Ok so I might be buying a car to get me too and from work. I'm looking at sub £300 cars. Seen some Cat C and Cat D but what's the difference and whats the procedure with the V5 and insurance? Any advice welcome.

I bought a Cat C Fiesta recently with the intention of 'doing it up'.

 

I can't help with the insurance - I haven't insured it yet - but I got a replacement V5 no issues. I can't remember the form numbers (maybe V890??) but I rang the DVLA and they were very helpful.

 

New V5 came through very quickly. I also SORN'd it easily at the same time.

 

I believe the difference between Cat C and D is just the value of the repairs compared to the value of the car's value but I stand to be corrected.

 

You don't have to do a VIC test now either, just an MOT.

Do you mean you are buying one still damaged and you are going to repair it?

Get one with a V5 and register yourself as the Keeper, repair, get a MOT, get insurance & then VED.

 

Or is there some issues, like what are you getting for under £300 and is there no paperwork.

You need a Receipt when buying, you need to be sure VIN and Engine Numbers are correct for the DVLA Database.

Not bought a car yet but if I were to buy one it would need to be road worthy. I don't plan on repairing it, if it's got a dent then it will stay.

"What am I getting for under £300?"

A right pile of crap and probably french I'd rather not spend anything but needs must.

So you are just buying a cheap road legal car if it is a roadworthy one, same as any other car, 

it was C or D Damage and fixed, and if roadworthy the Insurance Company should Insure as a roadworthy car.

 

You want to see the V5 no matter how cheap the car is, and you need to buy VED because it does not change over to you with the car.

If on a SORN the SORN ends as it changes to you as the Registered Keeper.

So you are just buying a cheap road legal car if it is a roadworthy one, same as any other car,

it was C or D Damage and fixed, and if roadworthy the Insurance Company should Insure as a roadworthy car.

This.

Some ads I've seen the seller claims to have lost the V5 or not have applied for it!?

Steer clear of these then yes?

Yeah dont touch them, not worth the hassle. At that price it'll be whatever comes up running and local I assume. 

At that price it'll be whatever comes up running and local I assume.

Yep. A trip to the local auction may be on the horizon.

One thought...

 

A cheap car is usually cheap for a reason.

What's wrong with it, what is about to go wrong with it or what made it's owner think it should be put in the auction as it wasn't cost effective to keep?

 

I have picked up mk1 Fabias of around £150 in the salvage auction.   Around £300 with the fees paid and an MOT.

Older ones, usually around 100k.

Generally other than the obvious damage there is little wrong with them.

I put this down to the fact the owner was happy driving it around when someone bumped it.

It wasn't sold because the clutch started to slip or the ECU started to fry.

One of them was one owner, 70k miles with a full main dealer history!

 

Horses for courses.

But buying a £300 car at the auction or privately I'd be still expecting to have to spend money on it.

 

And with the value of old cars now a Cat C or D can be  little as a dented boot and cracked bumper!

As a car ages it takes less and less to write it off in terms of accident damage. An older car with very little wrong with it would be very easily written off by even the most minor damage (including paint damage or a small dent), however that older car might have any issues that a car of a similar age might have that wasn't a write off  - so due diligence is required.

 

 

My car is a former Cat D however is a lot newer and was more expensive than what you are expecting to spend and I was fortunate enough to know its entire history prior to purchase, including details of the damage and repair work undertaken. Save for a little shopping around to find someone to insure it, I have had no issues regarding the status of the car whatsoever, and have even had warranty work done on the car from Skoda as it was less than 3 years old.

 

Re: insurance I'm with a company called A-Plan (broker) with insurance underwritten with Ageas who are pretty decent and the premiums are reasonable.