Rebuilt & Branded Title Vehicles vs. Clean Title Vehicles in Utah

Whether you’re shopping for a used car in Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, Sandy, Millcreek, Murray, Holladay, West Valley City, or anywhere across the Wasatch Front, you may find vehicles listed with rebuilt or branded titles. In fact, nearly half of all used vehicles on the road have rebuilt/branded titles. These vehicles often sell at a discount — but the risks are serious. At Mark Miller Subaru, with locations in Salt Lake City and Sandy, we want Utah drivers to understand exactly what rebuilt and branded titles mean before considering one.

This guide explains rebuilt vs clean titles, hidden repair risks, insurance limitations, service restrictions, and why clean-title vehicles remain the safest and most reliable choice for most Utah shoppers.

 

What Is a Clean Title?

A clean title means a vehicle has never been declared a total loss and has never experienced major structural, flood, fire, or theft-recovery damage. Clean-title vehicles offer:

• Higher long-term reliability
• Full insurance options
• Better financing approval
• Higher resale value
• Better compatibility with Subaru OEM parts and diagnostics

Nearly all Subaru Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles begin with clean titles.

Shop Subaru Certified Pre-Owned

 

What Are Rebuilt or Branded Titles?

A branded title indicates the vehicle has experienced a major event in its history — one significant enough that the state permanently marks the title. Examples include:

• Total-loss collision damage
• Flood or water intrusion
• Fire damage
• Theft recovery
• Hail damage
• Lemon law buyback
• Odometer rollback

A rebuilt title is a subtype of branded titles. It means the car was once declared a total loss (salvage), then repaired, inspected, and allowed back on the road.

 

Why Rebuilt Titles Are Especially Risky

Unlike Subaru factory-built standards, rebuilt title vehicles are typically repaired by private sellers or body shops with unknown expertise. This means:

• Aftermarket or low-cost parts are commonly used
• Structural repairs may not meet OEM specifications
• Airbag and sensor systems may not function correctly
• Electrical and safety systems (including Subaru EyeSight®) may be compromised
• Hidden damage is often unfixable or undetectable during inspections
• Past repairs may not be documented, making future repairs unpredictable

Even when a rebuilt car “looks good,” the internal structure may never be the same.

 

Rebuilt Titles Cost More to Repair — Here’s Why

At Mark Miller Subaru, our standard labor rate for clean-title vehicles is:

$180 per hour (Including 1-year/10,000 Mile Warranty)

However, due to the unpredictable nature of rebuilt/branded title vehicles, the labor rate for those cars is:

$360 per hour (No Warranty Included)

 

Why Is the Rate Higher?

• Diagnostics take significantly longer
• Aftermarket parts often don’t fit or integrate properly
• Electrical issues are harder to trace
• Safety systems require deep recalibration
• Previous repairs (unknown quality) complicate current repairs

 

No Warranty on Rebuilt Title Repairs

Due to the unpredictable and undocumented nature of rebuilt vehicles, Mark Miller Subaru cannot offer warranty coverage on any repairs performed on rebuilt or branded title cars.

This is to protect our customers — and because rebuilt vehicle damage cannot be fully guaranteed or validated.

 

Rebuilt vs Clean Title: Comparison for Utah Drivers

Real-World Resale Value Example

To see how much a rebuilt or salvage title can impact value, here’s a recent real-world example from Mark Miller Subaru:

• Vehicle: 2020 Subaru Outback Touring XT
• Estimated clean-title trade-in value: $21,525
• Actual trade-in value with salvage title: $8,500

Even though this Outback was the same year, model, and trim, the branded/salvage title reduced its trade-in value by almost two-thirds. This is one of the biggest reasons we recommend Utah drivers choose a clean-title vehicle whenever possible.

 

Should You Buy a Rebuilt or Branded Title Car in Utah?

While the lower price point is tempting, rebuilt and branded title vehicles carry long-term risks that most drivers cannot fully predict. In Utah, where weather, elevation, and road conditions add stress to vehicles, a clean-title car offers:

• More reliability
• Lower service costs
• Better resale value
• Full Subaru safety system compatibility
• Peace of mind

For most shoppers across Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, Sandy, and the greater Wasatch Front, a clean-title Subaru is the safest long-term choice.

Browse Clean-Title Used Vehicles

 

Mark Miller Subaru — Serving All Utah Drivers

Whether you're shopping in Salt Lake City, Sandy, Murray, Millcreek, West Jordan, or West Valley City, both Mark Miller Subaru Midtown and Mark Miller Subaru South Towne are here to help you make a confident, informed decision about your next vehicle.

Have questions about rebuilt, branded, or clean title vehicles? Contact Mark Miller Subaru — we’re here to help.