You and your family might want to buy a car have you? We love our cars because they get us to school, sports practice, and even fun road trips quickly. What if, on the other hand, you find a car that looks great, runs great, and costs less, but it has something different on the title? What does that mean? Should you buy it?
Don’t worry, I know what to do. You can think of this as a fun way to figure everything out. What is a repaired title? How does a car get one? What are the pros and cons of getting this kind of car? You will know everything you need to know about smart cars by the end of this article. Hold on tight, because we’re about to go!
What does “Rebuilt Title” mean?
The first thing we need to know is what a new title is.
Let us say you have a favorite toy car. Then you drop it in a puddle by mistake, and it stops working. Even though you polish it up and make it look brand new, your friend tells you that it’s not brand new anymore because it’s been rebuilt.
That’s kind of like a car with a new title. As in, the car was in an accident or hurt in some other way, but someone fixed it. It’s now back on the road!
Take a look at this fun example. Consider a Lego set. It’s still the same set if you put it back together after it breaks, right? But maybe it’s not quite the same as it was before, which is why people look more closely.
When a car is fixed up, the state (or government) gives it a special title that lets people know it was broken before and then fixed up.
How Does a Car Get a New Title?
It’s not like cars’ titles get rebuilt out of thin air. This usually takes place after a big event, like a crash or accident. This works in this order:
1. The car has a bad accident
Let us say a car has a big crash or gets stuck in a flood. There’s a chance that the car will get really hurt, and fixing it will cost more than the car is worth. Insurance companies often step in at this point.
If the car is only worth $6,000 and it takes $8,000 to fix, the insurance company might say, “Nope, we’ll just call this car a total loss instead.”
- The car is given a salvage title
A salvage title is given to a car after its insurance company says it is a “total loss.” This title lets everyone know that the car is broken and can’t be driven on the road until it’s fixed.
Think about putting a sticky note on a broken toy that says “Needs Fixing.” With a repair title, that’s what takes place.
- The car has been fixed.
Now, someone fixes the car, usually a repair shop or a car expert! They fix broken parts, get everything to work again, and make it look brand new.
Think about taking your broken bike to the shop. The seat or wheel might be torn, but once it’s fixed, it’s like new!
- It’s okay with the state to put it on the road
The car is checked out by government or state officials after it has been fixed. They check it again to make sure it’s safe to drive. As long as all the tests go well, the salvage title is changed to a “rebuilt title.”
Goodbye! You can sell the car again, but now everyone knows it has a bad history.
Why buying a car with a rebuilt title is a good idea
Okay, so you know what a new title is. Now for the fun part: why would someone want to buy this kind of car? You won’t believe it, but there are some cool points to think about!
- “They’re less expensive!”
The main reason people like rebuilt-title cars is that they are cheaper. A great deal less.
It’s like going to a store and finding a computer that works fine but says “refurbished” on it. It’s really cheap since it’s been fixed up. Just like that, cars with new titles are like that. Since fixing them up costs less, they sell for a lot less than regular cars.
If money is tight, a rebuilt-title car might be a great deal.
- Some Repairs Are Very Dependable
Not every repair is bad! Professionals who know what they’re doing sometimes fix rebuilt-title cars. They use parts that are very, very good, and sometimes the fixed car is almost as good as new.
Remember the Lego set? After carefully putting it back together step by step, it’s still strong and ready to play with, just like a car that has been carefully fixed.
- Great for Short-Term Use
A rebuilt-title car might be a good choice if your family only needs a car for a short time. They might be getting their first car, or you might need an extra car for short trips. It might make more sense to spend less on a repaired car than to buy an expensive one.
- It’s a Chance to Learn About Cars
A rebuilt-title car can be a fun project for someone in your family who likes to work on cars or learn how they work. Someone might even like making small changes to the car to make it better.
Why you shouldn’t buy a car with a rebuilt title
Here are some things you should not like about rebuilt-title cars before you buy one.
- The history of the car is a mystery
You could not say for sure what happened to the car before it was fixed. Was it in a minor accident? Did it flood during a storm? Was it something worse, like a big crash?
Without all the facts, it’s tough to say how long-lasting the car will be. When you find a used toy, you might wonder, “Why did someone get rid of this?”
- It might be hard to sell later
The tricky part is that it’s harder to sell cars later on if their titles have been remade. Some people won’t want to buy the car because of its history, even if it runs great.
You might as well not try to sell a jigsaw project if the box is torn. People might be hesitant because it doesn’t look like anything new, even though all the parts are there.
- Not Every Repair Is Perfect
A lot of rebuilt cars are fixed up really well, but some may have been fixed up quickly or cheaply. Problems that were thought to be hidden could show up later.
The car might have electrical issues, brakes that squeak, or parts that don’t fit right. Putting duct tape on a broken robot to fix it might work for now, but it could fall apart later.
4. It’s harder to get insurance
Some insurance companies don’t like to cover cars with new titles. Why? The insurance company thinks these cars are more dangerous because they have been damaged before.
That car might cost more to insure than other cars, even if you can find one that will cover it. You should make sure of this before you buy.
- Not All Mechanics Want to Work on Them
Some experts might not want to fix the car if it breaks down later. It’s possible that your family won’t have as many choices because they’d rather work on cars that haven’t been repaired.
Final Thoughts
Should you buy a car whose title has been fixed? I guess it depends!
To keep things easy, a rebuilt-title car might be a good choice if your family is trying to save money and doesn’t mind the car’s history. The money you save might be worth the extra time it takes to look into the car’s repair history and quality. But a regular title car might be better if you want a car that will last a long time and be easy to sell later.
Do your research before you buy. That’s the most important thing. If your family wants to buy a car with a new title, make sure to: – Have a reliable mechanic look it over first.
– Ask a lot of questions about the body work and background of the car.
– Find out how much the car insurance costs.
Every car has its own story and purpose, no matter how old it is or how new it is. Think about it slowly, and know that every choice you make teaches you something new.
Have fun looking for a car!
