Road-Worthiness of Salvage Cars
The laws that govern sales and uses of salvage vehicles vary from one state to another. But all of these vehicles need to be inspected by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) before they are announced road-worthy. In some states, for a car to be termed salvage it is required to have sustained damage amounting to just 60 to 70 percent of the total value to repair. Thus, such cars in these states are more affordable to repair.
Online Bidding More Convenient
Generally, bidding on and buying a salvage car is a simple process. But bidding on these cars online is less demanding and chaotic than in-person bidding. Especially for first-timers, attending online auctions to buy salvage cars is easier and more straightforward. There are also less chances of committing mistakes in online auction sites.
Shipment of Bid Salvage Cars
As a rule, a buyer can’t simply drive a salvage car off the auction lot after the win. Instead, there needs to be an arrangement whereby the vehicle will be transported to where the buyer wants it shipped, which can be a garage at home or a mechanic’s shop. A majority of car auctions, both online and on-site, offer vehicle shipping services at a fee. Once transported to the specified destination, the buyer can take it from there to repair, remove the ‘salvage’ tag, and then drive around.
Repair Before Hitting the Road
Remember, by law, it is illegal to drive salvage cars in any of the 50 states without first repairing them. Insurance companies write off this category of cars owing to the nature of their damage. Usually, they are totaled cars where damage done to them is such that it would be far too expensive to fix it for an insurer than to just pay the original owner the cost of the vehicle and tow it away to an auction site for sales.
Importance of Paperwork
It is important to keep all the paperwork related to the salvage car intact and handy. This will also include proper documentation of the repair process that a buyer undertakes after the purchase. Otherwise, it is difficult to get such cars on road. This is intended to prove that a buyer purchased the salvage car through the legal channel and it is not something stolen or smuggled.
Tailpiece
Buying a salvage car is not that cumbersome, although it may appear so initially. One just needs to take care of the few steps involved in the process, in particular, repairing it, removing the salvage title, and getting legal clearance. After that, you can call it your own. Don’t waste any more time. Start looking for a good salvage car today and bag it before others do so.