Previous write off - yes or no?

[xx88man]

Has anyone ever had one of these cars that has a "rebuilt" status? Written off at some point then repaired. Does it seriously effect value and saleability? I'm specifically asking about one of our old beloved cars. Any and all opinions please. Thanks in advance

[70 Top Banana]

Have not done a challenger but cut a mustang literally in two. The car had been hit in the rear. Went to the junk yard and bought the rear half from a car that had been stoved up in the front. Lined up the two halves ( that was tough) Welded the two halves together and put the car together, transmission, driveshaft, brake lines etc. etc.. Took it to get the alignment done and she was straight as an arrow. Where we lived at the time the title was stamped "total, rebuild". My cousin drove it for quite a while, stuck a couple different motors in it to go fast. He never saw anything but the tail lights on my 68 Dodge Charger! He got to where he would not line up next to me.😂

[70 Top Banana]

The answer to saleability? Yes, if you are honest and tell the buyer what you did, the car is not worth nearly as much as if it had not been totaled.  That being said, we did all the work ourselves except the headliner and paint so not a lot of labor. But we wanted to do it and my cousin was a nut. Me too I guess

[jimynick]

Some people, erroneously, think that because a car has been "totalled" that it's been run over by a bulldozer, but the truth is that the cost of the repairs has exceeded the value in the market, including any applicable taxes, less any applicable salvage value. So, I've seen dozens, if not hundreds of cars that were "totalled" that really weren't badly structurally damaged and died due to the obscene prices of repair parts. The brand thing is also BS in my opinion. In Ontario, if a "structural" part requires replacement in what becomes a total loss situation, it becomes a salvage title. Therefore when your plastic, bolt-in rad support has a chunk broken off it, that determines that the car is now "salvage" if the car goes on to be a total loss. The whole thing seems to've sprung from a misguided attempt to prevent "hackers" from fixing cars, but the end result doesn't -in my opinion- justify the method. End of story- if you buy a branded car, make damn good and sure that you have it inspected, extensively- by someone qualified to do that. The ancient Romans got it right- caveat emptor! 

[Shoooter]

If a old muscle car as we are talking about here has a rebuilt title what % would you think it would loose because of that compared to a clean title car? In my option it scares off a lot potential buyers if one was looking at resale

[6bblgt]

some insurance companies have different opinions/requirements before they will insure/not insure a "branded" vehicle

[xx88man]

some insurance companies have different opinions/requirements before they will insure/not insure a "branded" vehicle

I actually checked with Hagerty and they said they would insure a salvage/rebuilt vehicle

[70 Top Banana]

I agree, in the US insurance companies will total a car they consider a " constructive total loss". By that they mean it will cost more to repair it, take the car and sell it, than cut you a check for the value. Depending on how your insurance policy is issued, that could be on an agreed value or on ACV or actual cash value. So if the value of the car equals less than the cost or repairs less what they can sell the salvage for you will get a check from the insurance company and they take the car and sell it.
That does not mean it should be sent to the crusher or not repairable. It is economics and what costs less to settle for the insurance company.

[torredcuda]

Most people will consider anything with a salvage title to be worth less due the stigma associated with it even if the repiars were done as good or better than new. Most old cars have been thru one or more restorations, many not so nice repair work over the years etc. so it depends on the reason - heavy crash damage, flood damage, stolen etc.?

[ek3]

ever think about the total restoration of a car costing more than they were new ? would all restored cars that get full resto's not be branded ?  just a thought...  if you were to buy a hemi cuda for 50-75  k and spend 100 k plus on the resto , would it be branded salvage ?? i know this is not exactly the same thing but many if not most  of the cars that get real serious work done  will exceed their purchase cost ..

[jimynick]

Yes, they will, but the difference here, is that the insurance company is not involved. THEY are the ones making a branding decision based on the severity of their insured loss. There is  no mechanism for someone to brand a vehicle based on what the owner has spent on it; otherwise, most of the houses, cars and women that we love, would also be "total losses"and you just know what kind of an argument that'd cause! LOL