Cars with rebuilt titles do tend to have lower values than similar vehicles with clean titles would: Kelley Blue Book suggests deducting 20% to 40% of the value for a salvage-title car, which translates into lower asking prices once the vehicle has been rebuilt.

Cars with rebuilt titles have typically been declared total losses by an insurance company and then repaired for resale. A car with a rebuilt title should sell for considerably less than a similar model with a "clean" title. Having a rebuilt title can also make a car more difficult to insure.

A salvaged, reconstructed or otherwise “clouded” title has a permanent negative effect on the value of a vehicle. The industry rule of thumb is to deduct 20% to 40% of the Blue Book® Value, but salvage title vehicles really should be privately appraised on a case-by-case basis in order to determine their market value.

If on your used car search you come across a branded car title, there are some things you should understand before buying the vehicle. A branded title means that the car has had some type of issue previously. A rebranded car could have previously had a salvage title that was reinstated or now listed as 'rebuilt.