What Makes for a Salvage Title
In most cases, a vehicle is titled as salvage if it has sustained the damage worth 75% or more than its market value. For example, if you drive a 2009 model of Toyota Sienna worth $2900 (approx.) and it suffers a damage of worth $2500 (approx.), it is going to be branded as ‘salvage.” In other words, it becomes a part of a junkyard as it is not considered fit to drive. However, the requirements vary from state to state.
Qualified Inspection: A Vital Part
When buying a salvage car whether from an online salvage car auction or from a neighborhood junkyard, it is important to get a qualified inspection of the car done by a reliable mechanic. For this consider inspection based on these two crucial factors—frame and mechanical.
Frame Inspection
Frame inspection is inevitable when buying a salvage car. Find a certified auto body shop technician to do this work for you if you don’t possess enough understanding about cars. A technician has required skill set for fixing frame problems. So they are in the better position to know the true condition of the used car’s frame.
Mechanical Inspection
This should be done with every car let alone salvage cars. This type of inspection is important to spot any potential long-term or short-term operating problems. The existence of a problem isn’t an automatic deal breaker. It is also important to determine the vehicle’s value to bid the right price.
Weigh Savings Against Future Costs
Before purchasing a salvage car or anything, it is important to consider whether the money saved during the purchase is worth in long term. There is no point saving $2000 on a salvage car, if it is going to take $3000 in repairs. Also, are the savings worth if you have to sell the car down the road?
Conclusion
Salvage vehicle is definitely an ideal choice for people looking for cars at affordable prices. You need to take a right approach when purchasing a salvage vehicle, to make meaningful savings. Ensure that you get the vehicle inspected by a skilled technician who can help you decide the current price of the vehicle for bidding and predict the future cost of repair for the same.