Rebuilt titles - should I runaway?
- Thread starter grampi
- Start date
What's confusing? If it's something you care about... treat it like the rented mule that it is.
Only if it's something that you truly love and can deal with anything that wasn't done perfectly. Or is something you get for a song and don't care about.
Only if it's something that you truly love and can deal with anything that wasn't done perfectly. Or is something you get for a song and don't care about.
You can't lump vehicles with these titles under a single umbrella. Most states have wildly varying standards for salvage/rebuilt titles. You have to find out why the title was branded. It could have been a lot of cosmetic damage (not necessarily a big deal), or it could have been a totally submerged flood vehicle (run away).
If the previous damage is something you can live with, and if it's available at a great price, why not?
If the previous damage is something you can live with, and if it's available at a great price, why not?
Depends on how it became a rebuilt title and that depends on how the state classifies them. I'd buy an older car super cheap with a rebuilt title after having it inspected to make sure it was rebuilt reasonably if wrecked or if it was written off with severe hail damage to use more as a beater and only have minimum coverage. Trying to get full coverage on a rebuilt sucks.
To many other good vehicles for sale run or if you're old maybe just hoop on the nearest public transportation.
slo town
$200 Site Donor 2026
As mentioned above. it depends. Our BMW E90 was parked when it got snagged by a stake bed truck that was making a U-turn around it in the parking lot. This totaled the car, which was a shame given its truly superb condition.
I took the payout and fixed the car myself - and fixed it to perfection. Besides using all new hardware (nuts, bolts, washers, etc) the repair required just 6 parts (brand new BMW OEM for everything); front cross beam, front clip, front fender, LF headlight, headlight support bracket, and LF inner fender liner. Everything was bolt on and everything lined up perfectly when I installed the new parts.
My point is, there are worthwhile salvage title cars out there. FWIW,
Scott
I took the payout and fixed the car myself - and fixed it to perfection. Besides using all new hardware (nuts, bolts, washers, etc) the repair required just 6 parts (brand new BMW OEM for everything); front cross beam, front clip, front fender, LF headlight, headlight support bracket, and LF inner fender liner. Everything was bolt on and everything lined up perfectly when I installed the new parts.
My point is, there are worthwhile salvage title cars out there. FWIW,
Scott
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With all the flooding that happens around the country, hard no for me.
Use the BITOG search function to ferret out numerous past discussions on "branded" titles (e.g., rebuilt/salvage/totaled). @GON is very well versed on rebuilding totaled vehicles and knows a lot of the "ins and outs" which are often state specific. The biggest concerns are whether the vehicle has been properly re-certified by the state/jurisdiction to be roadworthy and whether your insurance company will underwrite a policy for a vehicle with a branded title.
Owen Lucas
$100 Site Donor 2023
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It depends, was the car rebuilt because it was totaled from hail damage or from being thoroughly keyed?
Did it have frame or flood damage? Those are questionable, but I've seen cars totaled for less, such as minor frontal damage requiring a radiator support and expensive ADAS + headlights. Easily repairable before ADAS and manufacturer parts price gouging.
CarFax should provide enough information here to make a good decision remotely. Otherwise a thorough in-person inspection should work as well.
Did it have frame or flood damage? Those are questionable, but I've seen cars totaled for less, such as minor frontal damage requiring a radiator support and expensive ADAS + headlights. Easily repairable before ADAS and manufacturer parts price gouging.
CarFax should provide enough information here to make a good decision remotely. Otherwise a thorough in-person inspection should work as well.
I'm no expert, though I can certainly detect many things, but my mechanic is...I can recognize enough to know if it's worth having my mechanic inspect it...the CR-V I took to him last week had zero red flags until he put it up on a lift...
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BMW parts are expensive. Sometimes you are better off going with an aftermarket body kit. If I remember correctly they wanted 5k for a new hood on my Z4.
I'll take a slightly different view on them, as my FIL ran his own auto body shop, bought many, and rebuilt them as a side hustle.
I've seen some that were a light front hit, that were totaled because of blown bags that would have been repaired without issue pre-air bag, then, I've seen some that were gnarly as all get out, and I wouldn't want to touch with someone elses 20' pole.
However if you know the history going in, know the person that rebuilt it (and the quality of their work), can buy it priced right, and are prepared to drive it in the ground (because there will virtually no resale value, or many dealers won't even take them as a trade) you can possibly do all right with one.
I never bought one off of him, not because of the quality of the work, but because of the lack of resale value, and flexibility of getting rid of them. I usually purchased new, much to his chagrin, my MIL's, and my wife. The one time I tried, he had a '93 Lebaron convertible (and I wanted a convertible.) We couldn't get together on price, and it turned into family drama (and a rift with me on their part) when I went and purchased a clean title '94 with a third less miles for less money. After that, I made it clear to Mrs. Tdbo that my car buying was not my in-laws business and that she was not to communicate anything with them until after a car was purchased.
My SIL bought them from him for years. The last one that I remember purchasing was a year old Chrysler van he rebuilt. She had nothing but issues with it. Dad bought it back, and she bought a new car. She never bought another. However, after that, he only bought wrecked with clean titles.
So it is up to the buyer. You can do alright with them, given the situation. However, buyer beware.
I've seen some that were a light front hit, that were totaled because of blown bags that would have been repaired without issue pre-air bag, then, I've seen some that were gnarly as all get out, and I wouldn't want to touch with someone elses 20' pole.
However if you know the history going in, know the person that rebuilt it (and the quality of their work), can buy it priced right, and are prepared to drive it in the ground (because there will virtually no resale value, or many dealers won't even take them as a trade) you can possibly do all right with one.
I never bought one off of him, not because of the quality of the work, but because of the lack of resale value, and flexibility of getting rid of them. I usually purchased new, much to his chagrin, my MIL's, and my wife. The one time I tried, he had a '93 Lebaron convertible (and I wanted a convertible.) We couldn't get together on price, and it turned into family drama (and a rift with me on their part) when I went and purchased a clean title '94 with a third less miles for less money. After that, I made it clear to Mrs. Tdbo that my car buying was not my in-laws business and that she was not to communicate anything with them until after a car was purchased.
My SIL bought them from him for years. The last one that I remember purchasing was a year old Chrysler van he rebuilt. She had nothing but issues with it. Dad bought it back, and she bought a new car. She never bought another. However, after that, he only bought wrecked with clean titles.
So it is up to the buyer. You can do alright with them, given the situation. However, buyer beware.
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Sometimes it's better to find what you want at the auction then have it rebuilt. That way you know what you are getting. In the past I've had the body shop give me an estimate and then bought the car. https://www.iaai.com/
Generally no. They usually don't sell for enough of a discount to make the gamble worth it and they are tough to resell/trade.
I would only consider an older low value car that took a light hit and was totaled for being old and low value. Something like a 2004 Malibu that needed a hood and fender.
I would only consider an older low value car that took a light hit and was totaled for being old and low value. Something like a 2004 Malibu that needed a hood and fender.
As @Owen Lucas said, it depends. Both of the cars in my garage have rebuilt titles. I have no regrets for either.
There was a time when I was in the run away camp. But a friend of mine, who is very successful, and has owned some very nice cars, has bought rebuilt title cars for each of his children's first car. He shared with me that he never regretted any of the purchases, and would not hesitate to recommend rebuilt cars to others.
But he has always bought from large reputable dealerships that specialize in rebuilt cars.
Although sideswiped, a PPI on my E350 found nothing that was out of the normal for a car of it's age and mileage and type. Both driver side doors were replaced, and if someone pays close attention, on the inside of the door you can see the paint line, where the original color just barely shows. This is a minor cosmetic condition that I'm willing to live with. Tires only last about 35k miles on the car. I've attributed this to the accident, as the alignment is just barely in spec, even after I had it worked on. But from talking with others that drive the same model, they only get about 40k miles out of a set of tires. This particular model seems to be hard on tires.
My wife's X5 was a flood car. The original owner drove through standing water. From the report I read, it never hydro locked, but was running poorly when it was taken to the BMW dealership. All fluids were replaced, the main battery was replaced. That's it. I carefully inspected the car before buying it, and am convinced that there was never any water intrusion into the cabin. February will be a year of ownership, and we have had only one problem with the car, and that problem was unrelated to the "flood damage".
I saved about $7k-$8k on the X5 vs a clean title with the same trim level and mileage. With the E350, I didn't pay much attention to the $ savings, but instead noted that I got a car with 40k miles on it, for the same price that other E350 4Matic Sport cars were selling for, with 80k-100k miles on them.
I said no regrets, but there is one. It is very common with salvaged title cars, to only get one set of keys. Both of mine were like that. No big deal with most cars. But a replacement key for the E350 is about $400-$500, and one for the X5 runs about a grand. And there is no aftermarket key option for either. Dealer only. I haven't ever got a second key for either yet. So there is that.
Would I buy another salvaged title car? Yes. But I would take the same careful measures that should be taken when buying any used car.
There was a time when I was in the run away camp. But a friend of mine, who is very successful, and has owned some very nice cars, has bought rebuilt title cars for each of his children's first car. He shared with me that he never regretted any of the purchases, and would not hesitate to recommend rebuilt cars to others.
But he has always bought from large reputable dealerships that specialize in rebuilt cars.
Although sideswiped, a PPI on my E350 found nothing that was out of the normal for a car of it's age and mileage and type. Both driver side doors were replaced, and if someone pays close attention, on the inside of the door you can see the paint line, where the original color just barely shows. This is a minor cosmetic condition that I'm willing to live with. Tires only last about 35k miles on the car. I've attributed this to the accident, as the alignment is just barely in spec, even after I had it worked on. But from talking with others that drive the same model, they only get about 40k miles out of a set of tires. This particular model seems to be hard on tires.
My wife's X5 was a flood car. The original owner drove through standing water. From the report I read, it never hydro locked, but was running poorly when it was taken to the BMW dealership. All fluids were replaced, the main battery was replaced. That's it. I carefully inspected the car before buying it, and am convinced that there was never any water intrusion into the cabin. February will be a year of ownership, and we have had only one problem with the car, and that problem was unrelated to the "flood damage".
I saved about $7k-$8k on the X5 vs a clean title with the same trim level and mileage. With the E350, I didn't pay much attention to the $ savings, but instead noted that I got a car with 40k miles on it, for the same price that other E350 4Matic Sport cars were selling for, with 80k-100k miles on them.
I said no regrets, but there is one. It is very common with salvaged title cars, to only get one set of keys. Both of mine were like that. No big deal with most cars. But a replacement key for the E350 is about $400-$500, and one for the X5 runs about a grand. And there is no aftermarket key option for either. Dealer only. I haven't ever got a second key for either yet. So there is that.
Would I buy another salvaged title car? Yes. But I would take the same careful measures that should be taken when buying any used car.
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Put me in the walk away camp.I've read where people say rebuilt titles shouldn't be an automatic no sale, and others say to just run away. I'm confused
However, I would check with your state DMV to see what's required for obtaining a rebuilt title. If anything, just for knowledge sake. This might give you some idea of risk/no risk. Also, how long was the vehicle in service under a rebuilt title? Any rebuild receipts?
Essentially, you need to re-create a service history, best that you can. Depending on the age of the vehicle, Carfax might give you some general idea.
I have had a couple. One was disclosed and one was not. Both major accidents that totaled the cars. Both cars were relatively cheap, reliable, and did what I needed them to do. But no resale as they were both given away to people who needed the cars. They can be a great deal or a nightmare. A lot has to do with luck and what you are comfortable putting up with.
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