Buying a CAT C/S/D car

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yamar1 said:
It is printed on the car logbook now if it has been a writeoff. You can also do a basic hpj for £3 on your phone via text.
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Dont think cat D is? For what that car was worth I wouldn't have bothered spending the £3, but yeah it's easy enough to check so there's no point in not being up front about it. Seen plenty of Autotrader, where the car will show as a write off as soon as it's listed, where the description has stated 'light panel damage'. Seems there are a lot of cars written off for light panel damage.
 


Beery said:
Worth it or avoid?

Looking on Auto Trader for youngest lads first car and some bargains but I know nothing about cars.

I have another son if this influences your answers;)
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Here's a handy link to an explanation of the new categories.

Buying a car privately can be a bit of a minefield for a layman and considering accident damaged cars just adds to the risk, so my initial advice would have to be don't bother.

I always recommend taking someone knowledgeable with you when looking at a car but if you do decide to have a look at a damaged/repaired then expert assistance is essential - and I'm not talking about the bloke down the pub who services his mates' cars but ideally someone with experience of repairing damaged vehicles.

Kevsgreat said:
You don't have to declare to buyers do you? Trade sellers do but if you're selling privately I don't think you do.

Mind, it's easy enough to check so you might as well be up front about it.

I sold on a cat C once that the seller hadn't told me about. Was cheap as owt so I didn't bothered checking. He handed me a bunch of documents with the car, including a check from the AA or something that said it was a cat C. Pulled him up on it but he pretended he hadn't seen. When I got it home I realised the bonnet was off a different coloured car and looked like it had been resprayed from a can :lol: .

Two cars I've bought and noticed all kinds after. Shite at checking them.
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Yes, even when selling privately you need to declare the actual status of the vehicle or the seller could leave themselves open to a future claim.

yamar1 said:
It is printed on the car logbook now if it has been a writeoff. You can also do a basic hpj for £3 on your phone via text.
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Only cat C used to be recorded on the V5 - cat d didn't. I'm not sure about the new categories but in any event the data on the V5 is not guaranteed to be accurate and you should always do an HPI or equivalent check before buying.
 
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Beery said:
Will the insurers get that info direct when I input the reg on the quote? I'm using direct line and there isn't anywhere to put vehicle history
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Even if there is no section on the insurance proposal you will still need to advise your insurance company of any information that is material to them and that includes any accident history.

If you fail to do so, in the event of an accident you could find yourself without cover.
 
Pancho said:
Even if there is no section on the insurance proposal you will still need to advise your insurance company of any information that is material to them and that includes any accident history.

If you fail to do so, in the event of an accident you could find yourself without cover.
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Yeah, fuck it. sounds like a minefield. Will just get him a better car
 
Pancho said:
Here's a handy link to an explanation of the new categories.

Buying a car privately can be a bit of a minefield for a layman and considering accident damaged cars just adds to the risk, so my initial advice would have to be don't bother.

I always recommend taking someone knowledgeable with you when looking at a car but if you do decide to have a look at a damaged/repaired then expert assistance is essential - and I'm not talking about the bloke down the pub who services his mates' cars but ideally someone with experience of repairing damaged vehicles.



Yes, even when selling privately you need to declare the actual status of the vehicle or the seller could leave themselves open to a future claim.



Only cat C used to be recorded on the V5 - cat d didn't. I'm not sure about the new categories but in any event the data on the V5 is not guaranteed to be accurate and you should always do an HPI or equivalent check before buying.
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Yes thats correct cat d isnt. the new catogory is worded differently on the logbooks now too.

Pancho said:
Best bit of advice I can give, after far too many years buying cars, is do your research, narrow it down and then take a mate with you who's handy on the spanners.
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The most important part.

Beery said:
Yeah, fuck it. sounds like a minefield. Will just get him a better car
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I would swerve it too these days, i used to repair cat c/d cars and drive them, but if you arnt too sure then walk away.
 
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Beery said:
Yeah, fuck it. sounds like a minefield. Will just get him a better car
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I don't want to sound like a doom monger and there are definitely repaired bargains to be had out there. I've never sold them but I've put a few people in touch with a lad who repairs and trades cat D/N stuff - but he does a proper job. On the other hand I've seen repaired cars where the quality of work would make your toes curl.

Good luck fella. PM me if you need any more advice.
 
Beery said:
Will the insurers get that info direct when I input the reg on the quote? I'm using direct line and there isn't anywhere to put vehicle history
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see below

Kevsgreat said:
You don't have to declare to buyers do you? Trade sellers do but if you're selling privately I don't think you do.

Mind, it's easy enough to check so you might as well be up front about it.

I sold on a cat C once that the seller hadn't told me about. Was cheap as owt so I didn't bothered checking. He handed me a bunch of documents with the car, including a check from the AA or something that said it was a cat C. Pulled him up on it but he pretended he hadn't seen. When I got it home I realised the bonnet was off a different coloured car and looked like it had been resprayed from a can :lol: .

Two cars I've bought and noticed all kinds after. Shite at checking them.
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I think you do,i insured ours and sold it without doing either with the old "no one told me it was either " excuse ready .
 
Pancho said:
Mick my bodyshop guru has just messaged me and cat S still goes on V5 but cat N doesn't.
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Does it say structural repair on the logbook or something along those lines now? Dont see the reasoning why they changed the abi catogoties tbh.

Edit. Seems s is structural and n is non structural. Can see vehichles getting wrongly catogorised again, as used to be the case.
 
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