Everything You Need to Know About Salvage Title Cars

Regardless of what many say, salvage vehicles can be a worthy investment, provided you do adequate homework and bid right. You can easily buy cars, motorcycles, and even heavy duty trucks from reputable auctions. There are several aspects about salvage vehicles that first timers aren’t aware of, which may cause problem post-purchase. The blog post will primarily focus on a few basic procedures related to salvage vehicle, which you should know before initiating the buying process.

State Regulation

Auto licensing regulations may vary from one state to another, and that’s why you need to check the rules for vehicle title and registration before purchase. Some states don’t allow driving a salvage vehicle even after the removal of the title. If your state permits driving salvage vehicle after title removal, go ahead with the purchase. You need to change the salvage title to ‘reconditioned’ or ‘rebuilt’ title.

Rebuilt Title Issuing Authority

The Department of Motor Vehicles or DMV has the authority to issue a rebuilt title. As mentioned earlier, every state has different title regulations. If you live in a different state than the state where the vehicle is titled, you have to get a rebuilt title and later transfer it to your state of residence.

Vehicle History Report (VHR)

Reconfirmation of the current title status of the vehicle is important, and you can do this by obtaining a Vehicle History Report that is available online. What you need is the 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to enter the information and get the report. You will find the following information on the report:

• Current title of the vehicle
• Any record of vehicle theft
• If there’s any lien on the vehicle

Besides the pointers above, a vehicle history report also provides key information about a vehicle’s past including the damage it sustained, defects, or repairs that have been carried out.

Repair and Inspection

You need to repair the vehicle to get the rebuilt title. If you add a part or replace something in the car, keep the receipts to prove that none of the parts in the car is stolen. After the car is repaired, you need to fill in the salvage title inspection report and rebuilt title form, which is available on the state website of DMV. The next step is to get in touch with an inspector after submitting the report and schedule an inspection date to figure out the vehicle’s roadworthiness.

Application

Fill out the rebuilt title application and submit it to the state DMV office with supporting documents. The documents you need to submit include your photo ID, inspection report, and repair receipts. Hope this brief guide will make your salvage vehicle purchase a seamless process.

Last Few Words

If you are planning to buy a salvage title vehicle, knowing these aspects helps in understanding the process. Subsequently, you can make an informed decision before going ahead for inspection and repair. You need to submit rebuilt title application to the state DMV office along with supporting documents including inspection report, photo ID, and repair receipts. If you, for instance, looking to participate in a car or heavy duty truck auction, learning about these procedures beforehand will help for sure.