Car was written off category B, but works fine!

[master cool]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 16 April 2020 at 22:31

[Krikkit]

master cool said:

Is there any way of changing a category placed on a vehicle if it is wrong? Seems like such a waste

I had an accident in 2013 and asked the same as it was a cherished vehicle - the answer was no.

Purely out of interest, what kind of market value did they put on it to let you buy it back?

[BuzzBravado]

Presumably at the time of buying it back your plans were to break it?

[kambites]

You might be able to put it through an IVA and get it back on the road on a Q-plate? That way it would essentially become a new car built using second-hand parts.

[master cool]

Krikkit said:

master cool said:

Is there any way of changing a category placed on a vehicle if it is wrong? Seems like such a waste

I had an accident in 2013 and asked the same as it was a cherished vehicle - the answer was no.

Purely out of interest, what kind of market value did they put on it to let you buy it back?

Under £800 and the car was returned!

[master cool]

BuzzBravado said:

Presumably at the time of buying it back your plans were to break it?

Yes the plan was to break it... but the last thing I expected was it would start.

Just seems like a waste now

[master cool]

kambites said:

You might be able to put it through an IVA and get it back on the road on a Q-plate? That way it would essentially become a new car built using second-hand parts.

So it would no longer be classed as a category B?

[kambites]

master cool said:

kambites said:

You might be able to put it through an IVA and get it back on the road on a Q-plate? That way it would essentially become a new car built using second-hand parts.

So it would no longer be classed as a category B?

If it's possible, I think this is correct because it would no longer be the same car. I'm not sure it's legal though, it might fail the IVA simply on the fact that the original body shell was from a cat-B car. I'm sure someone more knowledgable about kit cars than me can answer that question.

[AndyC_123]

Surprised you were able to buy it back unless you are licensed as a vehicle dismantler?

You used to be able to get a cat b back on the road - used to see the odd high performance car listed as such.

As far as I am aware, that loophole has now closed.

[master cool]

AndyC_123 said:

Surprised you were able to buy it back unless you are licensed as a vehicle dismantler?

You used to be able to get a cat b back on the road - used to see the odd high performance car listed as such.

As far as I am aware, that loophole has now closed.

I was surprised to, every time I spoke to the insurance It was a slightly different story as to wether or not I needed a license!

I’ve seen there is no legal reason as to why I can’t drive a cat B and that Adrian flux will even insure a cat B vehicle.. however they couldn’t quote on my vehicle!

[master cool]

kambites said:

master cool said:

kambites said:

You might be able to put it through an IVA and get it back on the road on a Q-plate? That way it would essentially become a new car built using second-hand parts.

So it would no longer be classed as a category B?

If it's possible, I think this is correct because it would no longer be the same car. I'm not sure it's legal though, it might fail the IVA simply on the fact that the original body shell was from a cat-B car. I'm sure someone more knowledgable about kit cars than me can answer that question.

Thanks that’s a great help and definitely something to look into as it looks quite promising!

[Sea Demon]

kambites said:

You might be able to put it through an IVA and get it back on the road on a Q-plate? That way it would essentially become a new car built using second-hand parts.

I think the Q plate thing was scrapped a couple of years back

[Paddymcc]

I had a car that was written off due to a flood.

The damage was only to the engine where it sucked up water and hydrolocked. The car still started and drove, very roughly, but an assessor came to view it and it was written off and declated as a CAT D at the time.

I purchased it back, fitted another engine and drove it for another 40k miles without issue.

[Jakg]

DVLA won't issue a V5 to a Cat B (any more) - I don't know if the Q plate thing works (I suspect not) but DVLA would be the first headache, not insurance.

Unfortunately I think your out of luck.

[Krikkit]

master cool said:

Krikkit said:

master cool said:

Is there any way of changing a category placed on a vehicle if it is wrong? Seems like such a waste

I had an accident in 2013 and asked the same as it was a cherished vehicle - the answer was no.

Purely out of interest, what kind of market value did they put on it to let you buy it back?

Under £800 and the car was returned!

Crikey that's brilliant.

I'd probably just sell it - stick it on eBay with a full description and see what you get, I'd be surprised if you get <£10k for it if it's running and driving properly.

[anonymous-user]

Cat c can be reclassified but B is only parts. And to break b you need to be a licensed breaker and shell crushed, surprised they sold it to you

[PAUL500]

I imagine as you always owned the car you were not actually buying it back, hence no need for a breaker licence.

You could always buy a bare shell from a broken example, repair that using parts of your shell and transfer everything into that shell and legally then use the ID from the broken car if its less written off than a cat b.

You could even IVA the car as it is, with no need for a donor shell, and keep a current reg year, rather than a q as I imagine the ID has not been removed from yours so you can prove the age of the donor (even though its not a donor if that makes sense), it would just not be registered as a BMW.

Value wise though, its a breaker though, as any complete car would be very hard to sell on in the future.

Edited by PAUL500 on Tuesday 21st January 10:20

[JeremyBearimy]

Call the DVLA for a chat with them, I had a cat B on the road (fairly recently, but i know they change the rules every 5 minutes). It just needed an engineers inspection.

[SS2.]

Your best bet currently might be to contact your insurer with a view to appealing the assessor's decision. That said, and with the claim having been settled, I wonder whether that route is now closed.

If you get nowhere with the insurer, perhaps a call to the FOS to discuss options might be worth 10 minutes of your time.

[anonymous-user]

Krikkit said:

Crikey that's brilliant.

I'd probably just sell it - stick it on eBay with a full description and see what you get, I'd be surprised if you get <£10k for it if it's running and driving properly.

He can't sell it unless to licenced dismantler.