Salvage/Rebuilt Title?

[Cajungaltx]

I've read the info online and understand that a salvage title is basically a vehicle that the damage reached a certain percentage of the cars value - and was declared totaled - and so it's considered a 'salvage' title or a rebuilt title.

So while I 'understand' it - I'm trying to figure out how it actually works in Texas -

Take this craigslist post:
2005 Chevrolet cobalt Price to Sell

Very dependable, great on gas, clean and pretty red 2005 Chevrolet cobalt This deal will not last long, car only has 76k miles no low balers, No Chevy cobalt clean or rebuilt title on CL can beat this deal, deal will not last long. Car has a rebuilt Title car is a stick shift .call me 832-475-6837 I have the car and title, waiting on your cash.
5 speed manual transmission
ABS
2.2 ECOTEC 4cyc engine
4 door Sudan


We went to one car a while back...because Brad was supposed to start home dispatch (where he drives his truck home/to work every day) but it hasn't happened for one reason or another and so I'm picking up a second car that in 18 months or so will become Tori's car (my teenage daughter) when she starts driving.

So how does this work in Texas?

I'm having a mechanic check out any car before I buy it.
I'm willing to get a CarFax report for a car if I'm interested - but I want to understand how this works in Texas.

Thanks!

[groovyone]

It reads like it is a clean title. You have the salvage title explaination correct.

[ChrisTX]

I'd want to see repair receipts.

No one can beat that deal because a salvage title kills the value, and any resale value you might plan to have.

[cajunautoxer]

I'm a little confused on what you mean by how this works? If I were going to buy that car I would want to know where the damage was? And who did the repairs? Just remember the insurance will be cheaper bc if something happens to it they will pay you less than a car with a clean title

[groovyone]

Yeah, I missed that last part. My opinion, skip it all together. The Cobalt is far from a shining example of a good car, and a salvage one at that? You can do much better.

If you really want the car, get full repair records as others have suggested.

My two cents as a car guy, skip it.

[cajunautoxer]

Thanks to Obama's stimulus package. Used car prices are at a 20yr high right now. I recently totalled my daily commuter and they gave me $4500 for a 01 Saturn. Basically the same as the Colalt. It had 115,000 on it. It was great for me bc it got 30mpg.

Now I wouldn't completly pass up this car but like I said before I would want a complete history on it.

[ggeen]

The car does not have to be damaged to have a salvage title. I talked to a dealer once who had a salvage title Jeep. Apparently it was stolen and the the insurance company finally paid off. Then the Jeep was found! Since the vehicle was written off, it had to get a salvage title.

The dealer listed all the parts replaced, all quickly removable from a Jeep Wrangler, and just as easily replaced.

Like everyone above said, I want to know a detailed vehicle history.

[SCone]

Search found this 2006 for same money....

2006 CHEVY COBALT LIKE NEW CLEAN TITLE

Looks like the one you're looking at is a couple thousand under bluebook... but with a salvage title, it will always be worth less than a comparable car. The chance you're taking is whether the repairs were done correctly. Is there any type of repair warrantee to go along with the car? Depending on the reason for the salvage title, it could be a great buy if you are like me and never sell the car again anyway. But if the salvage is for water damage... you may be looking at very expensive future repairs that cannot be diagnosed easily.

Since you are shopping for a used car, buy a 5-pack of Carfax reports. You can get 5 for only $10 more than just one. Or check with anyone you know that works in the car business, they may be willing to chek them out for you.

[ChrisTX]

Originally Posted by ggeen

The car does not have to be damaged to have a salvage title. I talked to a dealer once who had a salvage title Jeep. Apparently it was stolen and the the insurance company finally paid off. Then the Jeep was found! Since the vehicle was written off, it had to get a salvage title.

The dealer listed all the parts replaced, all quickly removable from a Jeep Wrangler, and just as easily replaced.

Like everyone above said, I want to know a detailed vehicle history.

It has to be stolen long enough for the insurance company to pay off on it. I've seen stolen returns end up with all kinds of gremlins that initially look like they were located undamaged.

Some cars have certain parts that are hard to find, or you could have a small fender bender, but the airbags blow, and those are costly. Personally, I wouldn't touch a salvage title.

[TXForesterII]

Short answer is a car with salvage title can be made legal to drive and sell, but when you buy it, you should get the new blue (regular) title.

I've gone part way through this process. My car was considered not worth the price of fixing it. It wasn't as badly damaged in a wreck as many I've seen repaired, but it did have high mileage (281,000 miles at the time the adjuster looked at it). So, they gave me choice. Write it off or they would give me less money and let me keep it. However, if I kept it, I'd need a salvage title.

Looking into the salvage title info, I found that the car isn't legal to drive. That means I had to apply for a salvage title ($8 fee). After getting the salvage title, I could fix the car then get a state inspection. If it passes the inspection, then I could apply for a regular blue title. After getting the blue title, then it would be legal to drive and is legal to sell.

Sometime after receiving my salvage title, DOT sent me a letter saying the insurance company (who will remain nameless, but has that blasted reptile mascot) goofed up. My vehicle is now considered non-repairable. Fat chance of getting my $8 back or having it cover the fee for applying for a non-repairable title (so I can sell it to a junk yard or sale it for parts).

[Buddha]

I wrecked a car once that I loved and planned to rebuild until I found out that no insurance company would insure it, and the resale value would be zilch.
That is the reason for the bargain price.

[Rson]

I wouldn't touch it.

1: You never know who fixed it
2: You will never know why it was titled like that
3: You never know how it ran b4 the title issues.
4: It is a Cobalt....aren't they 6000 new?

[Rson]

Also, that could be a "Katrina" car and you never know the extent of the damage. The Paint looks good, but the electronics are screwed.

If you want a "Cash Car" post up your desires, you never know if someone has one.

[groovyone]

Originally Posted by Rson

Also, that could be a "Katrina" car and you never know the extent of the damage. The Paint looks good, but the electronics are screwed.

If you want a "Cash Car" post up your desires, you never know if someone has one.

Good point.

[jerrykr]

Have your mechanic put it on a lift and look under it.

Not uncommon to have two cars, one totaled in front, and the same make and model totaled in the back, cut up and combined into one "good" car with a salvaged title. Many problems possible.

On the other hand, as has been said, these days it doesn't take much actual damage to total a car. If you buy a salvaged title car, consider it one to drive into the ground, and in the end be a true throw away, with no resale value. Depending on the car, you can come out OK.

Carfax may or may not be reliable. I subscribed to it once for a month to check out a car I wanted to buy. During that month, I checked out the reports for all the cars my co-workers owned, and it was laughable how much was missing from the reports, things these owners knew their own cars had been thru.