You have probably heard that a car has a “clean” title or to avoid cars with a “salvage” title, but what do different types of car titles really mean? 

The type of title greatly impacts the value of a car and describes its intended use.

Let’s look at each option one by one:

Clean title:

All cars start with a clean title and most will have a clean title throughout their life.  However, this does not necessarily mean that the car has never been in an accident or received any damage.

Salvage title:

A salvage title occurs when an insurance company deems the car a total loss and pays the owner to buy the car after a theft or accident.  A car with a salvage title can not be registered or legally driven on a public road.  

Rebuilt title:

If a car receives a salvage title but the car is then repaired, it can be inspected by the Department of Motor Vehicles and a rebuilt title can be issued.  

A Parts Only title:

In some states, if a car is too damaged to be deemed repairable, then it will receive a Parts Only title.  This often happens if the car is involved in a flood, fire, or a collision so severe that the car can not be reasonably fixed.  

The question that we sometimes get from customers is whether or not a car has a “clean” title or not.  All of our vehicles have a clean title – we do not sell cars with salvage titles or rebuilt titles.

If you have any questions about this, ask to see a copy of the title – we are happy to show it to you! It is also a great question to ask during the test drive if you decide to look for a car through another dealer or a private party seller.