Would you buy a cat-d car??
Discussion
This one made me laugh.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...
7 week old Kia written off for light front end damage!
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...
7 week old Kia written off for light front end damage!
Been done to death on here before, but I'll give my standard answer:
I wouldn't if it was a mid-priced ordinary car.
If it was something very specialist or if it's down in run-it-to-death bangernomics territory and I knew the repairs were minimal and well done then, potentially, yes.
I've actually owned two cat-D cars. One was quite an ordinary car, which I only found out about after I'd bought it and lost quite a lot of money on. The other was a relatively rare TVR with well-documented cosmetic-only damage and a very thurough rebuild that resulted in it being better than virtually any of the original examples were fifteen years down the line. That I had a great time owning and sold to the first person who called for the same price I bought it for...
The moral of the story? It can be costly, but go in with your eyes open on the right type of car and it can make a lot of sense.
I wouldn't if it was a mid-priced ordinary car.
If it was something very specialist or if it's down in run-it-to-death bangernomics territory and I knew the repairs were minimal and well done then, potentially, yes.
I've actually owned two cat-D cars. One was quite an ordinary car, which I only found out about after I'd bought it and lost quite a lot of money on. The other was a relatively rare TVR with well-documented cosmetic-only damage and a very thurough rebuild that resulted in it being better than virtually any of the original examples were fifteen years down the line. That I had a great time owning and sold to the first person who called for the same price I bought it for...
The moral of the story? It can be costly, but go in with your eyes open on the right type of car and it can make a lot of sense.
Edited by Chris71 on Wednesday 15th September 13:33
Quinny said:
Evil.soup said:
Now a cat-d car has to go through a detailed inspection to be identified as fit for use once again so as it goes it is certainly a better purchase than the repaired/non-recorded car.
Cat D requires no inspection whatsoever
Cat C "can" require an ID check
cmackay81 said:
with the budget you are talking about i wouldn't.
i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
I have to disagree with this. The instant you purchase a cat-d car you dont lose thousands of pounds and i could buy one this week and sell it next week at the same price. Its been said a few times now but i dont understand where people are coming from when they say "its only worth it if you are going to run it to its death".i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
The loss has already been applied to the car and doesnt get added on everytime you sell the car. You buy a bargain at eg 20% below market value and sell the same car at 20% below market value weather its next week or in 5 years time!!
Evil.soup said:
cmackay81 said:
with the budget you are talking about i wouldn't.
i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
I have to disagree with this. The instant you purchase a cat-d car you dont lose thousands of pounds and i could buy one this week and sell it next week at the same price. Its been said a few times now but i dont understand where people are coming from when they say "its only worth it if you are going to run it to its death".i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
The loss has already been applied to the car and doesnt get added on everytime you sell the car. You buy a bargain at eg 20% below market value and sell the same car at 20% below market value weather its next week or in 5 years time!!
Evil.soup said:
cmackay81 said:
with the budget you are talking about i wouldn't.
i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
I have to disagree with this. The instant you purchase a cat-d car you dont lose thousands of pounds and i could buy one this week and sell it next week at the same price. Its been said a few times now but i dont understand where people are coming from when they say "its only worth it if you are going to run it to its death".i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
The loss has already been applied to the car and doesnt get added on everytime you sell the car. You buy a bargain at eg 20% below market value and sell the same car at 20% below market value weather its next week or in 5 years time!!
reggie82 said:
Evil.soup said:
cmackay81 said:
with the budget you are talking about i wouldn't.
i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
I have to disagree with this. The instant you purchase a cat-d car you dont lose thousands of pounds and i could buy one this week and sell it next week at the same price. Its been said a few times now but i dont understand where people are coming from when they say "its only worth it if you are going to run it to its death".i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
The loss has already been applied to the car and doesnt get added on everytime you sell the car. You buy a bargain at eg 20% below market value and sell the same car at 20% below market value weather its next week or in 5 years time!!
reggie82 said:
Evil.soup said:
cmackay81 said:
with the budget you are talking about i wouldn't.
i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
I have to disagree with this. The instant you purchase a cat-d car you dont lose thousands of pounds and i could buy one this week and sell it next week at the same price. Its been said a few times now but i dont understand where people are coming from when they say "its only worth it if you are going to run it to its death".i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
The loss has already been applied to the car and doesnt get added on everytime you sell the car. You buy a bargain at eg 20% below market value and sell the same car at 20% below market value weather its next week or in 5 years time!!
andyps said:
reggie82 said:
Evil.soup said:
cmackay81 said:
with the budget you are talking about i wouldn't.
i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
I have to disagree with this. The instant you purchase a cat-d car you dont lose thousands of pounds and i could buy one this week and sell it next week at the same price. Its been said a few times now but i dont understand where people are coming from when they say "its only worth it if you are going to run it to its death".i would view buying a cat D car as buying a car you will have to run into the ground and will probably get only the scrap-metal value of. In all likelihood you won't be able to pass the car on for more than half of its "uncat-d'd" value
a £1-2000 car I would though, however I would be very very carefful that the repairs have all been done correctly.
The loss has already been applied to the car and doesnt get added on everytime you sell the car. You buy a bargain at eg 20% below market value and sell the same car at 20% below market value weather its next week or in 5 years time!!
I've recently looked at buying an Impreza WRX at a trader which stated car was CAT-D on the advert, which is fair enough. When i contacted they said it was a 'customers car' and not stock and seller had decided to sell it himself. I found the new advert buy the seller with no mention of it's CAT-D status, so decided to email him asking if it had ever been in an accident, to which he replied 'no'. I asked for the reg number for an Hpi check to which he also declined to give me! So there certainly is a stigma attached to selling a CAT-D.
Oh, and the car wasn't particularly cheap either, in fact it was actually overpriced!
Oh, and the car wasn't particularly cheap either, in fact it was actually overpriced!
on ramp said:
I've recently looked at buying an Impreza WRX at a trader which stated car was CAT-D on the advert, which is fair enough. When i contacted they said it was a 'customers car' and not stock and seller had decided to sell it himself. I found the new advert buy the seller with no mention of it's CAT-D status, so decided to email him asking if it had ever been in an accident, to which he replied 'no'. I asked for the reg number for an Hpi check to which he also declined to give me! So there certainly is a stigma attached to selling a CAT-D.
Oh, and the car wasn't particularly cheap either, in fact it was actually overpriced!
The seller's actions were close to fraud though, rather than relating to any stigma. It sounds like he was hoping for a customer who knew nothing about write-offs or hpi to come along and give him full rice for the car and then he would claim caveat emptor later. It is sellers like that who need to be avoided rather than cat-d cars!Oh, and the car wasn't particularly cheap either, in fact it was actually overpriced!
Yes.
It's a good way to get into some metal you might not otherwise be able to afford, or an opportunity to get a 'better'/higher spec model (911 Turbo on a C2 budget, Audi S3 on a 2.0Tdi budget etc etc).
Normal caveats apply; I'd need to be assured (both physically and via relevant paperwork) that all repairs were carried out correctly, and I'd want to pay significantly less than a non cat-D equivalent. Yes, it'll sell for less when the time comes, but if you've paid less in the first place, that won't be an issue.
I don't understand the attitude of dismissing cat-D out of hand; Seems a very naïve approach.
It's a good way to get into some metal you might not otherwise be able to afford, or an opportunity to get a 'better'/higher spec model (911 Turbo on a C2 budget, Audi S3 on a 2.0Tdi budget etc etc).
Normal caveats apply; I'd need to be assured (both physically and via relevant paperwork) that all repairs were carried out correctly, and I'd want to pay significantly less than a non cat-D equivalent. Yes, it'll sell for less when the time comes, but if you've paid less in the first place, that won't be an issue.
I don't understand the attitude of dismissing cat-D out of hand; Seems a very naïve approach.
My first 3 cars were all on the register.I bought them all from the scrap dealer when you could get cars at a decent price.
1st had minor rear end damage, that i had fixed and the car fully resprayed. I retained the original bootlid, and bumper, it was that light. Cost me £1100, was taken out 3 years later by someone jumping the lights, and insurance paid out close to a grand.
2nd and 3rd cars were both dash fires, virtually identical. Paid at the time around a grand for each one, and then roughly £100 for parts to fix each one. They were worth £2500 each. One was subsequently sold on to a friend 3 years later for what it cost me. The other was a project car, which was again written off by someone doing a uturn.
I wouldn't however buy some cars. I by-passed some Corrado's(mainly because they were priced the same as non cat D cars) and 911's. Simply because they would be a struggle to re-sell, regardless of how they are priced.
1st had minor rear end damage, that i had fixed and the car fully resprayed. I retained the original bootlid, and bumper, it was that light. Cost me £1100, was taken out 3 years later by someone jumping the lights, and insurance paid out close to a grand.
2nd and 3rd cars were both dash fires, virtually identical. Paid at the time around a grand for each one, and then roughly £100 for parts to fix each one. They were worth £2500 each. One was subsequently sold on to a friend 3 years later for what it cost me. The other was a project car, which was again written off by someone doing a uturn.
I wouldn't however buy some cars. I by-passed some Corrado's(mainly because they were priced the same as non cat D cars) and 911's. Simply because they would be a struggle to re-sell, regardless of how they are priced.
Bought many over the years but always buy them unrepaired and fix myself or organise the repair with someone I trust - I also always photographically document damage and subsequent repair process.
The variation in levels of damage that can be classified as CAT D is enormous and I therefore wouldn't touch a car that I didn't know the full story of.
The variation in levels of damage that can be classified as CAT D is enormous and I therefore wouldn't touch a car that I didn't know the full story of.
Quinny said:
BUT.... I asked the lad next door, if he "really" wanted his very first car to be on the register...
Once him and his mum understood the implications, they rightly in my opinion, said they'd rather not buy a Cat C or D...
What are the implications exactly? That you know the car has been damaged and repaired? How do you know the other cars they looked at haven't been damaged and repaired by the insurance company or owner? He buys at 20% less than the going rate and then sells some years later for 20% less than the going rate ergo losing less money in depreciation!Once him and his mum understood the implications, they rightly in my opinion, said they'd rather not buy a Cat C or D...
You even had chance to speak to the guys who repaired it - they can tell you what the damage was and put your mind at rest that it wasn't major chassis damage / perhaps supply pictures of the damaged state. So long as you can see the repair is good and you inspect the car thoroughly like you would any used car purchase then there's no problem.
My sister bought a new car some years ago and a year later it was damaged (diesel on road)- chassis alignment proved it was still straight but it did require complete front end, windscreen radiator front crossmember and engine mounts etc etc all done by the insurance co. If that same crash occurred now 5 years later the car would be written off, bought at auction, repaired and put back on the road. That car I would hypothesise be better than a previously undamaged one, due to fresh paint and new radiator likely to last longer.....
Edited by was8v on Thursday 16th September 12:27
Egbert Nobacon said:
The variation in levels of damage that can be classified as CAT D is enormous and I therefore wouldn't touch a car that I didn't know the full story of.
There also appears to be little distinction between what qualifies it as Cat C or Cat D. I've seen Cat C car with only panel damage to rear quarter, wing and bumper and I've seen Cat D cars requiring chassis straightening.
was8v said:
Egbert Nobacon said:
The variation in levels of damage that can be classified as CAT D is enormous and I therefore wouldn't touch a car that I didn't know the full story of.
There also appears to be little distinction between what qualifies it as Cat C or Cat D. I've seen Cat C car with only panel damage to rear quarter, wing and bumper and I've seen Cat D cars requiring chassis straightening.
I was previously under the impression that:
Cat C = Not economic repair.
Cat D = Economic repair, but it was decided against for other reasons.
but I now believe that both C & D are both non-economic.
All of you are that are saying "I wouldn't buy a car d because it has been damaged and repaired and I don't know the standard of repair or extent of damage etc"... How do YOU know your car hasn't been damaged and repaired?
As I previously mentioned in this thread I smashed up a Golf GTi (high value at the time) and it got repaired by my insurers and wasn't on any kind of register. And it was properly smashed, front end stoved right in, engine moved etc.
When I sold it on 3 years later no one asked if it had been in a bump, just told me they thought it was in beautiful condition, and then hpi checked it, to which it came back clean obviously.
And dont think just because you bought a car brand new it is guaranteed to be damage free, I worked for a big leasing company a few years ago, so I was really friendly with the local dealers. They used to show me all sorts of brand new cars that hadn't yet found an owner that had been involved in a "whoops" moment, from being damaged on the transporter to being scratched/dented in the workshop. These were all repaired and painted and put on sale as through nothing had happened.
This was of course not very often, but it did happen.
I once saw some hilarious photos of a golf that fell off the four post lift whilst being pre-delivery inspected... It was repaired quick smart...
As I previously mentioned in this thread I smashed up a Golf GTi (high value at the time) and it got repaired by my insurers and wasn't on any kind of register. And it was properly smashed, front end stoved right in, engine moved etc.
When I sold it on 3 years later no one asked if it had been in a bump, just told me they thought it was in beautiful condition, and then hpi checked it, to which it came back clean obviously.
And dont think just because you bought a car brand new it is guaranteed to be damage free, I worked for a big leasing company a few years ago, so I was really friendly with the local dealers. They used to show me all sorts of brand new cars that hadn't yet found an owner that had been involved in a "whoops" moment, from being damaged on the transporter to being scratched/dented in the workshop. These were all repaired and painted and put on sale as through nothing had happened.
This was of course not very often, but it did happen.
I once saw some hilarious photos of a golf that fell off the four post lift whilst being pre-delivery inspected... It was repaired quick smart...
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