A salvage title typically means at some point in the vehicle’s history the car has been claimed a total loss by an insurance company because of an accident or flood damage. It can even happen in some states if it’s a recovered stolen vehicle – so all pretty much not good things. Also, government agencies routinely test new vehicles, and cars sold after the government gets its use out of them are given a salvage title as well.
When a total loss happens because of damage, the car can sometimes be bought back by the owner or sold to someone who will repair the vehicle and put it back on the road; when this happens it’s issued a salvage title. Laws and regulations regarding salvaged titles vary from state to state, so be sure to check with your state’s motor vehicle department for the most accurate information.
Salvaged cars typically go through an inspection by the state’s motor vehicle department before being issued a salvage title, but inspection procedures also vary by state and some may be a simple VIN code and emissions system check. Others may be a more thorough safety inspection.
Bought car in Tennessee with title. Went to Georgia to put car in my name. They said title NO GOOD due to salvage (unbeknown to me)Previous owner had tag and title in TN so don't understand why I cannot get one???
What likely happened is that the guy got a duplicate title right after he totaled the car, surrendered the original title to the insurance company, and kept the car and fixed it up. He then sold you the car as though it had a clean title since he had the duplicate copy, even though it was salvage. You got taken! Make sure to alway run the VIN number of any car you wish to purchase through the state DMV to find out the status of the title. Carfaxes are not always up to date.
Here is a great website that sells repairables and salvage title vehicles. www.BUYrepairables.com
Another great place that sells salvage/rebuilt cars is IVACars.com
I looking to buy a car and wanted to know if a vehicle can have salvaged title but because of some technicality in the state of California when I am asking a dealer in San Diego if the title is clean and he says yes. Is this type of situation or s situation similar is possible? ifs if anyone know a good place to find exactly what the laws are and explains the meanings of the laws, also tips for buying salvaged title cars.
Somebody earlier wrote:
"Make sure to alway run the VIN number of any car you wish to purchase through the state DMV to find out the status of the title"
How do I check that? Is it free? Is it possible in each DMV ?
I purchased a car thur a buy here, pay here. I have paid the vehicle off and received the title in the mail. I went to trade car at a dealership. They were the ones to show me that the vehicle has a salvaged title. I called the company I purchased the vehicle from. They said the were un aware of this, and will make it good. What is good? I have had the vehicle for 2 years. I have put over 50,000 miles on the vehicle, but it was a salvaged when I purchased it. Where can I go to find out what is fair to me?
I got into a bad wreck and the body shop in the town that I wrecked in towed the car to their shop and insisted that I had it fixed there or pay to have it towed and all their fees, so I did. The car was then in a small fender binder a year later and the insurance co said they would not fix it that several things on the car were not safely fixed prior. The body shop in my town refused to fix it as well. My husband paid out of pocket to drive a rental car and find a lawyer to make the first body shop go back and repair it. No lawyer would touch it. Now we decided to trade it in and the salesman told us our car has a salvage title. Is the insurance company required to notify you about that and is there anything consumers can do? Help!
What if the DMV did a mistake! i bought a car that DMV did not know that it was salvaged! i even got a loan from BOA im assuming they check the car before they give you the loan! 1st time i went to DMV they told me that title was clean when they printed out but i didnt not have a seller with me to sign it! but when i asked seller to come and he had to sign the title and when DMV printed the title it said salvaged! manager and myself tried to talk to BOA loan officer that i was working with to tell them to terminate the loan since the car was salvaged manager of DMV even agreed that it was not my fault that car is salvaged it got lost somehow from NY to GA to FL! So what can i do now? I have a salvaged car that wasnt a day before! who am i gonna go after? does anyone recomend me a good lawyer? HELP!!!!
my son slide our durango into a ditch, the repairs are 4700 and the car is not worth more than 6000. State farm is reviewing to see if it may be a total loss. My son loves the car and is still driving it...no mechanical problems, just a dent in the bottom of the drivers door. State farm said we could maybe do a buy back if we want to? What does that mean? We own 3500 on the car. Any recommendations?
DONT BUY A CARS WITHOUT PLATES,SOME PEOPLE SELL CARS IN A POPULAR WEBSITE,THEY GIVE YOU PAPERWORK FROM TOW COMPANY,AND THEY SAY ITS ALL YOU NEED,AND WHEN YOU GO TO THE DMW,SURPRISE,IS SALVAGED IN THEIR AD, THEY CLAIM IS A CLEAN TITLE, BE AWARE!!!
hi
I bought a harley sportster from an auction site that has a salvage title. The bike was damaged and I repaired it. Now it runs great. It needed a new front wheel, two turn signals on the right side, handle grips, handle bar...and a light and brake inspection. The title says salvage on it. I have no idea how much this affects the value but it is a very good looking bike and no one but me knows if it was a salvage when they see it.
I have a 97 del sol i wrecked and i want to know what i have to do to get it back running....we have bought it bk from the insurance co. and now i need to know the steps to get it bk on the road.
hey im buyin a car thats in perfect condition but sadly has no title at all and was claimed to not be aloud on the road ever again. can i fix that? or am i pretty much out of luck?
o yea. the car was stolen by one of my buddys sisters and i bought the car off of him.? help
Kyle, then it's a stolen car. You could get arrested. Call your state's DMV and give them the VIN number. Tell them you're interested in buying the car and are checking on the title. If you didn't know it was stolen until after you bought the car, then report it to the polics and if she is arrested, she will be charged and possibly convicted and forced to pay you back. That's if you can't get her to give you your money back if the car still shows as stolen by the DMV.
Salvage title for 2002 acura rsx, 60k miles.. any comments.. please help..
Just bought a car, salvage title, runs great,it was just wrecked in the back. Very good price and plan on keeping it for a long time. It was also clamied to not be on the road again.Can i fix that?
i bought a car with a salvaged title dur to the air bags being deployed, the problem was fixed i have papers to prove it but now what do i do to recieve a new title? if i dnt have the insurance adjusters report, car works fine what should i do?
i bought a car with a salvaged title..'99 pontiac firebird to be exact..1 week ago today i got woke up at 3:30am with a drunk driver that has hit my car in my drive way...I still owe 3800.00 on my car and by rules of the car dealership was made to carry full coverage insurance..now my car has been totaled again and the insurance co. dont want to pay and its now having to be a court issue....please beware of what your buying..any comments or help with this same issue would be greatly appreciated
I would like to know the selling price of 2002 Grand Prix with a salvage title. I need to sell it very soon and want ot know a fair price to ask for it.
im buying a car and the owner does not have a title would this be a salvage situation? he had bought it with out the title the owner before him screwed him over
Another great place that sells salvage/rebuilt cars is Amobinc.com
My car is damaged in an accident and it costs 4,000$ to get it repaired and the insurance company is giving cash out to get it repaired. I want to get rid of this car and i do not want to get it repaired. The car is in drivable condition, Can i cell the car for cheap price, like 2,000$ or less? The car costs no more than 3.5K$. Please advice. Any leagal issues.
hi i got an accident before 3 days i just wana ask my car it will be salvage title or no after i fix it ???? i got some damage in the front bumper and the head lights and the radator
I was given a car that had been sitting for a year and a half since the owner had left for Thialand. The owners mother was being hassled about the car just sitting on a rent property that she owned, so she just gave it to me. The owner had turned in the plates before he left. Now his mother is saying that the title will have to go to Bangkok to be sighned over and it may take months, because of computer access and other problems. What can I do to speed up the process and take the worry off the people who so kindly gave me a car. Oh by the way I live in Louisiana.
can a car have a salvage title if it had complete engine work or engine tune up?
I want to buy this car with a salvage title, does this mean I won't be able to register or insure the car?
Hi. I bought a 2006 Jeep grand cherokee with a salvaged title. It has 27000 miles on it and is a great vehicle. The vehicle was involved in a low speed collision resulting in the hood pass side headlight and fender and bumper needing to be replaced. (along with other supporting peices underneath) I dont understand how this car got a salvaged title. it cost me about 2500 to repair the vehicle back to standard with factory parts. The airbags didnt even deploy in the wreck. I think insurance companies are going way to far with handing out salvage titles. the vehicle pre loss is worth about 15,000 dollars. the damage was a fraction of that. Insurance companies work with auto bodies to get ridiculous estimates and for some reason give out salvage titles. it needs to stop. salvage title cars are good cars. just have a mechanic check it over and you will be fine. peace
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A salvage title means that a car sustained damage that exceeded 50-75% of its actual cash value and the insurance company wrote it off. In some states recovered stolen vehicles are issued salvage titles and there may be nothing wrong with them. I would only buy older salvage vehicles, since it doesn't take much to total a car that's worth $5000 or less. However, a newer car with a salvage title could mean that the car sustained over $15,000 in damage and that's major. Keep in mind that $4000 in rear end damage would not total a newer car but it would total an older car. Same damage, different title! So, buying a salvage car is really no different than buying any used car. Have it inspected by a pro and pay no more than 60% of the value of a comparable clean titled car if it checks out. I have owned 2 salvage/reconstructed cars and they have been terrific, money-saving purchases.