Would you buy a rebuilt title truck?

[2000GTSTANG]

Need some opinions from like minded individuals. Most likely I am not going to buy this truck but I am entertaining it as its basically what I've been looking for lately.

I found an 2018 F150 Platinum with 16k miles with a rebuilt title. Really would never consider one but if I can get it for a decent price, I wouldn't really care about the title status. My plan would be to drive the truck until it dies regardless.

For it to be totaled with such low mileage and age; it would have to have some frame damage I'd assume.

Truck at auction
Ford F150 Supercrew 2018 Black 3.5L 6 vin: 1FTEW1EG2JFC67963 free car history

Current status.
https:// www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1499107853605767

 

[Corbic]

For $35k? Nooope

 

[2000GTSTANG]

For $35k? Nooope

Yeah I agree on the asking price.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

What would that truck for with a clean title? I think you need that number to even start to figure it out

 

[AustinSN]

I wouldn't.

The insurance industry seems to be shifting when it comes to insuring them.

You used to be able to cover them without problem, but I've slowly watched a few different companies adjust.

Right now most companies will cover them, but probably with some caveats, but who knows in 3 or 4 years. I'm also not talking about comprehensive and collision, I mean liability wise they may not be offering coverage.

 

[Blk04L]

Estimated repair bill of almost 40k...

Yea, no. Rather just lower my trim and try to find a cleaner non wrecked truck.

Maybe it's a Florida thing, but I know of 3-4 people who went this route to save and they eventually found out the repairs were down with the lowest bidder so it was a rolling piece of shit.

 

[BlckBox04]

says it sold for 16k

 

[Corbic]

Estimated repair bill of almost 40k...

Yea, no. Rather just lower my trim and try to find a cleaner non wrecked truck.

Maybe it's a Florida thing, but I know of 3-4 people who went this route to save and they eventually found out the repairs were down with the lowest bidder so it was a rolling piece of shit.

Of course it's done to the lowest minimum standard.

Most of these rebuilds are auction wrecks that someone bought to flip for maximum profit. They have also had zero shake down time to make sure everything works.

Rebuilds 20 years ago where always a concern, it has to be 10x more worrisome today with all the extra electronics.

How long before you get an airbag light, or any of the abs, stability control settings start acting up?

Is there a pinched wire somewhere waiting to pop a fuse?

Toss in extra finance cost, insurance cost, loss of value, etc.

 

[oldstv]

I just went through this with my daughter's car. In Georgia it is a NIGHTMARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WILL NEVER, NEVER, NEVER BUY ANOTHER REBUILT TITLE VEHICLE AGAIN.
Sorry I feel pretty strongly about this.
The rules vary state by state, yours might be a piece of cake and the state next to you might not be. We have inspection stations and the vehicle must comply with our states rules and not of the rules of the state in which the work was done. You can only imagine the issues this can cause.
In my case the repair was to the frame rales and was not done the way Georgia thought it should be done so they rejected it, so I had to pay for it to be repaired again. When it was all said and done it cost me 2.5k more than I wanted to have in the car in the first place.

 

[AustinSN]

Of course it's done to the lowest minimum standard.

Most of these rebuilds are auction wrecks that someone bought to flip for maximum profit. They have also had zero shake down time to make sure everything works.

Rebuilds 20 years ago where always a concern, it has to be 10x more worrisome today with all the extra electronics.

How long before you get an airbag light, or any of the abs, stability control settings start acting up?

Is there a pinched wire somewhere waiting to pop a fuse?

Toss in extra finance cost, insurance cost, loss of value, etc.

Yeah this is true.

When I worked at Honda there was an Odyssey that was sandwiched in an accident, like 3 days after it was purchased new. It was loaded to the gills and the insurance company opted to rebuild vs total it, by the time it came across my desk, it had already been in our shop 3 times. It had intermittent electrical issues, like, driving down the highway it would randomly open the sliding doors or the radio would quit, or it wouldn't start.

We basically had a blank check to get it fixed, I charge the insurance company 3 hours every time it came in, adding grounds, finding different connectors that were redone, etc. When my tech scanned it for codes it had like 65 different body codes. I don't know if it ever ended up getting fixed, I remember one time I went into the shop and we had 6 master techs inside the car looking for anything they could find.

 

[2000GTSTANG]

What would that truck for with a clean title? I think you need that number to even start to figure it out

With that mileage and trim it would be about mid 40s or higher.

 

[2000GTSTANG]

I wouldn't.

The insurance industry seems to be shifting when it comes to insuring them.

You used to be able to cover them without problem, but I've slowly watched a few different companies adjust.

Right now most companies will cover them, but probably with some caveats, but who knows in 3 or 4 years. I'm also not talking about comprehensive and collision, I mean liability wise they may not be offering coverage.

That is another thing I was looking into as well. Id hate to buy it, only be allowed liability insurance, then get into a wreck and be out whatever I paid for the thing.

 

[lOOKnGO]

To much, don't buy.

 

[Blackoyote]

I've had a lot of R title vehicles, just depends on the cost and how it was fixed.

General rule of thumb is max .70 cents on the dollar for exact same trim/model clean title market value.

With something that expensive I'd likely not do it since one of the main allures to buying newer is factory warranty (which goes away with branded status). For $35k I'd be more inclined to buy a clean title one with 70-80k miles on it.

 

[Sn95Snake]

Wouldn't even consider it especially in that price range. I'm in the minority, but I would never spend that kind of money on a vehicle that is going to heavily depreciate.

I realize you stated that you will keep it until it dies. But plans can change in an instant due to any number of life changes and I wouldn't want to be stuck trying to sell a rebranded truck and getting a fraction of what I paid for it.

 

[coposrv]

I would only buy a rebuilt title vehicle after very careful inspection and only if it was written off and repaired when it was “old”.

Basically I would buy a rebuilt 93 cobra if it was rebuilt in 2015 as opposed to rebuilt in ‘94. I would not have bought it.




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[Machdup1]

If I owned and body shop and an engine/transmission shop, I still would not but a car with a rebuilt title and the headaches that come with it.

 

[Blackoyote]

Basically I would buy a rebuilt 93 cobra if it was rebuilt in 2015 as opposed to rebuilt in ‘94. I would not have bought it.

This is my exact head space when it comes to salvage/rebuilt vehicles.

Generally a good idea to steer clear if it was totaled when 1-2 years old - in NC a truck worth $45k would need nearly $35k in damage to be a total loss, meaning that was a bad wreck. Sure a lot of that can be attributed to how new something is and lack of availability with replacement parts, but still a big wreck.

A vehicle that's older and only worth $15k when it took the loss? That could be purely cosmetic as paint, bumpers, fenders, liners, labor, etc. add up to $10k quickly.

 

[Recon]

Personally, if I knew the vehicle then I’d consider it. Friend of mine has an 04 GT I plan on buying and it’s a rebuilt title. I know it’s done right so I’m not afraid.
My neighbor buys rebuilt cars to save money and I’m amazed at the luck this Doctor has. Everyone one of them caused little to no headache. He has very good luck in picking his vehicles.


Pick your poison.

 

[coposrv]

This is my exact head space when it comes to salvage/rebuilt vehicles.

Generally a good idea to steer clear if it was totaled when 1-2 years old - in NC a truck worth $45k would need nearly $35k in damage to be a total loss, meaning that was a bad wreck. Sure a lot of that can be attributed to how new something is and lack of availability with replacement parts, but still a big wreck.

A vehicle that's older and only worth $15k when it took the loss? That could be purely cosmetic as paint, bumpers, fenders, liners, labor, etc. add up to $10k quickly.

Yup. Exactly. That’s why I don’t get into a debate with people. Theres more to it than ohhh no it’s a rebuilt title it must be junk!


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