salvage title vs. junk title in California?

[hpcbmw]

Anyone know the difference between salvage title and junk title in California? I'm looking at a car to buy with a salvage title (much cheaper then with clean title). I've had a few cars with salvage title in the past, so I know the risks. This car is different, when I ran carfax and autocheck, both said "junk vehicle". All other cars I've run carfax on say "salvage title". Here's a copy of the listings in autocheck (carfax says essentially the same thing). Anyone know the difference? The seller says he's got a pink slip and registration (I'm going to look at the pink slip next time I see the car).

Car is a 2005 honda for about $7k.

Thanks for any thoughts.


08/23/2010 RANCHO CORDOVA, CA
108,546
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE SALVAGE
09/15/2010 CA 108,501
Motor Vehicle Dept. ODOMETER READING FROM DMV
09/20/2010 CA Motor Vehicle Dept. JUNK VEHICLE
11/08/2010 CA 108,750
State Agency PASSED EMISSION INSPECTION
11/29/2010 CARMICHAEL, CA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
11/29/2010 CARMICHAEL, CA Motor Vehicle Dept. PRIOR SALVAGE
12/09/2010 CARMICHAEL, CA Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE
JUNK VEHICLE PRIOR SALVAGE

[average]

Some info that may be helpful...

How To Reregister a Junked Vehicle

[hpcbmw]

I emailed Carfax asking what "junk" title meant and they actually sent me a response. Thought I'd share.

Here is the Carfax response:

Hello:

Thank you for contacting CARFAX.

The California DMV website states that a junked vehicle is one which has been dismantled because it was wrecked, abandoned, or a low valued vehicle that was impounded and acquired from an enforcement agency and is no longer operable.

A salvage vehicle is a vehicle that has been wrecked, destroyed, or damaged to such extent that the insurance company considers it uneconomical to make repairs to the vehicle and the vehicle is not repaired by or for the person who owned the vehicle when the damage occurred.

The California title will contain a notation identifying this vehicle as a salvage vehicle.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Chrissy
Consumer Affairs Analyst