Junkman
Super Member
Program cars are cars that have the title in the name of automobile manufactures leasing divisions. Rentals are the other folks that purchase the cars for rental purposes and then sell them. They both equal the same thing. They have been out on the road with drivers that didn't own them. In the old days, if you purchase a "factory rep" car, they came with a full warranty and that warranty started when you purchase it, no matter what the mileage. Example..... the factory rep puts 5000 miles on the car and the original factory warranty is for 24000 miles... it will be covered till the vehicle is driven 29000. That is the way it was 30 years ago when I was able to purchase "factory rep" cars. Don't know if it is still that way now. Then there are "demo" cars. These are the cars used by the dealership that have never been titled, but used by the dealership for demonstrator cars, dealers family use, salesman's use, etc. with dealer plates attached. These cars have the balance of the new car warranty, but the title will reflect that you are the first registered owner, unlike a "program car". "Dealer rep" cars will also be transfered with a original "certificate of origin" and you will show as the original first owner. "Salvage" titles are cars that have been "purchased" by the insurance company after a claim. They might have been wrecks, fire or water damage, or recovered thefts. It doesn't matter if the car is recovered with the keys in the ignition and there is absolutely no damage, it will still have a salvage title attached to it. Just because a car has a salvage title, don't always expect it to be the worse. Many times a salvage title car can be a excellent buy, especially if you are the type to keep a car till the wheels fall off. Usually you can purchase these salvage title cars for about 45 - 60 cents on the dollar as there "clean" title counter parts. The important thing to know is what happened to the car and how well the repairs were made. I have seen many cars with damage from an accident that have been repaired and returned to the owner that have a lot more damage than a car that was determined to be a total loss and given a salvage title. Every insurance company handles claims differently and that is where the disparity in "salvage" vs. repair lies. Then there are "salvage title cars" that have been titled in states where there is no salvage title, so the car that you believe has a "clean" title, might actually be a salvage title car. You can do a "title" search with Car Fax, but it doesn't always show all the facts about the car right away. I know of a salvage title car that it took Car Fax more than 4 months before it showed in there reports.
