Honda S2000 - Cat C Car - To buy or not to buy?
Discussion
Someone I know has a 2000 Honda S2000 which has been off the road since 2012.Has been stored in a gargae with only 40k miles.
Only off the road as he had too many other cars/hobbies and it wasn't a priority. Nothing wrong with it mechanically.
It's in pretty good condition and starts up, but will need a full service, all fluids, discs/pads and tyres at cost of circa £1,800.
I was told the car was an insurance write off in 2003, and I wronly assumed this was a Cat D, which didn't bother me too much.
We agreed a price of £7k.
I did a HPI check and it's actually a Cat C, which has put doubts in my mind.
The car looks great and for less than £9k, I will have a fairly mint, low miles, Honda S2000, however it will always be a Cat C.
Should I be concerned? Will it be extremely difficult to sell in future years?
I am due to collect the car tomorrow but still have the option to walk away without losing any money.
Thoughts welcome. Thanks
Only off the road as he had too many other cars/hobbies and it wasn't a priority. Nothing wrong with it mechanically.
It's in pretty good condition and starts up, but will need a full service, all fluids, discs/pads and tyres at cost of circa £1,800.
I was told the car was an insurance write off in 2003, and I wronly assumed this was a Cat D, which didn't bother me too much.
We agreed a price of £7k.
I did a HPI check and it's actually a Cat C, which has put doubts in my mind.
The car looks great and for less than £9k, I will have a fairly mint, low miles, Honda S2000, however it will always be a Cat C.
Should I be concerned? Will it be extremely difficult to sell in future years?
I am due to collect the car tomorrow but still have the option to walk away without losing any money.
Thoughts welcome. Thanks
Cat C vs D is a financial distinction, it doesn't necessarily imply structural damage, although of course it may. I'd be interested in seeing photos of the damage and paperwork of the repair, to be sure what was involved.
To be honest, a car having been laid up for 10 years would bother me too, although that may be misplaced concern, just about what may have been affected by being sat in one position for that long.
With these cars it's also worth checking the alignment bolts aren't seized I believe.
The downside I see is that if, as seems likely, the S2000 will continue to appreciate in years to come, then the gap between a Cat C car and not will tend to grow. If values double in a decade, then the say £6k extra it would cost to buy a non-listed example would likely grow to more like £12k in future, assuming it's a constant percentage difference.
In terms of being hard to sell, anything has a buyer at the right price I think.
On the upside, with many S2000s starting to suffer from old age, one with low mileage and that's been garaged off the road could be in much better condition, once recommissioned. And the price is right.
To be honest, a car having been laid up for 10 years would bother me too, although that may be misplaced concern, just about what may have been affected by being sat in one position for that long.
With these cars it's also worth checking the alignment bolts aren't seized I believe.
The downside I see is that if, as seems likely, the S2000 will continue to appreciate in years to come, then the gap between a Cat C car and not will tend to grow. If values double in a decade, then the say £6k extra it would cost to buy a non-listed example would likely grow to more like £12k in future, assuming it's a constant percentage difference.
In terms of being hard to sell, anything has a buyer at the right price I think.
On the upside, with many S2000s starting to suffer from old age, one with low mileage and that's been garaged off the road could be in much better condition, once recommissioned. And the price is right.
Can be a difficult decision but without photographic evidence of the damage I think I’d walk.
Should be a law really with catogorised stuff that photos are taken/provided.
Tempting though at that price if you could get it inspected for alignment etc and just enjoy it and don’t really care about future values.
Should be a law really with catogorised stuff that photos are taken/provided.
Tempting though at that price if you could get it inspected for alignment etc and just enjoy it and don’t really care about future values.
This is the thing with cat cars, as highlighted here, some people won't touch them with a bargepole, no matter how cheap.
So straightway your potential buyers have reduced greatly. For those that will entertain, they will want at least 25% off a non cat car.
Personally I couldn't care less about the accident and repair, but I wouldn't want the hassle when selling on so avoid them for that reason
So straightway your potential buyers have reduced greatly. For those that will entertain, they will want at least 25% off a non cat car.
Personally I couldn't care less about the accident and repair, but I wouldn't want the hassle when selling on so avoid them for that reason
Ice_blue_tvr said:
It would have to be a very very good repair imo. The s2000 is all about its chassis and drive train. You can tell when your wheel alignment is slightly off, so an imperfect chassis wouldn't be a good starting point.
This is a good point for something like this. Less of an issue for a regular transport box. The best handling car I ever drove bar none was an Integrale that had been obliterated after smacking into a motorway bridge. It had pretty much been rebuilt from the floorpan up.
Perhaps it had been seam welded too during its resurrection as its agility and surefootedness made a regular one feel like a clapped out Ssangyong in comparison.
7k...hmm.
This actually appeals to me on the basis that it is already a slight "beater" due to the CAT status.
As values go up on minters, that remain in carcoons/ garages, not being driven, due to the worry of mileage/ condition. You could potentially be out there thrashing the nads off/ having fun with yours with no worry about damage/ putting on the miles, due to the relative lack of worth.
Have a good look at it. If it is structurally sound. Have a think.
This actually appeals to me on the basis that it is already a slight "beater" due to the CAT status.
As values go up on minters, that remain in carcoons/ garages, not being driven, due to the worry of mileage/ condition. You could potentially be out there thrashing the nads off/ having fun with yours with no worry about damage/ putting on the miles, due to the relative lack of worth.
Have a good look at it. If it is structurally sound. Have a think.
At £7k the engine would have been worth half that alone. The rest of its not really worth much in bits (unless it has a hard top). You’d want to make sure the car was absolutely straight and true for it to be worth investing in though. I’d say £7k was about right. Up and running without a cat marker that would easily be a £12k car.
Edited to adjust no cat price, as a prefacelift (which I prefer, but the market doesn’t).
Edited to adjust no cat price, as a prefacelift (which I prefer, but the market doesn’t).
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