The relativity of a re-constructed tittle
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 74
Likes: 16
From: Benton, Louisiana
The relativity of a re-constructed tittle
Guys, I have seen many times many potential buyers "walking away" from "re-constructed tittles"..! But.......if you start thinking about it...it is a relative situation. Let's put an example:
A vehicle with a $50 K actual value gets a fender bender and the repair is $10K, it will be repaired no questions asked. The title will be a regular brand title. On the other hand if a $20K car has the same
fender bender, it will be disposed and if it is "fixed" it will have a reconstructed title. So, when that $50K fixed vehicle gets to be few years older and the value will be about the same of that car with the "re-constructed title...
what would be the difference????? So, no matter how bad or light is the fender bender, the disposal is a matter of the proportion cost of repairs/actual value and with today's repair shops rates, some repairs are overstated!
A vehicle with a $50 K actual value gets a fender bender and the repair is $10K, it will be repaired no questions asked. The title will be a regular brand title. On the other hand if a $20K car has the same
fender bender, it will be disposed and if it is "fixed" it will have a reconstructed title. So, when that $50K fixed vehicle gets to be few years older and the value will be about the same of that car with the "re-constructed title...
what would be the difference????? So, no matter how bad or light is the fender bender, the disposal is a matter of the proportion cost of repairs/actual value and with today's repair shops rates, some repairs are overstated!
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 17,407
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From: Melbourne, FL
In theory, as vehicles go down in value their parts do too. So the car that's worth $20k would be cheaper for the same repair from the fender bender, because the parts cost has gone down as more takeoff parts are available.
The reality is, cars don't typically get totalled for just cosmetic damage like a front bumper and a headlight. They get totalled from structural damage, like a bent subframe, cradle, frame rail, etc. They get totaled for blown airbags. They get totalled for the rear tub being damaged and not really repairable.
The reality is, cars don't typically get totalled for just cosmetic damage like a front bumper and a headlight. They get totalled from structural damage, like a bent subframe, cradle, frame rail, etc. They get totaled for blown airbags. They get totalled for the rear tub being damaged and not really repairable.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,822
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From: Summerville SC
You assume that the reconstructed car and the repaired car will eventually reach the same value. I don't think that is the case. Until late in the ir life. I m not sure how many people would pay good money for a reconstructed car when the repair might not be up to par with the repaired car. And at todays costs, I don't think anyone would pay to bring it up to that standard. I just got t- boned in my 2020 Nissan Frontier. The car was literally in perfect shape, no scratches, no missing threads in the upholstery etc etc. Front end was pushed back even with the front tires. At first glance I thought it would be repairable ( airbag did go off) but windshield didn't break. And it very well could be if I had the tools and the materials to do it. Not to mention the time. But that would all cost more than the $25K the car was worth. So as much as it broke my heart, total loss was the right thing to do. 
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 218
Likes: 81
From: Sparks NV
My 93 year old mother wea hit in the left front fender pushing it back into the door in a 10 year old ford that she put 2000 miles a year on. insurance totaled the car for the cost of a fender and door payout was to be $9000.00. I bought the car back from the insurance company for $3500.00 had the body shop replace the door and fender and paint match the car and put it on the frame rack to check for damage and none was found. We paid $2000.00 for repairs and the title was changed to a salvage title. Car had to be inspected by two other shops and signed off on as safe and road worthy as well as a state inspection. total cost was $5500.00. Mom drove the car for two more years and we sold it to a collage student who needed transpiration they had the car inspected and gave $4500. for the car and she loves it she has called mom to tell her how nice the car is and how well it drives and in the end mom made a little more the the car book value a needy student got good reliable transportation and she can claim she bought a car from a 95 year old woman that only drove it on weekends. So just because an insurance company totals a vehicle dose not mean anything other than they don't want to fix it not that it cant be brought back to original condition or better.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2025
Posts: 66
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Yes salvage title vehicles can be repaired, but the salvage or rebuilt title will always be with it. I personally devalue any salvage or rebuilt vehicle by 50% I've already learned from my mistakes to the point I won't even look at a salvage or rebuilt title vehicle anymore. Too many clean vehicles out there to deal with the headaches that can come with them.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,505
Likes: 3,632
Ditto on the above, since it comes down to resale value to start with, the whole trying to get insurance on it, and the fact that with a salvage title, don't know the extent of the repairs, and it if really safe/not a money pit in the end. Hence flood damage car that any modules not changed out to start with, will end up having to be changed out at some point from the corrosion that happened, and if regards to bent frame, never as strong/safe as before the crash that bent it in the first place (frame is designed to crimble in a crash to start with).
So bottom line, if you are going to buy a salvage title to build a race car, then not the end of the world. If for the street, the find the information of the crash/reason that the insurance company wrote it off in the first place, and if bent frame/flood damaged car, then run away from the deal as fast you can.
So bottom line, if you are going to buy a salvage title to build a race car, then not the end of the world. If for the street, the find the information of the crash/reason that the insurance company wrote it off in the first place, and if bent frame/flood damaged car, then run away from the deal as fast you can.
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The car with the "dinged" title may have been repaired perfectly & the car is totally road worthy & safe, but it will always bring less money when it is time to sell
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: West Palm Beach Florida
On the flip side, a vandalized or theft-recovery vehicle with no structural damage could also end up with a rebuilt title. If repaired correctly, that type of car could potentially have fewer long-term issues than a flood-damaged vehicle, even though both are still labeled rebuilt.
So to me, it’s not just “rebuilt title = bad.” The real question is why it was branded rebuilt, how well it was repaired, and whether there’s documentation to back it up.
Last edited by AduB794; Yesterday at 08:34 AM.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2025
Posts: 66
Likes: 32
The thing about rebuilt titles is not all states honor them. I purchased a vehicle in Texas that had a rebuilt title from washingtin. When I transferred it to New Mexico they returned it to salvage title. This is the reason I'll never consider a rebuilt title again.
Last edited by Superspirit; Yesterday at 09:59 AM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 352
Likes: 109
AduB794 said:
So to me, it’s not just “rebuilt title = bad.” The real question is why it was branded rebuilt, how well it was repaired, and whether there’s documentation to back it up.
I agree. In 2008 and 2009 GM was in bankruptcy and was selling many of the vehicles from its Heritage Museum collection to raise cash. Barrett-Jackson was consigned to auction them. Just prior to the auctions, clear titles to many of the vehicles that had certain non-OEM modifications or aftermarket parts were re-branded as "Salvage." This was done to absolve GM of liability of selling a vehicle that may contain non-compliant items and placed the burden on the buyer to have those conditions inspected and/or returned to stock and then obtain a Rebuilt or Reconstructed title to be legally driven on the road. There was no damage and no repairs were done to these vehicles, and the story is documented to back up the rationale.
In the world of Chevy SSRs, many of these are routinely totaled even for minor non-structural damage that is repairable using bolt-on parts such as fascias, fenders, headlights or hoods. Used parts are available with a modest amount of searching but there appears to be no interest in doing so by the insurers, and yes, some of those parts might be pricey. But it would not bother me at all to purchase a vehicle repaired like that which has a Rebuilt title.
So to me, it’s not just “rebuilt title = bad.” The real question is why it was branded rebuilt, how well it was repaired, and whether there’s documentation to back it up.
I agree. In 2008 and 2009 GM was in bankruptcy and was selling many of the vehicles from its Heritage Museum collection to raise cash. Barrett-Jackson was consigned to auction them. Just prior to the auctions, clear titles to many of the vehicles that had certain non-OEM modifications or aftermarket parts were re-branded as "Salvage." This was done to absolve GM of liability of selling a vehicle that may contain non-compliant items and placed the burden on the buyer to have those conditions inspected and/or returned to stock and then obtain a Rebuilt or Reconstructed title to be legally driven on the road. There was no damage and no repairs were done to these vehicles, and the story is documented to back up the rationale.
In the world of Chevy SSRs, many of these are routinely totaled even for minor non-structural damage that is repairable using bolt-on parts such as fascias, fenders, headlights or hoods. Used parts are available with a modest amount of searching but there appears to be no interest in doing so by the insurers, and yes, some of those parts might be pricey. But it would not bother me at all to purchase a vehicle repaired like that which has a Rebuilt title.
