Cat C Question

[whitey83]

Looking for a bit of advice please.

As far as I understood a Cat C Vehicle requires a VIC check before it is allowed back on the road and issued with a V5.

I'm looking at a van which is a cat C and was repaired 4 months ago. It's back on the road and has never had a vic check. However the person has the V5 document in their name and surely the DVLA wouldn't have issued this to him if it needed a VIC check. He says it does not apply to commercial vehicles.

The person work for the manufacturer of the van and is also an MOT tester (van is less than 3 years old and doesn't require an MOT) so I know he is not just a trader trying to lie to me for a quick sale. He has had the van for a good few months and was intending to keep it so has repaired it fantastically (main cost / damage was airbags and ecus).

I'm more than happy with the van, it's history and the repair work, I just wanted to double check that what I've been told is true.

The car is booked in for an MOT tomorrow just so I can get a good look underneath it and the MOT tester can confirm it's all fine and roadworthy. Also I'd assume the MOT tester wouldn't issue an MOT if his(or her) computer system showed it shouldn't be on the road yet.

Thanks

[Cat]

You can check with the DVLA if a vehicle requires a VIC (either on-line or by phone). Details in the link:-

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSell...

Cat

[whitey83]

Thanks. I phoned the dvla. For anyone that's interested it's the insurance company that decide if the vehicle has to be vic checked or not.

Ta

[saaby93]

whitey83 said:

Thanks. I phoned the dvla. For anyone that's interested it's the insurance company that decide if the vehicle has to be vic checked or not.
Ta

learn something new everyday
I thought if the insurance co had said cat c, dvla/vosa would want it inspecting before going back on the road.

So as previously said cat c/d is nothing to do with the extent of the damage and whther or not it's repairable, it's only on how much they thought it would cost to fix, if they could be bothered

[grinnall_turbo]

Only cars need a vic check, motorcycles, vans, hgvs, all exempt. Can mot a cat c before vic so legal to drive to your local vosa site with no tax but in a road legal condition.

[whitey83]

saaby93 said:

whitey83 said:

Thanks. I phoned the dvla. For anyone that's interested it's the insurance company that decide if the vehicle has to be vic checked or not.
Ta

learn something new everyday
I thought if the insurance co had said cat c, dvla/vosa would want it inspecting before going back on the road.

So as previously said cat c/d is nothing to do with the extent of the damage and whther or not it's repairable, it's only on how much they thought it would cost to fix, if they could be bothered

Yeah it's the cost to fix but obvioulsy can also include the cost of hire cars etc as this can make it very expensive if the repair is not too expensive but can take a while to fix. The higher the cost I think the higher the category - well with cat c and d anyway.

Bought the van. It's had a wing, door, indoor door bit where hings bolt on to, some airbags, seatbelts, and ecus. No new suspension or anything so clearly hasn't been in a big smash.

Was around half the price of a non cat C van and it's only had the door and wing painted. It's less than 2 years old so still has warranty etc. Got a great deal.

[Noger]

Cat D is just a bucket for anything repairable if the answer to "does the cost of repair exceeds the pre accident value" is "No" and it was still a Total Loss.

You can't infer anything from it (other than it was repairable i.e. not A or B). Although most are the hire charges etc pushing it over the edge. It could be the customer paying extra to have it TLed or the MDs car ....