You're browsing the used-car ads when a vehicle grabs your attention. The car you are interested in has a price that seems too good to be true. You keep scanning the page until you see two words in small print: "salvage title."
A salvage title is potentially a red flag, but the cars that carry them can be inexpensive options for car shoppers on a budget — provided you know what you are buying.
When a vehicle has been in an accident and the total damage exceeds a certain percentage of the value of the car (ranging from 75-90 percent), the insurance company will decide that it is not economically feasible to repair it and declares it a "total loss." What happens next varies by state, but in general, the motor vehicle agency will then issue a "salvage certificate" to the car. This means that the car cannot be driven, sold or registered in its current condition.
Usually, the insurance company sells the car to either a repair facility or parts dismantler. If the car is repaired, most states require that it pass a basic safety inspection before the motor vehicle agency will issue a new title. When the state does issue the title, it's "branded," and notes that the car has been salvaged or rebuilt so future owners are aware of its past.
•Different Kinds of Damage
A car with a salvage title hasn't always been in a collision, however. Mark Binder, national salvage manager for State Farm Insurance, says that there are a number of reasons why a vehicle might get a salvage title:
•Flood damage: Flood-damaged cars sometimes get a salvage title. Some states will specifically call out flood damage on a car's title, but other states merely use the term "salvage title."
•Vandalism: If hoodlums spray-painted or overturned a vehicle and caused enough damage, the car could get a salvage title. No states specify vandalism in the title, however. It will likely be issued a salvage title.
•Hail damage: As with flood cars, the titles of vehicles that are damaged by hail can also get a salvage title if the state does not have a specific "hail damage" designation on the document.
•Theft recovery: After a vehicle has been stolen and is missing for a certain period of time, the insurance company will pay off the vehicle. If the vehicle is eventually found, the insurance company is free to sell it to a salvager, which will replace any missing parts. Some states will then issue a salvage title for the car.
According to Carfax, a company that sells vehicle history reports, the following states issue a salvage title after a car has been stolen: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Oregon.
•Non-Repairable: A severely damaged and non-operable vehicle with no resale value other than its parts can get a "non-repairable" designation, which some states call a "junk title." In these extreme cases, the state won't allow the vehicle to be repaired and it must either be sold to a scrap yard or destroyed. "Non-repairable" isn't a salvage title per se, but it is important to be aware of the term, just in case you come across a vehicle that's been labeled this way.
Should You Buy a Salvage-Title Car?
There isn't a definitive answer to this. It depends on how comfortable you are with buying a car that has a checkered past. On one hand, salvage-title vehicles can present a value for a first-time buyer, someone on a budget, or someone in need of a second vehicle. In general, buyers can get salvage-title vehicles for two-thirds the price of a car with a clean title, says Richard Arca, pricing manager for Edmunds.com. He adds that luxury vehicles tend to take a greater hit in value when they get a salvage title.
On the other hand, some salvage-title vehicles can be more prone to problems. Mark Binder of State Farm Insurance says there are three things that consumers can do to help minimize the risks of buying a car that will let you down:
1. Have the vehicle inspected: This is one of the most important things to do if you're considering the purchase of a car with a salvage title. Bring a mechanic with you for an inspection. You might also arrange to take the car to a body shop. A car professional will have a better idea about whether the repairs were done correctly and can spot any red flags, such as frame damage or parts that still need repairing.
2. Purchase the vehicle from a reputable repairer: Search for online reviews of the facility that's selling the vehicle. If it's one that's known for making quality repairs, buying a salvage-title car there may be less risky than purchasing from someone without a track record.
3. Ask for the original repair estimate: The best way to determine how extensively the car was damaged is to look at the original repair estimate. This will show you what parts were replaced and how serious the accident was — or if there was an accident at all. Maybe the damage happened in some other way.
Insurance Implications
Most insurance companies will insure a salvage-title vehicle, but if you happen to get into an accident, the total loss payout you'll receive will be much lower. This isn't necessarily a deal breaker, but it is something to consider when you're determining how much car insurance you need.
Trade-In TroublesOwners of salvage-title vehicles will encounter some unique issues when they try to sell or trade in their vehicles.
"Most franchise dealers will not take a salvage-title vehicle as a trade-in," Arca says. "Your only options are selling it to a private party or an independent dealership — and they won't give you very much."
Determining the value of the vehicle will also be a challenge. Most appraisal Web sites, including Edmunds.com, assume a car has a clean title, no matter what condition level you select. "Even a vehicle in 'rough' condition can still have a clean title," says Arca.
Since you will most likely be selling the vehicle to a private party, our advice is to use the price you paid for the salvage-title car as a starting point in your sale negotiations. If you've driven the vehicle for a few years, deduct a couple thousand dollars. Test the market with a price higher than what you have in mind and work your way down until you get the offers you're looking for.
Finally, don't hide the fact that your vehicle has a salvage title. If you do, it's considered fraud. The buyer will find out eventually when you hand over the title, or if he obtains a vehicle history report. Honesty is the best policy when it comes to cars with a colorful past.
Original article written by Ron Montoya / 11/22/2011 / edmunds.com and can be found at this link.
There’s probably a lot more information on a tire’s sidewall than you’re aware of, such as where the tire was made and when, and sometimes even whether your tire complies with pass-by noise regulations in Europe.
Here’s how to decode it all:
1.) 245: The numbers preceding the slash indicate the distance, in millimeters, across the widest point of the tire—called section width (245mm, or 9.65 inches, in this case)—when mounted on a wheel of specified width. Often listed before this number are letters that loosely signify the kind of duty for which the tire was designed: “P” stands for “p-metric” and is generally used on passenger cars, “LT” indicates light-truck duty, and “T” is for a temporary spare.
2.) 40: This two-digit number is the aspect ratio, or profile, of the sidewall. This tire’s sidewall height is 40 percent of the tire’s width, which equates to 98mm, or 3.86 inches. The lower the number, the shorter the sidewall. An exception is Michelin PAX tires, where this number signifies the overall diameter of the tire in millimeters.
3.) R: This letter indicates radial tire construction; nearly all tires sold today are of this variety. Other constructions are “D” for bias-ply tires and “B” for belted. A preceding “Z” is simply a reference to an outdated and vague speed rating of more than 240 km/h, or 149 mph (the specific rating can be found in the service description).
4.) 18: This number indicates the diameter of the wheel on which the tire should be mounted, generally in inches. These are usually whole numbers but can also be half-inch increments, such as “16.5,” or in millimeters, as in “390.”
5.) SERVICE DESCRIPTION: These numbers and letter together are called the service description. The numbers indicate the tire’s maximum “load” rating, or the amount of weight the tire can bear (“93” stands for 650 kilograms, or 1433 pounds), and the letter denotes the speed rating, or how fast the tires can safely rotate (“W” means 270 km/h, or 168 mph). The lowest rating typically found on passenger-car tires is “Q,” which means 99 mph. The highest, “Y,” is good for 186 mph, and when enclosed in parenthesis, as in “(93Y),” it means “in excess of” 186 mph. These values are determined by tire-testing machines in a lab, and the decoded load rating is also listed elsewhere on the tire.
6.) RED DOT: Here’s a long-held myth that can be put to rest: It doesn’t help in the balancing process to align the “heavy spot” of a tire—often indicated with a red dot—with a wheel’s valve stem when mounting. Aluminum wheels are now the norm, and the valve stem is no longer the de facto lightest point.
7.) 200: The tread-wear grade is a relative figure based on the rate of wear of a tire during a 7200-mile on-vehicle test compared with that of a reference tire. The higher the number, the longer it will likely last. “300” indicates that the tire should last three times longer than the Uniroyal reference tire, which scores 100.
8.) A: A tire gets a seemingly uninformative traction grade (“AA,” “A,” “B,” or “C”) based on how much grip it generates in a straight-line test in which the tire is dragged at 40 mph across a wet surface without being allowed to rotate at all.
9.) A: This letter indicates a tire’s ability to dissipate heat. As heat increases dramatically at high speed, this is, in effect, a second, less precise speed rating. “A” means the tire can withstand speeds over 115 mph, “B” is for between 100 and 115 mph, and “C” means between 85 to 100 mph.
10.) M+S: This stands for “mud and snow” and simply means that the tire has more space between the treads, which should help to facilitate traction on soft surfaces.
11.) MOUNTAIN SNOWFLAKE: Unlike the M+S rating, this icon indicates that a tire has met a minimum performance requirement in snow testing.
12.) ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT (OE) MARKING: These letters—or a symbol—indicate that this is the automaker-specified version of a tire that came as a car’s original equipment. These tires can often be a very different blend of rubber compound compared with the off-the-shelf variety of the same tire, even though the tread pattern is identical. Examples of OE markings: General Motors—all have a TPC SPEC number; BMW—most have a five-pointed-star symbol; Mercedes—some are emblazoned with “M0”; Porsche—all have the letter “N” followed by a number, i.e., N1, N2, etc.
13.) TIRE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS: This is a required and self-explanatory list of the reinforcing materials and number of layers (in both the tread and the sidewall) that are molded into a tire’s rubber for reinforcement.
14.) DOT LABEL: Every tire sold in the U.S. must have U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) labeling. The first two characters indicate the factory of manufacture, and the next five or six are manufacturer-specific jargon (for tracking purposes, as in the case of a recall). The last four numbers give the date of production (the first two indicate which of 52 weeks, and the second two, the year). The European equivalent of the DOT code may also be present (it starts with an “e”), although fewer manufacturers are printing both on a tire’s sidewall (to prevent gray-market shipments when currency exchange rates fluctuate). If this string of numbers ends with “-S,” it means the tire complies with European noise regulations.
Here at Acura of Pleasanton, we supply the correct tires for your model Acura at competative prices. Factor in our value added details such as, courtesy shuttle, courtesy loaners or rentals, complimentary wash/vacuum, and fully stocked guest lounges. Its becomes apparent we should be your choice when it becomes time to replace your worn out tires. Give us a call at 866-650-8535 to find out more!
Article by DAVE VANDERWERP
Car and Driver, November 2009
Original article is here at http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/how_to_read_a_tire_sidewall-feature
No one ever gets into their car with the intention of loosing control of it (with the exception of stunt drivers of course). Our cars are one of those objects in our lives that most of us take for granted. However in this article by MSN Auto, it covers how to:
1) Recover from a Skid
Understeering, Oversteering, Counterskid
2) Stop a HydroPlaning Car
3) Handle a front tire blow-out
4) Avoid an obstacle in your path
5) Stop with brakes fail
For a more detailed view please follow this link autos.msn.com
Of course some preventative maintenance and checks will go a long way to avoid mechanical induced situations, our factory trained technicians are ready to assist anytime.
Even though it is only Fall, Winter will be right around the corner. Here are some tips to get your Acura ready for Winter duty.
Some tips include, getting an oil change, not just replacing it, but running the proper type/weight of oil is critical for proper lubrication when the temperatures drop. Being able to see clearly, since most of us haven't used the wipers all Summer, the time to find out that they are worn shouldn't be when Mother Nature decides to drop buckets of water while driving.
Follow this link
For tips like these, please also follow us on our Facebook page. 10 Ways to Winterize your Car to see what other tips MSNBC recommends to get you and your family safely through the Winter.
We want to buy your car! Simple to enter, just let us give you a quote to buy your car! You can enter online here or cut and paste url http://www.pleasantonauto.com/apple-gift-card.aspx into your web browser if you like you can call us at 866-650-8535 for an appointment.
