Here is a good technical document from Idaho Transportation Dept on what constitutes a BRANDED TITLE
I have had several vehicles with Branded/Rebuilt Titles. Here are my thoughts:
- GOOD VALUE – the cars are typically priced 10% to 15% less than a similar non-branded title vehicle.
- In most cases, I have not noticed differences between the Branded Title vehicle and what I would expect from any other used vehicle — with some notable exceptions.
- On one of the Branded Title cars I owned, one of the doors “stuck” a little. It always opened and closed fine, but you could just tell there was something “off” about it – I had to tug on the handle a little to get it to open. It was a rear door that I seldom used, so it didn’t really bother me.
- I had a Branded Title pickup a couple decades ago. There was a little wind noise that was noticeable at high speeds. I think that the windshield did not mate up perfectly to the frame – thus causing a “whistling” in some conditions.
The benefit of LEASING a vehicle that has a Branded Title is that you are not stuck with it if you find some annoyances that you don’t want to cope with long term. But, honestly the same can be said of a Clean Title vehicle. There are very few used or even new vehicles that satisfy forever. All vehicles have nuances – whether it is headroom, or placement of volume controls for the radio or ease of reaching the back seat to help children. Nothing is perfect. So, LEASE until you feel comfortable with the nuances 🙂