Clear Title for Used Premium Cars: Why is it Important?

What is a Car Title?

To understand the clear title for a used luxury car, you firstly need to know what a car title really is. The certificate of title of a car is basically a document which states the name of the legal owner of the vehicle. These certificates are issued by a State’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

When one directly transfers the ownership of a car, if you are on the selling end, you hand over the certificate, and if you are on the receiving end, the certificate gets handed over to you. In cases where you pay for the vehicle with a loan, it is the bank that owns the title of the car until the debt has been paid off.

What is a clean title?

The next thing to know is what a clean title really is. A clean title of a car means that the title of the car has not been branded. In layman terms, clean car title means that the section for brands on the title is empty. Autobest has the best collection of pre owned luxury cars and used second hand premium cars with clean titles, for your best experience.

Here, it is important to understand that a clean title does not necessarily mean that the car is totally free of problems, but it is the indication that the car has not been involved in a series of damaging experiences like flood or fire that would leave the car a total loss by the Insurance Company.

Now that you are educated on the topic of a “Car Title” and a “Clean Car Title”, here are some things you need to take care of to make sure that the title of the car is clean.

What is a Title Brand? What does it mean?

The brand title mentioned in the car title certificate, is basically what indicates the status of that car. Following are some examples of a brand:

1. A Salvage Title

A Salvage title means that the motor vehicle was involved in some serious damage. If this damage leads the insurance company to declare the car to be a total loss, then the brand title of the car is referred to as a Salvaged Title. Here a total loss does not refer to irreparable damage, if the vehicle could be rebuilt by undergoing the correct avenues. But one thing to remember is that the vehicle cannot be insured, neither can it be driven around, for the time period salvage remains on the title.

2. The Flood or Irreparable Title

When the title brand refers to flood or irreparable title, it varies on how this type of a title is usually listed. If the car has been through flood or fire damage, or is absolute junk, it means that the car cannot be sold as a whole for driving, and can certainly not be repaired, but it only be used as scrap or used for parts.

In case the car has flood title, this indicates that the car has suffered deep water seating. This unfortunate incident is most certain to fill the engine compartment of the car which causes serious damage to the functioning of the car. While it is possible to get such cars cleaned up and resold, in most cases it does not suffice and the car stays unfit for sale. If you want to avoid buying a flood titled car, do get the vehicle history of the car to know where it has been.

3. The Rebuilt Title

When a salvage title vehicle is repaired to fit the standard conditioning of the car and passes the safety inspection that is issued by the state, such a car gets awarded the Rebuilt Title under Brand category. At this point the previous salvage title is replaced and a new title is issued to the car, the brand of rebuilt

4. The Lemon Title

A Lemon Title is awarded when a motor vehicle suffers a persistent defect that is beyond repair or could not be repaired even after multiple attempts. This title is also referred to as the “Buyback Title”. In most cases the disclosure of this title is a necessity. If you are out to get a well functioning car that would last you a long time, look out for this title in the certificate.

One thing to know about these brand titles is that they cannot be removed, except in the case of a “salvage title”. If you get the car repaired and it passes the inspection, then the salvage title gets removed but gets replaced with “rebuilt title”.

If you’re looking for used premium cars you can always check out the Auto Best Emperio’s (ABE) collection of second-hand premium cars. You can sell your used luxury cars at Auto Best as well!

To read more about premium cars, you can check out our other blogs. One blog gives you all the tips for buying your second-hand luxury car! Do give it a read.