rebuilt title effect $ ?

[firefighter-C3]

I recently purchased the '80 coupe in my avatar. It has a rebuilt title. It is in great shape and i bought it as a driver. The owner said it was run into a gravel pile and tore up the front end (my inspection jives with that). The Ins. Co. totalled it and he fixed it ( hence rebuilt title). I know you can't price my car, but all things being equal, how much does rebuilt drop the price?

 

[IH2LOSE]

I recently purchased the '80 coupe in my avatar. It has a rebuilt title. It is in great shape and i bought it as a driver. The owner said it was run into a gravel pile and tore up the front end (my inspection jives with that). The Ins. Co. totalled it and he fixed it ( hence rebuilt title). I know you can't price my car, but all things being equal, how much does rebuilt drop the price?

So who would be better to answer that then you when you bought it.

If I was shopping for a beater that I figured i would run into the ground and it would have zero value when I was done with it would not hesitate to purcase a rebuilt titled car as long as my purchase price was a steal.

Now if I was purchasing a car that I was going to hope to resell in the future I would not purchase a rebuilt titled car as I would be afraid i could never resell it for a fair value.

If this post was prior to your purchase I would suggest unless its a steal (way under the going price of a simular car) I would say pass on it.There still thousands of affourdable low milage C3's out there

Respectfully Larry

 

[ChuckG]

A rebuilt or salvage title is the kiss of death at resale time, unless it's dirt cheap. Chuck

 

[Vette/Berlina-coupe]

Regarding a 'salvage / rebuild' -Title...

[fyi] -if you're going to keep her and drive the wheels off, -what difference does it make! Have heard that used-car dealers know what States to move the Title through (those not recording such a status), --so as to thereby loose that stigma; -which if a total redo in perhaps oem-condition does not seem like any big-deal! I had a gorgeous burgandy- '89/Toyota(dohc-V6) that i could'nt sell at a decent price for weeks; --Ha, so just for my own amusement i 3M/double-face tape'ed a nifty 4"-diam. BMW-emblem on the nose and as luck would have it, $old her the very next-day, whereupon i told the ez-buyer i could instantly remove the bogus-badge therefrom, he indignantly exclaimed- "--hell no, just leave it right there, --i can't afford a BMW, that's why i grabbed this one over an equally prestine non-salvaged one i've been considering at a slightly lower price!!".... ~Bob vH

 

[IH2LOSE]

[fyi] -if you're going to keep her and drive the wheels off, -what difference does it make! Have heard that used-car dealers know what States to move the Title through (those not recording such a status), --so as to thereby loose that stigma; -which if a total redo in perhaps oem-condition does not seem like any big-deal! I had a gorgeous burgandy- '89/Toyota(dohc-V6) that i could'nt sell at a decent price for weeks; --Ha, so just for my own amusement i 3M/double-face tape'ed a nifty 4"-diam. BMW-emblem on the nose and as luck would have it, $old her the very next-day, whereupon i told the ez-buyer i could instantly remove the bogus-badge therefrom, he indignantly exclaimed- "--hell no, just leave it right there, --i can't afford a BMW, that's why i grabbed this one over an equally prestine non-salvaged one i've been considering at a slightly lower price!!".... ~Bob vH

As far as I understand Car Fact is picking these up from the insurance compainies. So the days of title washing may be over. You may be able to pass it thru the Goverment agencies but not car fact

 

[firefighter-C3]

goin' to drive the wheels off!

I bought it to drive the wheels off and when I get too old to get in & out of it, ya know 30 or 40 (LOL I'm 43), I'll pass it on in the family.
Thanks for the info.

 

[IH2LOSE]

I bought it to drive the wheels off and when I get too old to get in & out of it, ya know 30 or 40 (LOL I'm 43), I'll pass it on in the family.
Thanks for the info.

Best of luck with it

One of these days I am going get myself a C3 a 1974 yellow one

 

[jdp6000]

I'm in the insurance business. Rebuilt title is not that bad of a thing. Some states brand vehicles as salvage if they are stolen. Its to make sure buyers are aware. For newer cars we discount the price by about 15%. Not always though the condition still takes precedent.

Jim

 

[IH2LOSE]

For newer cars we discount the price by about 15%. Not always though the condition still takes precedent.

Jim

What do you mean buy this?
Are you saying this is considered the diminished value of a car branded with a rebuilt title

 

[KANE]

I recently purchased the '80 coupe in my avatar. It has a rebuilt title. It is in great shape and i bought it as a driver. The owner said it was run into a gravel pile and tore up the front end (my inspection jives with that). The Ins. Co. totalled it and he fixed it ( hence rebuilt title). I know you can't price my car, but all things being equal, how much does rebuilt drop the price?

It means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING-

If you plan to keep it forever... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
If you plan to go wild and customize it (engine swap).... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
If it is a driver in good condition with 100K+ miles, and that is what you go to re-sell it as... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
If it was a base model with nothing special... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
If you turn it into a clone... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
If it is a non-matching numbers car... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Besides, I have seen so-called "survivors" in dreadful condition that fetch less than an excellecnt quality rebuild.

 

[ruby76]

It means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING-

If you plan to keep it forever... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
If you plan to go wild and customize it (engine swap).... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
If it is a driver in good condition with 100K+ miles, and that is what you go to re-sell it as... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
If it was a base model with nothing special... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
If you turn it into a clone... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
If it is a non-matching numbers car... it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Besides, I have seen so-called "survivors" in dreadful condition that fetch less than an excellecnt quality rebuild.

I agree. Doesn't mean a hill of beans unless it is actually fallling apart.

 

[srs244]

I agree. Doesn't mean a hill of beans unless it is actually fallling apart.

i agree also, unless you "stole" it and plan on flipping it for a humongous profit, LMAO!!

if it is what you want, and it meets your needs and desires, drive it, enjoy it, and have a great time showing it off to anyone you wish.

 

[GaryS]

Not talking specifically about collectable cars but in western PA, many prospective buyers assume a salvage/stolen title gives the car a 50% cut on the value of the car. Again, depending on the reason for the R title, that may or not be true. Rebuilding a car that had been submerged or cut and re-welded is a whole lot different than putting a new engine and interior in a car that was stolen and then gutted.
Gary

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

If there are two identical cars for sale side by side and one has a salvage title, which one do you think is worth less?

 

[ruby76]

If there are two identical cars for sale side by side and one has a salvage title, which one do you think is worth less?

The one that drives/feels worse. My 76 had a salvage title on it back in 81. I think 24 years of driving later, it is in the same shape if not better than any all original 76 model year Vette. By now any of the parts would have been replaced - or needs to be.

 

[gmjunkie]

If there are two identical cars for sale side by side and one has a salvage title, which one do you think is worth less?

I don't Think!! The Salvage Car is!! I check every Car I BUY and Sell !! If it's got Major Damage History, It's History!!!!!!!! I'm a retired body shop tech,and every body knows it around here!! Thay have try'd to hang the Rap that I sell salvage car's on me!!!!!! Truth is I don't there's way too mini 3rd Rate Body Butcher's out there and most of those car's SHOW it without a autocheck!! junk!!

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

The one that drives/feels worse.

Then the two cars are not identical. Original question still remains- if the only difference is that one has a salvage title and the other doesn't, which one is worth less?

Please answer as if you were the buyer, and show your work. Class dismissed!

 

[ruby76]

Then the two cars are not identical. Original question still remains- if the only difference is that one has a salvage title and the other doesn't, which one is worth less?

Please answer as if you were the buyer, and show your work. Class dismissed!

a salvaged car will have had lots of replacement parts, the original would not have. THus there really can't be any identical salvaged and orignal cars in which to compare. To answer the question above then, the salvaged car would probably be SELLING for less, not necessarily worth any less in my book. Just my personal opinion

So I guess, it comes down to your goals. Obviously it really makes a difference to some folks and not much to others. You could sell a refrigerator to a Eskimo if you wanted to. If the car is solid and has a salvage title, i don't care one bit. as mentioned earlier, if your planning on rebuilding, you can wipe that off the title history anyway.

 

[JohnZ]

Chuck had it right - enjoyment-wise, it means nothing, judging-wise, it means nothing, but in terms of resale value, it can be the kiss of death. All the recent publicity about the 500,000 Katrina-submerged cars and "title-washing" that will result doesn't help the perception of a salvage title either.

 

[red70vette]

This whole thread tells you why salvage title cars are worth less.

How much less depends on how you sell it to the buyer. And how gullible the seller is. If you tell him "It was stolen and they took out the seats. I bought brand new seats and bolted them back in." It will probably bring more than if you told him " It was hit head on by a semi so we cut it in half and welded it to another car the was hit in the rear. But don't worry everything is perfect on the car the guy who welded it together is a true artist."

The problem is what is the real story. You may never know no matter how hard you look at the car. If it is done right you will never know when you buy it. Only time will tell.