From salvage title to rebuilt title?

[dmcnorway]

What is required to get a title from "salvage" to "rebuilt" so that another DeLorean can be rescued?
I guess this differs from state to state?
Any recommendations? Are there any title companies that can help in this matter?
Feel free to PM me.

[David T]

What is required to get a title from "salvage" to "rebuilt" so that another DeLorean can be rescued?
I guess this differs from state to state?
Any recommendations? Are there any title companies that can help in this matter?
Feel free to PM me.

It does vary widely State-to-State. In some States it can be almost impossible to get a Title changed from salvage and in any case it will always be in the car's history that it WAS salvaged. Other States have more lenient rules and it can be easier to do but again, it will always be in the car's history.

[eagle-co94]

In the state of FL it's quite simple. You just repair the car and take it through one of the state inspection offices. Once they verify the car is good they issue you a rebuilt title and you can register and drive the car.

I've gone through the process twice and it's quite simple. You need before and after pictures and receipts for all your parts. If you pulled the parts from another car you'll need to provide the title for that car and they will mark the parts taken from that car on the title. It's a pretty simple process, but the only way is to fix the car so that it's driveable again.

[DMCMW Dave]

. It's a pretty simple process, but the only way is to fix the car so that it's driveable again.

It will never get cleared out of "carfax" etc. so if that's a big deal to you when/if you go to sell it, avoid a salvaged title even if "rebuilt". OTOH if you don't care you should get a much better deal when you buy the car. If you get the car at a good price, and lose a similar percentage when you sell, then you are not really getting hurt. But if you pay premium price without knowing, you can get hurt when you sell it.

The process is completely inconsistent from state to state, and I know from experience (as a buyer, not a DMC) that, for example a car "salvaged" in Illinois will lose that designation if sold to someone in Indiana, and titled there. When it is sold back to someone Illinois the title is now "clean". I know of one body shop that had locations in both states, and they would buy junk cars in Illinois, rebuild them, title them in Indiana, and then resell them in Illinois with an now-clean title. Until you checked the Carfax/Autocheck etc. you'd never know until you went to trade it at a dealer and then someone checked.

[David T]

It will never get cleared out of "carfax" etc. so if that's a big deal to you when/if you go to sell it, avoid a salvaged title even if "rebuilt". OTOH if you don't care you should get a much better deal when you buy the car. If you get the car at a good price, and lose a similar percentage when you sell, then you are not really getting hurt. But if you pay premium price without knowing, you can get hurt when you sell it.

The process is completely inconsistent from state to state, and I know from experience (as a buyer, not a DMC) that, for example a car "salvaged" in Illinois will lose that designation if sold to someone in Indiana, and titled there. When it is sold back to someone Illinois the title is now "clean". I know of one body shop that had locations in both states, and they would buy junk cars in Illinois, rebuild them, title them in Indiana, and then resell them in Illinois with an now-clean title. Until you checked the Carfax/Autocheck etc. you'd never know until you went to trade it at a dealer and then someone checked.

In New Jersey there is a procedure and an inspection. If you fail the inspection you only get the one chance and then you have lost all of the time and money you sunk into fixing up the car because it can never be registered in New Jersey. It can be bought and sold but only withe the salvage Title. Some States have much more lenient rules.

[eagle-co94]

That's quite interesting, and pretty stupid for Illinois to do as it's dishonest. At least FL titles state rebuilt for any title that was previously listed as salvage (I know first hand about TX and PA salvage titles).

For someone on a limited budget that knows better than to think that a car is an investment a rebuilt title is a great cost saving way to go. It's still a used car but likely has a number of new parts and will (or should) look, handle and perform the same as a car with a clean title.

[TTait]

Regardless of the quality of repair, conventional wisdom will suggest that the car will always have a greatly diminished value. It will be difficult to sell for what you have in the car, but more importantly insurance companies will only pay you pennies on the dollar if the car is ever totaled.

It doesn't matter how safe a driver you are if someone hits you and totals your salvaged car. Your best option will be to look into an agreed value policy if you intend to drive a salvaged vehicle. Talk to the insurance carriers before you do anything.

[DMCMW Dave]

Regardless of the quality of repair, conventional wisdom will suggest that the car will always have a greatly diminished value. It will be difficult to sell for what you have in the car, but more importantly insurance companies will only pay you pennies on the dollar if the car is ever totaled.

It doesn't matter how safe a driver you are if someone hits you and totals your salvaged car. Your best option will be to look into an agreed value policy if you intend to drive a salvaged vehicle. Talk to the insurance carriers before you do anything.

True- - I've heard that in some states some insurance companies will not even write insurance on cars with previously salvaged titles. Even if "rebuilt".

Go very carefully here, do your research unless you are really trying to buy a parts car / track car.

[David T]

True- - I've heard that in some states some insurance companies will not even write insurance on cars with previously salvaged titles. Even if "rebuilt".

Go very carefully here, do your research unless you are really trying to buy a parts car / track car.

This problem has gotten more acute because of all of the cars that have been flooded in recent years. Newer cars, once wet up to the floor, are totaled because the electrical systems get corroded and the whole wiring harness and computers get wet. Bottom line here is if you get a salvage car cheap you have to consider it may never be worth much and you may never be able to register it to drive on public roads. As far as the insurance company is concerned this car was already totaled and paid for and many will not pay again. All you may have is a pile of parts that happens to look like a car. As for resale value, if you had two equal cars for sale at the same price, one had a a salvage Title but was "cleaned up" and the other had a regular Title, which would you buy? Obviously having a salvage Title (even if it gets cleaned up) can significantly reduce a car's value. Yes, there are shops that will exploit the difference in rules between States so any buyer must be wary. Getting a Carfax can go a long way to finding this kind of stuff out.