Cat Ds. Bargains or Bangers?
Discussion
I know the stock answer to this one is "avoid at all costs etc." But I've heard stories of cars being written off (especially older ones) with just damage to the clams, because of the ridiculous price of them not to mention labour, paint etc.
Wouldn't a car with a sound chassis/suspension thats had just clam damage, sitting on the hpi register be a bargain waiting to be snapped up?
I think the main problem with Cat Ds is that they've all been tarred with the same cut-and-shut brush and makes the car hard to sell on.
Any thoughts?
Wouldn't a car with a sound chassis/suspension thats had just clam damage, sitting on the hpi register be a bargain waiting to be snapped up?
I think the main problem with Cat Ds is that they've all been tarred with the same cut-and-shut brush and makes the car hard to sell on.
Any thoughts?
Before i knew anything about elises i wouldn't have touched a Cat D - but now I know a little more (not exactly an expert) i wouldnt hesitate in going to have a look.
You are going to struggle to sell it on but if you can take that into account with the price you pay then its always worth a look.
They're are going to be a hardcore bunch of 'wouldn't touch it with a barge pole' but the majority of these people prob. dont know much about these cars and find it easy to pass it off just because it has the Cat D cut and shut stigma attached.
I haven't had one before but wouldn't be put off if it had the right history and accurate details of the accident
You are going to struggle to sell it on but if you can take that into account with the price you pay then its always worth a look.
They're are going to be a hardcore bunch of 'wouldn't touch it with a barge pole' but the majority of these people prob. dont know much about these cars and find it easy to pass it off just because it has the Cat D cut and shut stigma attached.
I haven't had one before but wouldn't be put off if it had the right history and accurate details of the accident
Hi Guy's
I agree I think you've got to pop along and take a look at the car and make your own mind up, as long as you get the car inspected by a specialist I can't see the problem with it, well apart from the re-sale value but if you've brought it cheap you can afford to sell it cheap
Boggy
I agree I think you've got to pop along and take a look at the car and make your own mind up, as long as you get the car inspected by a specialist I can't see the problem with it, well apart from the re-sale value but if you've brought it cheap you can afford to sell it cheap
Boggy
ta for the opinions guys. It would be interested to take a never crashed example and a cat D example and stick one of these boys in both to see if they can tell which is the one "that will never be the same again"! 
I did a similiar thing with a friend and a can of Irn-Bru and Diet Irn-Bru. He "hated" the latter but got them mixed up on the taste test.
I did a similiar thing with a friend and a can of Irn-Bru and Diet Irn-Bru. He "hated" the latter but got them mixed up on the taste test.
Unfortumatley, the CAT system does not work well for cars like the Elise.
I have seen some un-listed cars that have had some horrendus repairs made to them then sold on to some poor unsuspectine punter, and on the other hand I have seen a few CAT B cars with zero mechanical damage.
Cat C/D's seem to cover everything from total sheds to some very nice cars.
it's really not worth reliying on them for anything more than percived value.
If your looking at buying *any* car, you *need* to know what to look for, the Elise is a little different as clam damage is meaningless, it's the chassis that you need to look at, fortunatly it's quite easy to see all the important bits.
get to look at a clear un-bent one first then you will easily spot the differences.
pay particular attention to the front suspension mounting points, the top wishbone ones are the first to get any damage in a front corner smash and *any* repair is bad news, the same goes for the chassis just ahead of the rear wheels.
There are some real horror stories out there, so be carefull....
I have seen some un-listed cars that have had some horrendus repairs made to them then sold on to some poor unsuspectine punter, and on the other hand I have seen a few CAT B cars with zero mechanical damage.
Cat C/D's seem to cover everything from total sheds to some very nice cars.
it's really not worth reliying on them for anything more than percived value.
If your looking at buying *any* car, you *need* to know what to look for, the Elise is a little different as clam damage is meaningless, it's the chassis that you need to look at, fortunatly it's quite easy to see all the important bits.
get to look at a clear un-bent one first then you will easily spot the differences.
pay particular attention to the front suspension mounting points, the top wishbone ones are the first to get any damage in a front corner smash and *any* repair is bad news, the same goes for the chassis just ahead of the rear wheels.
There are some real horror stories out there, so be carefull....
Hi as regards cat C/D damage cars it is my experience that these cars will want new body tubs as there is no acceptable repair for any damage to main tub.
Cars just wanting clam and bit of suspension would not get written off,we repair these cars every day (approx 12 to repair when we finished dec 24 possibly more after the bit of snow)and it has not been my experience to see one written off for clam damage.
Another point is that the good salvage that is about is usually bought direct off insurance co or salvage dealer has list of people wanting to buy these cars so if its advertised then my guess is that its worse than claimed.
We have also had to repair other cars that have been repaired before,beleve me there is some dodgy repairs out there.
Better of buying one that wants trim work or bit of mechanical (which is quite a lot of early cars).
Thats my opinion for what its worth .
Cars just wanting clam and bit of suspension would not get written off,we repair these cars every day (approx 12 to repair when we finished dec 24 possibly more after the bit of snow)and it has not been my experience to see one written off for clam damage.
Another point is that the good salvage that is about is usually bought direct off insurance co or salvage dealer has list of people wanting to buy these cars so if its advertised then my guess is that its worse than claimed.
We have also had to repair other cars that have been repaired before,beleve me there is some dodgy repairs out there.
Better of buying one that wants trim work or bit of mechanical (which is quite a lot of early cars).
Thats my opinion for what its worth .
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