Rebuilt Title

[Keith Tedford]

How much does it hurt the value when a car has a rebuilt title. A friend was asking and I really didn't know. I would think at least $5K less than a clean titled $30K car. I know that it doesn't take all that much of a hit any more before a car is written off.

 

[vt65]

just tell him "don't go there" way to many things to go wrong on these cars! NOT worth the headaches Keith

 

[Keith Tedford]

On checking with a friend, there is a local first year Viper owner. Had the car since new. It got away from him and went through a page wire fence. The body got pretty scraped up but the only thing that was really broken was one side exhaust cover. These covers are $4K-$5K if you can even find one. The car needed a full paint job and that was about all. it now has a salvage title and the best he was offered from a dealer on a trade for an older musclecar was $15K. A pass sounds like good advice unless a person knows the full extent of the damage and can buy the car dirt cheap. It's really a shame because on talking to a local guy who goes to car auctions and brings home these so called write offs, there really isn't a whole lot wrong with many of them. Still, from what I am finding out, that salvage title really kills these Corvettes and the like more so than regular every day cars.

 

[Riley P]

True enough! When people see salvage or TL on a title for a sports car they always assume it was bagged and crashed at high speed. Like you said, it really doesn't take much to TL an older vehicle these days. The only way I would buy a TL is if I knew the owner or they had great documentation on what the damage was and how it was repaired.

 

[Keith Tedford]

According to the owner, the only things replaced were the front bumper, one headlight and one front fender. I'd be surprised if that would be enough to write off a 2005 Corvette. Then again, what do I know.