At Copart and IAAI auctions, most cars say “Salvage” in their description. For some buyers it's a sign to scroll straight past, for others it's a way to get a good car for sensible money. We explain what this title really means, whether you can register such a car in Poland and how to judge whether it's worth buying.
What a salvage title means
In the USA, the ownership document of a car is its title, issued by the state's motor vehicle office. The office also records the car's status on the title. Salvage means that an insurer declared the car a total loss and paid out compensation, then took over the car and put it up for auction.
A total loss doesn't always mean the car is wrecked. The insurer compares the cost of repair with the value of the car, and the threshold above which the car is “written off” is set by state law or by the insurer's own rules. Labour in American body shops is expensive, so a car a few years old with a damaged bumper, a wing and a deployed airbag can easily become a total loss.
Salvage titles are also given to cars that were never in a crash:
- Recovered stolen cars - the insurer paid out, and the police found the car later. Such a car may have only minor marks or a few missing parts.
- Hail-damaged cars - dents on the roof and bonnet can exceed the repair threshold even though the car is mechanically sound.
- Fire or flood-damaged cars - here the damage is usually serious and hard to judge from photos.
Other title statuses you'll see at auctions
- Clean - a title with no brands; the car was not declared a total loss.
- Salvage - a total loss, the car before repair.
- Rebuilt (Reconstructed) - a salvage car that was repaired in the USA and passed a state inspection.
- Flood - a flood-damaged car. By default, we don't import such cars.
- Parts Only, Non-Repairable - a car meant for parts. We import it only at a customer's explicit request.
- Junk, Certificate of Destruction - a car meant for scrapping. You won't register it in Poland, so we don't import it.
In Canada, similar statuses are given by the provinces, for example Salvage, Rebuilt and Irreparable. The full list of cars we don't import is on the Import cars from the USA and Canada page. More about the title itself, including the mileage notes, is in Certificate of Title - the ownership document of a US car and its types.
Salvage vs rebuilt
Rebuilt is an American status: a salvage car has been repaired in the USA and passed an inspection at the state office. There's no such status in Poland. You repair a salvage car in Poland, it passes a roadworthiness test and gets a regular Polish registration certificate.
The history from the USA doesn't disappear. The salvage status stays linked to the VIN in Carfax and AutoCheck reports, so the next buyer will see it too. It's worth keeping in mind if you plan to sell the car one day.
Can you register a salvage car in Poland
Yes. A car with a salvage title can be registered in Poland on the same terms as any other car from the USA, once it has been repaired and has passed a roadworthiness test. The order is:
- Repair - the car must be roadworthy and safe, and its lights and markings must be adapted to European rules.
- Roadworthiness test - an inspector checks the car before its first registration in Poland. If the documents show that the car was in an accident, or the inspector notices signs of repairs to load-bearing parts, the car has to pass an additional roadworthiness test.
- Registration - you take the full set of documents to the vehicle registration office.
We describe all the formalities, from excise duty to number plates, in the post Registering a car from the USA in Poland step by step.
When a salvage car pays off
The best choice are cars where the damage affects the bodywork, paint and parts that are easy to replace: bumpers, lights, wings, the bonnet. Recovered stolen cars and hail-damaged cars also do well, as long as the dents can be removed without repainting.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- a lower purchase price than for a car with a clean title,
- lower duty and VAT, because they are calculated on the car's lower value,
- a huge choice of models and trim levels,
- the car's history from the Carfax or AutoCheck report is known before the auction,
- you decide where and how the car is repaired.
Cons:
- the repair and the time it takes are added to the price,
- the salvage status stays in the car's history, which matters when reselling and when insuring it,
- auction photos don't show everything, which is why we check the car before the auction.
When to walk away
We usually don't recommend these cars, because they are cheap at auction, but the repair can cost more than the whole saving:
- cars with a damaged structure - chassis rails, pillars, sills, suspension mounts,
- cars with deployed airbags - airbags, seatbelt pretensioners and the control unit are a large cost you can't see in photos,
- flood or fire-damaged cars - damage to electronics and wiring often shows up only months later.
How we check a car before the auction
Before we start bidding, we check the Carfax or AutoCheck report: title status, previous damage, mileage and the number of owners. We look at the auction photos and damage description, including the primary and secondary damage fields. On request, we arrange an on-site inspection by an independent assessor.
How to read the report itself is covered in the post How to read a Carfax and AutoCheck report, and what the “Run & Drive” label promises (and what it doesn't) in the post What does “Run & Drive” mean at an auction?. If a car isn't worth buying, we tell you straight, before you spend any money.
With a salvage car, keep a reserve in your budget for damage that isn't visible in the auction photos. It's better to leave it unused than to have the repair stop halfway for lack of money.
How much a salvage car costs delivered
The full cost is made up of the same items as for any car from the USA: the auction price, auction fees, transport to the port and by container to Rotterdam, 10% customs duty, 21% Dutch VAT, the customs agency, excise duty in Poland, transport to your address and our fixed commission of PLN 3,600 gross. On top of that come the repair and the roadworthiness test.
There's good news too: duty and VAT are calculated on the customs value, that is the car's price together with transport to the EU. A cheaper damaged car therefore also means lower taxes. We list every item on the USA car import costs page and in the post What makes up the delivered price of a car.
Have a specific car in mind? Send us the auction link or the VIN through the Contact page. We'll check its history and work out the full delivered cost for free, before you make a decision.
