The white "vRS" has gone now, but sad to say with a bitter twist found in the past couple of days which means I have lost almost a grand on it. :( Turns out unbeknown to me the car was a cat C write-off just 2 months after it left the dealership in January 2001. It had obviously been paid out on, but somehow the DVLA and VOSA never found out about it, so the car had been repaired and was happily running around free to MOT and tax. To say I was gutted was an understatement but I have learned from it and will never be bitten again.

The car has now been driven away, complete with vRS seats and doorcards, by a delighted new owner who is full in the picture of the car's history and has paid an according price. He also rather likes the power of the mongrel..... Just a shame this whole escapade has cost me so much, for the sake of a £3 text HPI check.

No way:thumbdwn:

Feel for you bud

Donations welcome by paypal.

The bloke did give me a "thanks" card with an extra £60 in which was a top gesture. Not all bad people come from Manchester obviously. And we have been mutually helping each other out in the past couple of days trying to figure out what went on with this fabia.... Still, it's a part of history I can put behind me now. (and I still did kind of enjoy fixing all those niggley sensor/recirc motor faults )

I thought you did a HPI check when you got it Jason. Still it does explain some of the oddness with the car.

I thought you did a HPI check when you got it Jason. Still it does explain some of the oddness with the car.

As above, I did not. And now having learned more about it, the suspicions were nagging until it was confirmed... Still, live and learn. One of things I'm putting down to experience, and it's definitely not going to get me down! Had a payrise at work so I'm contra'ing the two against each other (kind of )

One things for sure, the car is in a damn good state now I have been tweaking it, than it was when I picked it up. Everything works to my knowledge, except perhaps the A/C which I believe needed regassing. It did Oxford and back yesterday without missing a beat @ 53mpg. Drives straight and true as well, no pull whatsoever.

Locking the stable door after the horse has bolted - but http://briskoda.net/freedom-talk/free-autocheck/132963/

Don't recall seeing that, but good spot Andy. The horse hasn't just bolted, it's in the next county already.

Anyway, when that thread came up I already had the car. I think I might have found a way into getting 99p full checks, but don't want to reveal any sources.

Ah well Jason. TBH you knew from the offset you weren't going to make any money (or much) out of it, but as long as you've enjoyed it!

I've done up the odd car, normally lost money too, but have learned so much its been worth it!

occasionally a cat C car on HPi will not be recorded as cat C with DVLA (and hence VOSA) - I had the same with a Peugeot 206 I bought a while ago...

I asked DVLA and they said it definitely wasn't recorded with them, but it was cat C on HPi.

Weird isn't it?

Weird isn't it?

Yup - The only side benefit appears to be when this happens, people can run around happily in a cat C car and no one really is the wiser about it. I did wonder how insurance premiums would be affected though, as I assume they'll know about it.... :confused:

What I don't like about this is that potentially unsafe cars could be being driven around. If I'd not been happy with this one I would have simply broken it for spare parts, but it really was nice to drive, and ultimately has proven to be a really cheap TDI to buy.

Many V5's for written off car now say: Car substantially damaged and repaired munder the notes on the front page. I now have 3 written off cars, 2 have been repaired. Often these turn out better quality cars for the age than general used cars as they have been painted/ jigged recently. I would not be put off by a write off, as long as it had been professionally repaired and the price was right.

You live and learn, the only mistake with this car was not checking and negotiating the price down in the first place

Alex

A good learning experience though, and although you lost money on it, someone is now happily driving it, and (s)he knows the history. Cannot get much fairer than that considering I guess.

Many V5's for written off car now say: Car substantially damaged and repaired munder the notes on the front page. I now have 3 written off cars, 2 have been repaired. Often these turn out better quality cars for the age than general used cars as they have been painted/ jigged recently. I would not be put off by a write off, as long as it had been professionally repaired and the price was right.

You live and learn, the only mistake with this car was not checking and negotiating the price down in the first place

Alex

Indeed - This V5 was clean as a whistle. :(

blimey! thats something i have never thought to check actually. wasnt till I had lissy mopped that we realised someone had smashed the back of her up and done a pretty good patch up job - can only tell because the texture of the paint changes slightly!

Still - glad u had fun with the project even if it proved to be a bit of an expense. Have to say, gorgeous lookin thing when you'd finidhed!

Indeed - This V5 was clean as a whistle. :(

All the signs were there though mate :( Caveat emptor.

Caveat emptor.

I had to google that.

I had to google that.

(so did I )

I thought it was latin for "my cheap sparkling white wine glass is empty"

cat c write off 2 months after leaving the dealership?

must have had some whack