Can you get rid of a salvage title?

I'm very skeptical that the claim will be approved. I wouldn't make any plans until I saw a check. I've never heard of comprehensive coverage paying on an engine failure with no external cause, let alone from internal failure of a 30 year old part?

Besides that; why not just fix or replace the engine for less than half of the payout for totalling the car?

 

Are the "other factors" also the reason for totalling the car instead of just installing a replacement engine?

 

I hate to say this Mark as I've been pulling for you in my replys but "possibly re-built by Dave" and "other factors involved" kind of raises a flag that you or your insurance may be trying to stick Dave Helms with this. THAT would be WRONG!!

 

Move to Vermont. They do not issue titles for vehicles over fifteen years old, nor require a title to register a vehicle over fifteen years old...

 

Not even a little snicker, lets review:

*Having my name, in any manner involved in a thread based on how to wash a salvage title amounts to playing catch with Flaming Porcupines.... how funny can that be for a 4 decade vetern in this business?!
*That comes right after another thread on the same car where more than a shadow of assumed guilt was cast on me as being the basis for this claim, yet it required ME to defend myself on such.....
*The very title of the thread suggests "possible" illegal activity. "Salvage" is just that. If you want to resurrect a Totaled car that is your choice but it wears the title of Salvage because that is what it is... salvaged from a totaled car. Fixing it, even as good as new, doesn't change the fact.
*There are many things that should not be posted up for internet scrunity.... Posting partial facts of a given situation allows some to assume the remainder.

Run Forest, RUN, legs alone cant get me far enough away from this crap!

 

I find your comments very annoying.. You keep talking about your insurance company like they are idiots and that your almost getting over on them.. When she realizes that a brand new engine was paid by my insurance! What does that mean? Why would you say something like that.. I have been a insurance appraiser (in my 21st year).. I would never ever discuss on a forum how my company was trying to help me or how they are trying to bend the norm by covering something for me.. Your hangin them out to dry.. Keep your mouth shut.. I would serious consider denying your claim just based on this thread.. To ask the question.. Can you get rid of a salvage title ?.. legally though.. that is a retarded question!!.. Everthing your writting in your posts have a weird and questionable tone..

R

 

Robbie,

Only "Annoying?"

In this day in age, EVERY SINGLE customer matters.

With Dave's (one of the very best independants ANYWHERE) comments, he likely just lost one. That tells me everything I need to know.

Are you sure "annoying" is the strongest word you can come up with? I can come up with SEVERAL more. But I'll refrain. No need to get banned over this ...... "event?!?!?"


Dave, ever the Gentleman, said it all.

 

Car fax is useless unless the damage is reported the story you told would have never shown up on a car fax.

Car fax is only good if it has been reported I do not trust car fax any more I parted out a few cars that had been totaled but the car fax was clean.

 

Perhaps M should have exercised more discretion. I suspect he would present things differently if he had a do-over. Based on what has been divulged, I doubt he had any interest in skirting the law or misrepresenting anything. Further, I think this is a legitimate topic and clearly a topic that holds the interest of many here on Fchat.

I have a friend with a 911 C4 who recently received a payout due to mechanical failure and associated fire. If I understand correctly, a spark plug wire shorted and started the fuel line and filter on fire. Minimal cosmetic damage occurred and the mechanical damage could have been easily remedied. The insurance company offered to take possession of the car and pay him full value. In this case the car would be totaled and carry a salvage title going forward. Alternatively, he could keep the car as a portion of the settlement and the insurance company would pay him full value less the $15,000 salvage value. In this case the car would not be totaled and the title would remain clear. No doubt both outcomes would present in some fashion on CarFax.

I understand this is somewhat different from M's situation as a fire was involved. Something like this could happen to any of us. I find the legal ins and outs of this interesting. I think it is Ok to inquire re options available within the law when bad luck strikes. Why assume the worst re a member's motives???

 

I sure as hell would. I know too many people get scammed in this. I am not saying that is what you are doing but it certainly looks like you are prepping for it. Just read your opening post. This whole question is beneath you.

 

In this case the car would not be totaled and the title would remain clear

That is incorrect. Vehicle would still remain a total.. Insured has option to release for salvage or to retain.. What insurance companies should make mandatory is that you must send in your title.. Some insurance companies would prefer not to be bothered by the process and its up to the insured (who retains the car) to do the necessary title work with DMV... The car is still a total loss.. insured would be retaining salvage, matching highest salvage bids or usually a percentage (10-15 percent and I have seen as high as 20 percent) of the value (acv)... He must be responsible and do the necessary title work.. If all insurance companies made this mandatory, this would be a dead issue.. Another bullsh*t loop hole.. Bottom line.. the only way to clean a salvage title is by doing it illegally..

R

 

Robbie, that's interesting. Over the years I have owned dozens of cars. A couple I purchased were damaged and I did the needed repair work. The sellers told me they took the insurance repair payouts but did not bother to fix the cars. I wonder if something like you described occured. Perhaps the laws were more lax back in the day.

 

If you think "what is the f'ing difference with the title" why are you even concerned about getting it cleaned?? Oh.... you want to get a better value for it!!!

And you hope you never have to sell it, but want it to have a clean title if you do....
Nice.... talk about hypocrite....

 

Now you know. Insurance companies decide to brand cars as a total even if you retain vehicle is because they are washing there hands clean of the loss. Sometimes they prefer to pay value to avoid supplements. Once they deem a total and deduct salvage value there is no more funds to be issued for that said claim. As another poster thought that if you retained the car it would no longer be deemed a total. If that was the case if additionals were found they would have to pay for those Additionals as well sometimes causing the loss to exceed the acv or agreed upon value. Totaling a vehicle allows them to wash their hands clean.. Pay the value, deduct salvage value and close the file. Some insurance companies will not re-insure as well. If they do insure it again they usually want photos and receipts to prove that the vehicle was repaired. If a second loss happens and it turns out to be a total loss again that previous total would have a huge effect on the value, especially if they use a market survey method of establishing value. If you have a agreed upon value you can bet everything that the agreed upon value would be adjusted accordingly upon reinstatement. It doesn't matter how well the vehicle was put back together. The salvage or washed title that I have makes no difference to me. I drive and enjoy the car. If I have no choice but to sell the car I must disclose the title history even though I had nothing to do with the washing. My car is not worth what other testarossa is worth but I have accepted that fact and use the car for whatever it's worth. The only reason one would want to remove the salvage title is to hide the fact that at one point in time the vehicle had damages that were close to or exceed the insurance companies total loss threshold. Usually 75% of the acv or agreed upon value. I hope this info helps.

Robbie

 

Salvage cars to never put back to new. They are always considered rebuilt. Big difference. You are considering rebuilding your car not bringing back to new.

R

 

My daughter had a little car she loved that USAA totalled because the car was not worth that much, even though the damage was not that heavy. We paid USAA for the salvage value and had it repaired. It never received a salvage title because the car never changed hands.

Naturally, she totalled it again and that was that. Luckily, she now lives in the UK and does not drive.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Having had this little discussion, it might be best to just print this thread for your future knowledge, and have the thread deleted.

That would be a nice gesture IMO ...........maybe just wash the chalkboard now that class is finished??

Jus' sayin'.

Title Fraud is a big dollar business and has the potential to hurt exotic car enthusiasts in a major way. Wrecked cars can certainly be repaired, but cars wrecked hard should be put away or heavily scutinized before returning to use.

That's totally different from "using up" an engine in a high performance piece of equipment.
THAT happens every weekend!!!

 

disclaimer: comments have nothing to do with original intentions of this thread.

Your point is where insurance companies have their collective heads up their a$$e$. Dollar signs intentional or perhaps I should have said wallets. For the most part I agree with you but there needs to be some level or category of "salvage". I am 100% in your corner on cars which are truly damaged... whether it be from collision, or act of nature (ie: flood). But all too often these days cars are stolen, stripped and recovered then the owner is faced with a "total" only because the insurance company is allowed to decide how much is too much to put the car back to new... a car which may have never had any REAL damage done to it. Since they are allowed to make such decisions without the owner's position considered, there should be some "partial salvage" level of branding which could be reversed once all the correct parts are procured, installed and inspected... I mean why should a car that has had doors and wheels stolen (and replaced) be deemed a lesser car than one that has been crushed in an accident and repaired? Even if a tweaked car is straightened, it will always have some inconsistencies and metal fatigue the other car does not have. In my mind this example of a salvaged car is a better "machine" on the road than a wrecked car that has been repaired - thoughts??

Rick

 

I think the problem is how people define a total loss. Total loss does not always mean collision related.. Unfortunately it is about dollars and cents.. Always has been for insurance companies.. The companies must indemnify the claim meaning make whole.. Deeming a car a total loss is the easy way out for them and it allows them to recoup some of the costs by selling the salvage.. Insured always has first option to buy back and with cars like this the company may fudge the salvage numbers to maximize return.. Repairing borderline totals or high end cars leaves the door open for additionals... Its like a contract.. Insurance companies say that they will insure your car for market value or agreed upon value. After that they can exercise that right when it comes to a claim. Some states make it mandatory that the vehicle be branded as rebuildable if damages are at the 75% of value range. New York being one of them. Companies also get stuck some times.. They get so far into a repair and total cost winds up exceeding the market value or agreed upon value.. if that happens in NY usually the insurance companies are forced to buy back the car if the insured was singing total loss the whole time and company was being firm with proceeding with repairs. The saying in the industry is "when in doubt, whipe it out". Its usually a fair deal.. but when you have a car that has alot of sentimental value, its a problem.. I recommend a high agreed upon value so you can replace your vehicle with equal or newer condition car. It usually heals all wounds.. Crazy part is that there are some companies out there that have a client that has a agreed upon value for $65,000.00 on their car but market value is $35,000.00 Total loss threshold is 75% of market value then pay agreed upon value. I have even seen it flipped flopped (usually rare because that means that underwriting did not do their job properly).. $65,000.00 car insured for $35,000.00 - this way its 75% of insured value then pay out $65,000.00 not all insurance companies do the flip flop but I happen to write for one company that does. Your right.. its all about the dollars.. most of the time (99.9%)

R

 

I disagree... I dont like the content in this thread.. Something is not right here..

R

 

Legality and Ethics.


One group has no problem here ..........................