What is the meaning of a salvage title?
The above is correct until the last sentence. When a car is in an accident, flooded or sometimes even stolen/recovered (things vary from state to state) and the repairs exceed 75% of the car’s value it is totaled and issued a salvage title. Once a car is issued a salvage title it can not legally be made “clean” again, only salvage/reconstructed or totaled/reconstructed depending on how a state words it. Unscrupulous sellers can always find an illegal/unethical away around this but since a reconstructed car(i.e. a salvage car that has been rebuilt to roadworthy standards) is worth 40% less than a comparable clean titled car, buyers need to beware and do their homework with Carfax, VIN and title number checks before they purchase any used car. Otherwise, they will pay too much for what they get. Salvage cars can sometimes be fine purchases, just pay the right price!
