2013 Crosstrek Rebuilt title -- what does that mean?

[unibrook]

2103 CVT Crosstrek with a rebuilt title.

How bad must the accident have been to require that?

Seller says it was just a fender bender.....but um, why would the title need to say rebuilt?

 

http://newlondon.craigslist.org/cto/5468758013.html

[Rooster2]

A rebuilt title means that the car was wrecked or suffered flood water damage. The damage was deemed severe enough that the insurance company declared it more expensive to repair the car, then to simply pay off the owner according to terms of the insurance policy. So a "simple fender bender" does not sound like a reasonable statement.

Suggest you ask the owner for pictures of the car showing damage before repair. Judge for yourself how bad the damage is. Ask to see a receipt as to how much money it took to repair the damage,

[vtwinjunkie]

I find it hilarious how this person puts exclamation points after everything to make it seem happy and enthusiastic. A rebuilt title is rarely a good thing. 

 

Be careful my friend. 

Edited March 14, 2016 by vtwinjunkie

[matt167]

Could be deployed airbags. They are one thing that insurance does not like to deal with due to liability. That's not a set in stone thing, but an at- best scenario..

 

It's been totaled tho, that's for sure with a rebuilt title, get a carfax. it will tell the tale

[idosubaru]

rebuilt just means the cost to repair was more than the value of the vehicle. (technically insurance companies have a more complicated algorithym like 75% of the value)> 

either way it means a new car incurs substantial/expensive damage.  without asking or seeing records you'll never know what that means.  or looking at it - finding the repairs and assessing the repair or engine/trans replacement.

 

hail damage is just cosmetic.  flood damage is much riskier. 

 

i've bought, rebuilt, salvage totaled vehicles before and had them recertified. i just turned 250,000 miles 1 week ago in one of my daily drivers. helps to track down what was wrong with them or identify the repairs.  if it's done right they're not particularly scary, of all the "horror" stories i've heard people say - i've yet to see any problematic rebuilt titles.  i'm sure it happens but I think the fear of the unknown and lack of experience rebuilding cars creates a fog around them.  and hey - it is risky if you know nothign about the car and aren't competent enough to figure it out, assess it yourself.  

[unibrook]

Thanks very much for your thoughts.  I will ask Seller for more data, Carfax, receipts etc.  No doubt, he will have NONE of that available.  His command of English seems shaky enough.

Edited March 15, 2016 by unibrook

[unibrook]

This is precious!   Here is Seller's response when I asked for more data regarding the accident, what repairs done, any receipts, Carfax etc.

 

He responded, "People asked to many stupid questions it's not for sale any more. "

 

Yeah, um, it is the questions that were stupid.....

 

:-)

[Rooster2]

Don't be surprised if car remains "up for sale," but just not to you for asking stupid questions. You said sellers English was shaky enough, so flowery written ad must have been ghost written by someone else. Let the buyer beware!!

[kamesama980]

I'll say it's typically on the buyer to get/pay for any history report or inspections. Hypothetically, a seller could get an old carfax report from any vehicle, paste in whatever info they wanted, and present it as their own. and no it doesn't take adobe creative suite to do it MS word and paint are both capable of credible work with a little work.

 

That aside, "too many stupid questions" my hairy buttocks. Can't really disagree with anything said already. Just lowball the bejesus out of any rebuiilt/salvage title vehicle because if/when you get rid of it, it's worth peanuts.