Rep Power: 253

Rebuilt titles are issued only once a car that is totaled (considered salvage) and rebuilt, right ?

So I am considering buying a car (w/ a rebuilt title) and I talked to the owner, who said the car had sustained rear quarter panel damage. The car has no frame damage, and no other noticable damage. Is this enough damage to be considered totaled?

My ford Explorer (98 with 95,000 miles) was broadsided twice (both times driver side, first driver's door then rear door). Neither time was it considered totaled.

Thanks in advance.

 
Rep Power: 277

its possible that other damage was there as well, probably internal or mechanical (like axle or something like that.) The way it works is an insurance company will say your car is totalled and the totalled veh is worth X dollars. You have the option to keep the vehicle and they will take the value of the totalled vehicle out of the claim settlement. It is surprisingly easy to total a vehicle, if the cost of repair exceeds the value of the vehicle then insurance will total it. Now, you need to ask if the person they are the one who owned the vehicle when it was totalled out or if they bought it with a rebuilt title. If they bought it with a rebuilt title, its possible that they might not know the extent of the damage. Cars are often times even totalled out for hail damage, it all comes down to cost, not the type of damage. I would not buy a rebuilt vehicle, too much risk, but there are many people that do. Also, it may be hard to get comprehensive and collision coverage on a vehicle with a rebuilt title, alot of companies wont offer it.