Is a branded title an automatic deal breaker?

Genevieve

CPST Instructor
I found my dream van that is well within our price range. Bad news? It has a branded title. I don't know exactly what that means. Is that the same as a salvage title?

Owner says it was in a minor accident on the front drivers side. Airbags did not deploy and everything was professionally restored. I know nothing about repairing vehicles after an accident or how minor accidents affect the safety and structure of a car.

Should I write this van off? It has very low miles and the features that I want. I just don't know about the branded title thing.
 
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daniele_ut

New member
I don't know for sure, but we are wondering the same thing. Dh is looking for a new-to-us car right now. A friend of ours has bought 4 salvage title vehicles for his kids from the same body work/mechanic shop and has had great luck with them. He had no problems insuring them, and I'm pretty sure he financed a few of them.
 

trippsmom

CPST Instructor
I bought my f-150 10 years ago with low miles and a salvage title. It was totaled, but rebuilt. It is still kickin at the ripe old age of 16. We rarely drive it anymore and it hasn't had any real issues other than having a new timing chain and the shop blew my engine because they messed up.
 

TXDani

Senior Community Member
I personally would never buy one...ever. You just don't know if it was fixed right and more importantly how it will hold up if it gets in another accident.

Sent from my iPad using Car-Seat.Org
 

Melanie

New member
It's the same as a salvage title. It really depends on what happened to it and if it was fixed properly. When we were looking for a car for DD1 we came across several with salvaged titles and actually considered some. A lot of older cars get totaled for minor bumps or even hail damage. For me to be comfortable with a salvaged/branded car I would need to be able to verify crash details and who/where it was repaired. If someone had proof of repairs done at someplace I trusted, like a dealership, I would've been ok with it. A big problem with any car that's been crashed is the airbags. They're expensive and unscrupulous places might not replace them. And of course you don't know until you need them and they don't deploy.
 

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