection.