rebuilt titles

**WS6S** · 12-17-2009, 02:06 PM

found a few cars im interested in but some have a rebuilt / salvage title.should i keep lookin or consider purchasing one ?

**SAGGIN** · 12-17-2009, 03:29 PM

I dont really trust salvaged or rebuilt titles because there is always some sort of mystery that lerks about the car. How bad was it damaged, who rebuilt it etc etc. I would keep looking unless you come across a bargain for something. But if your gonna go spend money, don't hesitate to spend just a little more or something that you can you will have some peace of mind with. Oh and always spend a couple hundred if you have to by having the dealership or a profession check out the car before you buy, can save you a lot of hassel in the end. And before you do the inspection, once the price is agreed upon, write a contract which in a nutshell states that the seller agrees to repair any problems found during inspection by a dealership, if he/she refuses the repair they they must reimbursement you for the cost of the inspection. That's what I have done everytime I purchased a vehicle and have had no problems.

**t-rock** · 12-17-2009, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by SAGGIN

I dont really trust salvaged or rebuilt titles because there is always some sort of mystery that lerks about the car. How bad was it damaged, who rebuilt it etc etc. I would keep looking unless you come across a bargain for something. But if your gonna go spend money, don't hesitate to spend just a little more or something that you can you will have some peace of mind with. Oh and always spend a couple hundred if you have to by having the dealership or a profession check out the car before you buy, can save you a lot of hassel in the end. And before you do the inspection, once the price is agreed upon, write a contract which in a nutshell states that the seller agrees to repair any problems found during inspection by a dealership, if he/she refuses the repair they they must reimbursement you for the cost of the inspection. That's what I have done everytime I purchased a vehicle and have had no problems.

well put and also our ins. co. told us if we buy a vehicle with a salvage or rebuilt title they would only insure it for salvage blue book and if we ever got in a wreck they would not cover it.

**WS6S** · 12-17-2009, 10:10 PM

ya the 2 i found are not cheap,sucks cause one is that sunset orange color.i guess i will keep looking.thanks.,.

**Smittro** · 12-17-2009, 11:37 PM

I'm gonna be the monkey in the wrench here. But salvaged title IMHO only means bad news as a trade in. There are many insurers that will insure a salvaged title car. Many hot rodders past and present have build salvaged cars that started out as a basket case sitting in a junk yard. Ask yourselves this. Do you really think a guy/gal whom has 6 figures invested in a junkyard restoration would take out insurance that only covers book value? Cough! I hardly think so. I would explore your options for sure but there's no real valid reason to just walk away from a clean salvaged titled vehicle. Selling privately can yeild far more success monitarily than some stealership whom will low ball you only to turn the car into a profit as soon as you walk out the door.. They sure as hell are'nt going to just crush a completely restored (example) 57 Chevy, or even say an 98 Corvette because it has a salvaged title.. Happy hunting, and good luck..

**Smittro** · 12-17-2009, 11:42 PM

Oh and when you buy a used car you're always buying someones mistakes and headaches. There's always a "mystery" lurking when buying used reguardless of title designation...Good rule of thumb.

**WS6S** · 12-18-2009, 05:35 AM

i know ive bought 2 ws6 ta,s in the past 3 months and both of them needed trannys.i would much rather buy a low mileage car that i know wasnt beat to hell.

**SAGGIN** · 12-18-2009, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by Smittro

Oh and when you buy a used car you're always buying someones mistakes and headaches. There's always a "mystery" lurking when buying used reguardless of title designation...Good rule of thumb.

True there is always some sort of mystery, but that doesn't necessarily mean the car was someone's headache or mistake. People sell cars just to make room to buy something else, doesn't always mean they are passing along a problem to a unsuspecting buyer, there are honest people.

**Smittro** · 12-18-2009, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by SAGGIN

True there is always some sort of mystery, but that doesn't necessarily mean the car was someone's headache or mistake. People sell cars just to make room to buy something else, doesn't always mean they are passing along a problem to a unsuspecting buyer, there are honest people.

There sure are, but there are also lots of folks whom don't notice slight changes in there car over time. Slight changes that can become big headaches later.. Buyer beware is one of the first rules of thumb in any business transaction.. Most times we don't know the person selling the vehicle from any other Joe Blow on the street.. Unless you're gonna give every seller a pollygraph, or drop oil pans in their drive way smart money is to be weary of all...

That's how I do my personal business. Never been taken yet to date.. When I play in the thousands of dollars I play seriously. But to each their own..

**tep98ws6** · 12-18-2009, 08:12 AM

i was weary of buying mine as a rebuilt but i guess i got lucky

**pajeff02** · 12-18-2009, 10:09 AM

I own three R-title vehicles now, and have owned a total of seven over the past 18 years. I have not had a problem with any of them that I attribute to the fact that they were previously wrecked.

The key is going over them in detail before buying -- and knowing what you are getting into. If you are not mechanically inclined, take someone with you who is. If you can, get the car in the air on a lift so you can inspect the underside -- look for damage that may indicate more serious problems, such as wrinkled floor pans, check all suspension mounts and drivetrain mounts to see if any are bent, torn, or otherwise damaged. If you are looking at the car after it has been repaired -- you may need to look a little harder and maybe pull some interior panels to see how the repair was made.

Look at things like fender well spacing around the tires, door, hood and hatch gaps, look for signs of water damage in the interior that would indicate leaks, try everything on the car -- wipers, horn, electrical accessories, etc... The more you look the less likely it will be that you end up with a lemon if you decide to buy it.

**silverWS6** · 12-18-2009, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by t-rock

well put and also our ins. co. told us if we buy a vehicle with a salvage or rebuilt title they would only insure it for salvage blue book and if we ever got in a wreck they would not cover it.

We bought a 02 ram with a salvage tittle once and then they stole and the insurance paid us for it, no questions asked if it was salvage or not.

My 02 ws.6 also had a rebuilt tittle when i bought it, it was nothing big though and now that i had a accident in it. The insurance paid me the value for it too again no questions asked if it was rebuilt or not.

**MJ42N8SON** · 12-18-2009, 11:24 AM

In Indiana, when a vehicle is Salvaged or Rebuilt. There is paperwork from the BMV that you have to list all parts, part numbers, and work done. It has to be verified by a dealership or police to sign off on the paperwork to get it titled. In most cases here, a dealership does this. I have done it as a favor,while off duty, for a friend to verify the parts. Way too time consuming and cumbersome to do while on duty and in uniform. So i say it depends. Really it's just like any other used car. Look it over good... and make you decision based on what you see. But to re-sell or trade-in, that's another story. Many people won't look at it because of this. SO use your best judgement.

**WS6S** · 12-18-2009, 11:42 AM

i might go take a ride to see this one im really intersted in,what sucks is its like 300 miles away.

**turbojimmy** · 12-18-2009, 01:21 PM

If it's repaired right, it shouldn't be a problem. In most cases, though, there's usually a good reason that the cars are totaled. I've owned and restored many of them (all collision damage except for one, a flood total), and none are ever really 100% right. The average joe wouldn't know where the defects are, but they're always there somewhere. So adjust what you're willing to pay accordingly.

Also, if you're transporting one across state lines, make sure that you can actually title it and register an out-of-state reconstructed vehicle. I sold a truck to a guy in NY that had been rebuilt and gone through the PA inspection process. Despite the fact that PA had issued an R title and registration, the state of NY required a complete re-inspection of the car with before and after pics, receipts, etc.

Jim

**pajeff02** · 12-18-2009, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by turbojimmy

Also, if you're transporting one across state lines, make sure that you can actually title it and register an out-of-state reconstructed vehicle. I sold a truck to a guy in NY that had been rebuilt and gone through the PA inspection process. Despite the fact that PA had issued an R title and registration, the state of NY required a complete re-inspection of the car with before and after pics, receipts, etc.

Jim

+1 I had a client that rebuilt a car in PA, titled it and drove it for 2 years. Upon selling it to a guy in NY, their inspection process revealed that the vehicle had actually been stolen. NY is way more strict than PA as to R-title vehicles.

**WS6S** · 12-21-2009, 04:17 PM

anything i need to worry about when it comes to a duplicate title

**WS6S** · 12-29-2009, 03:05 PM

i went and picked up the 01 som ws6 with the rebuilt title today,she needs a little love but i should come out on top,i hope.,.

**joedude02** · 12-29-2009, 06:37 PM

pics!!!

congrats by the way!!

**goof4080** · 01-12-2010, 02:31 PM

REBUILT here. Mine was a steal(both literally and figuratively) and has more options than the day it was born. (OEM WS6 hood, TCS/Cruise, Rear Defrost). The bad is the electrical system is a hack job. Look under the dash to see if the computer was stolen, or if a new system was spliced in. Other than that my car is put together very well except for one dash gap.