Generally ‘salvage cars’ send shivers down the spine of many people. While some car enthusiasts tend to avoid salvage titled vehicles, others consider them to be a great investment option that enables you to own a car at a lower price. There are many myths related to salvage cars, however they can be hidden cash treasures that people tend to avoid. Before you start searching for salvaged cars, let us understand what it means and how they can be bought at a price that does not burn a hole in your pocket.
Purpose of Salvage Title
The title a used car has notifies potential buyers about the level and extent of damage the car received before being put up for auction. Salvage title cars are put for sale for various reasons, such as interiors, engine or any other part that can be used. Sometimes these are used by people as their pet project to restore and sell to collectors. A car usually gets salvaged title when the damage received is more than the total cost of the car before the accident, theft recovery and flood and fire damage.
Understanding total loss and salvaged title
A salvage car is considered a total loss and needs to be repaired before you use it. In addition to this, you also need to consider the laws related to salvage vehicles. In the US, the laws related to salvage cars differ among the various states and there is no federal law governing it. This makes it all the more important to check your state laws related to salvaged vehicles. The Department of Motor Vehicles is a good place to start checking laws to understand what is considered as total loss and salvaged title.
Benefits of Buying a Salvaged Title
A salvage title gives you access to buy cars that might otherwise be high priced and out of reach. Nevertheless, you can find cars that have minimal damage but are declared salvage due to theft recovery or flood damage. A little repair work and you have a new swanky car for yourself. It is advisable to stay within budget and be careful not to get carried away while placing your bid, as after buying the car you will need to repair the vehicle and get insurance.
Precautions
There are certain precautions you need to consider before buying salvage titled cars. Firstly, do not go over the budget. Yes, we mentioned it before and we are mentioning it again because buyers tend to go over the budget and forget about other costs that are associated with salvage titles.
Secondly, check for hidden damages and vehicle history. You can get this done by contacting a mechanic to inspect your vehicle before bidding starts. There are online auction houses that offer these services.
Lastly, insurance and loan coverage is not readily available for rebuilt cars. You might have to shop around a bit to find the rates and services you desire.
Conclusion
Salvage titled cars are available for sale online with many auction houses. You can take this as an opportunity to have two cars in your family or gift your kid his first car.