What is a Salvage Car?

What is a Salvage Car?

You’re shopping for a used car with a specific make and model in mind. You’ve come across a few listings that are priced as if they were still new, and you’re wondering if you’ll be able to afford to buy it. Then you find one that’s priced much lower than the rest. There must be a catch, and there is – right there in the ad are the words ‘salvage car’ or ‘salvage title’.

Should you bother considering it? Or should you stay away? The decision is much easier if you understand where a salvage car comes from and what it actually means to you.

Where Salvage Cars Come From

The car has arrived at the used car dealership after a journey. It’s been brought into stock from a salvage lot where car insurance companies sell off vehicles that have been deemed a total loss. That sounds scary at first, but it’s not always what it seems.
A whole host of reasons exist for a car to be given a salvage title, and there’s very little difference in the way it’s branded. Its past might include:

• Flood Damage
• Fire or vandalism damage
• Vehicle theft, whether there’s damage or not
• Hail or cosmetic damage
• Collision damage
• Other insurable losses

Once again, it doesn’t sound all that awesome to own a car that’s been deemed a total loss before. But there’s more. There are some truly legitimate reasons to look into a salvage car, or one with a branded title.

For example, insurers find it easier to write off huge numbers of hail-damaged cars and tag them with a branded car title. But the branded car title is more for your information than anything; like a vehicle history report. The cars are repaired to like-new condition. In most cases, you could never tell there was hail damage in the first place!

A Salvage Car Often Has No Mechanical Issues

Many cars that are being resold with branded titles as salvage cars have zero mechanical problems. For example, a car that previously had hail damage obviously didn’t experience powertrain, electrical, or mechanical failures. It’s simply dents and dings that needed to be fixed. A recovered stolen car may have been deemed a total loss before it was located, and it could very well be in perfect working order.

So what if it used to have a bunch of dents and dings? It doesn’t affect how the car runs or drives. It doesn’t impact the engine, transmission, electrical, suspension, or even the alignment.Because damage was strictly external, there’s no worry about the car’s operating condition at all. So what if it used to have a bunch of dents and dings? It doesn’t affect how the car runs or drives. It doesn’t impact the engine, transmission, electrical, suspension, or even the alignment.

Salvage Titles Can Get You Great Cars at a Great Price

Like the example, salvage cars often sell for thousands less than cars with clean titles. Even when a total loss car has only had cosmetic damage like that from hail, it will always be priced lower than a comparable car with a clean title.

Another excellent financial factor is depreciation; salvage titles actually hold their value quite well. A car with a clean title will depreciate up to 40 percent in the first year alone. A car with a salvage title has already suffered its greatest depreciation, then the value stabilizes similar to that of a car with a clean title.

Remember: A Reliable Source Matters Most

When you’re considering a salvage car, it’s not the car that matters most, but the seller. You want your dealer to be transparent and reliable, with a remarkable track record. That’s AutoSource.

At AutoSource, you’ll see exactly where the car originated. We’ll provide you with the car’s detailed history and show you precisely how it went from a total loss to the gem you see. We’ll walk you through the incredibly thorough inspection report. We’ll show you the repairs that were completed. We will answer any questions you have, or might think of, or have in the future.

AutoSource does salvage cars differently. With us, there’s nothing to hide and no gimmicks. We want to earn your trust with your car purchase. Check us out online – read our Google reviews and look at our Better Business Bureau ratings (it’s A+, if you’re wondering). If you’re in the market for a car, let AutoSource earn your business.

At AutoSource, you’ll find excellent preowned vehicles for sale, and many with a history like hail damage. Don’t let that deter you – we’ve reconditioned these cars to the highest standard. You won’t be able to tell the difference from one without a branded car title from hail damage…except by the price! Start browsing what’s available today or drop by one of our locations today.