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Old 25 April 2001, 12:01 AM
  #1  
Jerome
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Cem,

For point 1) there is no way you can be held liable for anything that goes wrong with the car.

Point 2. There are various legal and illegal ways of getting a write of back on the road. Just to make sure, I would inform your insurance company and the Police straight away.

Point 3. It is painfully easy to find someones phone number these days. I was ex- directory and from 2 different sources found out my phone number on the internet. It was even against my electoral roll entry!

[This message has been edited by Jerome (edited 25 April 2001).]
Old 25 April 2001, 12:03 AM
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Blow Dog
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Jon,

That explains a lot, thanks for the post.
I still feel sorry for those that buy a car in good faith, not knowing that the car in question is a previous write off

Cem
Old 25 April 2001, 12:03 AM
  #3  
JoeyDeacon
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jon hill,

"But if the car is in tip top condition the fact that it was declared a write off is immaterial"

Now ask yourself if you would buy an Evo 6 or Lotus Elise that was a rebuilt write off no matter how immaculate it is?? Of course not you would run away as fast as you could.

Is there anyway the person who rebuilt the car can get the fact that it has been written off removed from the HPI register if it passes an engineers report??

Just goes to prove how dodgy buying a second hand car can be!
Old 25 April 2001, 12:58 AM
  #4  
mikefyfe
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The following article was in the London Evening Standard last Friday.

"Bringing them back from the dead

by Nik Berg
The X-plate Maserati Quattroporte super saloon has less than 1,000 miles on the clock.

Salvaging can create a supercar out of a wreck. It is lavishly trimmed in leather, loaded with toys and seriously fast. And with a price of just £16,000 it'll be off the forecourt in a flash. Next to it is a Ferrari 512TR - yours for £26,000. A rare Lotus 340R is up for £16,000 - or you could bag a Mercedes SLK for the same money. There's a half-price Aston DB7 and a TVR Griffith for £13,000.

There is, of course, a catch. This is not a showroom, but a scrap yard. It is, however, a scrappy with a difference. Cleave Motor Salvage specialises in supercars bought from insurers who reckon they are beyond repair.

To further illustrate the point, a metallic purple Lamborghini Diablo (once the property of funk band Jamiroquai's Jay Kay) sits on the office roof. A walk through the yard turns up a further two Ferraris, a couple of Porsches, some Lotus Elises and Honda S2000s.

"There's nothing I haven't had," smiles owner Julian Cleave. "Rolls-Royce, Lotus, Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bristol. We even had a Jaguar XJ220." Cleave started the firm as a conventional scrap yard in 1984, but his own love of exotic cars soon became part of the business.

"I saw a Range Rover twin turbo and thought I'd fancy that myself. And then I was always on the lookout for unusual vehicles. Pretty soon people would offer me a profit before I could repair the car for myself and that's how it started. Right now I've got an Aston Martin DB7 with someone jumping up and down to buy it. The insurance paid out £68,000 and fully repaired it'll be around £38,000." Although the Aston won't make it into Cleave's personal stable, a Koenig Ferrari F48 and a Bentley Turbo soon will.

Cleave's supercars are amazing value - and as long as the repair work is done correctly there's no reason why they shouldn't be as good as new.

In some cases the cars are not even on the insurance write-off register, but those that are should fetch just 20 per cent less than unblemished cars.

It's all perfectly legal and since 1995 an insurance industry code of practice has classed write-offs according to the amount of damage, so cars that are truly beyond repair should never find their way back on to the road.

Of course you'll have to put some time, effort and money into bringing your chosen supercar back to life, but typically the savings are still huge. That Ferrari 512TR needs £10,000 to repair it, but the insurers paid out £64,000 on it - so you'd still be getting it half-price. The Maserati requires a similar amount of work but would sell for £55,000.

MOST buyers of exotic machines tend to let Cleave's network of specialist body repairers do all the work. And because they're all near to his Gloucester base, their prices are significantly lower than London. In fact, it is London's extortionate workshop rates that cause many cars to be written off in the first place.

After repairs are completed, Cleave's own in-house experts go through each car with a fine toothcomb before they are handed over. He will even offer finance and a warranty on a finished vehicle.

However, a few enthusiasts do like to get their hands dirty.

"We supplied a Porsche with a bit of fire damage to a guy," recalls Cleave. "We sourced all the parts and sorted the paintwork, then he tinkered with it in his garage." Porsches and TVRs are nearly always available, but he will go to

extraordinary lengths to get hold of the really special stuff.

"The XJ220 came from Hong Kong," he says. "And right now we've got a Ferrari coming from Italy and one from Asia." Although the bulk of Cleave's business is with more mainstream motors, it is the supercars that draw the crowds.

"We have families who come in and the kids want to be photographed in a Ferrari or Porsche," says Cleave.

In fact some 15,000 people visit the yard every year. For many it may be the temptation of a half-price VW Lupo, but there are plenty who pick up a Porsche for a pittance.

For a man who preaches resurrection, Cleave's evangelical approach to his trade seems quite appropriate.

"I take great pride in supplying cars to people who are saving money all the way down the line," he grins. "Why spend £100,000 on a car when you could spend £50,000?"

Cleave Motor Salvage
Old 25 April 2001, 11:17 AM
  #5  
Blow Dog
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Question

Some of you may know, a while ago I had an accident in an Evo VI which resulted in it being declared a write off by the insurance company. This all happened within the space of 3 weeks in October last year and I have heard nothing since.

Until this morning.

A phone call from a concerned father in Birmingham calls me up this morning to ask me details about a specific Blue Evo VI T*** MNT because as far as he knows, I was the last owner.

"Has the car ever been in an accident?"
"Ummm..."
"Because I have done a HPI on the car and it is classed as a Class A write off - to be crushed immediately. Did you repair the car?"
"Ummm...no. The car was written off whilst in my possession, but the insurance company bought it off me"

Etc.

I am a bit concerned here from 3 points.

1)I hope I am not liable for anything that goes wrong with the car.

2)How the hell can someone put a write off back on the road again? According to the guy, the car was immaculate and looked like it had come straight off the production line. The funny thing was, they wanted £25k for it, exactly what I paid for it a year ago!

3) The fact that he was able to locate me and call my home was a worrying thought.

Do I need to notify anyone? Shall I just walk away?

Cem

[This message has been edited by Blow Dog (edited 25 April 2001).]
Old 25 April 2001, 11:20 AM
  #6  
EvilBevel
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Cem, in your place I would notice both your insurance company and the police.

It may well be a different (stolen) car with your previous VIN number in it ...

Old 25 April 2001, 11:29 AM
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Puff The Magic Wagon!
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Had he seen the reg docs/V5 ???

Then its only directory enquiries...

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Old 25 April 2001, 11:29 AM
  #8  
fast bloke
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Cem, for point 3 he gets your name and address off the tax book, looks up the phone directory.. Hey presto. I always do this when I'm buying a used car. If the seller won't let you see the tax book he nust have something to hide. You should let the police and insurance company know a.s.a.p anyway
Old 25 April 2001, 11:38 AM
  #9  
RonaldoH
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Angry

Cem

Give me his address, I will go around and mince him up proper.

Old 25 April 2001, 11:43 AM
  #10  
jon hill
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I dont think theres a problem with this.

I wrote off a lotus elise a couple of years back - only 25 mph knock, but managed to dent the chassis, and damage the front and rear clam shells. £11,000 in parts to you sir.

Anyway, the insurance company takes the care away and gives me a big check in return.

A few months later there's a knock on the door, I answer and a guy asked me if owned a lotus elise, registration blah. At this point i'm thinking "oh f**k, where is this going to go".

Turns out he's a plod whose hobby is buying write-offs and putting them back on the road. He had the elise with him and it was absolutely immaculate, he'd done a stunning job. The chasis had been stripped out and sent off to an ali' specialist for repair and strengthening and the fibre glass was mint. His deal was that once he'd done the work he'd wander round to the previous owner to have a chat and see if he could get hold of the service manual, handbook and that kind of stuff.

He'd then sell the car on. Now, my understanding is that this is all above board; the only caveat is that if the buyer asks about history the seller has to come clean. Also there are rules about "fit for the purpose" and safety issues. But if the car is in tip top condition the fact that it was declared a write off is immaterial.

So you're ok

jon
Old 25 April 2001, 01:33 PM
  #11  
g man
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Angry

Theres alot of theses cars on the road basically dont knock me for saying this are some car dealers are at it and insurers write off a car for convience themselves in some situations....fire suit on..gary

[This message has been edited by g man (edited 25 April 2001).]
Old 25 April 2001, 01:39 PM
  #12  
Neil Smalley
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Exclamation

Cem,

Had the guy actually bought the car and was seeking to know about it, or was he just looking at buying it?

I would inform your insurance company and the police, just in case. If it's all above board then fine. At least this way you have a clear conscience and have 'done you bit' towards helping the guy out.

Just a comment, but you and EVO's don't seem to get on
Old 25 April 2001, 01:43 PM
  #13  
GazP
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I bought a car in 1997 which I HPI'd and was told that it was clear on all 6 categories. 6 months later I was up in Edinburgh when I got pulled over by the police, wanting to know why my car was on the road as it had been wrote off in a major accident The officer in charge then had a good look round the car just in case it was a death trap, which it wasn't! I contacted the DVLA and they said the police shouldn't have told me it was wrote off, the police told me after the accident it shouldn't have been put back on the road, and HPI used one of their many get out clauses to avoid paying out I know my story isn't the same as yours, but in years to come some one will end up buying the car and finding out it's history. People should be stopped from putting write offs back on the road, they should be broken for spares then crushed so save people from all the heartache and trouble. Even worse, some people are profiting from other peoples misfortunes.
Old 25 April 2001, 01:53 PM
  #14  
jon hill
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by JoeyDeacon:
<B>jon hill,

"But if the car is in tip top condition the fact that it was declared a write off is immaterial"

Now ask yourself if you would buy an Evo 6 or Lotus Elise that was a rebuilt write off no matter how immaculate it is?? Of course not you would run away as fast as you could.
[/quote]

Fair point, but i'd also run away from my heavily track-day'ed integra when I come to sell it, and so on. As you said, its the risk you take in the second hand market.

A write-off just means that the cost of repair is (usually) over half the value of the car. I think the term "write-off" is preducial (sp ?) - if someone "writes off" their car we assume they had a big event and turned their car to scrap. But you can write off a car without doing structural damage (sports bikes are good at this - drop your £3500 bike at a stand still and the fairing, pipe, mirror, clip-on, etc, etc all get damaged and hey presto you've just written it off). In the same way you can probably absolutely trash a high value car and they'll repair it because the cost of the new chasis is less than 50%.

I wouldn't want one, but there's nothing illegal or dodgy about repairing a car and putting it back on the road. The only dodgy stuff is if you try and pass it off as something its not.

I think.

jon
Old 25 April 2001, 02:13 PM
  #15  
JoeyDeacon
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Cool

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by jon hill:
<B> Fair point, but i'd also run away from my heavily track-day'ed integra when I come to sell it, and so on. As you said, its the risk you take in the second hand market[/quote]

Exactly!! Which is why I will never buy a second hand car again. The Impreza is the first car I have ever bought brand new and I would never buy second hand again.

The last car I bought second hand I was very, very happy with until I was washing it one day and thought "Hold on that front wing alignment doesn't look quite right" Bit more investigation and it looks like it has been in a front end smash at some stage in it's life and had at least a bumper/wing. At that point it was even more second hand than it already was (If you understand me) and every time I looked at the car from then on my attention was drawn to the front wing...

To me a car that has been in an crash and has been repaired (i.e has had panels replaced not just a bumper) is never quite the same and if mine ever was in a smash and repaired I would immediately get rid of it and get something else as to me it would never be the same again.

Guess thats just me being a fussy, obsessive person when it comes to cars??
Old 26 April 2001, 12:23 AM
  #16  
jon hill
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by JoeyDeacon:
<B>
I notice you have taken the pictures of the Evo VI off your site?? People might want to see these before saying that rebuilt write offs are OK[/quote]

But, again, i dont think that you can say repairing write-offs is always bad, anymore than you can say repairing a non-written off car is always good. The insurance companies decision to write-off a car is just a financial one.

Hefty cosmetic damage to a low value car may write it off, but if you dont mind spending hours and hours of your own time (rather than a garage at £50 per hour), then perhaps it makes sense.

The problems only arise when repaired cars (whether written off or not) are passed off as minters.

Old 26 April 2001, 12:38 AM
  #17  
paulhoubart
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I got caught out on my previous car, a Vauxhaull Monterey 4x4 (don't ask !). The car seemed in good condition, but like a fool, I bought it without any service history ( I know, I know ! ). Anyway, comes time to trade it in, and the guy selling me the Subaru rings me up after the deal is done, and tells me its a Class C write off, which should never of been allowed back on the road.

Old 26 April 2001, 01:14 AM
  #18  
AndyMc
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I know of a bloke who works in a bodyshop of a prestigous manufacturer.He buys damaged cars and repairs them .
About 2 years ago he did a written-off Volvo using all the proper gear them took the car to be inspected.This inspection cost about 2-300 pounds if I remember and the car had to be perfect for it to pass.
I think it was an official inspection that allowed the car to be removed from the write-off register but I could be wrong.
Any body know more about this?
I do hope it was official and not shady

Andy
Old 26 April 2001, 09:10 AM
  #19  
Butty
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Talking

I bought an Audi S2 some four years ago, but with the full knowledge of the write off damage and how it had been repaired.
i got it from Universal Salvage in Bedfordshire who were very upfront of the situation. The price was £4000 below book price and behaved itself in the 70,000 miles I had it.
When I came to sell it they had an RS2 with little damage for £13,000!! but I decided on a Scooby instead.
If there is no record on HPI or other agencies then get a 2nd hand car examined by a pro to be on the safe side.

Nick
Old 26 April 2001, 10:05 AM
  #20  
ca
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JoeyDeacan,

You could probably have said yourself an awful lot of trouble if you had inspected the car as closely as you did pre-purchase, rather than wait until post-purchase. No offence.

Also, I've had the odd ding or two over the years. My local repairer is OK once you make it clear to them that you are a fanatical owner and their job had better be up to scratch.

My own view is that minor scratches/paint, the odd panel, is not too much of a problem (for me) - It's when you are getting in to multiple panels, engine repairs, etc that I would get a bit more nervous. But if the car has been independently inspected and is 'perfect' then who knows?

Just my 2p...

C
Old 26 April 2001, 11:28 AM
  #21  
Blow Dog
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Thanks for all the help and advice guys.

I feel a little more comfortable now, but still undecided about calling the Police.

Cheers all.

Cem
Old 26 April 2001, 11:33 AM
  #22  
JoeyDeacon
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Cool

Probably not worth calling the police as you have done nothing wrong, but it might just help out the poor sod who buys it if it is a ringer??

Either way you have to feel sorry for the person who eventually buys this car! I remember you being pleased that they wrote off the car so you didn't have to have it back.

I notice you have taken the pictures of the Evo VI off your site?? People might want to see these before saying that rebuilt write offs are OK. What I want to know is how the hell they got the parts to fix it, wasn't the whole floorpan bent??

[This message has been edited by JoeyDeacon (edited 26 April 2001).]
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