What is the salvage title or scrapping certificate?

Although each country has its own definition of what constitutes a salvage title or scrapping certificate , we are going to summarize the most important points. In essence, a vehicle can be designated “salvage” in English or “rescued” in Spanish, when it is not suitable for driving because it is damaged by an accident, flood, fire, or any other circumstance that prevents it from being able to circulate again. Safely. Additionally, in some cases, a stolen vehicle can also receive salvage title.

If you are considering buying a car imported from the USA, you can check your CARFAX report if you are already registered in Spain , or if you are still in the United States .

How many salvage-titled vehicles circulate on European roads?

In the last 6 years, more than 20% of used cars imported from the United States to Europe are reported to CARFAX as salvage title (the total number may be even higher). This equates to 184,609 vehicles. This means that in Europe, when you buy an imported car from the United States , there is a 1 in 5 chance that it will have a salvage title .

This risk can be avoided by purchasing a CARFAX Vehicle Report.

Which countries are importers of the most salvage- titled cars ?

There is a wide range of countries that import “salvage cars” from the United States, some do it in small quantities, but there are others that do it disproportionately. Here is the list of the top 8 countries in the last 6 years:

  • Lithuania (49%) : Of 57,507 US import cars, 29,329  have salvage titles
  • Georgia (45.4%) : Of 57,819 US import cars, 26,220 have salvage titles
  • Poland (36.2%) : Out of 32,220 US import cars, 11,663 have salvage titles
  • Italy (15%) : Of 8,977 US import cars, 2,867 have salvage titles
  • Netherlands (9.6%) : Of 34,558 US import cars, 3,314 have salvage titles
  • Germany (7.3%) : Of 278,256 US import cars, 20,206 have salvage titles
  • Finland (6.3%) : Of 50,339 US import cars, 3,176 have salvage titles
  • Belgium (2.9%) : Of 67,809 US import cars, 1,965 have salvage titles

The fact that many cars are imported into these countries does not mean that they stay in that country. In many cases, “salvage cars” are imported, repaired and then sold to other European countries. Because of this common practice, it is of the utmost importance that you inquire about the vehicle’s history before purchasing an imported car from the United States.

What brands are the most popular?

The American car market has a wide range of makes and models that are imported into Europe. Here is a list of some of the most popular brands, as well as how many vehicles have the salvage title:

  • Audi (46%) : Of 14,813 US import cars, 6,824 have salvage titles
  • Volkswagen (43%) : Of 34,528 US import cars, 14,905 have salvage titles
  • Toyota (35%) : Of 97,026 US import cars, 34,069 have salvage titles
  • Lexus (20%) : Of 41,142 US import cars, 8,229 have salvage titles
  • Ford (18%) : Of 35,726 US import cars, 6,288 have salvage titles
  • Mercedes-Benz (14%) : Of 132,039 US import cars, 19,122 have salvage titles

Reduce the risk of buying a used car with a salvage title

Ask for the CARFAX report of the vehicle! CARFAX Spain has information on cars imported from the United States to Europe and knows the second-hand cars registered in Spain. If they are still in the US, you can check their report here as well . When you want to buy a second hand car, always check the vehicle’s history before making the purchase. The Vehicle CARFAX report can provide you with useful information on the number of registered owners, if the odometer has been tampered with, if it has suffered flood damage, if it has a salvage title and much more.

There are a surprising number of imported cars from the United States on European roads that have salvage titles . CARFAX has produced an infographic to illustrate this somewhat problematic situation.