followup paperwork for totaled car

Several weeks ago I had an accident causing the front of my '91 accord to be
slight to moderately warped, with the bumper and front lights damaged. It
was Friday night, I was on the highway, and the car had more than 200k miles
already. So I decided to just call a nearby towing service to dispose of
the car. (The car was in decent shape before the accident. I just put in
four new Michelin X-Radial tires from Costco and just had the timing belt
and radiator replaced.)

The towing service charged me $250 for the car disposal. I took the car key
with me along with the back license plate, but left the front license plate
on since it was warped from the accident. Also I didn't have my title with
me at that time so I didn't give it to them. They said they would file for
a lien transfer.

Now that I have time to think about it, was that an unwise decision to total
the car? Before the accident, the car probably would have sold for about
$2,000. Also, since I'm not sure if the towing service has done any
paperwork yet, presumably the car is still under my name and I'm liable for
any civil/criminal charges from parking, abandonment or operation violations
for the car. I live in California and I filed a Notice of Release of
Liability (REG 138) yesterday. But the DMV website said that until a
transfer of title is filed, the car would still be under my name. Should I
file for a salvage certificate as well? That would make the car not
resellable anymore and force the towing service to salvage it for parts. Is
there any other paperwork I should file with DMV?

I'm curious as to what towing services typically do for totaled cars that
are in not too bad shape? Do they try to repair them and then sell them
off? or do they always just salvage the cars for parts?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Regards,
Dave

 

I would have paid $1000.00 for it wrecked...

 

I would have paid $1000.00 for it wrecked...

 

I'm curious as to what towing services typically do for totaled cars that

I don't know what happens in US, but here in Montreal for sure you wouldn't
have to pay to have it totalled.
I know several people who got rid of a car which were finished and the scrap
yard took it for free, the money they would get for the metal covered for
the towing. If they were able to drive it to the yard, they'd get around 50$
for the car.
Then you just sign the title checking down that the car is for disposal. The
junk yard can still rebuild it but the car has to pass an inspection before
being put back on the road. Unless you don't check that it is for disposal.
In this case they could just repair it.
In your case, you could probably get some bucks for the car.

 

I'm curious as to what towing services typically do for totaled cars that

I don't know what happens in US, but here in Montreal for sure you wouldn't
have to pay to have it totalled.
I know several people who got rid of a car which were finished and the scrap
yard took it for free, the money they would get for the metal covered for
the towing. If they were able to drive it to the yard, they'd get around 50$
for the car.
Then you just sign the title checking down that the car is for disposal. The
junk yard can still rebuild it but the car has to pass an inspection before
being put back on the road. Unless you don't check that it is for disposal.
In this case they could just repair it.
In your case, you could probably get some bucks for the car.

 

Would that have included sending a towing truck to pick it up? Just so I
know better in the future.

The accident site was about 60 miles from where I live and the towing
service said they would charge $300 to tow it back to my residence. (If I
want to dispose it myself, I would need to tow it back to my residence first
since it was Friday night.) That's part of the reason I chose to pay the
towing service to dispose it.

- Dave

 

Would that have included sending a towing truck to pick it up? Just so I
know better in the future.

The accident site was about 60 miles from where I live and the towing
service said they would charge $300 to tow it back to my residence. (If I
want to dispose it myself, I would need to tow it back to my residence first
since it was Friday night.) That's part of the reason I chose to pay the
towing service to dispose it.

- Dave

 

If its as minimally damaged as you say, the wrecker is going to fix it with
parts from his lot and sell it. If it isn't formally totaled, he won't even
have to go to a salvage title.

 

If its as minimally damaged as you say, the wrecker is going to fix it with
parts from his lot and sell it. If it isn't formally totaled, he won't even
have to go to a salvage title.