Buying a car on CATD

[Churchill]

"Would I look good in a wig and a boob tube ?"

Lucy?

[VectraMan]

I agree, I've known a few people who have bought cat D cars from salvage merchants, fixed them up as cheap as possible and then flogged them to unsuspecting public.

The only way I would be remotly interested is with a complete AA inspection and having full details of what had happened to the car..

Were they cat D or cat C? C means beyond economical repair, and is perhaps best avoided unless you know what you're doing. But D means it could be repaired, but with the associated costs (like courtesy cars, transport etc.) it's better for the insurance co. to just pay out. Or possibly that it's stolen, the insurance co. pays out, and then recovered. If it was in any accident it will have been minor to have avoided being cat C.

Resale is the problem, and everybody checks this stuff these days. But then it also lulls people into a false sense of security: there's no reason at all why a car that isn't listed hasn't been in an accident, yet that's exactly what people think they're checking.

My £1000 car has been in an accident: it has a dent in the back, but I don't really care.

[DimPrawn]

Yeah, don't be cnvt, buy something decent.

[Clippy]

There's a motor I'm interested in. It's on Category D (stolen recovered). The price is 50% lower as a result. What are the pitfalls in owning a car like this?

When it comes to selling it on.

[Bagpuss]

I agree, I've known a few people who have bought cat D cars from salvage merchants, fixed them up as cheap as possible and then flogged them to unsuspecting public.

The only way I would be remotly interested is with a complete AA inspection and having full details of what had happened to the car..

I think there still could be things wrong, having seen them in action, the AA will be able to check things like the quality of body repairs, thickness of paint, if the chasis is OK. But other hidden things could be damaged and undetected. Was it driven off road? was the underside hit? was it stingered? Has the interior been replaced. Is it bent in any way not detectable, making it prone to wear the tyres and lose grip?
Has the engine been hammered? Is the gearbox damaged? Could the clutch need replacing?

They reckon the average rally is the equvalent of 100,000 road miles wear and tear, and look what they replace on a toughened car. You are probably buying a car that has done at least the equivalent a couple of stages very badly. Avoid

[oracleslave]

When the original owner gets out from prison, Bubba is going to want his car back, and he's gonna need a new "ho" and vehicle to start his business empire again.

The only question you need to ask yourself is, "Would I look good in a wig and a boob tube ?"

HTH

[badger7579]

A/ It could be knackered, especially if not all damage was evident and repaired
B/ It will be worthless much quicker than a normal car.

I wouldn't touch one, tend to have been hurriedly repaired by back street bodge it merchants

I agree, I've known a few people who have bought cat D cars from salvage merchants, fixed them up as cheap as possible and then flogged them to unsuspecting public.

The only way I would be remotly interested is with a complete AA inspection and having full details of what had happened to the car..

[Board Game Geek]

When the original owner gets out from prison, Bubba is going to want his car back, and he's gonna need a new "ho" and vehicle to start his business empire again.

The only question you need to ask yourself is, "Would I look good in a wig and a boob tube ?"

HTH

[Bagpuss]

A/ It could be knackered, especially if not all damage was evident and repaired
B/ It will be worthless much quicker than a normal car.

I wouldn't touch one, tend to have been hurriedly repaired by back street bodge it merchants

[Advocate]

There's a motor I'm interested in. It's on Category D (stolen recovered). The price is 50% lower as a result. What are the pitfalls in owning a car like this?

Used needles under the seats...

[King Cnvt]

There's a motor I'm interested in. It's on Category D (stolen recovered). The price is 50% lower as a result. What are the pitfalls in owning a car like this?