Is it safe to buy a vehicle that has rebuilt status

This is a gamble at best. Like GA says I once new a guy who "rebuilt" cars. He had no problem welding broken suspension pieces back together.

My 2002 Mazda Miata is a rebuilder. Wasn't hit hard and the mechanicals were not fixed quite right, but it was an easy fix for me. A car with a rebuilt or salvage title must be looked at by someone that knows what they are doing. A properly rebuilt vehicle can be an excellent value, but they are difficult to sell and their value will be much less compared to a normal unmolested vehicle. Avoid flood cars, especially one that is flooded with ocean salt water,

If it's an older model it might be worth a look. Insurance companies are quick to total an older model to get them off the road. But if it's a newer model I would say no, don't consider it. A lot of damage has to be done for an insurance company to total a newer vehicle and chances are it'll never be right again. But either way, it should be carefully inspected before you decide to buy. Hope that helps! Jim

If you know the exact damage a salvage car could be just fine. Like Js says an older car could be totaled for a small dent.