Cat D Repaired Cars

fred246

I can never believe these discussions about wanting to buy an accident damaged car. It's all wrong in engineering terms. A car is made of thin metal and pressed into shape. Once it's bent you can't just bend it back. It's like jumping on an empty coke can and then try bending it back to shape. Will the geometry ever be right? Would it be safe? Would it spin if you brake hard? I am happy with old cars and high mileage cars but an accident repaired car never.

forgotmyname

fred246 wrote: »

I can never believe these discussions about wanting to buy an accident damaged car. It's all wrong in engineering terms. A car is made of thin metal and pressed into shape. Once it's bent you can't just bend it back. It's like jumping on an empty coke can and then try bending it back to shape. Will the geometry ever be right? Would it be safe? Would it spin if you brake hard? I am happy with old cars and high mileage cars but an accident repaired car never.

But brand new cars have been known to be repaired and not always just little scratches from peoples bags etc in the showroom.

So quite possible that you have had a repaired car.

Nothing wrong with car thats been fixed properly. Its knowing what a proper fix is and whats a bodge.

Marktheshark

Always run it by your insurance first.
People have had all insurance cancelled on the spot for calling up trying to insure cat C and cat D cars.

Hintza

Scottie_dog wrote: »

. The important thing when buying a finished, on the road cat D, is to make sure the correct parts have been used in the repair. They need to be geniune, new, manufacturers parts, not second hand or cheap tat from fleabay.

Although I agree with much of your post I don't agree with the part above. For example I am not going to pay £300 for a front wing from the manufacturer if I can source a second hand one in perfect condition from a scrappy.

As a family we are on our fourth written off car with the latest being a Cat C flood damaged. I made a lot of enquiries about the car before and I reckon it was driven in to a water filled ditch because of rear diff whine. There is no evidence of water having affected any of the electrical parts (apart from condensation in one indicator lens). Once the diff was repaired it was almost as good as new.

OP if you can find a friendly bodyshop buy one that is unrepaired and have the work done from copart.

My rule of thumb is to subtract (at least) 30% from the price a good one sells for on ebay (not advertised at) and all the rebuild costs plus any auction fees and transport fees and that will give you the maximum you can bid.

There are somethings that are a pain and for example I won't touch them if the air bags have gone off I am also wary of badly damaged front suspension as this can lead to new gearboxes and the like.

Motormad

I would not advise buying a cat d repaired car unless you are really clued up on vehicle bodywork and mechanics.In 2006 I bought a cat d clio in online auction and was very lucky with the minimal amount of damage.It needed a rear axle and a set of alloys,also the two front seats and steering wheel airbag were burst.The only body damage was a minor dent on the wheel arch and a few scratches,I didn't even bother with painting,the damage was so hard to see.My wife and daughter used the car for 8 years and it was still in great condition still with the slight dent and scratches.The car was on the road for about 3 grand,a big saving on the retail price.I would imagine it was written off as a cat d because it was under a year old and the owner probably got a brand new one.

AdrianC

fred246 wrote: »

I can never believe these discussions about wanting to buy an accident damaged car. It's all wrong in engineering terms. A car is made of thin metal and pressed into shape. Once it's bent you can't just bend it back.

You don't just "bend it back". Most damage is either non-structural or to panels and sections designed to be replaced. Sometimes, there's structural damage - in which case, it'll usually be a CatB write off, and unable to be returned to the road.

Unless, of course, the person who did it didn't bother to claim, because they were the only vehicle involved, and they just got it repaired themselves. In which case, how do you know if it was bent or not?

Will the geometry ever be right? Would it be safe? Would it spin if you brake hard?

Which, of course, applies whenever suspension work is undertaken by an amateur without access to alignment kit anyway. Or if it's been bounced off a kerb hard.

And which, of course, is precisely why alignment jigs exist.

Yes, damage can be repaired badly. It can be repaired badly whether it goes through insurance or not, whether it gets written-off and recorded or not.

I am happy with old cars and high mileage cars but an accident repaired car never.

But how do you know...?

Babbawah

The Category system is used by insurance Co's to define a vehicle AFTER the Cat label is applied. It should NEVER be assumed that it indicates a certain level of damage, simply because it doesn't.

It is an industry code of practice and it has no legal basis in law !

A vehicle with a Cat D label applied could just as easily have sustained NO damage. e.g. Stolen and recovered after owner has been paid off.

Generally, the trade will apply a discount of approx 25% to a Cat C or D vehicle compared to its non labelled equivalent.

There is nothing wrong with purchasing and running a Cat stamped vehicle provided "YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING".

Which, quite clearly, many folk don't.

AdrianC

Babbawah wrote: »

A vehicle with a Cat D label applied could just as easily have sustained NO damage. e.g. Stolen and recovered after owner has been paid off.

Isn't that the precise point of CatX?

redux

Marktheshark wrote: »

Always run it by your insurance first.

This is worth reiterating.

Some insurers don't want to insure written off cars, and some don't mind.

Marktheshark

redux wrote: »

This is worth reiterating.

Some insurers don't want to insure written off cars, and some don't mind.

On here last week someone bought a bargain write off and called their insurance only to be told, your insurance is cancelled immediately and we will not insure you again.