Buying a car on a V plate, would you do it

[shopaholicjules]

Hi
I'm after abit of advice please. I have seen an Audi A3 convertible on a V plate, year 08 for £15,750.
I have rang the man selling it who said it is a Cat c and has had the front corner and door replaced/repaired.
Would people say stay clear of this. Have I read something about being able to get them re-categorised so that it is not on a V plate.
The man said it has been checked by Wozz, whatever that is.

ANY ADVICE PLEASE, THIS IS CHEAPER THAN OTHERS BUT OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE v PLATE.

tHANKS
jULES

[harveybobbles]

I assume you mean VCAR and not V plate...?

[harveybobbles]

Originally Posted by shopaholicjules

The man said it has been checked by Wozz, whatever that is.

Thats probably his mate daaaaahn the pub

[Kilty]

Cat C cars have usually had a fair whack, I wouldn't touch one personally. Don't know what you mean by V plate, unless you mean VCAR as said which is just the database of writeoffs and their categories.

How much under market value is £15750?

Originally Posted by harveybobbles

Thats probably his mate daaaaahn the pub

[shopaholicjules]

Hi
This is the description on Aututrader of the car.

8,000 miles, 2008/ 08 REG AUDI A3 2.0T FSI S LINE CONVERTIBLE, IN CANDY WHITE, ELECTRIC HOOD, ONLY COVERED 8000 MILES FROM NEW, ** LOW MILEAGE **, 2 KEYS, 6 SPEED MANUAL, FULL S LINE BODYKIT, 18" AUDI RS4 ALLOY WHEELS, FULL BLACK SPORTS LEATHER SEATS, FRONT ARMREST, PRENIUM SOUND SYSTEM, FRONT FOGLIGHTS, SPORTS STEERING WHEEL, SPORTS GEAR KNOB, CLIMATE CONTROL, REAR PARK TRONICS, AUTO HEADLIGHTS, DRL REAR LIGHTS, TRIP COMPUTER, LOOKS AND DRIVES 100%, ON V CAR, BRAND NEW CONDITION THROUGHOUT, CHEAP AT ONLY £15, 750 ONO !!!. £15,750 ONO.

You are probably right to say stay away, it was that I liked the car and was cheaper than the others and the car I wanted. Think it will be back to the drawing board for something more affordable. The cheapest other A3 convertible I can see is over £18,000 but you say cat c will have had a right whack puts me off.
I probably should have alarm bells ringing

[Kilty]

I'd definitely not touch it tbh. If the insurance company didn't want to repair a £20k car then what kind of standard has the repair been done to in order to sell it for £15750?

Cat D I could almost justify if I had a good idea as to what the damage was (with proof), Cat C no.

[harveybobbles]

also, to write off a £20k car - what type of damage did it have...?!

[KeithP]

Originally Posted by shopaholicjules

The man said it has been checked by Wozz, whatever that is.

Originally Posted by harveybobbles

Thats probably his mate daaaaahn the pub

Harveybobbles may well be right, or he could've said VOSA.
Did he sound a bit like Jonothan Ross?

[jd82]

Avoid like a plague. Most trivial accidents this would have been repaired. You can make a repair look good but if the crumple zones have not been properly restored the car could be a death trap. It certainly won't be as safe as a new one.

You will be much better of getting an older straight one for the same money. Also with it being CAT C you will have a much harder job selling it on.

[Hammyman]

Originally Posted by harveybobbles

also, to write off a £20k car - what type of damage did it have...?!

Doesn't have to have had anything serious. If it has been stolen then once 6 months has transpired, if it turns up it will go to the insurers who have paid out. It will then usually turn up at a salvage auction.

[forgotmyname]

Nowhere near cheap enough. Depending on engine its about the going rate if it had not been written off

£15,810 part ex price with a private poor condition of £14,195 on the parkers website.

Thats without it being a writeoff, It should be cheaper than the private poor value.
and not £50 but a couple of thousand less.

If you plan to keep it forever then, worth a risk but get a full engineers report. If you plan to sell or trade it in within the next 5 years you will be virtually giving it away.

If you tried to trade that in now i wouldnt b suprised if the dealer offer £6k for it, If you could find a dealer than would take it.

[blue_haddock]

The VOSA check is Vehicle Identity Chgck - nothing to do with if it is safe or not, all it is is making sure that the car is what it says it is and not a cut and shut or a ringer.

It will have had to pass another MOT once repaired but again that has nothing to do with checking the quality of the repair.

[Kilty]

Originally Posted by Hammyman

Doesn't have to have had anything serious. If it has been stolen then once 6 months has transpired, if it turns up it will go to the insurers who have paid out. It will then usually turn up at a salvage auction.

Stolen cars aren't categorised as C though, they show up as stolen/recovered.

[harveybobbles]

Originally Posted by Hammyman

Doesn't have to have had anything serious. If it has been stolen then once 6 months has transpired, if it turns up it will go to the insurers who have paid out. It will then usually turn up at a salvage auction.

It will show up as Stolen/Recovered, rather than Cat C which is damage...



Cat A: Vehicle totally wrecked or burnt out.

Cat B: Vehicle has heavy damage and to be broken only.

Cat C: Vehicles of this category are vehicles which the retail repair costs were over the cost of the pre accident value .They will need a VIC test carried out on them, this is done at the local DVLA testing station

Cat D: Vehicles of this category are vehicles which the retail repair costs were below the pre_accident value of the vehicle

[hethmar]

No, dont get it -

[rev_henry]

Originally Posted by harveybobbles

It will show up as Stolen/Recovered, rather than Cat C which is damage...



Cat A: Vehicle totally wrecked or burnt out.

Cat B: Vehicle has heavy damage and to be broken only.

Cat C: Vehicles of this category are vehicles which the retail repair costs were over the cost of the pre accident value .They will need a VIC test carried out on them, this is done at the local DVLA testing station

Cat D: Vehicles of this category are vehicles which the retail repair costs were below the pre_accident value of the vehicle

Going a bit off topic here, but why does cat d exist at all? If repair costs are below market value why do such cars get written off and not repaired?

And just to add to this; Cat A and B can never be put back on the road by law, cat c and d can.

[harveybobbles]

A and B are serious damage - ie wrapped round a tree, dumped in river, burnt out etc.
C is major damage and can only be put back on road once its repaired and had a VIC.

D is for minor damage but the insurance decided not to repair it. ie if barry has a £500 car and someone reverses into the drivers side and it will cost £450 to repair, the ins will chose to pay Barry the market value of the car, but write it off as Cat D.

[Kilty]

Originally Posted by rev_henry

And just to add to this; Cat A and B can never be put back on the road by law

Even though some sellers would try to convince you otherwise: http://forum.astraownersnetwork.co.uk/showthread.php?t=90847

[harveybobbles]

hahahahahahahahahaha

[Kilty]

Can't believe someone actually paid £7900 for it - it's seriously !!!!ed electronically aparrently and that'll be an absolute nightmare to put right. (and therefore what kind of state will the bodywork be in?)