Cat D cars

[mashleyR7]

Would you buy one? Have you? What is there to consider or check for.

Looking for a new car and seeing a few nice cars at good prices.
My parents have had a Quashi since new, 10 plate, it was hit and damaged and the insurance co wanted to right it off. My parents asked for it to be repaired which they did but it’s now listed as a cat d but in our eyes it’s all perfect again now and they’ll prob drive it until it’s scrapped now. So wondering if I can get a bargain or am I buying potential hassle?

 

[Slime]

You can certainly bag a bargain but some insurance companies will really load your premium on the Cat D car.
It's worth checking with your current insurance company first and, if possible, get all the information as to why the car was Cat D'd in the first instance.

 

[Hobbit]

My son, unknowingly, bought a Cat D. Yes it was a decent price, albeit not too cheap that would set alarm bells ringing. He had the car for 2 years, still not knowing it was a Cat D, but he certainly did when he tried to sell it. He eventually managed to get rid of it by trading it in for next to nothing.

Unless you're planning on buying and keeping it till it falls apart I would advise not touching it with a barge pole.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

My son, unknowingly, bought a Cat D. Yes it was a decent price, albeit not too cheap that would set alarm bells ringing. He had the car for 2 years, still not knowing it was a Cat D, but he certainly did when he tried to sell it. He eventually managed to get rid of it by trading it in for next to nothing.

Unless you're planning on buying and keeping it till it falls apart I would advise not touching it with a barge pole.

Strange the insurance co didnt pick that up. Thought all such things are databased.

 

[Hobbit]

Strange the insurance co didnt pick that up. Thought all such things are databased.

It was 12 years ago. Don't know whether or not the insurances companies did those sort of searches back then. Unfortunately, it wouldn't have helped the son as he bought privately and paid cash.

 

[USER1999]

Mrs Mogs car was a cat c/d back when it was more difficult to know. She has had it for 15 years. Last year it cost us about 6k to un bodge the repair. Rotten as, under the body work.

Unusual to keep a car that long, but I would not want to have crashed it, given the poor quality repair.

 

[Simbo]

Personally I’d avoid, unless you’re making a huge saving it’s simply not worth the hassle, you don’t know how good the repair has been, insurance companies can Ben a pain with them etc.

 

[Smiffy]

Mrs Mogs car was a cat c/d back when it was more difficult to know. She has had it for 15 years. Last year it cost us about 6k to un bodge the repair.

You spent £6k to repair a car that old????

 

[BTatHome]

Cat D is simply uneconomical to repair which depending on the car and age of it can be literally anything from a couple of bolt on panels to a bumper being smashed.

No need to get an inspection as the structural integrity of the car should be sound (otherwise it would of been a Cat C) .... if it's worth the money then it could be a bargain and if your gonna keep it for a long while then great as it's unlikely your gonna be able to get a decent return from reselling it later.

To be honest many cars are probably repaired by people without going through insurance and hence don't get the CatD notice (I wonder how many people whack a gate/post hard enough to cause damage and simply get the repairs done themselves rather than insurance ... these cars are the same as some Cat D ones, yet will go unnoticed)

 

[USER1999]

You spent £6k to repair a car that old????

Yes, she likes it. It is a 1999 plate BMW Z3m coupe, one of only 850 rhd built. It has done 240k miles. Still worth about 20k if sold.