Buying a category N 2 series. Bargain or bad buy?
Discussion
Just looking for some opinions on this car.
I have seen a category N 220i for sale and curios to know your thoughts on buying such a car.
It is a quite a saving from the usual price.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103160...
Is there anyway I can find out what happened to the car?
Secondly. What is the consensus on a 2015 2 series 220i in terms of reliability? I’m tempted for an Astra 1.6 but wouldn’t mind splashing out more for a bmw but I’m unsure of the reliability of this model as Iv heard some bad stories with BMW’s.
I have seen a category N 220i for sale and curios to know your thoughts on buying such a car.
It is a quite a saving from the usual price.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103160...
Is there anyway I can find out what happened to the car?
Secondly. What is the consensus on a 2015 2 series 220i in terms of reliability? I’m tempted for an Astra 1.6 but wouldn’t mind splashing out more for a bmw but I’m unsure of the reliability of this model as Iv heard some bad stories with BMW’s.
They can be a bargain, but unless you know exactly what to look for you risk buying something that has been repaired very cheaply.
Do you know when the write-off occurred? Do you have pictures of the damage and the repair in progress? Do you know who did the repairs?
You'll probably never get a full & honest answer to what was damaged and replaced - and the 'professional' repair will just mean a back-street garage did it, as they're professionals!
Don't forget that you'll also be insuring a Cat N, so in the event of another accident you'll be at the whim of the insurance company over the actual market value of that car - as I guess there won't be many identical cars for sale to give a guide price.
Do you know when the write-off occurred? Do you have pictures of the damage and the repair in progress? Do you know who did the repairs?
You'll probably never get a full & honest answer to what was damaged and replaced - and the 'professional' repair will just mean a back-street garage did it, as they're professionals!
Don't forget that you'll also be insuring a Cat N, so in the event of another accident you'll be at the whim of the insurance company over the actual market value of that car - as I guess there won't be many identical cars for sale to give a guide price.
Insurance write-offs... Cat N is non-structural, so maybe panel damage, suspension damage etc. They added up the cost of carrying out the repair, and said "nah, we will pay out". Someone else could fix the damage much cheaper than paying list price for parts from BMW, maybe secondhand parts, so maybe that's what they did.
Cat S is a bit more serious; still not condemned to the scrap heap, but a lot more effort to fix, like maybe replacing a chassis leg or a rear quarter panel. Heavier damage basically.
The issue with insurance is that they will usually insure a Cat N or Cat S car (some ask, some don't), but if you write it off again, it's unlikely they'll pay out again - i.e. they won't keep paying out on the same car. A legitimate way around this is to have the car appraised; there are a few (but only a few) companies who do this, such as Autolign. They benchmark the car against a comparable undamaged one of the same vintage, so they expect wear and tear, but won't accept shonky repairs. As you weren't involved in the repair process, nor do you know what was damaged, it's a leap of faith to assume it has been repaired to a high standard. You can entrust it to someone (either someone you know/trust, or Autolign) and they'll probably be able to tell you pretty quickly. The Autolign benefit is that it goes on the HPI register as "condition checked"; it'll still be a marker, but it also means insurance will pay out on it a second time as it's certified good. People will still be wary when you come to sell the car, and no-one will accept it as a trade-in with a Cat marker on it - in my experience.
Cat S is a bit more serious; still not condemned to the scrap heap, but a lot more effort to fix, like maybe replacing a chassis leg or a rear quarter panel. Heavier damage basically.
The issue with insurance is that they will usually insure a Cat N or Cat S car (some ask, some don't), but if you write it off again, it's unlikely they'll pay out again - i.e. they won't keep paying out on the same car. A legitimate way around this is to have the car appraised; there are a few (but only a few) companies who do this, such as Autolign. They benchmark the car against a comparable undamaged one of the same vintage, so they expect wear and tear, but won't accept shonky repairs. As you weren't involved in the repair process, nor do you know what was damaged, it's a leap of faith to assume it has been repaired to a high standard. You can entrust it to someone (either someone you know/trust, or Autolign) and they'll probably be able to tell you pretty quickly. The Autolign benefit is that it goes on the HPI register as "condition checked"; it'll still be a marker, but it also means insurance will pay out on it a second time as it's certified good. People will still be wary when you come to sell the car, and no-one will accept it as a trade-in with a Cat marker on it - in my experience.
t (Cat N) has actually been enhanced by a prang. 
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff