Rebuilt titles
- Thread starter reemoeMO
- Start date
There really isn’t any pros unless you get the car for atleast 30% below book, and that’s assuming the car was repaired well.
What I see is this. Car gets totaled out by insurance because the factory approved repair procedure cost more than the car is worth. As in, cut and replace complete panels, replace(not repair) frame rails etc. this is why cars are totaled out.
What a rebuilder does is buy cars like this to fix and profit. Meaning they are cutting corners otherwise they wouldn’t be in business. Very rarely will you come across a car that can be brought back to 100% pre-accident condition. It’s not like those videos on YouTube where everything is perfect. Panel gaps will tell you a lot of how well the car was rebuilt. Some cars are fixed right some cars are jank. Realize this when buying a R title. Plus factor in resale will be lower in the future due to title.
What I see is this. Car gets totaled out by insurance because the factory approved repair procedure cost more than the car is worth. As in, cut and replace complete panels, replace(not repair) frame rails etc. this is why cars are totaled out.
What a rebuilder does is buy cars like this to fix and profit. Meaning they are cutting corners otherwise they wouldn’t be in business. Very rarely will you come across a car that can be brought back to 100% pre-accident condition. It’s not like those videos on YouTube where everything is perfect. Panel gaps will tell you a lot of how well the car was rebuilt. Some cars are fixed right some cars are jank. Realize this when buying a R title. Plus factor in resale will be lower in the future due to title.
A rebuilt title could mean, for example, the car was totaled for being in a flood. The electrical system in those cars is not likely to work right. Ever again.
The only thing worse to buy is a car with no title.
The only thing worse to buy is a car with no title.
Rules, depends on state and that will determine the insurance.
Some states does not allow insurance co to insure rebuilt title.
Another quirk I heard over the years is there are some states that the insurance will not pay damages if the car has rebuilt title.
So, check with your state.
As far as the car itself, you just have to check it, bring to a mechanic and let them check it out and put it on a lift.
There are some minor rebuild like hail damage, but there major rebuild like bent frame, flooded, etc.
Check for rusted bolt which can be flooded before.
Some states does not allow insurance co to insure rebuilt title.
Another quirk I heard over the years is there are some states that the insurance will not pay damages if the car has rebuilt title.
So, check with your state.
As far as the car itself, you just have to check it, bring to a mechanic and let them check it out and put it on a lift.
There are some minor rebuild like hail damage, but there major rebuild like bent frame, flooded, etc.
Check for rusted bolt which can be flooded before.
The only vehicle with a salvage/rebuilt title that I would consider purchasing is one where the vehicle was totaled by the insurance company for hail damage. I would NOT put MY daughter in a vehicle that has been totaled in an accident. Additionally, a vehicle that has been totaled in a flood will be a reliability nightmare 9 times out of 10.
First, it depends on why the car was issued a salvage title in the first place. It means that the insurance company deemed that the cost of the repair exceeded the value of the car. Usually, this means frame or flood damage.
It may also be harder to insure a rebuilt title car.
If you want to build a race car, rebuilt or salvage title cars are a great place to start because you can get a significant discount
If you want a safe and reliable daily driver for a family member, rebuilt cars may not have been put together to "factory fresh" condition. Often times, they're hodge-podged back together.
Sometimes you can google the VIN to see records on insurance auction sites to see what you're up against.
It may also be harder to insure a rebuilt title car.
If you want to build a race car, rebuilt or salvage title cars are a great place to start because you can get a significant discount
If you want a safe and reliable daily driver for a family member, rebuilt cars may not have been put together to "factory fresh" condition. Often times, they're hodge-podged back together.
Sometimes you can google the VIN to see records on insurance auction sites to see what you're up against.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
I rebuild salvage vehicles as a hobby. I currently drive a salvaged Hurricane Harvey S500 Mercedes flood vehicle, and have put 80,000 miles on the S-class. I have rebuilt multiple other salvage vehicles, primarily flood vehicles.
The only way I would recommend a rebuilt vehicle is if you did the rebuild personally. I can't recommend a rebuilt vehicle that you were not the rebuilder of.
The only way I would recommend a rebuilt vehicle is if you did the rebuild personally. I can't recommend a rebuilt vehicle that you were not the rebuilder of.
I've driven rebuilt cars for 20 years with no problems. Type the vin into Google and you'll see auction photos of the original damage. The only caveat id offer is make sure the paint job was well done so don't get rust issues after few years and also offer 50% of it's normal value. It's getting harder to buy for 50% off since so many people buying salvage cars using online dealers now days and the cars have less stigma than they used to when body shops would weld two cars together to make just one Lol....can't do that with unibody cars.. unibody cars can be speed back to original using laser machines now days.
Times have changed over the last 40years when only licensed rebuilders could buy and sell salvage cars, now anyone can bid on them and fix them themselves or pay a body shop for the labor. Thousands of YouTube videos of people buying salvage vehicles even a guy named samcrac who just buys supercars.
Have it checked out by a mechanic like any used car purchase and don't worry about mechanical problems just paint issues from a sloppy paint job
Times have changed over the last 40years when only licensed rebuilders could buy and sell salvage cars, now anyone can bid on them and fix them themselves or pay a body shop for the labor. Thousands of YouTube videos of people buying salvage vehicles even a guy named samcrac who just buys supercars.
Have it checked out by a mechanic like any used car purchase and don't worry about mechanical problems just paint issues from a sloppy paint job
Owen Lucas
$100 Site Donor 2023
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Here are my concerns that you need to rule out:
Airbag deletes are the scary part. There are ways to simulate the presence of an airbag so the computer thinks everything is OK when in fact there is just a fake airbag cover or a nonfunctional bag in the steering wheel or dash.
Frame damage is concerning as well, some "shops" will fix unrepairable frame rails that have been bent over beyond manufacturer repair specifications. They can pull it close enough, heat it cherry red, and pull it the rest of the way, close enough so other parts barely fit, maybe even bondo any evidence. When a collision comes, the crash protection isn't there since the metal has been fatigued and you end up with a paper accordion rail. check under the rear bumper to see if the floor and rails have been crumpled, same as under the hood, look at the frame rails / structure is a different or freshly painted color.
Flood vehicles. Depending if it's fresh water or salt water and how high the water went into the vehicle, it will mostly total because the interior and electronics were affected. Airbag computers mounted in the dash and floor along with all the other modern control boxes scattered throughout the floor and walls of the vehicle will get wet. You could end up with a mobile petri dish or corroded connectors, especially if it was salt water. Fresh water has less salts in the water but still will cause corrosion. If the car is overly scented that's a warning sign. Check the trunk / spare tire well for rusty bolts and gunk residue.
Definitely run a VIN through Carfax and scour the internet with the VIN # as @Koainn mentioned, it's worth the money if you are serious about buying the car.
I personally would get my new driver a new or newer large vehicle, with all of the modern crash protection goodies and traction / stability control nannies. Being inexperienced these features can be helpful in the worst case scenario and it's not like future vehicles won't have them so might as well get used to them. I would rather drive an older vehicle my self, because I like wrenching and am a cheapo.
Airbag deletes are the scary part. There are ways to simulate the presence of an airbag so the computer thinks everything is OK when in fact there is just a fake airbag cover or a nonfunctional bag in the steering wheel or dash.
Frame damage is concerning as well, some "shops" will fix unrepairable frame rails that have been bent over beyond manufacturer repair specifications. They can pull it close enough, heat it cherry red, and pull it the rest of the way, close enough so other parts barely fit, maybe even bondo any evidence. When a collision comes, the crash protection isn't there since the metal has been fatigued and you end up with a paper accordion rail. check under the rear bumper to see if the floor and rails have been crumpled, same as under the hood, look at the frame rails / structure is a different or freshly painted color.
Flood vehicles. Depending if it's fresh water or salt water and how high the water went into the vehicle, it will mostly total because the interior and electronics were affected. Airbag computers mounted in the dash and floor along with all the other modern control boxes scattered throughout the floor and walls of the vehicle will get wet. You could end up with a mobile petri dish or corroded connectors, especially if it was salt water. Fresh water has less salts in the water but still will cause corrosion. If the car is overly scented that's a warning sign. Check the trunk / spare tire well for rusty bolts and gunk residue.
Definitely run a VIN through Carfax and scour the internet with the VIN # as @Koainn mentioned, it's worth the money if you are serious about buying the car.
I personally would get my new driver a new or newer large vehicle, with all of the modern crash protection goodies and traction / stability control nannies. Being inexperienced these features can be helpful in the worst case scenario and it's not like future vehicles won't have them so might as well get used to them. I would rather drive an older vehicle my self, because I like wrenching and am a cheapo.
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If you want to save some $ and have a little bit of appetite for risk, lemon lawed vehicles are decent way to get something pretty new at a steep discount, with the issues usually being fixed (in both my cases, it was). Resale will be significantly lower though.
Depends on if the vehicle is priced appropriately and how likely you think that your new-driver daughter is going to wreck it.
There’s a lot to consider, including the age/mileage of the vehicle. If it’s older and/or has more miles, something minor could cause it to be totaled. My 2000 Lincoln Town Car got totaled by hitting a deer, but legally only needed a headlight assembly to be driveable. It was minor enough damage that I continued driving to work that day. I got my check, went through the hassle that is the Texas rebuilt salvage title process, and got my rebuilt salvage title. I repaired the car with a new headlight assembly, salvage fender/hood, and a new a/c condenser. Since it was totaled, I can’t put full coverage on it, so that might be a consideration. Since my car was 20 years old with 125k+, that wasn’t a big deal. It’s likely full coverage for a new driver would be expensive, even for girls.
What's the car in question? As others said, lots of risk. I personally wouldn't do it to a car that I didn't know. I have rebuilt a car that was totaled by the insurance company, but in that instance, I knew a body guy and he did it for slightly less than the insurance company. It called for a new bumper but he was able to fix the old one so that it looked decent and the rest of the work like painting etc wasn't that big of a deal.
Also if the car is late model, rebuilt titles basically voids any factory warranty left. So if there's ever an extended warranty, it's no longer valid on a rebuilt title. Plus I think they can get out of federal emissions warranty on rebuilt cars. And usually the discount isn't enough to offset all those drawbacks unless the car is really old and out of any manufacturer extended warranty window.
Also if the car is late model, rebuilt titles basically voids any factory warranty left. So if there's ever an extended warranty, it's no longer valid on a rebuilt title. Plus I think they can get out of federal emissions warranty on rebuilt cars. And usually the discount isn't enough to offset all those drawbacks unless the car is really old and out of any manufacturer extended warranty window.
Without stating a year or price range, any answer here is personal opinion based on owning or rebuilding one, or just speculation and conjecture. A 2020 Mercedes may need $20,000 worth of damage to total it, while a 2000 Crown Vic can be totaled just for a smashed door and fender which you can replace for $100 with junkyard parts.
My dad does body work so my whole family drives salvage cars. If you know the person who fixed it and trust them and also know how it was damaged they can be great. If you are buying a salvage title car on Craigslist from some shady dude I wouldn't recommend it. There is a lot you can cover up with filler and paint. Or they can start rusting because the repair wasn't done properly.
The car is a 2008 Chevy Aveo LT with 99,000 miles.
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