recent accident uncovers veh as CAT D write off 5 years ago

[mickyg6656]

i had an accident, i pulled out of a road and smashed the front of my peugeot 206 into the side of a wv polo. My insurance co sent me to a recommended garage just up the motorway.
Garage decided i needed new grille, wing and bumber and bonnet. the garage had difficulty in lining the drivers wing up after weeks of ringing me saying they was having problems.
Then i got a phone call from my contact at the garage asking if there is anyway i can get to him as they want to speak to me about my car - right ok.

once there they said your chassis is bent on the car, thats why we are having an issue lining up the wing. I said car all lined up correctly prior to my accident. Well insurance said they wouldnt cover the chassis work as they felt it had been like it for some time as there was dirt in it. I had a head on with a side of a nother car could that not have bent the chassis??? No said the assesor that came out. i cant help u he said, the vehicle was a CAT D write off in Feb 03.

I have owned the veh since June 07, purchased from a private trader off auto trader...... do i have any comeback ??

Really gutted as have have problem after problem with the car anyway and paid £1800 for a car that i am told i should have only paid about £500 for ??

I have paid to get the chassis unbent as the garage wouldnt let me remove the car to my own trusted mechanic..... and the bonnett was never replaced on the car stilll looks like it been in an accident. And the car doesnt line up anymore... you can fit your fingers above the head lamps before the bonnett catch is released.

Does anyone have any idea what i should do now - i dont know what avnues to go down - fingers burnt i should have done a HPI check on it.... (i know i kick myself) Thanks

[gti-ted]

You should of HPI checked it first. Unfortunately you don't have a leg to stand on as private sellers are not required to tell you.

And yes it's happened to me but once bitten twice shy

Best advice get it repaired and run it into the ground

Edited by gti-ted on Tuesday 30th September 15:17

[Scraggles]

not nice to know, sold a car once that needed some tlc on the clutch as it popped out in fifth gear, had some motor trader come down from bradford to the windsor area. whined about the paint not being top notch, drove them round the local rounds, got upto 4th, but never higher for some reason

guy knocked me down from £700 to £300 which I felt was great, even though looked up set

guy drove as did I, never heard from him again and it is a long drive to bradford

caveat emptor springs to mind.

guess the op needs to spend the minimum to get it thru the mot and then learn to use car checks on the next car

[M-Ster]

if you buy from a trader they have to declare if it has been in an accident otherwise they are classed as selling a vehicle unfit to be on the road unless it has had a vic test buut they still have to tell you the car has been repaired

[bimsb6]

a bent chassis and only a cat d ?

[Ron Burgundy]

bimsb6 said:

a bent chassis and only a cat d ?

Thats what i was going to say, surely it should be taken off the road completely and only used for spares?

[spikeyhead]

Ron Burgundy said:

bimsb6 said:

a bent chassis and only a cat d ?

Thats what i was going to say, surely it should be taken off the road completely and only used for spares?

No, a car with a bent chassis that can be repaired economically should be classified as Cat C.

[mickyg6656]

How would or should i go about finding out which co titled it as a CAT D if t was supposed to be CAT C. The car really should have been checked that was road worthy before it went back on the road, is that right???
i dont even think the guy that sold me the car knew of its history, the car was from Birmingham and the trader was watford.

I still think i am left with a duff out car and want to see if i can sort the situation or whether to just give up and get another car.

Still 5 months on and the garage have not doe a think about the still twisted bonnett...... i need to write to the ombudsman i suppose!!

Thanks for all your messages, they are a help

[spikeyhead]

I'd find a back street garage to put it back together into a useable form, rather than one that's trying to work to insurance standards.

Probably only needs a bit of persuasion with an acro to make things fit.

[mickyg6656]

[quote=spikeyhead]I'd find a back street garage to put it back together into a useable form, rather than one that's trying to work to insurance standards.

Probably only needs a bit of persuasion with an acro to make things fit.[/quote


The insurance co reckon they have fixed it but just looks crap lol... i wont be able to sell it for much money cos nothing lines up!!

Oh well..... just gonna drive it in to the ground i think, best thing!!

Thanks to everyones comments.

Michelle