I am thinking of buying a truck with a rebuilt title. Have any of you owned or bought a truck with a rebuilt title? Any problems? I am also selling the truck in my avatar. It is listed on the (For sale by owner) thread with the details. Any input would be helpful.

 

sidman Rebuilt or salvage title means the vehicle has been in a accident and written off by an insurance company. Since then, someone has restored the vehicle for use.

Whether it's any good or not depends on the quaility of the repair, but it will allways be a "branded" vehicle (title will show rebuilt or salvage), and that "black flag" right there will reduce it's value.

 

Thanks for the input. I was looking at a 2005 378 with 200,000 miles. It looks like a really nice truck. I might be able to get it for 59,000. I was worried about resale 3 years from now. I was wondering if "branded" title would hurt the value that much. I see the same truck going for $70- $90k.

 

On cars it hurts the value about 50% on average according the auto dealers assoc. Try to find out what made it salvage. Sometimes it's just a theft recovery with interior parts missing.

 

I actually rebuild new wrecked trucks on the side and most guys who buy trucks with rebuilt or salvage titles either plan on keeping them for a long time, of course you save so much over a quality rebuilt truck when you do go to sell a few years down the road your not gonna lose much if not less then you would on buying the same truck with a clear title.


for example, I bought an 06 coronado with 48,000 miles on it for 23k, it cost me 12k in parts to fix, I sold it for 65k... so the customer got a brand new truck with no problems whatsoever along with the factory drivetrain warranty in place for half the price of new.


one last thing, there plenty of rebuilt trucks out their with clean titles, like I said I rebuild some in my spare time and i`d say a good 75% of them have came with clean titles even though they`ve been destroyed.

 

be extra careful of anything (car or truck) with a "clean "texas title.. a driver at USF red star used to repair "rebuildables" on the side with his brother, and they discovered people were shipping junkers to texas, ordering "clean" titles, then running the vehicles thru auctions geared to get them into the northeast.....the car could have been a total loss, but you'ld never know it, unless you were a bodyman

 

If I was thinking of buying a truck with a salvage title I'd want to see pictures of the damage that caused it to be salvage, or a report. If the sellers don't want to come up with any pic's or info I'd be very suspicious and would probably walk.
The other thing I'd do is check the truck out really well. See if it tracks down the road straight. If an Axel housing could be bent or the frame, etc.
With all the variables of what could be damaged, Pictures and documentation would be nice to see so you know what was in need of repair.

The title will follow the truck were ever it goes and hurt it's value. But this doesn't mean it not a good truck, It just has to check out.

My PU I bought new has a Salvage title, but I know what happened to it and did the correct repairs. The truck is probably better than most out there, but it has a salvage title.

 

Thanks for all the input. The shop is London truck parts in KY. The guy told me it was side swiped. He put on a new hood, a new cab which he had, and a new radiator, and some fresh paint. He flat out told me that's all they do, is to rebuild trucks. They straighten frames if necessary and the hole 9 yards. He said the frame on this one was fine. He said it was such an easy rebuild he couldn't pass it up. I am going to go slow looking for my next truck anyway. I don't want to rush into anything. You can check the truck out on londontruckparts.com. It is the gray and maroon 378. Tell me what you think :?:
Plus I have to sell the truck I have now. :roll:

 

I looked at the truck online and it does look nice.
If you go forward with it ask to see damage pictures, or they probably still have the parts removed, Cab & hood, to see how they look.
Then I would check the truck out REAL close to see how well they did the work. I'd also have a friend follow me behind the truck going down the road to see how well it tracks.
As for value, See what an insurance co will cover it for with the salvage title. And also see what a loan co will loan on it.

I'd ask what year cab they put on it, if it wasn't new.