Advice Needed for MOT Please

NurseMoneySaver1122

Hi guys, hoping someone can give some advice.

My MOT is coming up. My car was rear ended at a roundabout a while back, and to cut a long story short, my car remains unfixed.

The main things required are:
- Tailgate and rear bumper dented in, both requiring replacement.
- Rear boot floor slightly creased, requiring repair.

Does anyone know if all the above would need to be sorted in order to pass my MOT (tailgate, rear bumper and rear boot floor)?

My main concern is the boot floor, although garage said it was minor and can be repaired.

Thanks in advance

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To add to the confusion of my original post, I am in the process of this car being written off as a Cat C, but I'm planning on buying the car back and repairing myself. However,I'm currently disputing the valuation. I'm still being issued V11 reminders, which indicates they have not started the write-off procedure yet, maybe due to the valuation dispute.

I've heard that insurers often require a new MOT after a cat C write-off. My MOT is due next month.

If my car goes through a new MOT prior to them informing DVLA of Cat C write-off, will I then have to get another MOT after DVLA have been informed? Or will the upcoming MOT suffice, as it will be a fresh MOT AFTER the accident damage occurred.

swiftnick

As long as there are no sharp edges you'll be fine.

NurseMoneySaver1122

To add to the confusion of my original post, I am in the process of this car being written off as a Cat C, but I'm planning on buying the car back and repairing myself. However,I'm currently disputing the valuation. I'm still being issued V11 reminders, which indicates they have not started the write-off procedure yet, maybe due to the valuation dispute.

I've heard that insurers often require a new MOT after a cat C write-off. My MOT is due next month.

If my car goes through a new MOT prior to them informing DVLA of Cat C write-off, will I then have to get another MOT after DVLA have been informed? Or will the upcoming MOT suffice, as it will be a fresh MOT AFTER the accident damage occurred.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

if its MOT'd prior to it going on the database, you will not need to MOT again untill the following year.

you WILL have to VIC test it so book an appointment as waiting times be upto 2 months to get it vic's in some area's.

some cars boot pans are plastic and easily replaced (and can be bought off ebay) bumper tailgate etc aswell.

if the lense is broken across refelctive strip or indicator, MOT fail, any shapr protuding edges MOT FAIL, look over carefully and get to scrappy if you urgent for MOT and get the bits required.

just hope the rear frame is structurally sound.

NurseMoneySaver1122

Would the engineer not have told me if the rear frame isn't structurally sound? I'm clueless to all this.

I did also take it to a few garages for quotes to repair and they also highlighted the same points as the engineer who assessed my damage

This was all non fault may I add, other-side admitted full liability, although it doesn't feel like it as times

atrixblue.-MFR-.

if they have ramped it up looked at key points of the rear frame work and crumple zones and they are not damaged, then i fail to see where a CAT C comes in, a bit of consmetic work and pulling out of the rear boot well doesnt seem to me logically write off as a cat c thats my opnion though and i could be wrong but this is how i veiw it.

Category A: Scrap only - this vehicle should have been crushed. It should never reappear on the road and there are no economically salvageable parts. It is of value only for scrap metal - e.g. a totally burnt-out vehicle.
Category B: The bodyshell should have been crushed. The vehicle should never reappear on the road, but it can be broken for spare parts plus any residual scrap metal.
Category C: Vehicle extensively damaged and insurer has decided not to repair. The vehicle should have an independent inspection before being allowed back onto the road.
Category D: Vehicle damaged and insurer has decided not to repair.
Category F: Vehicle damaged by fire and insurer has decided not to repair.

you decide where you cars catagory should come in here.

NurseMoneySaver1122

I'm a little worried now, we'll more than before.

They allowed me to collect my car and drive it away after assessing damage, so that I could take it to couple garages for second opinion. Surely if it had serious structural damage I should've been told that so that I know it's not safe to drive away??

Feel like I have to be a mechanic to know whats best here

atrixblue.-MFR-.

wouldnt worry too much, get it moted after replaceing shapr edges and bit that would fail MOT.

then get it repaired properly then get it vic.

Joe_Horner

As a very general rule, cat C is repairable and may or may not include "structural" damage (technically, all damage is structural on a monocoque shell but some is more structural than others).

It doesn't automatically mean that it's dangerous in its current state - the ONLY thing you can definitely say with a cat C decision is that they've decided it's not economic to fully repair it at their standard labour and parts rates. It may be economic using different repairers and / or saving on details (such as salvaging rather than replacing the tailgate)

Cat D is for stuff that they've decided not to repair for other reasons - such as parts not available or will take so long to source that hire car charges are likely to get too high.

If it was dangerous to drive in its current condition then the assessor should have advised you.

DVLA won't require an MOT following a cat C, but they will require a VIC check. This is NOT a check of the condition of the car or standard of repairs. All they check is that the car really is the one you say it is and not one that you've stolen and transferred the number plates etc to.

If your insurers require an MOT then one that's been passed after the damage should be fine for them even if it's before they've notified DVLA of the write-off. Note that an MOT will NOT check that the car is still "straight" - distortion has to be really bad, really obvious, and generally within 30cm of a suspension mount to fail an MOT, so it's a pretty pointless requirement for insurers to make, but they do anyway!

harleq1962

bought my son a car about 5 years ago, it was a mk 3 fiesta, it was a cat c, damage was only a bumper and a slight crease in the boot,
a friend knocked out the boot and we put a bumper on it, got it off the cat c and took it for an mot. ive seen cars that are totaled ans have been on a cat D which you can just put straight back on the road with no vic ( vehicle identity check ) sometimes it seems to depend more on the value of the car other than the actual damage.

mattyprice4004

harleq1962 wrote: »

bought my son a car about 5 years ago, it was a mk 3 fiesta, it was a cat c, damage was only a bumper and a slight crease in the boot,
a friend knocked out the boot and we put a bumper on it, got it off the cat c and took it for an mot. ive seen cars that are totaled ans have been on a cat D which you can just put straight back on the road with no vic ( vehicle identity check ) sometimes it seems to depend more on the value of the car other than the actual damage.

That's entirely the point of the system - it's all about value and not damage.

A £500,000 Ferrari that's barely recognisable could easily be a Cat C, whereas a £500 Rover 400 could be Cat B'd for a rear end shunt damaging the boot floor.

Actual damage takes a backseat compared to value vs. repair cost.