Customs Salvage Title process by state

I've bought specialty cars from the Insurance Auctions over the years, and have had some problems here in Massachusetts regarding Salvage Titles. I have the possibility of a "round table" discussion with some officials, and would like some input.

First, this is not about the cars value being diminished (it is), if the cars are safe (they are if repaired correctly), will insurance change (depends on company) etc. etc. I would just like some input on the process from other states. Here is Massachusetts:

Salvage Vehicles could be any vehicle deemed as such by an insurance company. (Flood vehicles are noted as "Salvage-Flood"). Some vehicles are denoted "Parts Only" and will come with no title paperwork, and may even have the VIN tags removed. These "Parts Cars" are usually not sold to anyone except those with a Junk License. If the car is more than ten years old and is titled in Mass., a Salvage Title is not issued and it is not noted on the paperwork. If the car is over ten years old and comes fro another state, then that states laws prevail, so if the title is stamped salvage, the car is a salvage car and must go through the process.

The title will be changed to "Rebuilt" (or some states have "Reconstructed") after an inspection by the State Police at special inspection facilities. (And you have to sleep overnight in line as they usually do less than a dozen cars a day). To obtain the Salvage Title you must go to a specific RMV branch in Quincy, MA, and no other. Then you have to go to still another branch to apply for an inspection, which is $20. The day of the inspection you must have the original insurance appraisal paperwork (usually redacted to remove names-the same names you have on the title so why bother). If you replaced any part, you must have paperwork from the business if new, and if from a junkyard paperwork that includes the VIN of the car the parts were taken from. You cannot buy used parts on Craigslist, nor can you buy a parts car and use that paperwork unless you title the parts car in your name first (and of course, pay the state sales tax. This is my biggest issue, as I have cars I bought for parts, but still have to title them). If the car calls for an alignment, you must have a digital printout of the specs, and they all have to be "in the green". The vehicles have to be towed to the site, unless you have a Dealer Plate and the car is in your inventory, or a Repair Plate and you represent the shop. If you borrow a Repair Plate, they may just decide to run it, then they impound the car and plate. (The car you can get back by paying the towing and storage-it's as if you drove an unregistered/uninsured car). The plate-not so easy. The inspectors are only supposed to inspect the specific damage on the appraisal, but many times inspect the whole car and reject it. (Rejected a Lincoln Blackwood due to faded paint on the tonneau cover, even though it was a front end hit). When all is finally done, you would then go to any branch RMV and reapply for a title, this time it will come noted as rebuilt. A salvage Title has the word "Salvage" in large letters across the entire title. A rebuilt Title looks like any other, with the word "rebuilt" typed in a box same as any other info on the title, so you have to read it to see it.

I recently bought a 2006 Lincoln LS to use for parts as both my daughters have them, and they are the same color. This one was also the same color, and I just needed a few things. The Connecticut auction "stated recovered theft, no keys, mileage unknown, does not run". Imagine my surprise when the ramp driver drove it off his truck, with keys, and mileage showing 79K. No longer a parts car. And the "damage" was some broken interior parts. The insurance appraisal was for a grand total of $823. Not only was it totaled, but stamped salvage, so I have to go through the process. Crazy.

So I am wondering what the process is from other states. Are Salvage Titles always salvage, or do they change to "Rebuilt " or "Reconstructed"? If so, what is the procedure? I would just like factual information to present at my potential roundtable. Thanks

 

A salvage title in South Carolina is just that, it never changes. HRP

 

It changes here when the vehicle is resold. Bought my OT daily and the title came back clean after I registered it.
There are four and maybe more shops here in town that rebuild wrecks and sell them and three of them turn out some real sharp looking late model cars. I'd like to have one of those shops paint my truck when the time comes if they do outside work. Thinking about it there are probably 30 shops within 65 miles of me that do those rebuilds as their primary business. A guy up the road a couple of miles has three 5 car hauler rigs that he does nothing except deliver wrecked cars to rebuild shops with.
Most laws on what you can and can't do with cars are reactive rather than proactive and my guess is that they saw too many stitched together cars in Massachusetts on the past where back street shops were buying two rigs, one hit in the front, one hit in the rear and welding the halves together and selling them. They had that problem here when some of those broke in half in a wreck.
I'd say the must have the receipt from a parts supplier or wrecking yard or title to donor in your name has directly to do with cars being rebuilt with stolen parts There was a batch of thieves around here until they finally got caught that were stealing brand new Ford pickups off the lot, taking them to a shop and stripping them down to the bare frame and cab and carefully dumping the frame and cab where the would be found and impounded right away, then sold at auction where they went and bought them at the auction and took them back to the same shop, put the parts back on, took the truck and had it inspected as a rebuilt and sold it.
We as rodders are used to buying major parts from individuals be it at a swap meet, craigslist or otherwise and a lot of us have bought a parts car minus the title. Still if the state requires full and exacting documentation on your parts you provide full and exacting documentation even though you may have to spend a bit more for the parts than you would have.

 

I don't know that a salvage title is any issue in New York for 1972 and older cars, since they don't use titles at all. The one time I had a clear PA title for a car they didn't care, didn't want to see it, but it had a NY registration already. Even if you're starting with out of state paperwork, there's nothing on a registration to indicate salvage.

NY also makes it so easy to register when there's no paperwork, you could just not use it at all and go that route. But in that process the state will check the VIN you present against a database that I believe includes stolen and reported as scrapped VINs. (the latter is relatively recent, 30, 40 years ago or more when a car got junked it just got junked, the state didn't keep track).

So presumably if you bought a HAMB-friendly car via insurance auction and registered it in NY, any title branding goes away so long as no one in the future has a reason to check the VIN against whatever state it was branded in. If that state happens to delete inactive VIN data in time, then it could go away permanently.