# Would You Buy This Rebuilt Title Jeep? **URL:** \ **Category:** Buying/Selling\ **Tags:** jeep\ **Created:** [February 21, 2023, 2:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253 "2023-02-21T02:22:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kit\_the\_car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d6d6ee/32.png) [@kit\_the\_car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kit_the_car)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 2:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/1 "2023-02-21T02:22:05Z")
I’m in the market for a new family car. Normally, I’d steer clear of anything that has a history of wrecks. But I ran across a “_rebuilt title_” offer today that caught my eye. It’s a 2017 Jeep Compas with only 32,000+ miles on it (they’re asking about $13,000 for it). The problem is, it was side swiped and the door panels and front fender were damaged. I talked to the dealer, they said they don’t take any vehicles with major frame damage or air bag deployment. And my insurance will fully cover rebuilt title vehicles as well. With only 32,000 miles on it, I’m tempted to take a chance on this just being cosmetic damage. But what is everyone else opinion? Here are the before and after images: ![2](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/f/2/f2a394d01bc04f980020bb558d82cb7aa0efbc91.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 2:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/2 "2023-02-21T02:23:56Z")
Jeep Patriots don’t have the best reputation for reliability in the first place. Buying one with a salvage/rebuilt title would be a crapshoot. Plus…I would never recommend any kind of Jeep as a “family vehicle”. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/3 "2023-02-21T02:29:02Z")
> [@kit\_the\_car](#): > > I’m tempted to take a chance on this just being cosmetic damage. You need to ask yourself, “Why would an insurance company total a 5 year old car with just cosmetic damage”? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 2:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/4 "2023-02-21T02:33:00Z")
I wouldn’t recommend the Jeep Compass even if it wasn’t a salvage title. For these reasons… > **[2017 Jeep Compass problems](https://m.carcomplaints.com/Jeep/Compass/2017/)** > > The 2017 Jeep Compass has 324 problems & defects reported by Compass owners. The worst complaints are engine, electrical, and accessories - interior problems. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 2:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/5 "2023-02-21T02:35:18Z")
Are you sure that you can get Collision and Comprehensive? Most insurers will only put Liability on a rebuilt vehicle. I say Pass . ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 2:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/6 "2023-02-21T02:52:13Z")
Nope nope nope. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 4:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/7 "2023-02-21T04:18:21Z")
Bolt on body panels like fenders and doors wouldn bother me if the work was quality, but Chrysler has pretty much ruined the Jeep brand, especially compass, so yeah pass. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 5:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/8 "2023-02-21T05:11:03Z")
Over the years of doing this I have seen some scary crap work done on rebuilt vehicles… Now this is in Tennessee only and I am not versed in any other state or that states laws on rebuilt vehicles, so take it as you will… But I have seen core supports ape welded on that looked like some 3 year old kid for the 1st time unsupervised forgetting to turn the gas on weld it together… NOT safe… Had one vehicle from a used car lot brought it in that when we raised the vehicle on the 2 post lift the rear subframe stayed on the ground… They have been patched back together with wrong parts that you would have a nightmare trying to figure out what to buy for replacement later on… bent sub frames, bent frames etc so when you put it on the alignment rack it was out too far to adjust and would eat the tires, plus just plain not safe… When an Ins company totals a vehicle that means that it would cost them about 70 to 80% of the total cost of the vehicle to repair… Plus I have seen what customers have gone through after buying one and being stuck with them and it is not a safe for them and their family… Now I have also seen some that I couldn’t see why they were totaled either sooo basically I always recommend running away from any rebuilt vehicles just to be safe and not sorry… ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 5:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/9 "2023-02-21T05:54:35Z")
You would not believe how badly a body shop will screw up when they put a car back together until you own the car. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 6:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/10 "2023-02-21T06:08:44Z")
> [@bing](#): > > but Chrysler has pretty much ruined the Jeep brand Completely different market in the Southwest, lots of $40,000 Wranglers, $60,000 Gladiators and Grand Cherokees on the roads. Failure? ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 1:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/11 "2023-02-21T13:33:27Z")
I would not buy it. The salvage title alone would keep me away. If you are interested in it, take it to a shop you trust for a prepurchase inspection, especially the body. Make sure they test the alignment since frame damage might be incurable. ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 1:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/12 "2023-02-21T13:46:07Z")
Another vote for “keep looking”. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/13 "2023-02-21T14:38:06Z")
For me, only Jeeps made by AMC, Willys, or Kaiser. If AMC preferably 1972 or older. CJ5 or Utility Wagon, CJ5s can almost be built new from the ground up with aftermarket parts. Utility wagon shares some parts but would need a donor vehicle on hand. Plus stroker sixes are available! Categorize this as another fantasy build. ---
**Author:** ![TheWonderful90s](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thewonderful90s/32/29584_2.png) [@TheWonderful90s](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheWonderful90s)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 7:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/14 "2023-02-21T19:54:14Z")
If the alignment is good, and the door opens and closes properly, an you don’t see any problem, then there shouldn’t be an issue. The place where the door hinges mount to could be a little bent. Make sure the paint was reapplied properly if that area was fixed. Open the hood and check for damage to the front of the upper fender support. Was it properly painted if it was bent back? Are you in a place with road salt? Bad paint will allow rust. But with A Chrysler it’ll rust anyway wont it? The body shop might total it because the front of the upper fender support is bent. Their policy is to restore it to original condition, even if it doesn’t really matter if it’s bent a little bit. Tho door hing attachment points might be bent. But who cares if it works. ---
**Author:** ![Beancounter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/59ef9b/32.png) [@Beancounter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beancounter)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/15 "2023-02-21T22:38:12Z")
My neighbor just sold a 2014 Honda Civic with high mileage and a few dents for about $3,000, “What a great deal”. What I’m sure the Seller didn’t disclose is that said vehicle was used primarily as an Uber vehicle, maintenance was limited to quicky oil changes and it was run until it wouldn’t, with a transmission fluid leak. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is f ---
**Author:** ![kit\_the\_car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d6d6ee/32.png) [@kit\_the\_car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kit_the_car)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 8:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-buy-this-rebuilt-title-jeep/189253/16 "2023-02-26T20:27:35Z")
Great info all! I decided to keep looking, as this is a family car and I really don’t wanna take any chances. Appreciate the help!