Are Cat D cars really as bad nowadays as they once were?
Discussion
I suspect that a 10 year old Golf is in the funny price range where it would be too expensive for someone just wanting a cheap reliable 'shed' car who wouldn't care about the Cat-D if it gets them a newer car than a non-Cat D but expensive enough that a potential buyer would want to have some future value from it, or can afford a bit extra for less hassle.
I'm sure at the right price it will find a buyer.
I'm sure at the right price it will find a buyer.
Dmo said:
It seems the only market out there for cars like this are dealers who want to pay 25% of the value of the car.
How are you determining the value of the car?Buying Cat D always brings the risk that it'll be difficult to move on when you're ready to - you knew that (presumably) when you bought it.
Trouble is, 90 percent of buyers see a categorised car and run a mile, chances are loads of cars they buy thinking are perfect have unrecorded damage and/or are clocked anyway, then drive them for years without ever knowing.
Then you get the bargain hunters who want it for nothing.
Price it keenly, make it clear there are no offers as there seems to be a breed of buyer that takes any asking price, however reasonable as the starting point for halving it.
We have a 2013 Golf with low miles, and not a straight panel on it, owned previously by an elderly lady with failing eyesight, but no cat marker.
However, I wouldnt pay anywhere near non cat money for a cat car, its bizarre what some sellers seem to ask, though there will be some crossover based on age, mileage, history and condition between a decent cat car and a rough non cat.
Then you get the bargain hunters who want it for nothing.
Price it keenly, make it clear there are no offers as there seems to be a breed of buyer that takes any asking price, however reasonable as the starting point for halving it.
We have a 2013 Golf with low miles, and not a straight panel on it, owned previously by an elderly lady with failing eyesight, but no cat marker.
However, I wouldnt pay anywhere near non cat money for a cat car, its bizarre what some sellers seem to ask, though there will be some crossover based on age, mileage, history and condition between a decent cat car and a rough non cat.
simon_harris said:
The problem with cat D is that it could cover quite a wide range of damage which is why it was changed. if you have evidence of the damage and repairs it should help you.
This is the problem with cat D. Any potential buyer will have no idea of the damage, even if you present pictures to argue your case. For most people it’s a risk too far. As others have said, if it’s not selling then you need to accept that it’s priced too high and drop accordingly. Someone will buy it but it’s probably not going to be at a price you like. I think you need to step back and look at it from a buyers point of view rather that as your pride and joy:
- Low mileage. Sounds good but anyone who has run a modern diesel will probably worry that the miles are too low to have had proper runs and so the dpf/egr is probably best part blocked and a big bill is coming soon.
- Cat D. Apparently repaired but very obvious front end damage. Not only that but the bumper is obviously not original with red paint under the flaking blue. So how often has been been damaged and what else is it hiding? The owner obvious does not bother to fix things?
- No service history mentioned. Again, neglected car?
- Probably me being a bit weird but badly colour matched front calipers also suggest an owner who has concentrated on the wrong things.
- Plenty of others without all these issue for similar prices.
If you look at it like this, would you buy it? Honestly? I think the cat-d is the least of it's problems. A lot of the above might not be the case but it is unfortunately how I read the advert.
I really don't know about Golf prices but if I was to ignore the low miles there appear to be a fair few around the £4k mark that look in much better condition. So I suspect you need to pitch it below them.
- Low mileage. Sounds good but anyone who has run a modern diesel will probably worry that the miles are too low to have had proper runs and so the dpf/egr is probably best part blocked and a big bill is coming soon.
- Cat D. Apparently repaired but very obvious front end damage. Not only that but the bumper is obviously not original with red paint under the flaking blue. So how often has been been damaged and what else is it hiding? The owner obvious does not bother to fix things?
- No service history mentioned. Again, neglected car?
- Probably me being a bit weird but badly colour matched front calipers also suggest an owner who has concentrated on the wrong things.
- Plenty of others without all these issue for similar prices.
If you look at it like this, would you buy it? Honestly? I think the cat-d is the least of it's problems. A lot of the above might not be the case but it is unfortunately how I read the advert.
I really don't know about Golf prices but if I was to ignore the low miles there appear to be a fair few around the £4k mark that look in much better condition. So I suspect you need to pitch it below them.
Dmo said:
Chubbyross said:
This is the problem with cat D. Any potential buyer will have no idea of the damage, even if you present pictures to argue your case. For most people it’s a risk too far. As others have said, if it’s not selling then you need to accept that it’s priced too high and drop accordingly. Someone will buy it but it’s probably not going to be at a price you like.
I guess that's half the reason I probably came here.I was going to ask if it was worth listing it on PH (do PHers go for CatD type cars?). The 30-day timeframe makes me think it could be a waste of £30, but then again someone who knows a thing or two about these cars will know its in good shape despite the Cat.
Can see some guys here have already found it on AT; easy enough to find if you look for a blue 2010 CatD 2.0 TDI with <50k miles. Guessing I can't post the link here so I won't. For anyone who feels they've got a good gauge on pricing - where would you price it?
We paid 4 grand for our slightly battered 1.6 tdi MK7, with 22k on 2013, but was off a neighbour.
Yours is maybe, three something to four and a bit grands worth if you want a sale. On the open market, people will be seeing £5670, the low mileage, good spec and the decent condition then the cat marker, and you are competing with dealers, most of which have comedy pricing, the damage looked pretty minimal.
I tend to do a dutch auction, start off high and then drop the price until I get some interest, and someone, by and large if you get them there will always want more off.
Selling prices and sold prices a lot of the time bear no relation, if its not sold, its more than likely the price and the Cat marker, as a diesel DSG Golf is a highly salable car. I think there is a lot of Covid pricing still going on,
You can sit there waiting, but if a week goes buy without a nibble then, on national websites enough will have seen it and given it a swerve to determine its too expensive, I would try at £4995 to start with, then it stands out. Many wont countenance the CAT marker, other will but it needs to be commensurately cheaper than one without.
I see on eBay, folk having some kind of argument with potential buyers, going on about it, getting almost angry that nobody has bought it at their notional price, I have a relative that expects thing to be almost given to them, then wants top dollar, and then some when they come to sell, sometimes you get a bargain, sometimes you have to give one, or you have a driveway ornament.
I wouldn't rule out the car sales sites either, not sure what they are like on Cat cars but worth a try and gives you a ball park, and good luck with it !
ZX10R NIN said:
Try doing a Vcheck on your car as you may find there are photo's of the original damage & this may help if you get a buyer.
Or you might find the damage is much worse than you were lead to believe and have a moral quandry.It's funny how the cat cars for sale have always only ever had very light damage.
It's a very good spec, let down by extremely obvious front end damage, and what appears to be a poor colour match between the damaged bumper and the wings. Stemming from the visible damage, it might be prudent to add a photograph of the folder / service receipts to allay concerns that the car has not been maintained. I might also suggest retaking a few of the pictures. The radio display looks very yellowed. This may stem from the camera balancing out colours in a beige cabin but I wondered if there was something wrong with it.
I think the price is too steep but, being in Northern Ireland, my point of reference could be askew. I suspect you'd find a buyer at sub-£4k, but how far beyond that number is hard to gauge. In the run-up to Christmas during what has been a turbulent year, there's every chance people are holding tight to their pursestrings.
I think the price is too steep but, being in Northern Ireland, my point of reference could be askew. I suspect you'd find a buyer at sub-£4k, but how far beyond that number is hard to gauge. In the run-up to Christmas during what has been a turbulent year, there's every chance people are holding tight to their pursestrings.
Levin said:
I might also suggest retaking a few of the pictures
Photos of a wet car especially are a worry. That and when the pictures are clearly taken at different times.I'd also say there are too many pictures - beyond a certain point people are just going to find reasons not to buy unless, there's something special to highlight.
Also with the mismatched bumper and wing damage it looks like a shed, sorry. How much is a second hand bumper in the right colour?
Would a 4 year old Golf TDI really get written off for cosmetic damage to a door?
Possible but I suspect the damage may have been greater than you suspect.
Putting that aside and being brutally honest the car looks a mess. Good spec..yes. Low mileage…yes but would you park that on your driveway and turn back for a last look as you walk into the house? Not a chance.
It’s a shed car but unfortunately too good and too expensive to be a shed.
Have you considered spending a few hundred quid at a breakers and tidying it up cosmetically? It would pay you in the end.
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