There are several ways to determine if a vehicle has a salvage history or has been wrecked prior to being sold to a consumer. The consumer can obtain a Carfax report, a DMV title history, or contact his insurance provider to locate salvage or wreck history, but the best way for a consumer to know for sure, and to have the requisite expert that will be required in a court of law, is for the consumer to have the vehicle inspected by a licensed body shop expert.