Misconceptions of "rebuilt" vehicles

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

Last I knew, Kentucky was the last state where you could still wash a title. It's a felony and all of that but still possible. I last checked like 8 years ago though soooo...

https://jalopnik.com/my-bus-has-plat...y-a-1845700048

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by soundman98

https://jalopnik.com/my-bus-has-plat...y-a-1845700048

Interesting, never knew about Vermont.

But I don't know if they'll really change the title.. this paragraph:
"If you’re registering a vehicle with a title and want a Vermont title back, send the original title. If you just want the registration, send a copy of the title. If you’re registering a vehicle without a title, you want to include a bill of sale and a VIN verification, which you can get from an insurance company or the police. Wrap up those documents in an envelope with a check for your fees then send it off to Vermont."

Now I would imagine if you send, say, a COD title they won't issue a registration/title. Same with Salvage (but rebuilt I'm sure they would). It's unlikely to wash the history. Converting to an RV from a bus like in the article is pretty easy depending on state. In Florida, you can literally write it in handwriting on a piece of paper that you are converting it and installed LP, 110v electricity or plumbing. They convert it without inspection and for free. But of course you have to be a Florida resident and all that. And have to go to the DMV.. the horrors!

[Opie]

For those that are still following, I never posted "after photos";

Blue 2013 - Clean Title & White 2015 - Rebuilt Title, both are dual use, Street & track, cars:

[Clipdat]

I'd love to take the white one out for a long drive! Gorgeous.

[Opie]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

I'd love to take the white one out for a long drive! Gorgeous.

It's new owner loves it....

[Clipdat]

Woah! He went full track mode with it.

[Opie]

So I'd like to take a moment and let out some frustration on the insurance industry and how easily it claims certain vehicles as a total loss. Case in point, my latest purchase.
2013 Subaru BRZ Limited, 42k miles, no accidents. Listed at the auction as a salvage rebuildable, with mechanical-flood loss. It was a local car, and the date of loss was after a particularly strong cold front that brought some nasty rain soaked days. I purchased the car because; 1) I had just completed an engine rebuild and had a motor ready to go. 2) based on the auction pictures (below), the car looked amazing, 3) it had super low miles, 4) if it was truly a flood, it had plenty of body parts to make my money back.

[Opie]

So I won the auction, went and picked up the car and lo and behold, this thing is mint. No evidence of any flood, interior is completely dry, car still smells new inside, seat rails are perfect, all electronics work. Just appears to have a hydro-locked engine.

Now I knew this all going in, but now that the motor has been replaced and I've had the car inspected and re-titled I've got to wonder, why would any insurance company deem this car "total loss" and not repair it? I'm sure the insurance company paid out $13k-$16 on this car as a total loss...

A used engine installed would've only been around $5-6k.
The parts the engine needed were less than $1,400, if considering labor, book time to split the block and overhaul the engine completely is 21 hours, @ $150 per hour that's only $3,150 in labor, $4550 total for the repair....
I just don't get it...this is why auto insurance is so expensive...

Here is the car following the repair, after nothing but an exterior wash....but now has a branded title....

Doesn't make sense to me....

[GrandSport]

I think the issue is that it's a giant question mark. I would imagine everyone knows it could be a bargain, and you have just as good of a car, for 30% less, or it could be a god damn never ending headache.

The biggest thing to worry about, frame and suspension damage, is easy enough to spot and recognize most of the time. It's honestly not even a huge deal if you can still get it to align right. Just about every single spec miata I looked at had bent frame rails. My BRZ has bent frame rails. I dont really care, because I have an 8pt cage holding it straight and it aligns just fine.

The bigger issue is the never ending little things because damn near the entire car was torn down and rebuilt. Loose grounds, loose sensors, wires and connections that are fine right now, but got crimped during the process. Who knows what got into them or if their water seal broke. Did stuff sit out, did water get in it- stuff like that may not show up until well after a test drive.


The other issue is they're miserable to sell. The cars you posted are perfect for track cars. You dont even have to worry about setting off the air bags when you're removing them

There's a time and place for it. Saving 3-4k on a relatively cheap car for these question marks and then having to deal with it again when it comes time to sell just isn't worth it to me. Especially if it's your daily driver. If it's a second car/project car that you're gonna mod then maybe. If it's a big chunk off an expensive car that you intend to drive a good bit, it may be awesome. I was seriously considering a rebuilt title on a 488. Owner just didn't want to discount enough. He only wanted to take 10-15% off clean title price and thought his tune and exhaust mods were worth a shit when he's selling them (the tune probably makes it worth less).

[foshjowler]

Originally Posted by GrandSport

I think the issue is that it's a giant question mark. I would imagine everyone knows it could be a bargain, and you have just as good of a car, for 30% less, or it could be a god damn never ending headache.

This is why they totaled the car. Yeah, it could be $5k to fix, but it could also turn into $30k to get totally right, and they likely wouldn't know until they got into it. The $15-20k the insurance company had to pay out on it is really nothing to them. It's the big dollar cars and medical claims they fight. I'm sure they look at a flood claim on a cheaper car and will just about always total the car out because there's so much mystery involved that might not even show up right away.

[DarkPira7e]

I bought my 2013 as a flood car in 2015 for 12k with 20k miles on it. Wasn't a spot of water on or in the thing. The place I bought it from let me take it for a long test drive, where I proceeded to find a parking lot and pull as much carpet and stuff as I could.
I bought my F30 BMW from the same place, had the same experience. It was totaled out by zip code and not actually checked by the insurance company, someone just wanted out of their monthly payment so they reported it as flooded and managed to get away with it.


Be informed, and if you can find one hands on, you might get lucky!
Just don't expect recall work gone wrong to be processed the same as a clean title car...

[FrickingReallySlow]

Why did you mean by “totaled out by zip code” does this place you bought from specialize in salvage titles?

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

I bought my 2013 as a flood car in 2015 for 12k with 20k miles on it. Wasn't a spot of water on or in the thing. The place I bought it from let me take it for a long test drive, where I proceeded to find a parking lot and pull as much carpet and stuff as I could.
I bought my F30 BMW from the same place, had the same experience. It was totaled out by zip code and not actually checked by the insurance company, someone just wanted out of their monthly payment so they reported it as flooded and managed to get away with it.


Be informed, and if you can find one hands on, you might get lucky!
Just don't expect recall work gone wrong to be processed the same as a clean title car...

[DarkPira7e]

Originally Posted by FrickingReallySlow

Why did you mean by “totaled out by zip code” does this place you bought from specialize in salvage titles?

Let's say there's a flood and it's catastrophic. 400 something people report that their car is a total loss and was flooded. The insurance company may take those reports, look at a few of them to verify that there was actually a nasty flood in that zip code, and then say "ok, yeah, they're probably all thrashed" and pay out.


Yes, the place I bought my cars from work solely in repurposing previously totaled vehicles. Most of them have a nasty smell or you can see the water lines if they were actually flooded. Pull out the seatbelt all the way, a lot of places don't bother cleaning that out (or aren't cognizant of it)

[Opie]

Originally Posted by foshjowler

This is why they totaled the car. Yeah, it could be $5k to fix, but it could also turn into $30k to get totally right, and they likely wouldn't know until they got into it. The $15-20k the insurance company had to pay out on it is really nothing to them. It's the big dollar cars and medical claims they fight. I'm sure they look at a flood claim on a cheaper car and will just about always total the car out because there's so much mystery involved that might not even show up right away.

While I agree that the payout was nothing to the insurance company, Insurance companies only have to return a car to it's pre-incident condition. Not make it new again. Anyone could look at this car and see it's never been flooded, an insurance adjuster should know, a technician surely would know...

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

Let's say there's a flood and it's catastrophic. 400 something people report that there car is a total loss and was flooded. TJe insurance company may take those reports, ook at a few of them to verify that there was actually a nasty flood in that zip code, and then say "ok, yeah, they're probably all thrashed" and pay out.

Yes, the place I bought my cars from work solely in repurposing previously totaled vehicles. Most of them have a nasty smell or you can see the water lines if they were actually flooded. Pull out the seatbelt all the way, a lot of places don't bother cleaning that out (or aren't cognizant of it)

Pretty sure that is what happened here. Think the owner had a knocking engine, local area had some high water after some storms, put a hose in the intake and viloa...insurance paid it out.