A “clean title” is in the eye of the beholder but is usually construed as being without any major accidents, or “title brands“. There are several types of title brands. The most common title brands are Manufacturer Buy-back or “lemon“, Salvage title, and Flood damage. A lemon title means that either one of a few things may have happened. One, the first owner had a problem that the dealership tried to resolve three times unsuccessfully, after the third unsuccessful attempt, the buyer can request that the car be repurchased by the manufacture. The first owner took the car to the shop and it was there for more than 30 days. If the dealer cannot resolve the problem in 30 days, the buyer can request that the manufacturer buy the car back. Finally, if a person wants to scam a manufacturer, they may make up a problem until the manufacturer buys the car back. In most instances the manufacturer brings the car back and makes sure that they resolve the problem. After the problem is resolved, they will re-sell the car at auction. A salvage title means that it has been in an accident and was bought by the insurance company and deemed to be beyond normal repair. Since it usually takes substantial damage for this to occur, make sure you know what you are getting into before you make a purchase on one of these. A flood damaged car has been damaged by excessive amounts of water. In a flood water can get in the engine, in the upholstery and just about everywhere you can think of. At this point, the water will be very difficult to remove. I would avoid one of these types of “title branded cars” the most. A flood damaged car can have rust, mold, and many types of electrical / engine problems in the future.

If you are considering a branded title vehicle, make sure you do your research. You may be able to save a bunch of money on a title branded car, please keep in mind that you will probably get less for it when you trade it in or sell it.