Rebuilt titles - should I runaway?
- Thread starter grampi
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GON
$175 Site Donor 2026
99 percent of rebuilt titles should be avoided. Question is, are you able to locate the one percent?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
I rebuild salvage vehicles and convert to rebuild vehicles for fun. I am not good enough/ not able to locate the one percent of the rebuilt vehicles, so I won't buy a rebuilt title. Know this- every single person the rebuilds a salvage vehicle took short cuts, no matter what the claim, every single one.
If you want a rebuild title car to save money, buy a salvage car and do the work yourself. Don't buy a rebuilt car unless you are a master of auto repair and have psychic abilities. I am not a master of auto repair, nor do I have psychic abilities, so I won't buy a rebuilt title car.
slo town
$200 Site Donor 2026
And I would agree. Unless you actually know the car and the owner, it's an unnecessary risk.
Scott
Rebuilt in the USA isn't as bad as overseas but.... If it was a minor accident and no airbags or frame damage occurred you can pick up some nice deals. You have to do your homework and look for telltale signs of poor paint / overspray or bad welds. Some dealers get hosed as well with hidden defects. Colorado requires a detailed inspection and the vehicle gets a new vin. Check out the Vinwiki youtube channel video that talked about this.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
i used to be adamant about no rebuilt vehicles , but in the last few years i came to realize that even a small accident can total any car more the 5 years old, especially if air bags deployed . There was a guy on YT that his BMW was total because of a mild rear end collision . The cost of the sensors etc totaled it out .
i see plenty of late model car on FB and CL that are rebuilts . as long as they are upfront about it then its up to the buyer to do their due dilligence
i see plenty of late model car on FB and CL that are rebuilts . as long as they are upfront about it then its up to the buyer to do their due dilligence
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
To those who roll the dice on these what will you pay? 50% of clean title equivalent price?
It depends on a lot. They're really cheap.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
GON
$175 Site Donor 2026
If one is considering a rebuilt title, it should be approached the same way as a used clean title.
One owner? Dealer maintained? How is the maintenance history? Four Michelins with lots of tread depth, or mixed tires? Was the car from Arizona or Michigan (rust free or rustfull)?
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
GON
$175 Site Donor 2026
Here is a 2006 MB S500, one owner, 43k miles, MB dealer maintained, new Michelins all the way around, the S500 just had brake job at the MB dealer for over $2k USD, right before the reported vehicle fire.
I won the auction at $400 USD (plus fees I don't recall how much). So yes, this is an outstanding example of what to target if one wants to rebuild a salvage vehicle. It takes looking at 100 salvage vehicles to find just one that might be worth bidding on. A lot of work, time, and effort. But if things align, can be a deal of a lifetime.
https://www.benzworld.org/threads/2006-s500-4matic-external-fire-reserection-thread.2952193/
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
The topic is buying a rebuilt, not rebuilding one. You have it down to a science.
I'm in the " No" camp on this. A good friend of mine had his Subaru WRX totaled by insurance due to extensive flood damage. Then a month later, he found the car on a used car lot, right up front. He was totally shocked to see it there. The water got above the headrests of the seats. I'll stick with private sales.
I'm not seeing that. I'm seeing vehicles with rebuilt titles priced about the same as those with non-rebuilt titles, which I certainly wouldn't go for...by the sounds of it, I won't be going for any vehicles with rebuilt titles...
Flood cars shouldn't be allowed to be resold...
Rebuild title game is an insurance scam.
Wreck a $60k newer SUV. Needs 40k in repairs. Major repairs but no branded title. Subsequent buyers none the wiser unless something like a carfax shows it. Clean title.
$10k modest car needs a bumper, headlight, and a fender. Insurance brands the title because they don't want to uncover hidden damage. Branded title. Someone takes the time to actually fix it and source good parts. Rebuilt title for life, major hassle selling across state lines, etc.
Generally when insurance assessment doesn't accurately reflect reasonable repairs, which is easy in today's hyper inflated collision repair market (which ironically, is insurance controlled anyway.)
I've had some really good salvage/rebuilt title cars. Hugely discounted on property taxes. Had enough photos to argue the title was irrelevant to value when one of them was subsequently re-totaled.
Wreck a $60k newer SUV. Needs 40k in repairs. Major repairs but no branded title. Subsequent buyers none the wiser unless something like a carfax shows it. Clean title.
$10k modest car needs a bumper, headlight, and a fender. Insurance brands the title because they don't want to uncover hidden damage. Branded title. Someone takes the time to actually fix it and source good parts. Rebuilt title for life, major hassle selling across state lines, etc.
Generally when insurance assessment doesn't accurately reflect reasonable repairs, which is easy in today's hyper inflated collision repair market (which ironically, is insurance controlled anyway.)
I've had some really good salvage/rebuilt title cars. Hugely discounted on property taxes. Had enough photos to argue the title was irrelevant to value when one of them was subsequently re-totaled.
Good parts are used oem parts that haven't been crashed or rusted.
I went to get the last piece for my wife's cars a front fender from a body shop. Used one the same color as her car $280 a new one that still needed to be painted, $450....
New bumper has washer ports, old one did not?
Elkins45
Site Donor 2026
We ended up with my FIL’s rebuilt Impala last year. He bought it as a rebuild and had been driving it for 5-6 years before we ended up with it. There was one spot where the clear coat was peeling. It needed a brake light switch and several blend door actuators but those are just typical GM problems and had nothing to do with the rebuild.
I sold it to a relative and it’s his daily now. He took it to his mechanic to do the blend doors and was told everything important looked good. So decent ones do exist.
I sold it to a relative and it’s his daily now. He took it to his mechanic to do the blend doors and was told everything important looked good. So decent ones do exist.
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