Has anyone got/bought a car that is on a cat d,
I'm interested in a car but its been stolen recovered, and is in mint condition and quite a lot cheaper than others I've seen,
Just want to know if it will make a difference to the insurance and what does cat d mean? It would be checked over by the rac inspection if I went ahead with it!
Any thoughts on the matter appreciated, cheers Taffyboyo!

 

Not sure about the insurance issue - best bet is to phone a couple of companies. (It apparantly depends on the company )

As for the condition, check it carefully, do the usual things and if you go ahead then save a bit of cash in case the gearbox or diffs die. (It is a little bit more likely in a stolen/recovered vehicle than a normal one)

I'd probably go for it - as you say the price is good, and if the car checks out, and is safe, then what have you got to lose? (Apart from it being a little trickier to sell)

Remember what insurance repairs cost, (one door ding removed and resprayed = £500 ) and then think how quickly that can equal 60% of the cost of the car. It's not much damage before you get a write off these days...

 

Just to add my father-in-law's montego is a cat c or d - he bought it back of the ins. co. and fixed it. (can't remember which) and until the metal worm set in, wasn't a bad car (for a montego) however, it does tend to scrub tyres a bit more quickly than it should on one side. The tracking is supposed to be OK.

Just be aware of little things like this.

All I'm saying is go into it with your eyes open...

Cue the people saying "just walk away..."

 

might be worth getting an aa or rac check iirc anything they don't spot you get full refund on car.

Si

 

thanks for the replies , bttt for any other comments,
cheers

 

.

 

have a cat d car.

makes f all difference to insurance.

from now on if you buy salvage you have to get an MOT and then have a seperate inspection by the department of transport to check that everything is kosher think the test is about 25-30 quid.

 

thanks jj, but what does cat d mean?
Does it mean it was an insurance rightoff?
Or just stolen and then recovered with some damage?

 

Cat A - not to be used for anything and should be crushed
Cat B - can be used for parts only
Cat C - heavy damage, uneconomical to repair, (but can be repaired)
Cat D - uneconomic to repair (but can be repaired)

Very brief - there is something on the Autotrader website somewhere about it all in more detail

 

Hi guys, i have just bought a white 95 wrx type ra that has been in the country 3 years, i only bought it 10 days ago, as soon as i saw the car at the dealers i had to have it, after weeks of searching for one, the dealer was fair and told me that it had been subject to an insurance claim, however id been bitten by the bug and a deal was done. the car is remarkebly clean, and has no visible obvious repair work, i had it hpi tested yesterday to possibly find a bit of history, and have been told its a cat c write off, this has not put me off the car one little bit.
the car has had a good check over,and has obviosly been well repaired (new shell maybe?)
i dont think its bad buying them as long as everybody knows what theyre getting....