Salvage and rebuilt cars have a reputation problem -- here's what actually matters when you're deciding whether one is right for you.
Table of Contents
Salvage and rebuilt vehicles typically sell for 20-50% less than a comparable clean-title car. When the underlying damage was cosmetic, or has already been professionally repaired and inspected, you're paying a steep discount for a car that drives and performs the same as any other.
The total-loss threshold is often a percentage of a car's value, not a fixed damage severity -- which means an older or lower-value vehicle can get totaled over relatively minor, inexpensive-to-fix damage, simply because the repair cost crossed that percentage. A totaled 12-year-old sedan and a totaled brand-new SUV can have wildly different actual damage.
Two vehicles with the same salvage brand can have completely different histories -- one might have a bent bumper and a cracked headlight, the other might have frame damage. The brand on the title tells you a car was in an insurance claim; it doesn't tell you the whole story on its own, which is exactly why doing your own research matters more than the brand itself.
Every listing on OnlySalvage comes from a real, rated seller account -- no anonymous listings. Title status (salvage, rebuilt, or clean) is disclosed up front on every listing, not buried in fine print, and sellers can optionally share damage photos and documentation before you ever agree to buy. Buyer and seller ratings mean a seller's reputation is earned through actual transactions, not just claimed.
Review the listing's title status and any damage photos provided, ask the seller directly about the vehicle's history, and pull a vehicle history report using the VIN. Whenever possible, inspect the car in person (or arrange a professional pre-purchase inspection) before completing a purchase -- the same due diligence that's smart for any used car purchase applies here too.