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sb001
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Location: NW Arkansas
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 Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 2:50 pm Post subject: Opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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Am looking at possibly purchasing a 2013 Outback, it's a limited edition with only 48k miles (main reason I am interested.) Seems to be a very good price as well (right at the same price I paid for another Outback 1-1/2 years ago with twice the mileage.) To top it off it's a very limited color production run (brilliant brown pearl, fewer than 1000 made if what I read was accurate.)
Problem is at some point in its past it was damaged to the point where the insurance company decided to total it, then it was repaired, inspected by state DMV, and given a rebuilt title. Here's a pic of the damage sustained:
Thoughts? Anyone ever bought a rebuilt titled vehicle before? What are things to look for to ensure that I am getting a good, solidly repaired vehicle- or should I just walk away?
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67ctbug
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 3:44 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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That's it... that's the total? Barring supplemental damage I see a bumper cover, tailgate, rebar, maybe a retainer. I don't see it, I've seen and worked on worse at the shop. Unless of course the front is messed or the frame was tweaked and they put it on the machine and pulled it back. Personal opinion, I don't think I'd care how the car is titled as long as it was repaired properly. If a DMV inspected it then I can't see it being poorly done, they'll fail you because one brake locks up better than the rest even if it stops just fine 
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sb001
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Location: NW Arkansas
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:06 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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| 67ctbug wrote: |
| That's it... that's the total? Barring supplemental damage I see a bumper cover, tailgate, rebar, maybe a retainer. I don't see it, I've seen and worked on worse at the shop. Unless of course the front is messed or the frame was tweaked and they put it on the machine and pulled it back. Personal opinion, I don't think I'd care how the car is titled as long as it was repaired properly. If a DMV inspected it then I can't see it being poorly done, they'll fail you because one brake locks up better than the rest even if it stops just fine |
That was my first thought as well when they sent me that photo-- "that's all??"
Makes me wonder why the insurance company totaled it- rest of the car looks perfect from the dealer photos. made me wonder as well if the frame got bent but even then doesn't seem like it could have been all that bad. Just hesitant because I have never dealt with rebuilt title cars before. They are asking $14k- what I paid for a 2016 Outback year and a half ago with 99k miles. Problem is they don't have a record of the repair work done so it's anyone's guess whether something else happened-- is it possible that the insurance company totaled it simply if the airbags went off (not sure if they even did)
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1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
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Last edited by sb001 on Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:09 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Zundfolge1432 
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:07 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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| Lack of documentation. I’d pass on that one. |
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67ctbug
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:12 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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There's no record of it all? No estimate, no bill, no nothing? That is a bit sketchy. They could have totaled it because they guy didn't want it LOL. If you know the person doing the estimate he could've easily wrote a ridiculous one; Bumper cover... blend both quarters, tailgate... gotta blend the roof too, make sure to paint behind the bumper, etc. There's always more possibilities but I have heard of that happening.
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| KentPS wrote: |
| ...or the PO envied the terrorists' bus in "Back to the Future". |
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Glenn
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:16 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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That's not totaled... this is.
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sb001
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:19 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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| 67ctbug wrote: |
| There's no record of it all? No estimate, no bill, no nothing? That is a bit sketchy. They could have totaled it because they guy didn't want it LOL. If you know the person doing the estimate he could've easily wrote a ridiculous one; Bumper cover... blend both quarters, tailgate... gotta blend the roof too, make sure to paint behind the bumper, etc. There's always more possibilities but I have heard of that happening. |
Nope, no records of the repair (none that the dealership has anyway except for that photo.) I mean, I assume it was totaled, fixed, and then sold at auction where they bought it. But according to them it had to pass DMV inspection in order for anyone to sell it (but yes you can get around pretty much anything with the right connections.)
It does seem sketchy but man hard to pass that one up with that low mileage for that price. Insurance isn't even any more than it would be on a clean title car. I suppose maybe I could do a Carfax and see if that gives me any more info
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calvinater
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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Carfax the vin#
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sb001
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:26 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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Pictures of it as is now:
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1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
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sb001
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:28 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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| calvinater wrote: |
| Carfax the vin# |
Yep my next step
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1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
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Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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sb001
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:41 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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Yikes  well this explains a lot
Did a freaking tree fall on it?? photo above shows zero sign of any kind of damage like this
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sb001
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:46 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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| Glenn wrote: |
That's not totaled... this is.
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That's what carfax is saying happened to this car- did someone fix everything except the right rear and then snap a photo?? WTH is going on
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1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
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Glenn
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:46 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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Damage to undercarriage.... run away.
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sb001
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:53 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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| Glenn wrote: |
| Damage to undercarriage.... run away. |
Will do- just curious how a car that sustained that much damage, got fixed to the point it looks like in that photo above! 
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1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
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Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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janerick3
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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If you plan to drive the car into the ground, a salvage title means nothing.
Some states have additional inspection requirements for rebuilt vehicles--check with your DMV.
If it has a 2.5L engine, 2013 is the first year for the FB-series engine, which has a timing chain instead of a belt. These had a lot of problems the first year, which have since been fixed.
Also, the CVTs are failure-prone; especially if the car has been driven hard like a WRX.
Collision damage on Subarus is incredibly expensive to repair, so it doesn't take a lot of damage to total one. Be sure to get a four-wheel alignment as part of an independent pre-purchase inspection, if you intend to buy it. If the dealer balks about a PPI, run far away.
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ach60
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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Car with a rebuilt title is only as good as the person's skills that rebuilt it.
You show me a car with a rebuilt title with minimal damage, and It's got a rebuilt title.
My guess is it already has been rebuilt once.
Also at auction, some dicks buy damaged cars, clean them up a bit, hide critical damage, and then flip it a a rebuilder.
Watch a bunch of this guys video's and you get the idea. Vehcor knows what he is doing.
Link
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sb001
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Location: NW Arkansas
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 5:31 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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| janerick3 wrote: |
| Some states have additional inspection requirements for rebuilt vehicles--check with your DMV. |
Arkansas requires a VIN verification from state police before getting it registered that's all
| janerick3 wrote: |
| If it has a 2.5L engine, 2013 is the first year for the FB-series engine, which has a timing chain instead of a belt. These had a lot of problems the first year, which have since been fixed. |
Yes it is the FB25, with the TR-690.
| janerick3 wrote: |
| Also, the CVTs are failure-prone; especially if the car has been driven hard like a WRX. |
Seems like the main reason those CVTs failed is due to people trusting Subaru of America's ridiculous claim that they used a "lifetime" CVT fluid so it never needed to be changed. People who still got it changed regularly (every 60k miles or so) didn't seem to have any issues.
| janerick3 wrote: |
| Collision damage on Subarus is incredibly expensive to repair, so it doesn't take a lot of damage to total one. Be sure to get a four-wheel alignment as part of a pre-purchase inspection, if you intend to buy it. |
Agree with this, but the Carfax report vs that photo just doesn't add up maybe the above poster is correct-- the major damage event happened before, it got fixed, then that rear corner incident. Who knows
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1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
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Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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EverettB
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sb001
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:00 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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| EverettB wrote: |
| Please post those car photos on imgur.com or something - They are not VW/Porsche and will be dead soon as they were already deleted before I saw this thread. |
Sorry please feel free to delete
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I'm the humblest guy on this board.
1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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EverettB
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| Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: opinions on cars w/ rebuilt titles? |
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| sb001 wrote: |
| EverettB wrote: |
| Please post those car photos on imgur.com or something - They are not VW/Porsche and will be dead soon as they were already deleted before I saw this thread. |
Sorry please feel free to delete |
The thread and question is fine, just the pics...
If you got your answer and want it removed, that's ok too, please confirm that
Edit: Just read the thread, car sounds sketchy to me.
Special color on some wrecked modern car means nothing IMHO unless you specifically want that color
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