Does Cat C really matter?

Combat squirrel · 11 Feb 2018 at 20:54

Diddums said:
It's only when you're in an accident and it folds / tears in half that you'll wish you bought a good one.

You're literally putting a price on your safety, and that price is pretty low.

I don't think it would be cat C if that was the damage, id hope not !!

Also its a van, I'm gonna drive it steady lol, well assuming it checks out- have to find another if no good, been searching for months.

Combat squirrel · 11 Feb 2018 at 20:55

K.C. Leblanc said:
How cheap is it?

4.5 region

paintguy · 11 Feb 2018 at 20:56

As said, Cat C (now Cat S) is usually when the claim value is more than the vehicles worth. Note I say claim value, not necessarily repair value. I've seen cars written off because the cost of a courtesy car took them over the threshold!

If the van checks out ok then the only disadvantage to buying it is the chance it'll be harder to shift when you want to sell it, as many will view it with the same suspicion as you are.

Providing the repairs were carried out to a satisfactory standard there's no reason why a Cat C (S) vehicle will be any different to any other.

(from a guy that repairs cars for a living)

Combat squirrel · 11 Feb 2018 at 20:57

paintguy said:
As said, Cat C (now Cat S) is usually when the claim value is more than the vehicles worth. Note I say claim value, not necessarily repair value. I've seen cars written off because the cost of a courtesy car took them over the threshold!

If the van checks out ok then the only disadvantage to buying it is the chance it'll be harder to shift when you want to sell it, as many will view it with the same suspicion as you are.

Providing the repairs were carried out to a satisfactory standard there's no reason why a Cat C (S) vehicle will be any different to any other.

I guess so - I'm planning on running it into the ground though - gonna convert to a camper.

K.C. Leblanc · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:03

Combat squirrel said:
4.5 region

And what would a completly straight one cost?

paintguy · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:04

Combat squirrel said:
I guess so - I'm planning on running it into the ground though - gonna convert to a camper.

Could be the perfect candidate then.

If I ever get the money together to buy & convert my own camper I'll certainly be looking at written off and damaged repairable vans to keep the cost down.

Combat squirrel · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:07

K.C. Leblanc said:
And what would a completly straight one cost?

7.3 is market value.

Shoeyuk · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:08

As long as it passes the checks and mot it will probably be alright.

Do you know what the actual damage was?

Combat squirrel · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:14

Shoeyuk said:
As long as it passes the checks and mot it will probably be alright.

Do you know what the actual damage was?

Not yet, know more tomorrow - suspect passenger door - he said he'll fit a new door handle that side lol - it worked fine but abit stiff and he had a new door handle in a bag haha

Kenai · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:15

Combat squirrel said:
7.3 is market value.

Consider that for an insurer to have written off, the cost of the claim would more than likely have been approaching that or more, depending on age. This could be due to excessive associated costs like hire vehicles or it could be that it needed £5000+ worth of repair that someone has bodged on the cheap.

Akagi · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:15

I once bought a CAT D car which had "passenger door" damage and he said "I've replaced the door M8 don't worry about it"

Couple of weeks later I had the front of the car to bits and it was basically caved in with panels carefully positioned over the top so it looked like it was fine...

Combat squirrel · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:20

Acme said:
I once bought a CAT D car which had "passenger door" damage and he said "I've replaced the door M8 don't worry about it"

Couple of weeks later I had the front of the car to bits and it was basically caved in with panels carefully positioned over the top so it looked like it was fine...

noted

Shimmyhill · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:26

Kenai said:
Consider that for an insurer to have written off, the cost of the claim would more than likely have been approaching that or more, depending on age. This could be due to excessive associated costs like hire vehicles or it could be that it needed £5000+ worth of repair that someone has bodged on the cheap.

That’s 5k in insurance land so more like 2 in the real world!

As an example was talking to someone today who is having some accident damage repaired - side decals for that car (stripes) are listed at £265 per side in insurance land

Combat squirrel · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:29

Well, I'll keep the thread updated guys - I am bearing in mind your collective wisdom!! Not something I thought id say on OCUK

lol

If all else fails - I'll give it to Elon to send to the sun

Nasher · 11 Feb 2018 at 21:38

The main risk is damage the the chassis and structural pillars. If it was bodywork damage it's not really an issue since it's mostly cosmetic.

Also what un-seen damage might have been done to the engine in an impact. Bad welding during repairs will cause nasty rust issues too.

garak112 · 11 Feb 2018 at 23:17

I bought a cat c once. It looked fine from the outside but after I bought it I stripped the front to change the engine and all the substructure was bent and crudely bashed back in to shape.

Of you are looking to buy it you need to inspect everything.

Akagi · 11 Feb 2018 at 23:30

With mine the radiator and AC condenser were bent at about 30 degrees in the middle, the cross-member on the top of the slam panel was a different colour and was bolted when I think it should have been spot welded, and the inner wings had been beaten back into shape.

I found this out when the bent radiator spilled its guts and I had to take the front off to replace it...

The AC apparently didn't work because it "needs a re-gas m8", nothing to do with the destroyed condenser lol.