Looking at car with a rebuilt title that supposedly only had the driver side door replaced. I know it had to pass a state inspection to get the title and would take it to a mechanic to look over. Curious if anyone has had good/bad experiences. This would be a car for our two older kids to share.
Anyone ever buy a car with rebuilt title?
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Spent a good part of my life driving salvage vehicles with varying results. Doesn’t sound like the vehicle you’re describing was damaged nearly as bad as most of the ones I drove. I think you’d have pretty good luck, but plan on driving it until it dies, because selling it would be a pain.
I did. My race car has a salvage title since it's dual purpose (use it on the street and the track) and I like to drive it to the track. Saved money on purchase, mechanically in great shape and I don't care if I modify it (cut fenders).
If it is mechanically sound and the visible issues resolved, it just saves money on purchase. It will be less for resale cause people always say "oooo, rebuilt title", but if you know WHY and the issues are resolved, low risk IMO.
Contrary to many urban legend POV, when it gets rebuilt/branded from a salvage, that covers why people say "insurance wont cover them!". USAA didn't bat an eye, obviously other companies do as well (maybe not all, but plenty do).
Only ones I would NOT consider are water damaged salvages.
If it is mechanically sound and the visible issues resolved, it just saves money on purchase. It will be less for resale cause people always say "oooo, rebuilt title", but if you know WHY and the issues are resolved, low risk IMO.
Contrary to many urban legend POV, when it gets rebuilt/branded from a salvage, that covers why people say "insurance wont cover them!". USAA didn't bat an eye, obviously other companies do as well (maybe not all, but plenty do).
Only ones I would NOT consider are water damaged salvages.
Helpfall comments, thanks. The purchase would be from a dealer that specializes in rebuilds, comes with a 30 day/1000 warranty, sona little added piece of mind there too.
If it saves money and the car works to be a safe, reliable learner kid vehicle, do it. Esp with a warranty. Kids will be over the moon to get a car, they should be willing to drive it for the month to stress test it. Hell, if you buy used from private seller, you have no idea whats really wrong with the car, title issue not withstanding.
That might be the case in a normal vehicle market, but in the current climate you can sell anything that has four wheels. I owned an old salvage title pickup that my daughter was driving. When she saved up enough to buy her own car, I no longer needed it so I decided to put an ad on Facebook Marketplace. I figured I would run a few errands and then come back and see if there were any responses.
I didn’t even get out of my neighborhood before my phone started blowing up with messages. I had something like 35 responses in the first hour. The guy who was #2 on the list to come look at it offered my an extra $500 if I would let him jump ahead of the first person.
I have bought salvage titles many times, as I maintain a fleet of about 30 vehicles for my business. Probably about 90% of them are no problem, but I have had a few that presented challenges. Usually something electrical.
But, due to overall cost savings, I still do not shy away from them. I have never had any trouble insuring them or selling them off once we are done with them.
But, due to overall cost savings, I still do not shy away from them. I have never had any trouble insuring them or selling them off once we are done with them.
We currently own 2 with salvage titles, bought from dealers in Omaha that specialize in these types of vehicles. We have a ‘13 Honda Civic that my 20 year old drives for a college car. Super clean car and had rear end damage. You can notice where the repair was done as it’s just slightly off.
2nd salvaged car is a ‘15 Lexus Rx350. Great car so far. Bought it in the fall. Rear end damage as well.
I avoid anything with flood damage and major front end collisions.
2nd salvaged car is a ‘15 Lexus Rx350. Great car so far. Bought it in the fall. Rear end damage as well.
I avoid anything with flood damage and major front end collisions.
This is a really interesting thread.
My only question is whether we believe the reason it got salvaged - if that's what happened - is because of the door. That sounds like an awfully trivial reason for an insurance company to total a vehicle. I'd wonder what else got damaged. Frame maybe? Critical suspension parts?
I'd want to make sure the mechanic who checks the vehicle has a frame jig - or whatever it's called - to verify that the frame isn't out of alignment. My sense is that most shops don't have that equipment, but it's been decades since I knew anything about that stuff.
I could see where one could get a lot of value by going this route by ending up with a blue car with a red hood and front fender for example ... or primer-colored panels, perhaps.
Businesses that wrap their cars with advertising or promotional stuff could possibly go this route as well.
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Businesses that wrap their cars with advertising or promotional stuff could possibly go this route as well.
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Make sure it ain't a flood damaged car. And get an independent inspection for absolute certain.
Given how used vehicle prices have exploded the past few years, there's a LOT of shady sellers out there.
Given how used vehicle prices have exploded the past few years, there's a LOT of shady sellers out there.
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