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Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:18 pm
by KevH18
Going to look at a 05 Civic Type-S 2.0 tomorrow but it's listed as a Cat D write-off. It's been taken as a part-ex at a garage and I've asked about it but they've said they weren't sure what the accident/repair was. It's only up for sale for a grand so even a small bump would have put it off the road.

Has anyone bought a Cat D car before? Is there anything that I need to look out for?

Advert for ref -
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... obcid=soc3

I know I should buy a type-R but I can't be arsed to put a 18 month old in the back of a 3-door. Is it worth a punt at say 800 quid?

Cheers OV9ers!

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:47 pm
by Rich B
I think I’d want to know what the accident was! Though tbh, you could say the same of any used car - plenty have been involved in accidents and repaired without any evidence (and even some new cars).

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:55 pm
by Richard
KevH18 wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:18 pm Going to look at a 05 Civic Type-S 2.0
Are you a total prick from the internet?

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:59 pm
by Richard
Rich B wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:47 pm I think I’d want to know what the accident was! Though tbh, you could say the same of any used car - plenty have been involved in accidents and repaired without any evidence (and even some new cars).
What the crash was, but also when

If it was written off when pretty new, that’s a big old shunt. I would be a bit concerned putting my baby in it

If the crash was recent; the car’s worth very little anyway, an insurer approved body shop could write it off for a just little touch up/replacement panel

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:07 pm
by scotta
My mates RS was written off..I posted about it on the old place.

Couple of months later we spotted it for sale on the bay of dodgyness. with "Light damage"

ImageSP10ZZL by Scott Armstrong, on Flickr

ImageUntitled by Scott Armstrong, on Flickr

Messaged the seller asking what was damaged and what was original. Apparently according to him the rear bumper was original and there was no damage to the front.

Make your own call on it but you will never know the extent of the damage. That said im sure my Accord had been in a shunt at some point and repiared. It was never recorded though.

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:18 pm
by Sundayjumper
Richard wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:59 pmIf it was written off when pretty new, that’s a big old shunt. I would be a bit concerned putting my baby in it
I'm going to stick my neck out here, but I'm guessing you're a total prick from the internet?

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:23 pm
by KevH18
Richard wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:59 pm
Rich B wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:47 pm I think I’d want to know what the accident was! Though tbh, you could say the same of any used car - plenty have been involved in accidents and repaired without any evidence (and even some new cars).
What the crash was, but also when

If it was written off when pretty new, that’s a big old shunt. I would be a bit concerned putting my baby in it

If the crash was recent; the car’s worth very little anyway, an insurer approved body shop could write it off for a just little touch up/replacement panel
I've checked HPI since and it was in Oct 16 so old enough to make the car pretty worthless in the eyes of the insurers but it has had an MOT since which failed on rear exhaust and lambda sensor but it then passed.

Thought the HPI check would say what the repairs were but nothing on the report, maybe as it's only Cat D?

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 5:39 pm
by scotta
KevH18 wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:23 pm
Richard wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:59 pm
Rich B wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:47 pm I think I’d want to know what the accident was! Though tbh, you could say the same of any used car - plenty have been involved in accidents and repaired without any evidence (and even some new cars).
What the crash was, but also when

If it was written off when pretty new, that’s a big old shunt. I would be a bit concerned putting my baby in it

If the crash was recent; the car’s worth very little anyway, an insurer approved body shop could write it off for a just little touch up/replacement panel
I've checked HPI since and it was in Oct 16 so old enough to make the car pretty worthless in the eyes of the insurers but it has had an MOT since which failed on rear exhaust and lambda sensor but it then passed.

Thought the HPI check would say what the repairs were but nothing on the report, maybe as it's only Cat D?
Thats the problem - the repairs are not listed on any recorded car.

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:14 pm
by Orange Cola
Sounds like it's easier to just buy a non Cat D car from somewhere else.

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:30 pm
by integrale_evo
What would it be worth if it wasn't a write off?

A broken bumper and lights would be enough to write off a ten year old civic at insurers body shop rates so I wouldn't be too concerned about it being anything seriously structural.

But, it may cost you more to insure, and it will be more hassle to get rid of if you ever want to sell it. If it's reasonably tidy and it's for you to run around in until it's scrapped then it won't really matter.

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:34 pm
by KevH18
It seems around £1500 for something of a similar mileage and condition. If the car seems decent otherwise I'd be happy paying around £800 for it, which apart from being a cat D would seem like an alright deal just for a runabout for a couple of years, even if it's scrap after that

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:22 pm
by Zonda_
integrale_evo wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:30 pm What would it be worth if it wasn't a write off?

A broken bumper and lights would be enough to write off a ten year old civic at insurers body shop rates so I wouldn't be too concerned about it being anything seriously structural.

But, it may cost you more to insure, and it will be more hassle to get rid of if you ever want to sell it. If it's reasonably tidy and it's for you to run around in until it's scrapped then it won't really matter.
Insurance is not affected. My MR2 was a Cat D, it was silly cheap compared to similar non damaged cars and drove fine so I didn’t care. I assumed it had been spun and on removal of the rear bumper it was apparent this was the case but the repair was good and as I said it was silly cheap.

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:38 pm
by KevH18
Utter shite. Next!

Edit - the car I mean

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 4:40 pm
by Gavin
Cat D is light cosmetic damage. Have a good shufty round, chances are it will have been a bumper or light cluster.

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 5:54 pm
by bryn_p
This isn't true, I've seen Cat D cars with wheels ripped off, been on their roofs, bent subframes etc etc

And Cat C cars with a cracked bumper

That's why it's now been changed to simply Cat S for structural and Cat N for not structural damage

Re: Cat D cars

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:31 pm
by DeskJockey
bryn_p wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 5:54 pm This isn't true, I've seen Cat D cars with wheels ripped off, been on their roofs, bent subframes etc etc

And Cat C cars with a cracked bumper

That's why it's now been changed to simply Cat S for structural and Cat N for not structural damage
Surely you're not suggesting that unscrupulous people will try to cheat?