A car is not fixable when the damage is too severe for safe or cost-effective repair, or when replacement parts are no longer available.
A vehicle is typically beyond repair when it has:
- Severe frame damage: Bent, cracked, or twisted frame from a collision
- Fire damage: Burned wiring, melted components, or structural weakening from heat
- Flood damage: Submerged vehicles often have hidden electrical, mechanical, and mold issues
- Extensive rust: Rust-through on frame rails, floor pans, or structural supports
- Catastrophic engine failure: Cracked block, hydrolocked engine, or spun bearings with no replacement available
- Obsolete parts: Older or rare vehicles where parts are no longer manufactured or sold
Insurance companies declare a car a total loss when repair costs exceed 70% to 100% of the vehicle's value (varies by state). At that point, the car receives a salvage or junk title and is sold for parts or scrap metal. Junk car buyers purchase vehicles in any condition, including those that are not fixable.