Looking for used Toyota Prius lately and I can't believe how many salvage titles are being sold on Autotrader.
Anyway, one was listed as Rebuilt title and I'm not clear with the term.
Rebuilt means Salvage isn't it?? Or, is it differ?

 

Same thing.

Be careful with those, some may be previous flood cars.

 

You can't tell that way. Each state is different in how they classify and none are exactly correct anyway. I've had a theft recovery that was re-certified, rebuilt.

You need a carfax or you'll never know.

 

Yes, they are the same.
Total loss, rebuit, Salvage, etc.

 

Sometimes Carfax fails to catch that.

 

Thanks guys!

 

Salvage title could be a total loss due to a collision, flood, or fire. It could also be a total loss from a theft recovery (stripped). I would stay away from any car that was damaged from collision, flood, or fire. I would consider a theft recovery salvage title if the deal was good enough.

 

Will all of the hurricane/flood-damaged cars down south, I would be REALLLLYYYY leary about a car with a salvaged title. Take a good, long, hard, look at everything you possibly can. If the title is "salvaged" or "rebuilt", there's a story. Find out what the story is and, if you can't verify that story in some way, I'd walk away.

 

Don't Do It!!!!!!!!!!

 

not the same

total loss: is when the vehicle is paid off by the insurance company, it gets sold as a salvage vehicle.

rebuilt: after the salvage vehicle passes a state inspection, etc, it gets issues a rebuilt title. which can then be driven on the road

certificate of destruction / non rebuildable : cars that can be sold for parts or exported out of the country.

 

+1, it's a bit easier to understand this in Florida,when totalled car bought in Florida, usually it will have a rebuildable title, once it's repaired and goes thru inspection at DMV,then the new title issued to the dealer or individual as "rebuilt", salvage on the other hand are still called salvage before the repairs and inspection and after,

Stefan

 

stefan, in florida i see alot of cars get issued a cd title (certificate of destruction). can those get rebuilt or are they junk?

 

Cool, but some titles from CA, even though it has been fixed and passed inspection, still show " Salvage " or " Total Loss " on the title.
I guess every state is different.

 

from what I keeping hearing,trying to put a car with CD back on the road in Florida will not be easy, though we haven't tried, I know about 5 years ago I bought a vandalized car with "parts only" title and it was a breeze to get it back on the road,couple invoices for parts and weight certificate,I have no idea what was that for,but I got a ASPT (assembled from salvage parts)title , though I only replaced front,back glass and two side windows,with all new glass,I think, it shouldn't be that hard in other states,I hear that in Vermont you can walk in with salvage title from another state and walk out with a clean Vermont title

Stefan

 

"salvage" or "total loss" or "rebuilt" is there for a reason, to warn potential buyers that particular vehicle has been involved in some sort of accident which totalled the said vehicle, there are cases where the car did not sustain any damage,but insurance company will still brand the title with "salvage","junk" e.t.c.