REBUILT TITLE...worth it?

[A-to-the-J]

so i have a dilemma as i am searching for a supra...i need it as soon as possible as i start school on monday and ive paid a chunk of my tuition and a few bills and am left with about $750..i straight up screwed myself...but i was able to find a couple of supras for sale...

one is a 5-speed yellow 87T w/ 175k miles..targa..tems..abs...but the catch is its a rebuilt title...funny thing is its sitting at a dealership waiting for the title to come back....but the owner is willing to buy the car back and sell it to me for what the dealership paid him for it...$700..before i checked out the carfax it looked fine...ran fine...well..it ran damn good...there is just a small dent in the drivers door...thats one

the other one has a clean title...an auto red 88 hardtop w/ 200k miles...no abs...no tems..just a base model...catch is...the interior is shot (or so he says) the front fenders are dented up and so is the front bumper....he uses it as his DD...selling it for $500....

question is: is it worth buying the rebuilt title supra? or should i buy the clean title supra? any help is appreciated...please no flaming..
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the carfax on the rebuilt one said:

Total Loss Check - Severe Accident or Total Loss Event Reported by a DMV. Severe damage events were reported by a DMV for this 1987 TOYOTA SUPRA W-SPORT ROOF (JT2MA71J2H0061322).

BUT

This 1987 TOYOTA SUPRA W-SPORT ROOF (JT2MA71J2H0061322) had no accident indicators reported to CARFAX from its sources. This section checks for accidents and/or related damage reported from many public and private sources. Not all accidents are reported to CARFAX. A vehicle inspection completed by your dealer or professional mechanic is recommended.

 

[mpspam]

The total loss might have been from flood damage... The car may look fine, but might have a host of problems waiting to pop up. However, I have a truck that has a rebuilt title. It was a total loss, and a body shop bought it, fixed it and sold it to me. Been driving it for 6 years almost every day. 70000 miles later, its fine. I had some small electrical problems on it, and the exhaust broke lose one day, but other than that, it's been good. It was worth the discount (at the time I saved between 3-4K). If you are handy, and think you can handle it, I'd say go for it, but that's just me. I am probably missing some angles here that some others may point out. I just hope that if you're buying a car that cheap you will have signifigant income in the near future to do any maintenence that pops up. Its an old car, it'll need it, as I am learning with my 88. :aigo:

 

[A-to-the-J]

well..im getting all the info on the car from the dealership tomrrow...keeping my fingers crossed on it...but i dont mind having an auto n/a for awhile

 

[Steve_N]

I would check into the 87 with the salvege title. It dosent take alot of damage on a 19 yr old car for an ins co to make it a total loss. Get the car checked out by a mechenic & check the normal stuff. Remember to get a salvege/rebuilt title the car has to be road worthy & pass state inspection so thats kind of a plus. Also you said that it drives good, runs good, & looks good, 3 more +'s. On the 88 you will be spending a few hundred dollers to get the exterier looking good & another several hundred to restore the interior. Don't get hung up on the rebuilt title. Look at each car for what it is & remember with any 19 yr old car you are going to have frequent maintenece expenses. However with the info you provided the 87 w/rebuilt titel would be the my choice.

 

[IJ.]

Probably a really BAD idea spending all your available cash on a Mk3 as it will need work....

 

[A-to-the-J]

if i dont get a car i wont be able to go to college! and dont worry...since im going into nursing..in about a year ill be an LVN...so ill be making decent money to REALLY fix it up when im out of school...lol..well yea...ive been in love and addicted to supras for the longest time now...and i need a DD for school...so why not a supra? ill take care and maintenance it whenever i can...i LOVE that car! anyway...guess ill think twice and take a LONG good look at the rebuilt title one...but theres always that "what if"...i guess ill take the 88 as a last resort....

 

[IJ.]

A Supra @ $700 isn't going to be a good DD these cars have "issues"

Go grab something that's known to be reliable and give the Supra a miss for the first year.

 

[supraman7mgte]

^ tru dat! you might be getting into alot of problems there,like an eventual BHG! a Supra is not known to leave your bank account intact,regardless of condition! i would suggest is to get a little 4 banger,tercel,civic or whatever,and use that to putty back and forth to school. they are small,and easy to work on,and get better mpg than the Supra. then when you are a lvn,you could save your money and then blow your wad on a turbo/targa/5 speed IMO

 

[s383mmber1]

A Supra @ $700 isn't going to be a good DD these cars have "issues"

Go grab something that's known to be reliable and give the Supra a miss for the first year.

dont rush into buying a supra, if youve only got 750 bucks, and your supra has to work, :biglaugh: , dont buy one. Buy a reliable car, and save for a supra.

you wont regret yourself.

 

[gixxer750]

I don't know, my 86.5 DD is really reliable. I haven't had to do anything at all to it yet. It looks pretty rough, but runs great. Guy just didn't know what he had.

Have them check it out, sometimes you find a really good deal

 

[GrimJack]

I'm with IJ.

As for rebuilt titles in general, I find they only thing they affect is resale value. I never resell my cars, so I don't care. The one caveat is that they must have been rebuilt properly.