Car Talk
5 Characteristics Of Salvage Cars In Nigeria
Salvage cars are popularly referred to as “accidented cars” in Nigeria. The main question is what are these cars made of? What makes a car titled, salvage, and what are the characteristics of a salvage car? This article will throw more light on these questions.
Did you know? Nigeria is one of the largest importers of used vehicles in the world and we locally refer to these cars as tokunbo, they are in a sense rejected in Europe and valued in Nigeria.
“Nigeria’s spending on importing used vehicles rose by 12.6 percent to N617.48 billion in 2021 from N548 billion in 2020 on the back of reduction in import duty on used vehicles” reports Vangaurdngr.
What Does A Car Salvage Title Mean?
In most parts of the country Nigeria, a man is given titles such as ‘Igwe’, ‘Oba’, or ‘Otunba’ after they have achieved a certain feat in life, similarly, a car is titled salvage after it has been affected by significant damage.
These damages could be a result of the accident, hail damage, flood damage, or other damages the car experienced, to indicate that the vehicle has undergone damage it is usually titled ‘salvage’. In most cases, the insurance company issues a salvage certificate especially when the vehicle is deemed a total loss.
5 Characteristics Of Salvage Cars In Nigeria
Here are some of the surest characteristics of a salvaged vehicle:
It is titled salvage: With the aid of a Vehicle Identification Number an individual may run a VIN check and obtain a detailed vehicle history report from Detailed Vehicle History, this report will clearly indicate the vehicle’s title, present condition, and title history. Detailed Vehicle History is currently providing vehicle history reports for classic and modern cars!
Discounted Price Tags
According to Kelley Blue Book (KBB), a salvage-title car is typically worth 20% to 40% less than one with a clean title, so if your prospective car has a price tag that is significantly lower than normal, then it may be a time for you to pause and reflect. Take note however that not all salvage cars have severe damage.
Other characteristics of a salvage car include:
Rusty Metallic Parts
This particular red flag is usually accompanied by a pungent smell in the interior of the vehicle, this rust is usually a result of a flood.
So watch out for rust on the car throttle and other pedals/ metallic parts, flood-damaged vehicles usually develop electrical/electronic faults which pose a severe danger to the lives of the passengers.
Most times the pungent smell of a flood-damaged vehicle is usually masked with a car cologne by dealerships, so if the interior of a vehicle is heavily scented, then it may be time to pause and reflect, this however is not always the case.
Obvious Dents And Damages
Some salvaged vehicles’ have dents and scratches are clearly visible around the body, this is an indication that the vehicle has been damaged by some form of collision or crash. A vehicle history report which shows auction images usually lares bare the true condition of the vehicle before it was sold off at the auction.
Stolen Vehicles
Stolen vehicles are also written off as salvage cars, now you may wonder how to know if a vehicle is stolen or not. Well, the Detailed Vehicle History vehicle history report provides in-depth information on accident and theft records of used vehicles. Run a VIN check and confirm the status of any vehicle today!
Conclusively, while buying a used vehicle may seem to be an economic venture, one must be on the lookout for the red flags associated with them, of which salvage title is a part and parcel. By utilizing a vehicle history report and other suggestions outlined here one can examine their prospective car to know if they should or not.
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