Repairing a cat C/D

[thinfourth2]

I have seen a few cars for sale in some breakers yard which are advertised as cat C/D but only have some dents.

One has the doors kicked in and nothing else wrong with it.

So as someone who considers dents to be entirely cosmetic issues could i put it back on the road with dents. As there is no point in fixing the dents as it will acquire dents in my ownership

And what is the process of getting one back on the road

[Kiltox]

Cat D goes straight back on the road, Cat C needs a Vehicle Identity Check (VIC).

[thinfourth2]

Who carries out a VIC.

Does it involve the scariest organisation known to man the DVLA?

Oh and any hassle running or insuring one?

[Kiltox]

VOSA, iirc.

Some insurers might be funny about insuring a categorised car but I think the main issue is simply the market value if it's written off again

[thinfourth2]

If you get one where the airbags have gone pop do you need to replace them?

Basically i want something cheap with wheels and an engine that will let me listen to radio 4 on the way to work. Colour and shape are unimportant

[Kiltox]

I assume the airbag light is on if they've popped so it'd fail a MOT?

I don't know, tbh.

[thinfourth2]

Its a question because i would have no hesitation in fitting a boy racer steering wheel and binning the whole airbag system if that would pass an MOT as they can't test it if it isn't there

[Kiltox]

What kind of cars are you looking at? Surely commuting buckets can be had without having to do that ?

[thinfourth2]

This kind of thing would be perfect as i would just swap front door with the current shed and make a focus harlequin

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2001-FORD-FOCUS-CL-SALVAGE-C...

or this 2 grand for a 3 year old car

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KIA-CEED-1-6S-2008-ACCIDENT-...

Fixing cars is easy as i have the facilities to do it

[Kiltox]

Hmmm - is a warranty void if you crash a car?

Just thinking that if fixed properly, that Cee'd might have ~4 years warranty remaining

thinfourth2 said:

This kind of thing would be perfect as i would just swap front door with the current shed and make a focus harlequin

[Liquid Knight]

http://youtu.be/YiKSX0RL0sQ

Cat' C car needed a VIC check and I had to send of for a V5.

Have fun.

[Kiltox]

You seen this BTW? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FORD-FOCUS-1-6-LX-ACCIDENT-D...

Says they'll include parts from other cars in the sale price

[Liquid Knight]

Kiltox said:

You seen this BTW? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FORD-FOCUS-1-6-LX-ACCIDENT-D...

Says they'll include parts from other cars in the sale price

Bloody expensive!

[Kiltox]

[thinfourth2]

Kiltox said:

Hmmm - is a warranty void if you crash a car?

Just thinking that if fixed properly, that Cee'd might have ~4 years warranty remaining

thinfourth2 said:

This kind of thing would be perfect as i would just swap front door with the current shed and make a focus harlequin

My experience with warranties with the other halfs car has led me to belive they are more hassle then fixing the thing yourself.

Maybe it is a particularly st garage but some things are less hassle to just fix then to book it in, them to forget the booking, book it in again, them to not find the fault, book it in again, they find the fault, don't have the part, part takes 2 weeks to come in, book it in again, they fix the fault, break two other things, book it in again.

Or just fix the brake caliper myself.

[Kiltox]

Fair enough

I'm going to look at a T reg Mondeo estate that's up for £795 later with a year's MOT - seems less hassle than fixing up a scrapper but if you've got the skills and the facilities then why not

[Liquid Knight]

Whatever you do; do it fast they're looking at stricter testing for previously damaged vehicles to stop all the "economically" repaired death traps that are on the road these days. About bloody time to. Also reclassification of the V5s so it covers cars that are damaged and repaired. Cat C cars may be reclassed as Cat B very soon as well.

[Kiltox]

Liquid Knight said:

Also reclassification of the V5s so it covers cars that are damaged and repaired.

So stuff that's currently unrecorded?

Far too many hire cars on eBay that have had a nice old shunt with no category....

[gowmonster]

Liquid Knight said:

http://youtu.be/YiKSX0RL0sQ

Cat' C car needed a VIC check and I had to send of for a V5.

Have fun.

your youtube page says cat b, I thought cat B was spares only?

[Liquid Knight]

gowmonster said:

Liquid Knight said:

http://youtu.be/YiKSX0RL0sQ

Cat' C car needed a VIC check and I had to send of for a V5.

Have fun.

your youtube page says cat b, I thought cat B was spares only?

Really? I'll have to change that. The car was a "C", VIC checked, log-booked, sold and crashed again. Rear ended by a (non-stereotypical) Audi A6 driver who was on the phone.