Would you buy a rebuilt status car?

[Swamp Donkey]

There are a few cars that I am seeing in advertisements that are really good deals.  Of course they have a rebuilt status on them where they would have been involved in some sort of accident.  It will be a first vehicle for my Daughter.  Probably a Honda Civic.  I guess the carfax will show the data and I can make my decision then.  But has anyone had any luck with a rebuild status or had major damage done to their own vehicle, had it repaired and not have too many issues?

[Scooter]

^^ They call those a salvage title here in the states. All depends on the extent of the damage. It does not take much on an older car to make an insurer cash out.. I've had 2 cars that were in minor accidents I kept and drove. If it's an newer car I'd think the damage would probably be more serious.

[Moprr]

In my opinion all depends on who fixed them and how bad they were.  I know guys that had accidents and had electrical gremlins forever. And I know a shop owner that built his Denali out of two basically had two write offs one with front end accident the other with rear chopped them up welded them all up and never any issues. 

[JH27N0B]

Sometimes insurers balk at insuring rebuilt or salvage title cars so make sure you check with your car insurance company before you buy.

[GrandpaKevin]

Sometimes insurers balk at insuring rebuilt or salvage title cars so make sure you check with your car insurance company before you buy.

Most banks won't give loans on rebuild/salvage titled vehicles.

[xx88man]

I normally shy away from rebuilt status cars. They are almost always cheaper (less value). Do your homework on the amount of damage. I did buy one and it was fine. I've also driven ones that wouldn't even go down the road straight!

[jimynick]

Moprr is correct. I worked as an appraiser for over 30 years and watched the branding era come in. In Ontario, Canada, if a vehicle became a financial total loss and had even one "structural" part in the appraisal, it was branded "salvage" and required a special inspection, at a certified shop to re-plate it, but it would thenceforth be branded "rebuilt". The stupid part of that, was if the rad support was changed. Many of todays cars have a bolt in, plastic rad support and replacing it is no different than replacing a fender, yet it's inclusion mandated it being "rebuilt". As you can plainly see, a vehicle that was so branded, due to the rad support, was a long ways from being the car that wouldn't go down the street straight. At the end of the day, it's all about who and how the repair is performed by, so pick one that's been into a reputable and professional shop and you should be ok. 

[captcolour]

My daughter's Civic had over $8,000 worth of damage and the insurance company fixed it instead of totalling it.  It was fine after fixing it until we sold it years later.

I would make the owner drive the car and you follow it in yours to make sure it is tracking straight down the road.  Of course you would need to drive it too.