You’ve searched high and low, and you’ve found the car of your dreams but it is a salvage title car. What? A salvage title car, what does that mean? It means that the car of your dreams has been declared a total loss by an insurance company at some point in time. Does this mean you shouldn’t buy your dream car, now that it is a salvage title car? Not necessarily. But it does pay to do a little research before making an investment in a salvage title car.
Ordering a car history report on that salvage title car of your dreams should probably be your first bit of research. Not only will this report tell you who previously owned the salvage title car, it will tell you why this car is now a salvage title car. The “why” can be a number of reasons and the reason can make all the difference in whether or not your dream car would be a dream or a nightmare.
If your dream car is now a salvage title car because of flooding, it may turn out to be a real nightmare down the road. But if it was rear-ended and the damage was mainly cosmetic on an older model car, then the right person can take that car and potentially make it into a sweet ride again, even if it is a salvage title car now.
Unless you personally have a lot of automotive mechanical knowledge, then it is probably a good idea to consult an automotive mechanic when considering a purchase of a salvage title vehicle. Their expertise and advice, along with the car history report, can help you make a wise decision about buying that dream salvage title car and prevent you from being stuck with a real automotive nightmare.