Cat N, S and private sales.

[Jasandjules]

I am sure it is just me getting old, but I used to recall a time when Cat X or Y cars were priced rather lower than other similar cars. The same goes for private sales other than trade, used to be quite a notable price differential.

Yet currently when I have been looking at cars there seems to be little to no difference anymore, is it just me?

[catman]

Yes, it's true. I guess that they're free to ask what they like, but there's a big difference between asking and selling.

[Jasandjules]

catman said:

Yes, it's true. I guess that they're free to ask what they like, but there's a big difference between asking and selling.

True. I guess in part that leads to a difficult question as to whether an offer is "taking the mick" etc...

[catman]

I would probably skip by an ad for a car that had an unrealistic price tag. It may be worth one call to say that you would be interested at a lower price and explaining why the price is too high, but that would be as far as I would go.

[Ratae]

I bought a Cat D example of a car that was nearly half the price of a non Cat example, I think it's worth it on a non structural category car as long as it looks and drives straight

[Jasandjules]

Ratae said:

I bought a Cat D example of a car that was nearly half the price of a non Cat example, I think it's worth it on a non structural category car as long as it looks and drives straight

Yes I think if the price reflects the fact it has been damaged then I would get it checked by a mechanic and if repaired suitably then that would be fine.

But a car that is the same price range as another is just odd....And that seems to be what I am finding at the moment.

[ZX10R NIN]

What you'll find is that they're priced high so they start at a better negotiating price for them, they know they're going to have to come down to get the sale but maybe they end up with a better bottom line.

[Driver101]

I've noticed this too. A lot of write offs are very highly priced.

It should never be that close, but if it's an older car maybe there is a lot of new parts and a fresh paint job making it more appealing than tired cars.

[Roboticarm]

I always used to think 50 -70% of the price of a similar condition and mileage none cat car was right for a cat d and 40 - 60% for a cat c, assuming both have been repaired properly however these days they seem to be much closer to the price of a none cat example

As you say, alot of private sellers want retail prices, had a conversation over eBay message with a guy who's car looked okay but was £100 more than a very similar one with a warranty from a dealer. He wouldn't budge, was firm that the car was worth the same regardless of where is was from. Not sure the dealer with the staff overheads, showroom overheads and cost of warranty and prep would agree with him

Edited by Roboticarm on Saturday 23 January 12:11

[Jasandjules]

Roboticarm said:

I always used to think 50 -70% of the price of a similar condition and mileage none cat car was right for a cat d and 40 - 60% for a cat c, assuming both have been repaired properly however these days they seem to be much closer to the price of a none cat example

Yes I think that would be reasonable, the ones I am seeing at the moment however are not even 5% lower....

[ZX10R NIN]

Roboticarm said:

I always used to think 50 -70% of the price of a similar condition and mileage none cat car was right for a cat d and 40 - 60% for a cat c, assuming both have been repaired properly however these days they seem to be much closer to the price of a none cat example

As you say, alot of private sellers want retail prices, had a conversation over eBay message with a guy who's car looked okay but was £100 more than a very similar one with a warranty from a dealer. He wouldn't budge, was firm that the car was worth the same regardless of where is was from. Not sure the dealer with the staff overheads, showroom overheads and cost of warranty and prep would agree with him

Edited by Roboticarm on Saturday 23 January 12:11

I think you're being unrealistic when you're saying 50% the price of a non cat car especially on more modern cars where you can be paying £300 for one sensor!

Remember whatever cat they were they were deemed beyond economical repair which meant that if you went & bought new OEM parts the repaair bill would come to around 2/3rds of the cars actual worth, even used parts aren't cheap these days.

For me Cat cars should be between a quarter & a third of the price, remember even buying a Cat car isn't cheap once it gets to auction.

[Driver101]

ZX10R NIN said:

Roboticarm said:

I always used to think 50 -70% of the price of a similar condition and mileage none cat car was right for a cat d and 40 - 60% for a cat c, assuming both have been repaired properly however these days they seem to be much closer to the price of a none cat example

As you say, alot of private sellers want retail prices, had a conversation over eBay message with a guy who's car looked okay but was £100 more than a very similar one with a warranty from a dealer. He wouldn't budge, was firm that the car was worth the same regardless of where is was from. Not sure the dealer with the staff overheads, showroom overheads and cost of warranty and prep would agree with him

Edited by Roboticarm on Saturday 23 January 12:11

I think you're being unrealistic when you're saying 50% the price of a non cat car especially on more modern cars where you can be paying £300 for one sensor!

Remember whatever cat they were they were deemed beyond economical repair which meant that if you went & bought new OEM parts the repaair bill would come to around 2/3rds of the cars actual worth, even used parts aren't cheap these days.

For me Cat cars should be between a quarter & a third of the price, remember even buying a Cat car isn't cheap once it gets to auction.

Hence why so many damaged repaired cars are made up of stolen car parts.

[griffter]

Roboticarm said:

He wouldn't budge, was firm that the car was worth the same regardless of where is was from. Not sure the dealer with the staff overheads, showroom overheads and cost of warranty and prep would agree with him

I agree with him. None of those things add value to the car. They add value to the transaction for some people, but not everyone.

[Jasandjules]

griffter said:

I agree with him. None of those things add value to the car. They add value to the transaction for some people, but not everyone.

Well to an extent a warranty (and the right to reject a knackered car, at least in theory) is quite a valuable addition.. This is after all why people look at trade rather than private. In my case the cars are a shade over 20k and I am not hugely keen to risk that on a private sale with caveat emptor...