Is it worth buying a CAT S Car? (formerly known as CAT C)

swindon87
swindon87 Posts: 167 Forumite
It's a March 2016 car. The price is 38% less than the original valuation price. I haven't noticed an increase in insurance, compared to non-write offs I have enquired about. I have done an Experian HPI check, there is no finance outstanding and everything has come back clear but the CAT S which, he did mention in the advert.

The seller stated that the damage was to: the rear bumper area, one light, and a dent to the lower boot lid. He doesn't have full details of the incident or repairs, but can provide an invoice (I am questioning this) But I have asked the seller to bring the car to my mechanic to do a full vehicle check before committing to anything.

I've read in this forum that buying a newer car that had been written off, means that the damage was high, which makes sense. I planned to keep the car for two years and sell it it on. I want to save money, but I don't want to put my life at risk. Any advice would be much appreciated please?

Thanks! :)
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  • arcon5
    arcon5 Posts: 14,099
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    If it was properly repaired then there's no reason at all that it should be unsafe. A lot of people's fear of ex write offs comes down to their lack of knowledge more than anything. They fear them because they don't understand them
  • s_b
    s_b Posts: 4,463
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    cat s means the bodyshell itself has been damaged
    lights rear bumper boot lid damage would be a cat n
    the seller is lying so i would advise on this occasion you steer clear
    Category S: If a car has suffered structural damage it’s assigned to this category. As long as the car has been professionally repaired it can be put back on the road but crucially, cars that fall into this group can’t (or at least shouldn’t) be repaired on a DIY basis. So much like the old category C then.
  • swindon87 wrote: »
    I planned to keep the car for two years and sell it it on. I want to save money, but I don't want to put my life at risk. Any advice would be much appreciated please?

    Here is where you are failing to understand the economics of buying salvage repaired or salvage.

    1, Plan to sell it on in two years.............naw. If you are going to do this you buy to keep otherwise the economics don't work.

    2. I don't want to put my life at risk.........then you shouldn't be buying salvage repair, because you are going in blind..

    All I buy these days is salvage and the repair (part from current car which is salvage repair, I was in a hurry) but to get it to work for me is the cars arrive and are never sold.
  • Herzlos
    Herzlos Posts: 14,662
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    Is the seller the previous owner or a salvage yard?

    You'll have a much harder time selling a written off car, so if you're buying it keep it for as long as you can.

    At 2 years old now, it was probably nearer 18 months old when written off; as in it cost more to write off than repair. That either means it's a cheap car, that there was a lot of damage or there are supply chain problems (courtesy car coats writing it off).

    I'd want to see details of the damage and repair before even getting it inspected.
  • swindon87
    swindon87 Posts: 167 Forumite
    arcon5 wrote: »
    If it was properly repaired then there's no reason at all that it should be unsafe. A lot of people's fear of ex write offs comes down to their lack of knowledge more than anything. They fear them because they don't understand them

    I agree, I don't know very much about cars but I understand that an insurance company will only write off a car, if the cost to repair it is too high or worth more than the car, which and happens a lot in older cars. There isn't any reason why a a write off shouldn't be returned back to the road, if it has been repaired properly. The main reason I am weary of this car is because it is only 2 years old. The seller doesn't have documentation of the accident, and said he bought the car damaged, had it repaired and is now selling it on. So he could have very well played down the details of the damage.
  • swindon87
    swindon87 Posts: 167 Forumite
    edited 8 April 2018 at 11:16AM
    s_b wrote: »
    cat s means the bodyshell itself has been damaged
    lights rear bumper boot lid damage would be a cat n
    the seller is lying so i would advise on this occasion you steer clear



    Thanks, the seller isn't being very clear on what happened to the car. He said he received it damaged , had it repaired and now he is selling it.

    Is there any way to find out what had happened to the car?
  • swindon87
    swindon87 Posts: 167 Forumite
    Here is where you are failing to understand the economics of buying salvage repaired or salvage.

    1, Plan to sell it on in two years.............naw. If you are going to do this you buy to keep otherwise the economics don't work.

    2. I don't want to put my life at risk.........then you shouldn't be buying salvage repair, because you are going in blind..

    All I buy these days is salvage and the repair (part from current car which is salvage repair, I was in a hurry) but to get it to work for me is the cars arrive and are never sold.

    1. Ok, thanks. I have heard this also. I think I'll be better off when an older car than will hold it value in a couple years time then.

    2. To be honest, I guess any car would be a salvage repair or write off as many drivers choose to have their car repaired privately to avoid an insurance claim. I always ask for full service history but even that doesn't give you the cars full history.

    So you're saying if you buy a write off, you keep it till the end of it's life?
  • swindon87
    swindon87 Posts: 167 Forumite
    Herzlos wrote: »
    Is the seller the previous owner or a salvage yard?

    You'll have a much harder time selling a written off car, so if you're buying it keep it for as long as you can.

    At 2 years old now, it was probably nearer 18 months old when written off; as in it cost more to write off than repair. That either means it's a cheap car, that there was a lot of damage or there are supply chain problems (courtesy car coats writing it off).

    I'd want to see details of the damage and repair before even getting it inspected.

    The seller said he bought the car already damaged and doesn't have documentation for what caused the damage but has details of the repair which seemed odd to me.

    He said he bought it for his brother, but the engine in too small for him. The insurance company had written it off in November 2017 and he bought it the following December.

    It's a Volkswagen Polo Match Bluemotion. So, yes it is a relatively cheap car, it seems that VW no longer sell this specific model. Ideally I wanted a Golf but would settle for a Polo if the price was right.
  • swindon87 wrote: »
    So you're saying if you buy a write off, you keep it till the end of it's life?

    Yes, went through a spell of leasing for 3-4 years and now buy car to see me through.

    We are not the kindest on cars rough track to the house, dogs and horses and associated feed stuffs so they lead a a hard life with us.

    I am looking for the youngest car I can get at the best price, to do the job I want it too.

    Selling cars in my view are a pain and if i do sell them they normally go overseas. Old Merc to Nigeria and a Jeep Cherokee to Poland.

    Recently bought a salvage repaired Nissan Note 2014 in a hurry for £3,500 which i would have hoped to have got on the road for £2,500- £3,000 if I had bought it and done it myself.

    Salvage and salvage repaired are great value if you don't have to sell them until near the end.

    Have a look at the Nissan Note 1.2 DiG-S , I was very pleasantly surprised at how nippy it is and not a car that was on my short list at all. We also run a Jeep Commander for the heavy work but MPG is a killer!
  • facade
    facade Posts: 6,965
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    The e12 Note has a very bad reputation (with the Note Owners Forum) due to problems with the CVT, the VVT system (switches from Otto to Miller cycle at higher speeds) and the stop-start.

    Also there are build problems, which to be fair affect all manufacturers trying to produce cheap cars nowadays.

    Nee-San have stopped them as they practically had to give them away, which is why second hand values are so low.
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
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