Cat C damaged cars and repaired - would you buy?
01 February 2012, 10:17 PM
#1
Cat C damaged cars and repaired - would you buy?
As title says...
Would you consider buying a cat C damaged car, even if the damage was little, or big? ...and very well repaired so that you wouldn't be able to tell?
Cheers fellas
Would you consider buying a cat C damaged car, even if the damage was little, or big? ...and very well repaired so that you wouldn't be able to tell?
Cheers fellas
Last edited by LSherratt; 01 February 2012 at 10:18 PM.
01 February 2012, 10:22 PM
#2
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Maybe, but only if:
a) I could see clear, documented, provable evidence as to what the damage was and who carried out the repair work, and
b) I planned to run the car into the ground, and never, ever intended to try and sell it other than as scrap metal, and
c) it was very cheap for what it is.
Otherwise: no, I'd go elsewhere. There's just no point taking the risk.
a) I could see clear, documented, provable evidence as to what the damage was and who carried out the repair work, and
b) I planned to run the car into the ground, and never, ever intended to try and sell it other than as scrap metal, and
c) it was very cheap for what it is.
Otherwise: no, I'd go elsewhere. There's just no point taking the risk.
01 February 2012, 10:32 PM
#3
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Yes I would but depends on what damage.
My old 2002STi had just under £10K spent on repairs but no structual damage to speak off
Bumper
bonnet,
Screen
wings
wheels
2 doors
2 wheels
Sill
rear 1/4 panel
rear bumper
Spoiler
but I knew full extent of damage and not worried as repaired without worry of cost
but explaining this to a buyer would put of 99% of peeps off 
Tony
My old 2002STi had just under £10K spent on repairs but no structual damage to speak off
Bumper
bonnet,
Screen
wings
wheels
2 doors
2 wheels
Sill
rear 1/4 panel
rear bumper
Spoiler
but I knew full extent of damage and not worried as repaired without worry of cost
but explaining this to a buyer would put of 99% of peeps off Tony
01 February 2012, 10:41 PM
#6
d yes as its only cosmetic, but c i would be wary you could have trouble insuring and c are usually heavy impacts and worth a lot less.
rather get an an uncrashed one.
love the lies people tell you when selling cat cs.
"only a light crash on a close"
rather get an an uncrashed one.
love the lies people tell you when selling cat cs.
"only a light crash on a close"
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01 February 2012, 10:52 PM
#9
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Older cars like classics arre more likely to get a cat D where a newer car may just be cat x due to the parts being harder to get hold of for old cars.
not possible imho as wouldn't be written off lightly ...
01 February 2012, 10:57 PM
#11
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Mine is a cat c, I bought knowingly, the seller was honest, he had pics of the damage, paperwork to show the repair. It was cheap and very well repaired. I would have no issue buying another one. I would be careful tho, and ask questions.
I currently am considering buying a few cat c's in the near future to repair, as there seems to be a market in my area for this sort of thing. I will be offering independent inspections, pictures and honest sale at very good prices.
I currently am considering buying a few cat c's in the near future to repair, as there seems to be a market in my area for this sort of thing. I will be offering independent inspections, pictures and honest sale at very good prices.
01 February 2012, 11:11 PM
#14
cat c
suffered significant damage and insurance company deemed not worth repairing, be very careful purchasing these vehciles you need to know who has completed repair and it needs checking by DoT testing station, as a rule if properly repaired should not be any different regarding insurance unless it is a performance vehicle. to be honest it needs to be very very cheap personally i wouldnt touch one for any money. you will also struggle in the future when you try and sell it.
Cat D deemed not finacially viable by insurance company but can be a good buy
i would think anyone trying to pass a cat c of as only light panel damage is telling porkies as that damage would be classed as d.
suffered significant damage and insurance company deemed not worth repairing, be very careful purchasing these vehciles you need to know who has completed repair and it needs checking by DoT testing station, as a rule if properly repaired should not be any different regarding insurance unless it is a performance vehicle. to be honest it needs to be very very cheap personally i wouldnt touch one for any money. you will also struggle in the future when you try and sell it.
Cat D deemed not finacially viable by insurance company but can be a good buy
i would think anyone trying to pass a cat c of as only light panel damage is telling porkies as that damage would be classed as d.
Last edited by tubbytommy; 01 February 2012 at 11:15 PM.
01 February 2012, 11:17 PM
#15
i would and have bought many, people automatically assume cat c is far worse damage damage than cat d but this is far from it there are some cat d with far more damage that cat c's
, the fact is that the there are many cars on the road that have been repaired by insurance body shops that if written off would be border line cat b, my own car was damaged in 2009 and was cat c for a wing side lamp and bumper repair.
, the fact is that the there are many cars on the road that have been repaired by insurance body shops that if written off would be border line cat b, my own car was damaged in 2009 and was cat c for a wing side lamp and bumper repair.
Last edited by my94wrx; 01 February 2012 at 11:19 PM.
01 February 2012, 11:20 PM
#16
i would and have bought many, people automatically assume cat c is far worse damage damage than cat d but this is far from it, the fact is that the there are many cars on the road that have been repaired by insurance body shops that if written off would be border line cat b, my own car was damaged in 2009 and was cat c for a wing side lamp and bumper repair.
surely that would be cat d, why was it give cat c status? dont you need cat c's vic tested after repair?
if there is no difference between the two why have them??
i am genuinely interested in the difference if anyone knows?
Last edited by tubbytommy; 01 February 2012 at 11:21 PM.
01 February 2012, 11:24 PM
#17
To be honest I think it's all swings and roundabouts when it comes to classing whether a vehicle is recorded as a cat C or D. I look at it as if the repair has been done well and isn't noticable, then why not grab a bargain? 
Last edited by LSherratt; 01 February 2012 at 11:25 PM.
01 February 2012, 11:25 PM
#18
cat c
suffered significant damage and insurance company deemed not worth repairing, be very careful purchasing these vehciles you need to know who has completed repair and it needs checking by DoT testing station, as a rule if properly repaired should not be any different regarding insurance unless it is a performance vehicle. to be honest it needs to be very very cheap personally i wouldnt touch one for any money. you will also struggle in the future when you try and sell it.
Cat D deemed not finacially viable by insurance company but can be a good buy
i would think anyone trying to pass a cat c of as only light panel damage is telling porkies as that damage would be classed as d.
suffered significant damage and insurance company deemed not worth repairing, be very careful purchasing these vehciles you need to know who has completed repair and it needs checking by DoT testing station, as a rule if properly repaired should not be any different regarding insurance unless it is a performance vehicle. to be honest it needs to be very very cheap personally i wouldnt touch one for any money. you will also struggle in the future when you try and sell it.
Cat D deemed not finacially viable by insurance company but can be a good buy
i would think anyone trying to pass a cat c of as only light panel damage is telling porkies as that damage would be classed as d.
a VIC check is soley for the purpose confirming the identity of the car in question, not the quality of the repair.
01 February 2012, 11:27 PM
#20
it should have a been a cat d but who is to argue with a estimator.
01 February 2012, 11:28 PM
#21
i would and have bought many, people automatically assume cat c is far worse damage damage than cat d but this is far from it there are some cat d with far more damage that cat c's
, the fact is that the there are many cars on the road that have been repaired by insurance body shops that if written off would be border line cat b, my own car was damaged in 2009 and was cat c for a wing side lamp and bumper repair.
, the fact is that the there are many cars on the road that have been repaired by insurance body shops that if written off would be border line cat b, my own car was damaged in 2009 and was cat c for a wing side lamp and bumper repair.
A friend of mine has just had his mondeo tdci bumped. Guy basically reversed into it from 2ft away trying to get out of a parking space.
a burst radiator which he has now replaced and the car is back on the road. The insurance gave a list of 10 items that needed replacing including a wing, intercooler and front bumper/grills. It is now a CAT C.
Some are obviously ok, but there are probably others at the other end of the scale which shouldnt be back on the road.
Just be carefull
01 February 2012, 11:30 PM
#22
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I was lucky when I bought my cat C. The previous owner had pics, reports, full breakdown of part/costs/repair etc so I knew exactly what I was buying. Its certainly better to know, rather than just seeing it on the logbook and wondering what happened.
My friends got given a C recently on a bugeye after getting hit on a roundabout. Damage was wing, rear door, bumper, foglight and alloy wheel. More and more are getting written of now as we found out that the courtesy car costs are taken into account when valuing the claim and paint/labour costs take the repair to over 60% of the cars value.
My friends got given a C recently on a bugeye after getting hit on a roundabout. Damage was wing, rear door, bumper, foglight and alloy wheel. More and more are getting written of now as we found out that the courtesy car costs are taken into account when valuing the claim and paint/labour costs take the repair to over 60% of the cars value.
01 February 2012, 11:32 PM
#25
I was lucky when I bought my cat C. The previous owner had pics, reports, full breakdown of part/costs/repair etc so I knew exactly what I was buying. Its certainly better to know, rather than just seeing it on the logbook and wondering what happened.
My friends got given a C recently on a bugeye after getting hit on a roundabout. Damage was wing, rear door, bumper, foglight and alloy wheel. More and more are getting written of now as we found out that the courtesy car costs are taken into account when valuing the claim and paint/labour costs take the repair to over 60% of the cars value.
My friends got given a C recently on a bugeye after getting hit on a roundabout. Damage was wing, rear door, bumper, foglight and alloy wheel. More and more are getting written of now as we found out that the courtesy car costs are taken into account when valuing the claim and paint/labour costs take the repair to over 60% of the cars value.
01 February 2012, 11:35 PM
#27
the problem with people selling damaged cars is they always say it was only a wing etc, if they provide before during and after pictures and reciepts for parts and jig work etc then people would be less put off assuming the price is correct, but as you have said the price between straight and registered imprezas is so close you would always get a straight one.
01 February 2012, 11:49 PM
#29
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selling it on afterwards could be an issue and insuring it is not as straight forward as a regular car. some insurance companies wont touch it especially if it is not standard. just make sure it comes with all the relevant documentation regards to the repair especially the vic check and an independant enginers report to say the repairs have been completed to a satisfactory standard.
also make sure you have the mot report/certificate that would have needed to be completed after the repair.
also make sure you have the mot report/certificate that would have needed to be completed after the repair.