Would You Buy A Toyota With A Reconstructed Title?

[awonderingdawn]

I was having a big discussion about this the other day with a few of my friends. I, personally, would buy a vehicle with a reconstructed title, but most of my friends wouldn't. Before I put in too much of my input- I'd like to hear other's arguments first. What do you think- would you or wouldn't you purchase a Toyota with a reconstructed title?

 

[tbplus10]

I would buy some vehicles with recronstructed titles but it depends on why it was classified and Id need to have certain items inspected.
i.e. if it was frame damage Id need a certified frame shop to verify it was straight.
If it was a flood vehicle I wouldnt buy it, to many electronics to get damaged and theres no way to ensure against future corrosion issues in voids or electronic controls and wiring.
large amounts of paint or body damage wouldnt be a problem, interrior damage or theft recovery wouldnt be a problem either.
Fire damage would be an issue.

 

[awonderingdawn]

I would buy some vehicles with recronstructed titles but it depends on why it was classified and Id need to have certain items inspected.
i.e. if it was frame damage Id need a certified frame shop to verify it was straight.
If it was a flood vehicle I wouldnt buy it, to many electronics to get damaged and theres no way to ensure against future corrosion issues in voids or electronic controls and wiring.
large amounts of paint or body damage wouldnt be a problem, interrior damage or theft recovery wouldnt be a problem either.
Fire damage would be an issue.

When buying a vehicle with a reconstructed title from an independent seller how do you figure out why it was classified?

Also, isn't a huge part of the reconstructed title process having the vehicle inspected to make sure it's road worthy? If there was significant damage from a flood or crash- wouldn't it be less likely to even qualify for a reconstructed title?

 

[toyotafan]

Only for a project vehicle, something that I did not plan on using is my daily driver and that I had planned to replace a lot of stuff on anyway, so it didn't really matter if the original OEM parts engine transmission whatever was damaged, I would be replacing a lot of it anyway so who cares.

 

[tbplus10]

Not all states require a special inspection prior to putting a vehicle back on the road, some allow just the basic state safety and/or emissions to suffice.
As far as qualifying for reconstruction thats normally up to the purchaser, how much work and money are you willing to devote to get the vehicle back on the road in accordance with local requirements.
A good place to start discovering why a vehicle was reclassified is the vehicle condition, then asking the seller (not all sellers will be honest so take the answer with a grain of salt). Then study the title, if an insurance company had ownership they normally have no problem divulging why they had it classified. Call them and ask if they have any info on the vin you just purchased that they previously held title to.
Car Fax services can also be helpful.
I normally ask the licensing (DMV) department if they have any title notes, normally someone placed notes on the title record as to why the vehicle was classified, this usually turns out to be my best resource

 

[awonderingdawn]

A good place to start discovering why a vehicle was reclassified is the vehicle condition, then asking the seller (not all sellers will be honest so take the answer with a grain of salt). Then study the title, if an insurance company had ownership they normally have no problem divulging why they had it classified. Call them and ask if they have any info on the vin you just purchased that they previously held title to.
Car Fax services can also be helpful.
I normally ask the licensing (DMV) department if they have any title notes, normally someone placed notes on the title record as to why the vehicle was classified, this usually turns out to be my best resource

Thank you for that information. I was always curious about cars with reconstructed titles, but I wasn't sure how to figure out why they were reclassified. I thought the same thing- that many owners may not be 100% honest as to why the car was reclassified. It's nice to know there are other alternatives to getting the information.

 

[awonderingdawn]

A good place to start discovering why a vehicle was reclassified is the vehicle condition, then asking the seller (not all sellers will be honest so take the answer with a grain of salt). Then study the title, if an insurance company had ownership they normally have no problem divulging why they had it classified. Call them and ask if they have any info on the vin you just purchased that they previously held title to.
Car Fax services can also be helpful.
I normally ask the licensing (DMV) department if they have any title notes, normally someone placed notes on the title record as to why the vehicle was classified, this usually turns out to be my best resource

Thank you for that information. I was always curious about cars with reconstructed titles, but I wasn't sure how to figure out why they were reclassified. I thought the same thing- that many owners may not be 100% honest as to why the car was reclassified. It's nice to know there are other alternatives to getting the information.