CAT D...run away?
Discussion
Been discussed on here a few times. I think the consensus opinion is
While it's cheaper to buy, it will be worth less and harder to shift down the line - not an issue if you keep it forever of course
You'd want to see detailed pics etc of the repair, especially on a performance vehicle.
You'd obviously want to know why it was written off. A TVR could be written off quite easily I'd guess, as the GRP panels are hard (impossible?) to repair, and the company technically no longer exists, so parts may be hard to come by.
While it's cheaper to buy, it will be worth less and harder to shift down the line - not an issue if you keep it forever of course
You'd want to see detailed pics etc of the repair, especially on a performance vehicle.
You'd obviously want to know why it was written off. A TVR could be written off quite easily I'd guess, as the GRP panels are hard (impossible?) to repair, and the company technically no longer exists, so parts may be hard to come by.
Quinny said:
FamilyDub said:
Insurance companies don't like paying out on the same car twice...
While Cat D is light, repairable damage, I still wouldn't.
Yet more ill informed rubbish.....it never even came up when my cat c griff was damaged, for the second time....While Cat D is light, repairable damage, I still wouldn't.
But I agree with not buying one....... Otherwise there'll be none left for the more educated buyers
I should have added the caveat that is only my opinion.
Quinny said:
FamilyDub said:
Insurance companies don't like paying out on the same car twice...
While Cat D is light, repairable damage, I still wouldn't.
Yet more ill informed rubbish.....it never even came up when my cat c griff was damaged, for the second time....While Cat D is light, repairable damage, I still wouldn't.
But I agree with not buying one....... Otherwise there'll be none left for the more educated buyers
Quinny said:
FamilyDub said:
Quinny said:
FamilyDub said:
Insurance companies don't like paying out on the same car twice...
While Cat D is light, repairable damage, I still wouldn't.
Yet more ill informed rubbish.....it never even came up when my cat c griff was damaged, for the second time....While Cat D is light, repairable damage, I still wouldn't.
But I agree with not buying one....... Otherwise there'll be none left for the more educated buyers
I should have added the caveat that is only my opinion.
Honest mate, I know of loads of cat, c and d cars, and not just TVR's.... The insurance thing has never come into it
I wouldn't, but I don't have many years NCB or much £££. Too much risk.
Owned 2 cat D's in the past - both in very good condition for their age and cost. On the flip side I also owned a "straight" car that I subsequently found out had been crashed and undeclared which was a right dog and badly repaired( I was young and eager).
Personally go in with your eyes open, make sure there is a full list of work done, before and after photo's if possible and make an informed decision based on THAT car alone but i wouldn't rule it out as you could end up buying a "straight" car for more money that was in a worse crash and not as well repaired.
Personally go in with your eyes open, make sure there is a full list of work done, before and after photo's if possible and make an informed decision based on THAT car alone but i wouldn't rule it out as you could end up buying a "straight" car for more money that was in a worse crash and not as well repaired.
Depends.
If you can be certain that the repairs have been done to a high standard then i dont see what the problem is. Id be asking the current owner why is it CAT D, did they cause the damage, can they describe how much damage occured and do they have receipts for the repair work?
There are plenty of cars that get written off these days after suffering minor panel damage which if its a good repair will go unnoticed and not cause any trouble further down the line. If the car has had a huge impact and as a result the chassis has been bent/jigged then yes id be concerned but its highly likely these cars will be made CAT C not D.
Also consider that very few people actually HPI cars, ive sold over a dozen cars in my time and no one has ever asked me for a HPI certificate or asked if the car is a write off so when you come to sell you could quite easily not mention the cat D and argue it is the buyers job to be happy they know what they are buying!!!
dave
If you can be certain that the repairs have been done to a high standard then i dont see what the problem is. Id be asking the current owner why is it CAT D, did they cause the damage, can they describe how much damage occured and do they have receipts for the repair work?
There are plenty of cars that get written off these days after suffering minor panel damage which if its a good repair will go unnoticed and not cause any trouble further down the line. If the car has had a huge impact and as a result the chassis has been bent/jigged then yes id be concerned but its highly likely these cars will be made CAT C not D.
Also consider that very few people actually HPI cars, ive sold over a dozen cars in my time and no one has ever asked me for a HPI certificate or asked if the car is a write off so when you come to sell you could quite easily not mention the cat D and argue it is the buyers job to be happy they know what they are buying!!!
dave
This always amuses me. A right off is only a financial calculation.
A new car with 3000 damage gets repaired, same model car 5 years older may well be written off! Does the new car which has been repaired suffer the same stigma? It's very likely that the next owner doesn't even know.
The obvious solution is that all insurance repairs are logged, but will thus ever happen?
A new car with 3000 damage gets repaired, same model car 5 years older may well be written off! Does the new car which has been repaired suffer the same stigma? It's very likely that the next owner doesn't even know.
The obvious solution is that all insurance repairs are logged, but will thus ever happen?
I've had two cat D cars, and neither was any the worse for it. just remember, they are cheaper to buy, and you can haggle more on the price, because they are less valuable and harder to sell. people seem to forget that and want to buy at cat D money, and sell at 'premium' money a few years later.
must be at lest 25% cheaper.
must be at lest 25% cheaper.
Edited by philoldsmobile on Thursday 13th January 17:41
It wouldn't put me off as long as it was suitably cheaper than other cars, but it might make me spend a bit more on inspections. Cars can get written off for some pretty light damage, especially older ones, and some will be stolen recovered and never have had any damage at all.
Take my Elise for example. I had a low speed crash last year (slid into the back of someone in the snow at about walking pace). The total cost of repair was around eight grand, just because the front clam needed replacing and the headlights were scratched. If the car was an early 120bhp S2, that would have been written off for damage to one panel and the headlights, all of which can just be replaced with new.
Take my Elise for example. I had a low speed crash last year (slid into the back of someone in the snow at about walking pace). The total cost of repair was around eight grand, just because the front clam needed replacing and the headlights were scratched. If the car was an early 120bhp S2, that would have been written off for damage to one panel and the headlights, all of which can just be replaced with new.
Edited by kambites on Thursday 13th January 17:47
My worry is cars that have a big shunt and end up getting repaired often never drive quite as well as they used to (driven a few mates cars that have been bumped/repaired) , and over time, especially steel chassis cars, can "sink" slightly where the chassis has been jigged straight.
As said, some cars are written off for ridiculous reasons, like interiors gone etc, so I would say take each case on it's merrits, but cat C is a lot more risky than cat D IMHO, and indeed buying a supposedly "straight" car needs care as well.
There was a quite scary video of a Ford Focus being crashed at 40Mph into a wall, the first car was a new undamaged car, the second a pre-repaired car. The passenger cabin on the new car remained intact, & dissipated the crash energy much more effectivly than the repaired car, that crumpled a lot faster, and allowed the damage to continue into the passenger cabin. I will see if I can find a link.
As said, some cars are written off for ridiculous reasons, like interiors gone etc, so I would say take each case on it's merrits, but cat C is a lot more risky than cat D IMHO, and indeed buying a supposedly "straight" car needs care as well.
There was a quite scary video of a Ford Focus being crashed at 40Mph into a wall, the first car was a new undamaged car, the second a pre-repaired car. The passenger cabin on the new car remained intact, & dissipated the crash energy much more effectivly than the repaired car, that crumpled a lot faster, and allowed the damage to continue into the passenger cabin. I will see if I can find a link.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff