ls/vtecstitch

I recently went out to look at a car and the owner informed me the car had been totalled recently. Apparently the damage was not severe enough to part out so he fixed it and called DMV up. They came out (i have no idea who "they" are though) and inspected the vehicle and deemed the work good enough to reissue a clean title instead of a salvage one.


I had no idea DMV had people that came out and visually inspected cars after they were totalled and fixed to say weither or not they were good enough to reissue a clean title.


Thoughts on this or anyone heard of this before?

HatefulMechanic

It all depends on how the title was held before the repairs were completed.

I put some of this info in the Vendor Review thread on that lemon buyback car, but here is the basics:

If the car was owned free and clear when the wreck happened, meaning the person who owned it had a title and it had no liens, the insurance company issues a check for the loss to the insured and they keep the car. The vehicle is then fixed, and sold. It will likely have a clean title, because it was never branded. This kind of repair will show up on a CarFax eventually, because it is a payout from an insurance company. Usually takes several weeks to show up though, so technically the owner of the car can sell it to someone and not disclose the damage, if that person then sells it to another person there is no chain of liability for disclosure, so the end buyer of the vehicle will not know if it was a totalled vehicle or not.

If the vehicle was purchased from an auction as salvage, such as most insurance auctions, the title will be branded as either rebuilt or repaired, all depending on the amount of damage done. IF this is the case, when a title is issued it will be a clear title, but it will be branded.

ls/vtecstitch

I think this particular car falls into the latter category. Its an '07 so i really don't think it was owned free and clear.

HatefulMechanic

Then its a branded title.

Salvage title means it is not legal to be roadworthy, it is basically a salvage certificate giving legal rights of ownership.

It will likely be branded either repaired or rebuilt, again that depends on the amount of the repairs. Its still not considered a clean title, but it is a clear title that is branded.

ls/vtecstitch

thank you.

BAN HAMMER

I just went through this with my Type R.

DMV branded the car as demolished by accident. i had to have a DMV investigator (available through DMV) come out and inspect the car and look at the VIN number. once he signed the form i took it back to DMV, they called headquarters and removed the brand.

Fee was $125.00