School me on rebuilds

[PJ]

Co-worker: hey, you're a car guy right?
Me: I'd like to think so
Co-worker: what do you know about rebuilt cars?
Me: nothing...



So, my Co-worker is looking at a rebuilt car (Scion something, no frame damage, cosmetic only, seller has all inspection reports by Toyota, etc etc, insists on taking it to Toyota for inspection before purchase), and it got me thinking.

If there was no frame or engine damage, is a rebuilt car really that bad, given the lower selling price?

I've just always stayed away from them as a general rule of thumb, but I never really understood why, other than the fact that selling it again would be a lot harder.

So, school me, RS.
Would you ever buy a rebuild? Why or why not?

[GabAlmighty]

For the cosmetic aspect of a rebuilt car it can be hard to get all the panels to line up exactly as they did from the factory. Also, was it panels that were REPLACED or REPAIRED. Personally I would prefer the former as then you don't run the risk of getting shitty bondo.

Frame damaged rebuilds... Well you should know what you're getting in to. Lots more reserach on what exactly was done but personally I wouldn't only get one if I was getting a screamin deal on it.

[narfy]

a car can be in an accident, with no frame damage, and yet, be deemed a total loss... often times, if there is a front end collision, where the principle point of impact is above the collision reinforcement bar, there is usually no frame damage. the grille, hood, headlights, radiator support, radiator, AC condensor, aprons, fenders and air bosx take the collision... replacing all those parts can be costly... especially if it's an older model...

i would definately recommend having it inspected prior to purchase... it's even better if there are after accident photos... prior to any repairs taking place...

another thing that can cause a vehicle to be deemed total loss with low dollars is an OE replacement insurance policy. APV250... where if the collision repair estimate is over 50% of the replacement value of teh vehicle, they call it a total loss...

hope that helps...

PS... salvage cars with a rebuilt title typically sell for 20% less than a comparable car without the rebuilt title... i hope you aren't over paying...

[vitaminG]

firstly rebuilds are all different, so its difficult to make general statements about them.

you have to use your own judgement, some cars, especially luxury cars have relatively low resale value and expensive parts so they can be written off with relatively little damage.

they may say there was no frame damage but how would you know? as far as i know icbc doesnt keep records.

[Energy]

It really depends on the situation.

A car can have rebuilt status from theft (slashing a hardtop and stealing the seats of a convertible, for example) or from a really bad collision.

If you plan on keeping it for a long time and the price is right then why not?

Just be sure to be extra careful when inspecting the car.

[finbar]

you don't want a car that's been submerged, even partially.

[dared3vil0]

Originally Posted by finbar

you don't want a car that's been submerged, even partially.

Never buy a Jeep then.

[Splinter]

Some cars can get written off simply from having the airbags deployed and minor panel damage. You can't make blanket statements about rebuilds.

Like others have said, get it inspected.

Also, he has to consider how it'll impact his resale value down the road. The next guy is going to be concerned that it's a rebuild as well, and it'll be even older then.

[jpark]

check if the engine vin matches up with the chassis vin
often times front end collision = engine damage

my friend bought a rebuilt car that was in a front end collision without inspecting it properly and found out 2 weeks later that his engine vin didnt match his chassis vin....

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by finbar

you don't want a car that's been submerged, even partially.

Originally Posted by dared3vil0

Never buy a Jeep then.

I get the cheeky joke, but I think he meant flooded vehicles.

[320icar]

What you have to remember is although you as the buyer are getting a good price, your resale in the future will be substantially less. I wouldn't bother getting a rebuilt unless you're picking it up for about half the price of a non rebuilt. Sad but true
Posted via RS Mobile

[dared3vil0]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

I get the cheeky joke, but I think he meant flooded vehicles.

Yeah he did, and yes you're right, it was a joke.

[Eff-1]

A rebuild is 9/10 times a bad idea because in order to make money on rebuilds, the rebuilder finds ways to cut corners in the repairs in order to make money on the sale. That's how the business works. e.g ICBC says repairs are $10k so it gets written off. Rebuilder says I can repair it for $5k and resell it. Then you buy a car and realize later that the panels don't line up, airbags are missing, it rusts prematurely, and where they should have used bolts and adhesives they used velcro (I've seen that in person). Did I mention the trunk leaks too?

That may not be the case with all rebuilds, but the large majority I'd say it's not worth it.

[bcrdukes]

^
Ditto.

Unless you are doing the rebuild yourself, or you know the true nature of the rebuild, then ok (especially if you're getting an awesome deal.)

Take for example:

1. My mom's Toyota Sienna. Had less than 6000 US miles on it. Theft recovery / salvage title. VIN tags and interior was stripped bare. Some minor cosmetic damage. Got it for $9K USD said and done. Deal? Yeah. But also remember, this is my mom's grocery getter and family hauler for road trips.

2. My dad's Lexus RX300. One owner. Toyota dealer maintained. Got written off during a road trip by a rear end fender bender. Replacing the hatch back, tail lights, bumper alone exceeded the cost of the vehicle (at the time.) Owner bought it back, rebuilt it at the dealership, drove around in it for a few more years before selling it to my dad. Not even 100K miles (US car.) $5000.

Again, these are for my parents and we have a family friend in the business who we deal with regularly. My dad is in the auto industry and rebuilt the cars himself or through the dealership which he has a good relationship with. For any other guy off the street, I wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole. My folks don't go through vehicles often and only will replace their vehicles aren't worth repairing. If you're in the same boat, go for it. But buyer beware.

[lowda9]

They are usually not done properly but not being done properly doesn't mean it still can't be decent. Bodyman get paid by the job, not hourly, so for rebuilds they don't get paid as much as they would an icbc job. They're usually rushing to finish the job as quick as they can and the shop wants to get it done as cheap as possible

[sdubfid]

Did the seller also say driven to church on Sundays by a grandma? I second what the duke said. I've rebuilt 4 for myself but I kept them for awhile and wasn't in a rush. From a shop they just want it out the door. A rebuild is like a box of chocolates, you never know what youre gonna get. Like how a tranny can look like a model then u start to dig a little deeper and bazinga a big surprise. If you want a car to keep long term and run to the ground and not worry about resale then they are a better option.
Posted via RS Mobile

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by sdubfid

Like how a tranny can look like a model then u start to dig a little deeper and bazinga a big surprise.

This.

[Kidnapman]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

This.