When shopping for a used vehicle, always check its title status. You may find the car of your dreams in what appears to be a perfect condition, at the perfect price, but upon further digging, see that it has a branded title. A branded-title car might be a good deal if you are looking to save money on your car purchase, but you may not be able to finance, insure or resell it.
It has become easy to check the title of a vehicle, and you should obtain a title report for any vehicle you are considering purchasing. This can be done with just the vehicle identification number, by using a service like Carfax. These services also show smaller issues that resulted in an insurance claim or reported repair but did not cause the car to be declared a salvage vehicle.
A vehicle history report may also help prevent you from being a victim of title washing. In some cases, a car's branded title may not carry over if the vehicle is re-titled in a new state.
Shady sellers can use these loopholes to get a clean title issued for a vehicle with a branded title in a different location and sell the car there for a higher price. Most states have lemon laws that allow people to return new vehicles if they have mechanical problems that exceed a certain threshold of cost or severity.
If a car that is still under warranty malfunctions in such a way that it becomes inoperable or unsafe to drive, a consumer may use lemon law protections to return it to the manufacturer. If the problem persists after the manufacturer has had a chance to repair the vehicle, a state may brand it a lemon. If a vehicle has been involved in a severe accident and the cost of repair approaches or exceeds its fair market value, a car insurance company may declare it a total loss and get a salvage title on it.
Definitions of cars that qualify for salvage titles differ by state. Some states also issue a salvage title for vehicles that have been stolen or vandalized and have not been recovered in 21 days. These vehicles can be repaired to a satisfactory and safe condition and resold with the salvage title, but their value will never match that of the same vehicle with a clean title.
Hurricanes and flash floods can damage the engine, electrical components, and interiors of vehicles left on streets or in underground parking lots. If a car is submerged in water for more than two days, an insurance provider deems it water-damaged, processes the claim, and retitles the car to reflect the water damage.
The insurance company then sells the branded vehicle to a salvage yard which may scrap it for parts or recondition it and return it to the market. A branded title signifies whether a vehicle has sustained damage related to an accident, theft, fire, or flooding throughout the course of its use.
Only a state official can assign a branded title to a vehicle and register it in its documents. For state-specific information, check the Division of Motor Vehicles in your area.
Purchasing a used car is often economical, but it comes along with risks. Always check all the documentation to be sure about the history of the vehicle for safety reasons. Title brands indicate if the vehicle could be potentially dangerous to drive, so if you plan to obtain a used vehicle, it is crucial that you understand their meaning.
Read ahead for a comprehensive scope on what to expect from branded title cars! Used cars may have attractive low prices. However, before making a purchase, ensure you know its characteristics, owner history, and possible accidents. After all, the most economical car is the one with zero damage. Keep reading to find out all you need to know about branded car title variations. You can choose to drive such cars in the United States subject to Rebuilt title or export them to other countries. Lemon title vehicles have severe reoccurring malfunctions, which force the manufacturers to redeem them.
Typically, such issues make the car unsafe or even inoperable even after several attempts to fix it for a long period of time from 30 days or more. Lemon law obliges manufacturers to buy back defective vehicles or replace them with new ones. However, each state has different requirements for a car to obtain this status. Some US areas do not have a lemon law present at all. Other areas apply it even if the car has already been resold by its first owner to a new buyer and even in the case of multiple resales.
A rebuilt title is when a car has been restored from a salvage title and is usable. It is possible to export such a vehicle. However, remember to check its history carefully. It is also advisable to order an inspection.
Not all sellers invest in high-quality repairs, which may, in the future, entail additional costs or even the need to redo the reconstruction completely. For instance, that can be due to low-quality car parts. If left unnoticed, such reconstructed cars may result in bigger investments in the best case or accidents in the worst.
Thus, rebuilt title vehicles should be treated with extreme caution. Detecting odometer rollback is extremely difficult if you do not have a degree in mechanics. However, nowadays, rollback scammers know how to hide the traces of their interference skillfully. Thus, the best way to determine if a rollback is taking place is to have the car checked out by a qualified mechanic. Read how to check odometer rollback in this article. This title is assigned to a vehicle that has suffered from natural disasters, such as a flood, a hurricane, or heavy rain.
Here are the most common causes of water damage:. Water damage title cars require an inspection of independent experts. They will carry out a complete analysis of the vehicle and indicate the level of issues caused by water. A car receives such a title due to the damage caused by bad weather conditions, namely, hail. Also, front and rear windows and mirrors may be broken. A car damaged by hail is worth considering as a purchase option as, typically, a minor repair is enough to return the vehicle to an excellent functional and esthetical state.
If the body or individual parts are damaged, you can replace them to restore the car. This means the title is permanently canceled and the car can only be destroyed. If on your used car search you come across a branded car title, there are some things you should understand before buying the vehicle. A branded title means that the car has had some type of issue previously. In Arizona, the Lemon Law usually only applies to new cars.
Here are specifics about the law here:. The answer truly depends on the purpose of the vehicle. Next, you should have an independent mechanic of your choosing give the vehicle a once over. They can investigate where the damage might be and if the vehicle is still truly safe to drive. Overall, if you are not comfortable with the purchase, then the deal is probably not worth it. Your safety is priceless compared to a cheap deal.
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