Hi again, 2nd post and 2nd request for help.

I've been looking at a 2006 Octavia VRS 2.0T and was in the process of agreeing a deal when I've done an hpi check and the car is showing as a cat D write off.

The seller hasn't disclosed this and wondered if anyone knows how much being a cat d would affect the purchase price by?

Thanks for any help

Barry

Yes it'll effect it quite a bit. The biggest issue is what an insurer thinks as some won't touch it.

Back off and walk away. Do not make the deal. Unless they have professional pictures of it being repaired with the legit receipts then run. Going off him not mentioning it to you I would put my money on it hasn't been done proper.

Do you have any idea if the price being asked is taking into account that its a write off - its a 2006 model 2.0t, 120,000 miles with supposed FSH, price £3800.

I didn't think the price was strangely cheap, its competitive with similar cars

There is plenty of petrol vrs's for sale id walk away & buy a better undamaged one,good job you did a hpi check. 

Do you have any idea if the price being asked is taking into account that its a write off - its a 2006 model 2.0t, 120,000 miles with supposed FSH, price £3800.

I didn't think the price was strangely cheap, its competitive with similar cars

 

 

If its competitive with all the other cars then spend a few extra hundreds and go for the others not this one in question.

I'm not 100% sure the seller knows its been written off as he stated he's only had it for a couple of month and took it in as a part ex and has been using it himself - hpi shows the cat d was recorded in May this year

Only had it a couple of months...didnt know it was a write off....hmm....alarm bells are ringing for me.....walk away! 

I'm not 100% sure the seller knows its been written off as he stated he's only had it for a couple of month and took it in as a part ex and has been using it himself - hpi shows the cat d was recorded in May this year

Unlikely - unless it's on trade insurance.

I'm not 100% sure the seller knows its been written off as he stated he's only had it for a couple of month and took it in as a part ex and has been using it himself - hpi shows the cat d was recorded in May this year

 

Walk away.

First, it must be disclosed.

Second, if you are clever enough to take cars in PX you HPI them.

 

Only buy a cat C or D if the seller can show you pictures of the damage so you can see it wasn't too bad.

Being a Cat D typically wipes a third of the value of a car off.

Only had it a couple of months...didnt know it was a write off....hmm....alarm bells are ringing for me.....walk away!

Yeh I will be but before I do, I'm going to ring him and ask him outright - if he didn't know, he soon will.

My previous post was actually asking if anyone on the forum knew of the car as the seller said it was a member of an owners club car, he also mentioned the car had been remapped and had suspension work done by the supposed previous owner - the reg for anyone that's interested is PJ06NSO in Race Blue

Edited 5 October, 201312 yr by hnh5

Have you got a link to the for sale ad? 

Hope these work:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=130991188099&globalID=EBAY-GB

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201309268977371

His answer to the "bumper repair" mentioned in the ad was as follows:

The car had some low down scrapes and also the rear reflectors were cracked so they replaced with new ones. The bumper cost £300 for the repair but it is like new, none of the reverse sensors were broken

Edited 5 October, 201312 yr by hnh5

Bear in mind it'd take a lot less to write off an 06 plate Octavia than a year old one so it may have been something relatively minor. That said, without disclosing it I'd think he's trying to pull a fast one so I'd walk away (unless you tell him and say you'll give him £3k).

Walk. There are plenty of cars on the market. Once a cat D, then always a cat D

Looking at it I'd say its at standard ride height, if it's had suspension work y wouldn't u lower it and decrease the arch gap, maybe it's had the anti roll bars upgraded

If you are really interested in digging a bit deeper, maybe a chat with the Motor Insurance Bureau is on the cards, every insurance company in the UK has to be signed up to them and they may be able to point you in the direction of more info as to what it was written off for. As people have said, it may have been quite a minor, easily repaired, bump that caused it to be written off and it was bought back and repaired. If the marker hasn't been removed then you will have trouble taxing and maybe insuring it.

Ian

Well, just come off the phone to him and after a bit of "err, well, hmm I knew about the bumper" I'm 100% convinced he knows of its history and hasn't disclosed it even though he legally should as a dealer.

To make the story even funnier, he says he's just sold it for £4000?? Bearing in mind up until yesterday he stated he's had the car 2 months now and was only advertising it for £3750 & £3895 depending on which advert you looked at, I can't imagine why someone would come and pay over the asking price. To top it all off, I should've notice something was 'fishy' if I'd looked at his eBay user name earlier 'sharky3003' lol.

Well, plenty more vrs's out there

Cheers everyone for the help

For the best you didn't take it I am sure. Good luck on your search. 

Looking at it I'd say its at standard ride height, if it's had suspension work y wouldn't u lower it and decrease the arch gap, maybe it's had the anti roll bars upgraded

 

Front is vRS height, but it looks like the car has had work at the backend. its definately sitting on standard (not) vRS springs at the rear, that and the bumper suggest its been rear ended or subject to major suspension damage.

 

Pitty the person who has bought it.

Well, just come off the phone to him and after a bit of "err, well, hmm I knew about the bumper" I'm 100% convinced he knows of its history and hasn't disclosed it even though he legally should as a dealer.

 

 

Report him for not disclosing a legal requirement.

 

" Warranty Sir, Sure , well until it's left the forecourt "

He's probably just taken it off eBay as you have caught him lying and doesn't want to get reported. He is a trader so the first thing he does would to hpi the cars he buys, so not disclosing it as cat d is very naughty.

Report to trading standards?

3800 is not cheap for a recorded car, but it doesn't affect your insurance subject to what some people have said, its some old chinese whispers, the only thing it will affect is your payout should anything ever happen, cat d 25% less than cap value at the time. 

 

And don't forget theres loads of cars out there that have been hit and repaired and not recorded, you won't know until you are there in person, take someone who has a good eye on bodywork. or get an aa inspection done, its just over 100, and its a general peace of mind