ABC of Car Salvage: Buy or Not to Buy?

Are you confused about whether to buy a salvage titled car or not? Well, the best answer to this question is ‘know before you invest’. A salvage titled car indicates the fact that the vehicle is heavily damaged. Due to the involvement in a severe accident, sometimes the cost of repairing the car exceeds its original price. As a result of it the insurance company may take total hold of the car by declaring a total loss. As a compensation the company will sell the car to any automobile sector to repair or with a purpose to rebuild it. Once it’s repaired or rebuilt by the company, it’s now ready to be sold to another potential customer as a salvage titled car. The law regarding buying a salvage titled car may vary from place to place so it is always important to know before you invest.

The most common way a car becomes salvage is by a disastrous accident or by any natural disasters. There are others reasons too by which a car can get the title.

The reasons are:

• Any kind of damages that include damage due to collision, fire damage, flooding damage, damage due to heavy snow fall or landslides.

• If the car has one or more significant missing parts or the car is stolen.

• A heavily used car that’s remanufactured or rebuilt, is also considered as salvage.

• A car that’s not registered because it did not pass the terms and condition or lacked proper inspection.

• If an antique car has been restored properly it may or may not have the title.

• If the car is repaired with aftermarket parts it may also get the title.

Here are some factors one should consider before taking a step forward:

As these cars are rebuilt or re manufactured the car may cost more or can create other hardships while driving. So, it’s always recommended to play it safe. Title washing is a procedure that’s performed to hide any damages on a car and it can charge an unbelievable amount. So, it’s always advisable to go through vehicle history report. Vehicle history reports contain all details of any prior damage the car has gone through. Don’t forget to track the history of the car through the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It will enrich you with some very useful data like about the previous owners, accident history etc.

If you have already made your mind to buy the car, make sure you visit to a trustable and experienced mechanic who can give you the suggestion about the possible damaged parts or about any newly installed part, if any. They can also give you a potential idea about the quality of the old or newly installed parts.

How will you know it’s a salvage titled car?

There are few obvious signs by which one can tell that the car is salvage titled. Despite getting confirmation from the experienced mechanic or checking vehicle history one can follow these methods to know whether it’s a salvage titled car or not:

• Get to know about the car title first.

• Check for an improperly repaired door.

• Check if there is any problem in wheel alignment.

• Check for the electrical components.

• Check for CAPA sticker. If it’s present there’s a chance that the car is salvage titled.

• Check if the car is painted well. If the paint does not match with the rest, it was surely damaged before.

Due diligence while buying:

• Look for alternative financing options: Before you go with the deal make sure you look for some financing options like different credit or loan options with better interest rate and long-term repayment option.

• Know about original repairs: Get an idea of the original repair details. It will help to get an idea about the damage the car has absorbed. It will also help in negotiating the price for a balanced deal.

• Know about State’s Lemon Law: According to the Lemon law(varies), a dealer will repair any problems with vehicle at zero cost and if unable to do so, the dealer will fully compensate for repairing. This deal has a specific time period. If the dealer is unable to do both, the buyer will get a complete refund of that vehicle’s purchased price. (This status of Lemon Law can vary from places to places).

You should follow the following steps if you unknowingly buy a salvage titled car:

If you buy such cars unknowingly, and badly want to return it, there are some legal assistances that you can follow:

• Contact Consumer Protection Office in your area: Here you will get some proper guidance regarding your refund.

• Use your buyer’s guide: As a buyer you will hold a buyer’s guide. Use it against the dealer to file a case of fraud.