Many people have heard the term "salvaged vehicle" and wonder what it means, its importance, and how to obtain a salvaged vehicle title. When an insurance company determines that it would cost more to repair or fix than it would be to pay out a claim, an automobile such as a truck or car is considered salvaged if it has been in a serious accident, a flood, or stolen and recovered with missing parts. Each state is different on the threshold of when the insurance company considers a car to be totaled. Generally in most states, this threshold is considered to be 51 percent or more.
Once a car is totaled by the insurance company they notify the state and the car becomes officially salvaged. This means you cannot drive it on public roads in the state. It is possible to refurbish a totaled car and then be issued a salvage title by the state. And there is quite a market in salvaged vehicles, although there are many unfortunate side effects of having a salvaged title, If you have any question regarding salvage title cars you can ask there https://forum.patchcar.com/ web forum salvaged cars.
For example, the minute the car becomes salvaged, the manufacturer's warranty, even if the car has less than 100 miles on it, expires. Second, banks are hesitant to finance any car with a salvaged title. Third, the resell value of the vehicle goes way down. Finally, if the car is salvaged you will generally only be able to buy basic liability insurance.
Still, there are many reasons that people buy used cars, the chief benefit being that you will probably pay around 50 percent less for them. There are some salvaged cars to watch out for but other that have mostly cosmetic damage can be a real steal. So how does a totaled car that has been salvaged get rehabilitated into a vehicle you can drive on the public highways in your state?
So what are the steps to get a salvaged title?
The first thing to do is buy the car, whether at auction or through a private seller.
Next, tow the vehicle to your repair shop. (Remember, no matter if it is driveable or not, you can't drive it on the highway.)
After that, make the necessary repairs on the vehicle. This is more complicated than it seems because the vehicle will need to be inspected by your State Department of motor vehicles, and each state and every inspector has their rules to follow.
Remember that the inspector for the state is there to protect the public. If the condition of the car is likely to cause an auto accident, then the car will not pass inspection.
Remember too, that you will need to tow the vehicle to the inspection site as you can't drive it on public roads.
Finally, the state may require you to get the vehicle insured before it is tested, which can be a hurdle in itself. Once the car is inspected, passed, and all fees paid, the state will issue you a rebranded or rebuilt title. Bear in mind that once the vehicle was declared salvaged by the insurance company no amount of mechanical magic will erase that. The car will be always a salvaged car with the attendant problems of no manufacturer's warranty, difficulty obtaining insurance, and the likelihood that nobody will ever finance you. You can read at https://www.patchcar.com/auto-salvage/what-is-a-salvage-car what does salvage car mean.
However, for many people, who know the mechanic who restores the car well, have seen photos post-accident, and want a car that is 50 percent or more cheaper, buying a vehicle with a salvaged title may be a better option than buying a 20-year old beatr.
