Quote:
Originally Posted by Unobtanium-inc
There are states that are known as "wash" states, meaning you can clean up the title but I've only heard of people doing this when they have a car that had a "parts only" title. Many states have two tiers of salvage:
1. Salvage Rebuildable
2. Parts Only, FL even goes one step further and calls it a Certificate of Destruction
The trick I've heard people talk about is to sell the car to someone in a state like KY which only has one kind of salvage title, all are technically rebuildable. So you can start with a parts only title and end up with a rebuildable title, but it's still branded, even if you pass state inspection and get the car tagged again.
NY makes it really hard on cars with salvage history. My car was damaged in 2005, rebuilt, and retitled to be driven again. I had a branded title from FL, but a ready to go title. NY still made me go through their salvage inspection, as if the car was just fixed, rather then 15 years before. It passed, it's tagged and on the road, but still carries the Rebuilt brand and will forever. But it was a nerve wracking wait. Thinking I had put all this money into this car, which had a clean rebuilt title and NY could for whatever reason say they would not honor the other states rebuilt title and not let me drive it in NY.
---Adam
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what you describe is pretty cool. i don't know what CA does other than branding a car as salvaged which could mean it was totaled and rebuilt by some shady outfit, or simply joy ridden for a day or two ending up marooned on a curb like the OP suggests the car he is looking at is the case. not knowing what end of the spectrum it is on is why ive always turned and ran from any salvaged car.
you'd think that high end cars carrying a salvaged title are likely on the major damage end of the spectrum. who knows, an 86 911 as the OP mentions could have been titled salvaged 20 years ago when it was a $15k car as opposed to now when it could be a better option for the insurer to have it fixed instead of paying out mid a five figure claim to total it.