What is a Salvage Car?

A 'salvage' vehicle is a car deemed too expensive to repair by an insurance company relative to its value. That doesn't make it worthless — a salvage car is a collection of valuable, reusable parts.

The two main categories for repairable salvage are Cat S (Structural damage) and Cat N (Non-structural damage). We buy vehicles in both categories — even a Cat S car has many undamaged mechanical and interior parts.

A scrap car's value is based only on its weight in metal. A salvage car's value is based on the market demand for its specific parts. A rare engine, pristine interior, or set of alloys can be worth far more than the metal.