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Vehicle title branding

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estimate is based on factory-new parts, another on new aftermarket parts and yet another based on junkyard parts, the numbers will vary widely – with further variance added based on who does the repairs. Damage to automotive unibody frames (commonly used in most cars since 1967 to save weight) requires special expertise and equipment to measure, with factory tolerances typically as tight as 3 mm (1/8").
176:) and registration documents could still be of potential value to persons dealing in stolen cars. The diminished sale value of a title branded vehicle reduces the profitability of switching the registration and VIN from an accident vehicle to that of a stolen vehicle of the same make and model/year, in an attempt to register it as a rebuilt car and sell it. 193:, the vast majority of vehicle titles are issued by individual provinces/states and territories. Most have implemented some branding scheme to warn subsequent owners of a vehicle of severe damage to a vehicle due to collision, theft or disaster. The brands and the criteria used to assign them vary widely from one jurisdiction to another. 179:
A consumer-protection warning: Cars which have been involved in serious collisions often find their way into auctions and onto dealers' lots. A permanent record of a severe accident warns potential subsequent owners that a car has been damaged (and possibly repaired). Properly repaired and carefully
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Such permanent records of damage do not always exist in cases where damaged vehicles retain a clear title. For example, ConsumerReports.org reported that vehicle history checks would at times produce "clean" results despite the vehicles being offered for sale as damaged on such websites as eBay.com
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While some vehicles (such as cars exported overseas after severe collision or damaged before the introduction of mandatory branding) may carry no warnings as to their history, others may be branded as "total loss" when they could have been quite repairable in the hands of someone willing to install
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With the exception of 'salvage' (which may be replaced by the 'rebuilt' brand after repair and structural inspection, depending on the rules and regulations of the issuing district), the brands are permanent. Once a vehicle identification number has been associated with one of these brands, it will
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If a vehicle is branded as 'junk' or 'irreparable' in error, or importation paperwork indicates it as imported 'for parts', there may be no straightforward means provided in legislation to remedy these errors. These vehicles, if not exported to another jurisdiction with different regulations, will
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The system also depends on the insurer or the owner of the damaged vehicle to provide information needed to determine the cost of damage to apply the brand to title, despite the fact that doing so will further reduce the vehicle's remaining resale value. Costs estimates are widely variable; if one
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There is no consistent list of brands or of conditions under which they apply. What most US states call "junk" and most Canadian provinces call "irreparable" («irrécupérable») can be labelled "salvage" in some other jurisdiction – either because the criteria are different or because the same brand
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In some cases, the criteria to define a "total loss" vary – some base the cutoff amount on the nominal value of the vehicle in working condition, others look instead at the value of a working vehicle minus the value of a collision vehicle as scrap, salvage or parts. The percentage of the original
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A vehicle that can be repaired but which would cost more than some predefined amount (often 75–100% of the car's value) to repair. Subject to structural safety inspection before it can be driven; documentation of repairs and sources of repair parts may also be required, depending on jurisdiction.
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Has not been branded in this jurisdiction. May be a vehicle which has not been in an accident or has been in an accident minor enough that the cost of repair was less than the cost to write off the vehicle. May also be a vehicle which sustained severe damage in some other jurisdiction (if laws
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State "lemon laws" often require that, if vendor attempts to repair a problem under a new-car warranty repeatedly fail, the manufacturer or dealer buy back or replace the vehicle. Depending on the jurisdiction, this may be required to be disclosed to subsequent owners of a problem car.
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has been confusingly been given a different name. In Alberta only, "non repairable" is used to mean irreparable – in most other jurisdictions including Alberta, "salvage" means that the vehicle can indeed be repaired but that the cost of doing so is most likely prohibitive.
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is a status and typically not a brand (as licensing agencies can refuse to issue any title document once a vehicle is stolen), previously-stolen vehicles are often found dismantled, vandalised or destroyed through arson. Many are then branded and may be irreparable.
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is mandatory in most provinces and states in North America when an insurer or vehicle owner writes off a vehicle as a "total loss". Typically this means the cost to repair the vehicle would equal or exceed the car's value, although legal definitions vary.
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The vehicle has been used in public transportation, law enforcement, daily rental or commercial applications which represent an above-average likelihood of wear-and-tear. Not a brand, but typically must be disclosed to subsequent buyers.
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brand remains on the vehicle's title/registration documents permanently. Some jurisdictions require that rebuilt vehicles imported across provincial or state lines be reinspected before being allowed to retain the
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inspected, a vehicle may be acceptable – but an improper repair after a serious accident may leave the vehicle frame, body or key electrical and mechanical systems in damaged or non-roadworthy condition.
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registration and a 'salvage' title for salt water damage would, for instance, represent a red flag as a vehicle possibly once affected by environmental conditions and events elsewhere such as
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Alternatively, some jurisdictions (i.e. NJ) issue a standard title with a "salvage" suffix to indicate a reconstructed vehicle, as opposed to a "rebuilt" or "reconstructed" title (i.e. PA).
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between the two differ significantly) or which was damaged and repaired before the introduction of vehicle branding or was damaged or repaired without notification to an insurance company.
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The vehicle was found after being abandoned by its previous owner. Typically not a brand, but may need to be disclosed in some jurisdictions.
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In North America, vehicle licenses are normally issued by individual provinces and states. Each operates under different regulations.
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not be removed by authorities in that jurisdiction or in other jurisdictions with similar vehicle branding laws.
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is the use of a permanent designation on a vehicle's title, registration or permit documents to indicate that a
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Even once rebuilt and inspected, a branded vehicle must retain a permanent record of its traumatic past.
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and even eRepairables.com, a site specializing in the advertisement of salvage cars for sale.
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never be registerable or licensed again – even if all needed repairs are made and verified.
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but has been rebuilt/repaired and reinspected. These vehicles are driveable but the
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A deterrent to auto theft: If a vehicle is a complete loss due to an accident, its
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Permanent designation indicating a vehicle has been "written off"
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US Federal Trade Commission Vehicle buyback disclosure project
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These differences are sometimes exploited by schemes such as "
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value at which the "total loss" label is applied also varies.
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The title branding programs typically have two objectives:
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Wisconsin Department of Transport consumer protection info
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Additional information linked to a VIN on its title
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A vehicle that can be used for parts or scrap only.
463:used parts and do the work at a more modest price. 49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 627:Used cars hiding flood damage, CBS 5 San Francisco 541: 633: 235:A vehicle that has been previously branded as 184: 577:Arkansas – Damaged vehicle title regulations 144:, fire or flood damage or has been sold for 354:Vehicle has been permanently dismantled or 431: 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 549:"Don't rely on used-car-history reports" 533:Maynard, Micheline (September 1, 2011). 120: 532: 634: 602:Societé d'assurance automobile, Québec 582:Minnesota title-branding legislation 47:adding citations to reliable sources 18: 13: 14: 658: 570: 231:Rebuilt Salvage or Prior Salvage 23: 617:National Insurance Crime Bureau 592:NY Department of Motor Vehicles 34:needs additional citations for 597:Ministry of Transport, Ontario 526: 508: 197:Typical branding designations 1: 501: 496:Vehicle identification number 174:Vehicle identification number 159: 7: 474: 10: 663: 185:Mandatory vehicle branding 261:Severely damaged vehicle 58:"Vehicle title branding" 520:www.consumerreports.org 491:Vehicle history report 432:Issues and limitations 130:Vehicle title branding 126: 124: 587:Kentucky legislation 43:improve this article 553:ConsumerReports.org 303: 198: 151:The designation or 481:Lemon (automobile) 393:found on road dead 301: 196: 127: 453:Hurricane Katrina 421: 420: 299: 298: 119: 118: 111: 93: 654: 564: 563: 561: 560: 545: 539: 538: 530: 524: 523: 512: 304: 300: 216:(clear), Normal 199: 195: 114: 107: 103: 100: 94: 92: 51: 27: 19: 662: 661: 657: 656: 655: 653: 652: 651: 647:Used car market 632: 631: 573: 568: 567: 558: 556: 547: 546: 542: 531: 527: 514: 513: 509: 504: 477: 434: 405: 348: 344: 289: 285: 263: 187: 162: 115: 104: 98: 95: 52: 50: 40: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 660: 650: 649: 644: 630: 629: 624: 614: 609: 604: 599: 594: 589: 584: 579: 572: 571:External links 569: 566: 565: 540: 525: 506: 505: 503: 500: 499: 498: 493: 488: 483: 476: 473: 433: 430: 419: 418: 414: 409: 399: 398: 395: 390: 384: 383: 375: 373: 371:theft recovery 367: 366: 352: 339: 333: 332: 328: 321: 315: 314: 311: 308: 297: 296: 293: 280: 274: 273: 269: 258: 250: 249: 233: 228: 222: 221: 217: 214: 210: 209: 206: 203: 186: 183: 182: 181: 177: 161: 158: 117: 116: 99:September 2009 31: 29: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 659: 648: 645: 643: 640: 639: 637: 628: 625: 622: 618: 615: 613: 610: 608: 605: 603: 600: 598: 595: 593: 590: 588: 585: 583: 580: 578: 575: 574: 554: 550: 544: 536: 529: 521: 517: 511: 507: 497: 494: 492: 489: 487: 484: 482: 479: 478: 472: 468: 464: 460: 456: 454: 450: 446: 445:title washing 441: 437: 429: 425: 415: 413: 410: 408: 404: 401: 400: 396: 394: 391: 389: 386: 385: 380: 376: 374: 372: 369: 368: 364: 361: 357: 353: 351: 347: 343: 340: 338: 335: 334: 329: 327: 326: 322: 320: 317: 316: 312: 309: 306: 305: 294: 292: 291:Flood damaged 288: 284: 281: 279: 276: 275: 270: 268: 267: 262: 259: 257: 256: 252: 251: 247: 242: 238: 234: 232: 229: 227: 224: 223: 218: 215: 212: 211: 207: 204: 201: 200: 194: 192: 191:North America 178: 175: 171: 170:serial number 167: 166: 165: 157: 154: 149: 147: 143: 139: 135: 131: 123: 113: 110: 102: 91: 88: 84: 81: 77: 74: 70: 67: 63: 60: –  59: 55: 54:Find sources: 48: 44: 38: 37: 32:This article 30: 26: 21: 20: 557:. Retrieved 552: 543: 528: 519: 510: 469: 465: 461: 457: 444: 442: 438: 435: 426: 422: 411: 406: 402: 392: 387: 378: 370: 349: 345: 341: 336: 323: 318: 313:Description 290: 286: 282: 277: 264: 260: 253: 245: 240: 236: 230: 225: 208:Description 188: 163: 150: 129: 128: 105: 96: 86: 79: 72: 65: 53: 41:Please help 36:verification 33: 642:Vehicle law 555:. June 2009 307:Designation 278:Irreparable 138:written off 636:Categories 559:2013-06-11 502:References 266:total loss 160:Objectives 69:newspapers 388:abandoned 142:collision 136:has been 621:VINcheck 486:Used car 475:See also 356:recycled 310:Synonyms 205:Synonyms 449:Arizona 346:crushed 337:wrecked 319:buyback 255:Salvage 248:title. 246:rebuilt 241:rebuilt 237:salvage 226:Rebuilt 140:due to 134:vehicle 83:scholar 407:police 379:stolen 377:While 172:(VIN, 85:  78:  71:  64:  56:  412:fleet 363:metal 360:scrap 350:baled 325:lemon 213:None 202:Brand 153:brand 146:scrap 90:JSTOR 76:books 619:(US 403:taxi 287:Fire 283:Junk 62:news 358:as 342:WRK 189:In 45:by 638:: 551:. 518:. 148:. 623:) 562:. 537:. 522:. 112:) 106:( 101:) 97:( 87:· 80:· 73:· 66:· 39:.

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"Vehicle title branding"
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vehicle
written off
collision
scrap
brand
serial number
Vehicle identification number
North America
Salvage
total loss
lemon
recycled
scrap
metal
Arizona
Hurricane Katrina
Lemon (automobile)
Used car

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