catagory write offs

[Wafflesmk2]

Toaster Pilot said:

Not necessarily no. If it's Cat D on the database then it's Cat D, that's it.

One of those cat'd's where the airbags go off? Aye, fk off.

[gaynorc]

will see what the garage says. had one offer of £2,600 ???? that's a massive loss of savings. might buy a pushbike, at least I understand how they work

[Toaster Pilot]

Wafflesmk2 said:

One of those cat'd's where the airbags go off? Aye, fk off.

Eh? There is no doubt that it's Cat D IF IT'S CAT D, FFS

Yes, the damage might be more severe than claimed BUT IT'S STILL CATEGORY D

Someone drove into me and damaged the wing and bumper of her car, it was Cat C because it was worth fk all.

[anonymous-user]

I know it is not relevant to your car help inquiry, but i could never buy a known accident damaged car unless i knew the full repair history. I could never have someone else in the car knowing that in an accident crumple zones may or may not be defected.

It is a gamble that i could never take as I value my life and others too much..

Better to get a later model car..

Edited by The Spruce goose on Wednesday 21st March 21:16

[gaynorc]

have been made to feel it isn't safe and now don't know if it's someone seeing a woman and taking the p*** or if it could have problems. I don't travel far but wanted a four door hatch so I can ferry my parents around now they are getting on. seeing my Mum struggle from the back of a 2 door Corsa is not pretty. If cat D = minor damage like the online sites say, then how can this translate into major problems that will be a nightmare and fortune to sort out grrrrrrrrrr

[gaynorc]

thank you Spruce Goose - I bought it via a friend I thought I could trust. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I won't trust anyone again believe me.

[Toaster Pilot]

gaynorc said:

have been made to feel it isn't safe and now don't know if it's someone seeing a woman and taking the p*** or if it could have problems. I don't travel far but wanted a four door hatch so I can ferry my parents around now they are getting on. seeing my Mum struggle from the back of a 2 door Corsa is not pretty. If cat D = minor damage like the online sites say, then how can this translate into major problems that will be a nightmare and fortune to sort out grrrrrrrrrr

It is based on value not extent of damage as said (although of course the two are related)

Airbags would be a fair bit alone.

[gaynorc]

Toaster Pilot. thanks for your help. I know the airbags will cost around £2k, maybe a bit more but this should have been done by said friend who has dropped me like a hot brick. He has no money and although I could take him to court it will cost a fortune with no guarantee I will win and even if I did, he is not working and has no assets - apart from his ability to tell lies and talk sh** that is :-)

[Toaster Pilot]

I wish you good luck with it, but you might be better off selling it and cutting your losses, a 2009 Astra 1.6 Life is not worth £8,500.

[not260]

gaynorc said:

have been made to feel it isn't safe and now don't know if it's someone seeing a woman and taking the p*** or if it could have problems. I don't travel far but wanted a four door hatch so I can ferry my parents around now they are getting on. seeing my Mum struggle from the back of a 2 door Corsa is not pretty. If cat D = minor damage like the online sites say, then how can this translate into major problems that will be a nightmare and fortune to sort out grrrrrrrrrr

Garages often make things sound worse than they are ("thats not the way we would do it" etc)

Plus garages always offer way less than a cars value for a straight cash purchase, especially on cars such as this as they cant offer finance on write offs so selling is a pain also the stigma that surrounds them with people believing they are not safe etc. Sell it privately or on ebay.

[anonymous-user]

gaynorc said:

thank you Spruce Goose - I bought it via a friend I thought I could trust. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I won't trust anyone again believe me.

why not a full vehicle check by the aa or rac and a sign off on the car for peace of mind. would be about 500 quid.

a vic check won't check the safety of the car it is an identity check.

[gaynorc]

I know Toaster Pilot, but forking out £2k is better than losing £4k which it looks like I will and I will be hanging onto it for at least 10 years hopefully, if I get good news. The chap who is looking it over at the garage is not only a registered mechanic (always good) but does up cars as well, so he has a lot of experience.

re. selling it privately, having seen and suffered all the heartache myself, I couldn't in all conscience sell it to someone similar to myself. I know I have to declare it is a cat D when selling but I don't have to declare anything else I have found out. It would be up to them and I would have troubling reconciling myself to doing that

[gaynorc]

Spruce Goose, spoke to RAC who don't check write offs apparently, or is that another load of rubbish told be someone in the organisation who has no idea. getting it checked by local garage who also do body repairs next week and by a guy with experience of doing up write offs. think if he says it is kapput, then I'll have to sell it on for as much as I can get, even if someone just wants to tear it apart. such a gorgeous car too and it drives beautifully. just the doubts put in my mind niggle

[not260]

The going rate for an 09 Astra is around 4.5-5k just now, yours is probably worth 3.5k ish. Sorry to say the garages offer is actually pretty good.

[gaynorc]

ooooo £3.5k sounds good

[anonymous-user]

gaynorc said:

Spruce Goose, spoke to RAC who don't check write offs apparently, or is that another load of rubbish told be someone in the organisation who has no idea. getting it checked by local garage who also do body repairs next week and by a guy with experience of doing up write offs. think if he says it is kapput, then I'll have to sell it on for as much as I can get, even if someone just wants to tear it apart. such a gorgeous car too and it drives beautifully. just the doubts put in my mind niggle

as a member they used to do, a check would be a engineer who would get it up on a ramp. check structure etc, driving test etc..

I am sure if you put a thread in kent essex that you are a damsel in distress and looking for a helpful garage/engineer they might point you in the right direction.

[not260]

Sell it here or on ebay but make sure you're honest. Cat d front end damaged, been repaired and drives well. Dont mention you think it's dangerous lol.

[GC8]

OP: ve only read the first post so I may be echoing what others have said but... If you have the V5C then CatC status will be recorded there and it cant be removed. If you dont have the V5C then call VOSA and theyll tell you if you will need a VIC. f you dont need a VIC then it was a CatD, if you do then it was a CatC or maybe even a CatB.

Even if it is bent then itll probably be possible to starighten it on a jig, which isnt nearly as big a deal as you may think.

Even if it was a CatD then the salvage dealer probably gave it a bit of a nudge to make it look nicer (but not jigged it properly, this is disreputable but common practice) so it may have been repaired by someone who thought that it was straight, when it wasnt, quite.

I hope that this helps, but Im not going to get drawn into a silly argument with copy & pasters who tell me that CatB cars cant ever go back on the road, and other nonsense.....

[gaynorc]

thanks GC8. it's deffo a Cat D with nothing showing on the V5 doc. will get it checked again and either sell it or keep depending on the report. been so fed up, felt like driving it to a dodgy area and leaving the blasted thing with the keys in the ignition - all highly stressful

[Toaster Pilot]

gaynorc said:

felt like driving it to a dodgy area and leaving the blasted thing with the keys in the ignition

I know that feeling, when some scrotes damaged the roof of my little Picanto at 9 months old I wanted to see it go up in flames Still feel quite bad now when I see the dents.