Most people who qualify for instant title loans have a fully paid-off vehicle with a lien-free vehicle title. Besides checking the value of your pink slip, a lender wants to ensure the vehicle is not marked as “salvaged.” If your car’s pink slip has this official designation, it’s been damaged and declared an official loss by an insurance company. All that sounds bad on paper, but it doesn’t mean a salvaged vehicle title doesn’t have value.
Can you get a car title loan approved if the vehicle is salvaged? In a word: Yes, but with a few distinctions.
Challenges That Come With A Salvage Title Loan & Should I Get One?
Any title loan works by using the item’s value and securing it to obtain funds should the borrower default. Let your mortgage go into foreclosure, and your bank will sell the home. Let a car title loan lapse and go unpaid and your lender will sell the car and pocket the funds. This is why a salvage title loan is a tricky endeavor. The book value of a car or truck once in a junkyard or considered salvage is far less than that of a vehicle with a clear title status.
Lending experts agree that salvaged vehicles can be used as collateral with reputable title lending companies and service providers. However, the application and underwriting process will be much more stringent. The banks and direct lenders know there is a significant risk when a borrower uses this type of pink slip for a secured loan. That’s a loan on the vehicle itself, but the theory still applies when it is a loan against the title. After all, a car only gets this distinction when it is designated as a “total loss” by an insurance company. This means the vehicle has been damaged, seemingly beyond repair. It’s been taken apart and rebuilt until it is operable again.
As the owner of a salvaged car, you may find it frustrating to look at your flawlessly rebuilt car or truck and think of it as somehow less valuable than a vehicle never before damaged. However, that is the hurdle you face if want to apply with companies that offer cash for your car.
Half the Value Of A Typical Car Title Loan! Are Salvage Title Loans Even Worth It?
Typically, a lender will extend an online title loan that is half that of a car with a traditional title (i.e., one without any liens and with value if the vehicle has to be sold). You must ask yourself if half the amount of the usual loan on your type of vehicle title will meet your needs. Yes, you may need fast cash that a typical personal loan cannot provide, or your credit may be shaky, and the car title loan is your only option. Still, you must consider the challenges you’ll face in getting an acceptable amount of cash for the collateral in your vehicle. As with most financial or lending decisions, you’ll want to confirm the vehicle is salvaged. Check with your local Motor Vehicle Department to verify your car meets that designation and qualifies for a short term loan.
Consider the following factors relating to salvage vehicle title loans:
- What is the total value of the car (car, truck, or even motorcycle) you use as collateral?
- What is half of that value?
- What is the repayment period of the loan?
- How much interest is going to apply?
Most financial service companies that offer online title loans will work with consumers with salvage titles. Many of the companies in our database of lenders will underwrite a loan if you fall into this category. Others may treat your application similarly to those who apply for bad credit title loans; in that case, you should expect a higher APR and lower loan amount.
Use vehicle value resources like KBB to get a reasonable estimate of what the lender “should” offer. Loans that use a salvage pink slip will fall within 55% and 60% of that book’s stated value. Let’s say you have a vehicle that KBB shows with a value of around $5k. An auto title loan company would typically offer you close to that amount. However, if that car has a salvage title, the lender might extend a loan of $3k or less. They do this for that logical reason: A vehicle is worth a smaller amount in the marketplace when it has the distinction of being salvaged. If you default on payments, they must have adequate collateral to cover their loss.
Help Me Find A Company That Offers Salvage Title Loans Near Me!
Don’t accept the first offer extended if you are seeking a title loan. Take time to ensure they are a legitimate finance lender. Look into licensing information with your state and other regulatory agencies. Work with lenders that ask for proof of insurance on the vehicle. This is often a sign of validity if an online title loan company wants all bases covered before handing over cash.