Category 'B' Write-Off:

[BritishRacinGrin]

Any reason why I couldn't buy one and use it for off-road use only?

[imagineifyeswill]

In theory you shouldnt be able to buy one as salvage dealers are only meant to break them for spares, but and this is the big but, that is only an insurance industry agreed condition and has no legal basis, so in practice some CAT Bs are sold on and there is nothing to stop them being repaired, VIC checked and having a new V5C issued, the problem would be finding an insurance company that would insure them. For offroad use none of that would apply you just have to find a salvage yard who will sell you one. I think the salvage auctions are very strict on selling CAT A and B cars to registered breakers only

[saaby93]

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[ikarl]

I used a local broker who insured mine no problem. The value of the car was literally scrap value but that was fine as a non cat car was only £1500, and the car only cost a couple of hundred

[GC8]

Im aware of a number of CatB cars which have been repaired and used on the road. Subject to a VIC like a CatC, but nothing else.

The issue will be actually buying one, because as has already been pointed out, the breaker will be breaking the terms of his contract.

One further point: if anyone copies and pastes anything from the ABI site then ignore them! I can guarantee that they don't know what theyre talking about.

[imagineifyeswill]

As an add on to my earlier post a lot of Insurance salvage nowadays goes to Copart who are attempting to monopolise the market the same way as they have in America. They sell all the cars through online auction and are very strict about A&B Cat cars only being sold to registered breakers the result being that Copart have a contract with the Insuarnce companies but the resulting buyers dont so can retail the cars to whoever they want.

[BritishRacinGrin]

This car is with a salvage agent with a suitably legitimate sounding salvage agent type company name so I'm guessing they will want to play it by the book and won't sell me the car, which is a shame as I have no intention to put it on the road and could give the car a completely new lease on life as a race car... It has what I would consider to a very light front damage but being a bit specialist insurers are loath to repair them.

[Qussz]

ikarl said:

I used a local broker who insured mine no problem. The value of the car was literally scrap value but that was fine as a non cat car was only £1500, and the car only cost a couple of hundred

I tried a few years ago and literally no one would insure the car