What Do I Do With A Salvage Title On My Car?

[Jcarlson]

Here's the deal. My car was rear-ended the other day and my car is totaled. I've been to the claims adjuster but have not yet settled. If I take the check and keep my car I have to get a salvage title. I don't plan to fix it but it's still driveable and I would like to drive it til I find a new car.

Once I get the salvage title, what do I have to do to -

1) Continue driving it til I find a new one

2) What can I do with it after that? Can I sell it?

Never been there, never done that.

Jim

[conn-e-rot]

I think you have to have it repaired and inspected before they will give you title not sure though I'm sure someone on here knows.

[John]

http://bmv.ohio.gov/faq_vehicle_titling.stm#tog

My insurance company has salvaged my vehicle, but I am keeping it and repairing it for my use. What steps do I need to follow?

First apply for a salvage title in your name changing the status of your title from regular to salvage. (NOTE: The vehicle cannot be operated on the road while evidenced on a salvage title.) Upon completion of the repairs, contact the closest Highway Patrol Inspection Station and make an appointment to have a salvage inspection done (There is a $50 fee.). Take any receipts for repairs and new parts with you to the inspection. After the vehicle has successfully completed the inspection, take Form HP106 and your salvage title and proceed to any Title Office and apply for a "rebuilt salvage" title. After all of these steps have been completed, the vehicle is now operable for use on any road.

its not a safety inspection, so you dont have to make it perfect. the inspection is to make sure you didnt use parts from stolen cars on your car. make sure you keep receipts for EVERYTHING you buy for it.

if you do some work yourself, document it. take pictures, write stuff down etc.

yes you can sell it after that. but its not going to be worth as much as a car that has a clear title at all. depending on the make/model/condition it could be half the value of it. if your car is already a real piece of shit, and worth only say $500 bucks... its not going to matter as much lol.

most ppl arent going to want to buy a salvage/rebuilt title car. but some will... you could put it on CL and im sure someone would buy it.

Edited February 16, 2012 by John

[drew95gt]

I was just at the BMV the other day with a guy who was dealing with this. The BMV told him that the car is not driveable until it is fixed. They will give you a temporary pass to drive it to get inspected after it is fixed (for $50.00), then you must show that it passed inspection and return to the BMV for them to issue you a repaired/salvage title. His truck was just cosmetic damage to both sides of the body, no mechanical issues...but they still said that it is illegal to operate on the road. As far as selling it goes, I don't think you can unless you sell it for scrap until you get a rebuilt title. This is just my understanding from what the lady at the BMV said, I would still call them and ask to be sure.

[John]

I was just at the BMV the other day with a guy who was dealing with this. The BMV told him that the car is not driveable until it is fixed.

His truck was just cosmetic damage to both sides of the body, no mechanical issues...but they still said that it is illegal to operate on the road.

the girl behind the desk at the BMV has probably never inspected a vehicle. all she knows is giving eye tests and filling out forms lol.

the OSHP does the inspection. i had a POS toyota that got rear ended and salvaged. when i went to the inspection the trunk was held shut with bungee cords. i pretty much just put a new bumper on and was good to go. it has to be legal for highway use, and thats about it. so that means headlights, tail lights, turn signal, horn. tires not bald, parts not falling off, etc.

receipts are the most important thing, especially for major parts that you replace. if you dont have receipts, or the OSHP thinks its stolen they will impound it.

for the OP, here is a link to a PDF that has all the information about the inspection process

http://statepatrol.ohio.gov/doc/inspection_brochure.pdf

it says "The purpose of this inspection is to verify the ownership of all parts

and to review all required documentation. The inspection is not intended to certify the vehicle’s safety, or the quality of workmanship"

OP should find his nearest inspection post and call them

FINDLAY. . . . . . . . . . (419) 423-2957

BUCYRUS . . . . . . . . . (419) 563-0272

SEVILLE. . . . . . . . . . . (330) 769-5089

WARREN. . . . . . . . . . (330) 898-2894

TROY . . . . . . . . . . . . (937) 335-6412

COLUMBUS . . . . . . . (614) 644-1667

NEW CONCORD . . . (740) 826-1030

CINCINNATI. . . . . . . (513) 777-5547

JACKSON. . . . . . . . . (740) 286-3457

CLEVELAND . . . . . . . (216) 587-4305

Edited February 16, 2012 by John

[Simplysix]

Everyone here is correct.

Before you can get a salvage title a DMV inspection station has to inspect the car and make sure it is "road worthy" and hasnt been repaired with stolen parts. It doesnt have to be the best repair, but they want to make sure its safe to drive.

Also, whenever you do eventually go to sell it, It will be worth much less due to the fact it has been in a "major" accident.

Best bet would be to just let the insurance company keep it. Take the money you get and buy a cheap used car that you can use as a trade in when you go to get a new car.

[Tonik]

Everyone here is correct.

That doesn't happen often. Just felt the need to point that out. This thread should get rep.

[John]

if theres one thing we know its beat to shit vehicles

[Jcarlson]

I should add the frame is bent and that's the real reason why they totaled it. All I need to make it road worthy is a bumper and a tail light. like I sid I'm still driving it today, but not for much longer. The insurance company will only give me a rental for three days whic his why i wanted to keep it and dirve it til I got a new one. Sounds like that idea is out the window now.

It's a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and up until the other day it was in good condition. Ran perfect and I was not planning on buying another car anytime soon. Per haps for a few hundo I can slap a bumper and tail light on there and be good to go?

The driver's door sticks and left rear door doesn't open at all cuz the frame/body is crunched, so then again maybe I can't make it road worthy?

Anybody need parts for a 2000 Grand Cherokee? I'll sell them to you cheap!! LOL

[John]

I should add the frame is bent and that's the real reason why they totaled it. All I need to make it road worthy is a bumper and a tail light. like I sid I'm still driving it today, but not for much longer. The insurance company will only give me a rental for three days whic his why i wanted to keep it and dirve it til I got a new one. Sounds like that idea is out the window now.

It's a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and up until the other day it was in good condition. Ran perfect and I was not planning on buying another car anytime soon. Per haps for a few hundo I can slap a bumper and tail light on there and be good to go?

The driver's door sticks and left rear door doesn't open at all cuz the frame/body is crunched, so then again maybe I can't make it road worthy?

Anybody need parts for a 2000 Grand Cherokee? I'll sell them to you cheap!! LOL

it shouldnt be too much of a problem i wouldnt think. i cant say for sure though... i feel like if the vehicle is driveable, and is decently safe looking, you should be ok. as long as stuff isnt falling off of it lol. post a pic if you can.

the toyota that i had inspected was beat to hell and back. they didn't really care that much. he said i probably would want to fix the trunk instead of using bungee cords. i ended up buying hood pins on ebay for like 10 bucks and using those haha.

make sure you read that PDF i posted earlier. that gives you the information on what you need to document/have receipts for etc.

[grapesmuggler27]

I should add the frame is bent and that's the real reason why they totaled it. All I need to make it road worthy is a bumper and a tail light. like I sid I'm still driving it today, but not for much longer. The insurance company will only give me a rental for three days whic his why i wanted to keep it and dirve it til I got a new one. Sounds like that idea is out the window now.

It's a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and up until the other day it was in good condition. Ran perfect and I was not planning on buying another car anytime soon. Per haps for a few hundo I can slap a bumper and tail light on there and be good to go?

The driver's door sticks and left rear door doesn't open at all cuz the frame/body is crunched, so then again maybe I can't make it road worthy?

Anybody need parts for a 2000 Grand Cherokee? I'll sell them to you cheap!! LOL

tomkat on here is looking for a jeep motor