Cat C/D etc - would you buy one? - Page 2

theschmallfella · 21-05-15, 01:28 PM

I have considered buying Cat C/D's before but my reason for not doing so is the insurance end of things. But If the job was done right and the car was sound I wouldn't hesitate if insurance wasn't an issue. At least you have that system here in the UK, and I think it's a very good system to have, at least you know what you're getting. I had a scenario a few years ago at home (Ireland) when I did this....

... to a 100 I was driving while the 200 was off the road. After I had managed to 'park' it in the back of a volvo on a motorway I get a phone call about an hour and a half later from my insurance company. They gave me 2 options, let them write it off and they'd give me the full value of the car, or, they take off the excess, give me the remainder and I repair it myself. Which is what I did. No one inspected the car before or after the repairs to assess it, and while there is a record of the crash, the car itself is not on file as having been crashed/repaired. You can imagine how that was abused over the years. That 100 went back on the road and is still going strong!

vorsprung durch technik · 21-05-15, 02:13 PM

I reckon there are plenty of non recorded cars out there that have ended up like the above 100 and yet repaired and the new owners are non the wiser.Would they after say 5 years of ownership suddenly say oh it should have been recorded so now i hate it and must get rid.

personally, if a car has been in a minor accident where airbags have not gone of and a car has been repaired to a high standard it would be hard to turn down that rare low mileage minter staring you in the face saying i'm an honest car please buy me.I would for something special that ticked all the right boxes. Bit like human beings just because you might have been given a written warning doesn't mean you should be written off as a person.

sam · 21-05-15, 04:23 PM

Yes. If your happy with how the car is and it's priced accordingly if definately buy cat c/d, in fact I did.. Bought a 51 cat c clio for the misses as she wanted a white new shape (at the time) seen it at an online auction, had a shunt up the rear, tailgate wouldn't shut and boot floor was in.. I drove it from Kent back to Newcastle with trade plates, let the air out the spare wheel and sledge hammered the floor back to where it was supposed to be, adjusted the lock and shut the boot, heatgun sorted the bumper out and it didn't even need paint.. Half the price of any others I could find at the time.. So yes Aslong as you know what was fixed I'd definately buy another

john bowden · 21-05-15, 05:40 PM

Without a doubt yes, I've bought and sold loads.

Trick is to ensure you know what is viable and what isn't

The biggest pain is the VIC check which has been such a disaster it finishes in October.

As with any car more than 2/3 years old, make sure you know what you are looking for when buying

John

Coxy · 21-05-15, 05:44 PM

My old A6 was a CAT C and my GT3 is a CAT C.

So, in answer to your opening question. It doesn't bother me one bit, as long at the repair works are fully documented.
When the GT3 came up for sale last year, people shyed away from it as it was a CAT C, but lets face it, it's the type of car which was made for the track and they weren't supposed to be locked away unused, and when cars see action on the track, there's a high chance that it will end in tears by some inept over zealous wanna be F1 driver!
I've seen the repair/rebuild thread on mine and I based that on my decision to buy the car I wanted and got it for about £15k cheaper than any other GT3 for sale at the time.

Here's another way of thinking about it. You have 2 similar cars, one has damage and one has rust and needs some tidying up after 20 years on the road.
So, if you'd bought a car that was fully restored by a chap in his garage although it hadn't been involved in a accident, and just suffered a bit from tin worm and a few other bumps and scrapes along the way, would it be any better than a car which was repair by an insurance approved body shop?

Yet, Joe Bloggs with his home resto will be asking top dollar, but the CAT C which was damaged and repaired by an approved body shop will generally be 30% cheaper.

audizzz · 21-05-15, 05:55 PM

Bought my 200 avant cat c. Several years ago repair cost more than value of the car.

It had been struck by lightning and burnt paint down one of the d posts and a tiny little burn on the rear light, the owner claimed on insurance, which was recorded and I think we all know the cost of a new rear light and repaint and at the time the car was worth about 3-400.

I took it for a vic test and they had no idea where the damage was so passed it.

Do I care that it is recorded?

vorsprung durch technik · 21-05-15, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coxy

My old A6 was a CAT C and my GT3 is a CAT C.

Here's another way of thinking about it. You have 2 similar cars, one has damage and one has rust and needs some tidying up after 20 years on the road.
So, if you'd bought a car that was fully restored by a chap in his garage although it hadn't been involved in a accident, and just suffered a bit from tin worm and a few other bumps and scrapes along the way, would it be any better than a car which was repair by an insurance approved body shop?

Yet, Joe Bloggs with his home resto will be asking top dollar, but the CAT C which was damaged and repaired by an approved body shop will generally be 30% cheaper.

That's the best line i have heard. Imagine all the sins Joe bloggs has covered up with his home resto which he was learning to weld on??????

Plus he sprayed at home not really knowing the full process because his mate johny said to do it this way.

Hanuman · 21-05-15, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorsprung durch technik

Imagine all the sins Joe bloggs has covered up with his home resto which he was learning to weld on??????

Plus he sprayed at home not really knowing the full process

from past experience, and many folk I've know over the years, that also describes a great many approved repairers for the insurance industry. The difference being the warranty from a commercial outfit, which pretty much accounts for next to nought.

rich.r · 21-05-15, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSL

My CQ is a Cat D. Very light front damage. The new parts to repair it are were no longer available. The previous owner bought it back from the insurers and replaced the parts with second hand items. Hasn't bothered me at all.

What a good job some one made of it as well

She was inspected by an independent vehicle inspector after repair

Cat D nothing to be afraid of Cat C might need a bit more digging/inspecting

Sandro · 21-05-15, 08:40 PM

Keep in mind, nearly all of them older cars become cat C straight away because of the value of the car.
And it really depends how the car has been repaired. In my bodyshop we repair them cat cars daily for trade customers and we are doing it by high standarts.
And as it was mentioned, some of unrecorded cars are more damaged than cat C, just because owner didn't put it through insurance for some reason.

I bought cat C BMW convertible - already repaired. Rear bumper and boot lid replaced and that's it. Previous owner got paid a lot of money in cash and insurance company wrote it off.

21-05-15, 01:28 PM	#11
theschmallfella Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Back in the Emerald Isle Posts: 772	I have considered buying Cat C/D's before but my reason for not doing so is the insurance end of things. But If the job was done right and the car was sound I wouldn't hesitate if insurance wasn't an issue. At least you have that system here in the UK, and I think it's a very good system to have, at least you know what you're getting. I had a scenario a few years ago at home (Ireland) when I did this.... ... to a 100 I was driving while the 200 was off the road. After I had managed to 'park' it in the back of a volvo on a motorway I get a phone call about an hour and a half later from my insurance company. They gave me 2 options, let them write it off and they'd give me the full value of the car, or, they take off the excess, give me the remainder and I repair it myself. Which is what I did. No one inspected the car before or after the repairs to assess it, and while there is a record of the crash, the car itself is not on file as having been crashed/repaired. You can imagine how that was abused over the years. That 100 went back on the road and is still going strong! Last edited by theschmallfella; 21-05-15 at 01:37 PM.

21-05-15, 05:44 PM	#15
Coxy 4 Ring Mafia Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: on the side of a hill in Shropshire! Posts: 28,215	My old A6 was a CAT C and my GT3 is a CAT C. So, in answer to your opening question. It doesn't bother me one bit, as long at the repair works are fully documented. When the GT3 came up for sale last year, people shyed away from it as it was a CAT C, but lets face it, it's the type of car which was made for the track and they weren't supposed to be locked away unused, and when cars see action on the track, there's a high chance that it will end in tears by some inept over zealous wanna be F1 driver! I've seen the repair/rebuild thread on mine and I based that on my decision to buy the car I wanted and got it for about £15k cheaper than any other GT3 for sale at the time. Here's another way of thinking about it. You have 2 similar cars, one has damage and one has rust and needs some tidying up after 20 years on the road. So, if you'd bought a car that was fully restored by a chap in his garage although it hadn't been involved in a accident, and just suffered a bit from tin worm and a few other bumps and scrapes along the way, would it be any better than a car which was repair by an insurance approved body shop? Yet, Joe Bloggs with his home resto will be asking top dollar, but the CAT C which was damaged and repaired by an approved body shop will generally be 30% cheaper. Last edited by Coxy; 21-05-15 at 06:16 PM.

21-05-15, 02:13 PM	#12
vorsprung durch technik 4 ring whore! Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Near Watford. Posts: 7,753	I reckon there are plenty of non recorded cars out there that have ended up like the above 100 and yet repaired and the new owners are non the wiser.Would they after say 5 years of ownership suddenly say oh it should have been recorded so now i hate it and must get rid. personally, if a car has been in a minor accident where airbags have not gone of and a car has been repaired to a high standard it would be hard to turn down that rare low mileage minter staring you in the face saying i'm an honest car please buy me.I would for something special that ticked all the right boxes. Bit like human beings just because you might have been given a written warning doesn't mean you should be written off as a person.

21-05-15, 04:23 PM	#13
sam Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: North east Posts: 778	Yes. If your happy with how the car is and it's priced accordingly if definately buy cat c/d, in fact I did.. Bought a 51 cat c clio for the misses as she wanted a white new shape (at the time) seen it at an online auction, had a shunt up the rear, tailgate wouldn't shut and boot floor was in.. I drove it from Kent back to Newcastle with trade plates, let the air out the spare wheel and sledge hammered the floor back to where it was supposed to be, adjusted the lock and shut the boot, heatgun sorted the bumper out and it didn't even need paint.. Half the price of any others I could find at the time.. So yes Aslong as you know what was fixed I'd definately buy another

21-05-15, 05:40 PM	#14
john bowden Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 156	Without a doubt yes, I've bought and sold loads. Trick is to ensure you know what is viable and what isn't The biggest pain is the VIC check which has been such a disaster it finishes in October. As with any car more than 2/3 years old, make sure you know what you are looking for when buying John

21-05-15, 05:55 PM	#16
audizzz Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 122	Bought my 200 avant cat c. Several years ago repair cost more than value of the car. It had been struck by lightning and burnt paint down one of the d posts and a tiny little burn on the rear light, the owner claimed on insurance, which was recorded and I think we all know the cost of a new rear light and repaint and at the time the car was worth about 3-400. I took it for a vic test and they had no idea where the damage was so passed it. Do I care that it is recorded?

21-05-15, 08:40 PM	#20
Sandro Grown up member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 651	Keep in mind, nearly all of them older cars become cat C straight away because of the value of the car. And it really depends how the car has been repaired. In my bodyshop we repair them cat cars daily for trade customers and we are doing it by high standarts. And as it was mentioned, some of unrecorded cars are more damaged than cat C, just because owner didn't put it through insurance for some reason. I bought cat C BMW convertible - already repaired. Rear bumper and boot lid replaced and that's it. Previous owner got paid a lot of money in cash and insurance company wrote it off.