Question about buying a used car...
 

So I was looking at a 2004 G35 coupe from a used dealership today. Test drove it, and car seemed fine. Looked really well taken care of in fact, and the price was pretty good, although a US car, but it doesn't matter to me.

I asked for more information, and the guy said the car was stolen, but recovered. However... the catch is the ICBC insurance paper only shows that there was a 725$ broken glass claim, but for some reason, the vehicle is listed as Rebuilt.

Anyone know why it would be listed as a rebuilt? Perhaps I should get a copy of Car Fax?

pretty sure that in the state it's given a salvage title if its stolen/thefy recovered? thats my best guess. But yea I'd run the report.

Unless I get it for dirt cheap (or maybe even free), I'm not going to a random "used car dealership" to buy a rebuilt US car.

was the dealership on Kingsway or king George? Or that real shady one in Richmond forgot the name but there was a thread on it from rs
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Lol.. US car + stolen + rebuilt status?

There are so many more g35s out there, forget that one.

If you're buying something US, get something that's not available here like an Evo 8 or 9. Buying rebuilt is okay only if you're planning on driving it until it's worth more as scrap metal. Unless that deal is a steal, walk away!
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Get the VIN and do a Carfax/AutoCheck/Carproof check on the vehicle.

It will show where the car was originally from, where it was determined to be stolen/written off and where/when it was rebuilt.

Stay away from cars from the state of Oregon and Texas if it is rebuilt. These two states disregard previous vehicle title history and a lot of shady dealers will bring up cars for sale from these two states. They will typically show as as "branded" titles and whatnot. I went through this whole debacle, realized what and how much trouble it could be and ran away.

Some cars are legitimately stolen and recovered that carry a rebuilt title. It doesn't mean they were damaged or destroyed. My mom's 2004 Toyota Sienna was a theft recovery. Vehicle was scratched up here and there but the entire interior was gutted for its carpet, VIN plates, and seats. We bought it because our family knew the owner of the wrecker and made sure it was rebuilt accordingly. Helps that my dad is in the auto repair business as well. Some good deals can be had but ultimately - buyer beware. I cannot stress that enough. Do your homework! :)

Just thought I'd give you guys an update.

I purchased a car fax report of the vehicle and found out it originated from Washington, but no where specifically, did it declare the vehicle as "Stolen", just a Rebuilt status (refer to attachment).

I did some further searching on the net to find out exactly which states declare vehicles as rebuilt if the car is stolen, and all I could find were:

"Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, and Oregon. " - Understand Used Car Salvage Titles

Nevertheless, although the price of the vehicle is "slightly" cheaper than what's out in the market, the vehicle would be extremely difficult to sell if it's engraved with a rebuilt status anyways...

Craigslist Ad here:
2004 Infinity G35

VIN:
JNKCV54E84M300643

IMO, Anything with a "Rebuilt" status from a used car dealership is never a good idea.

I've worked on tons of rebuilt cars, had friends that rebuilt cars for resale and haven't seen one that's in tip top shape. Most dealers that rebuild cars for resale do so trying to save as much money as possible. Afterall, the end result is profit. Not saying every rebuilt is crap, but in my experience every rebuilt we've encountered has never been good. On the surface looks mint, once you get up close and look into the engine bay and wiring is where you see all the flaws.

I'd probably only buy a rebuild title car if it was a project car or track car. Even that still would be iffy.


It wouldn't be worth the hassle to me if it's only a few thousand cheaper, because in the end it'll end up costing you more.