Class A with Rebuilt title

This probably does not apply to motorhomes, but I have a close friend that owns a great body shop. He once told me insurance companies often total a vehicle because it cannot be economically repaired properly to still meet the original safety standards. He showed me where a cut, weld, brace or gusset in the wrong place may make for a cheap repair that cannot be detected once painted, but could fail in a crash, causing significant injury or worse. Injuries can be far more expensive to an insurance company than replacing a vehicle. He said this was like installing the cover over the airbag in your steering wheel, but not installing the airbag. My concern would be if the motor home had been wrecked, how much did the frame flex & twist and what did they have to do to get it back aligned. I would want to see before repair pics. Flood or water damage is an entirely different can of worms.

Since you're on here asking, it sounds like the price is too tempting to pass up and you're looking for some validation to buy. Well.....good luck....remember the old saying, if it's to good to be true, it probably is.

You'll regret ever paying a dollar for it and the seller will laugh all the way to the bank!

Years ago my father rebuilt a wrecked TT with a salvage title. Cheap purchase, to rebuilt, and then see if his family liked camping. After camping was a big YES, sold it, bought a holiday TT, and few years traded for a Airsteam. So for the ?,
depends on You, Price, Your objective, and Alternatives for your next purchase.

My current class A has a rebuilt title,my 2001 ford truck has a rebuilt title.

If you can inspect vehicle before repairs are made and actually see the damage than I personally see no problems,purchasing one that had already been repaired is a shot in the dark .
you have really no way of knowing what actual damages were and have proper repairs been made or simply covered up.

If the coach was involved in wreck than repairs is as simply as repair/replace damaged part/s. BUT,, take if from someone who's been there,, ifs its water damage check unit closely .

If the problem was a roof look than it can be worked with if it is a flood vehicle RUN as fast as you can.Problems can show up with "water dogs, local terminology" that will always require attention . as soon as one thing is fixed something else will break.

My local bank will only loan 1/2 of nada on a rebuilt title but insurance company has no problems covering mine.

Without before pictures it's run, run, run. There's a good possibility it went through Copart so by doing a Google search with the vin number you may be able to find before pictures. If you buy it you need to plan on keeping it a very long time as it will be hard to sell.

PatrickA51 wrote:

stargirl96 wrote:
I need some information about buying a motorhome with a rebuilt title. The one we're going out to inspect had a salvage title as a result of a serious accident and has been repaired so it now has a rebuilt title. I'm suspicious it may have had water damage. So much of the vehicle has been repaired or replaced, but no frame damage. My inclination is to bypass this one, but I am curious if a vehicle that has water damage but has been repaired will ever be a safe one.

In California if you submit a title with Salvage on it you will never get a clear Title. Can you say "Run Forest Run!" even if it's only water damage you will never be able to get what it might be worth ifand if you wanted to trade it in on a newer RV I doubt you will ever be able to get a dealer to take it. Good luck but bottom line is Run and
Run as fast as you can. JMHO

Patrick has the "run" part right.

In general, a car that has a rebuilt title will be about half price of it's un-wrecked counterpart. To me, there are just too many things involved with a motorhome to ever make it 'good as new' once it's been totaled out. There was a reason it was totaled and now with a salvaged title, is going to be hard to sell.

What kind of motorhome is it and how much are they asking?

Good luck,
MM.

Moved from Class C.

Before you do anything, check with your insurance agent. See if they will insure a vehicle with a salvage title.

I have heard that, at least some, insurance companies will not issue a policy for that type vehicle.
But, I have no personal experience.

Walk away. There are plenty of decent used Class A units available.

stargirl96 wrote:
I need some information about buying a motorhome with a rebuilt title. The one we're going out to inspect had a salvage title as a result of a serious accident and has been repaired so it now has a rebuilt title. I'm suspicious it may have had water damage. So much of the vehicle has been repaired or replaced, but no frame damage. My inclination is to bypass this one, but I am curious if a vehicle that has water damage but has been repaired will ever be a safe one.

In California if you submit a title with Salvage on it you will never get a clear Title. Can you say "Run Forest Run!" even if it's only water damage you will never be able to get what it might be worth ifand if you wanted to trade it in on a newer RV I doubt you will ever be able to get a dealer to take it. Good luck but bottom line is Run and
Run as fast as you can. JMHO