Buying back your written off car?

[Carl VRS]

Hi all

Further to an earlier thread in the Octavia section, http://www.briskoda.net/forums/octavia/car-written-off-advice-needed/77424/ ,now locked, please note that I am NOT selling anything in this thread, and please do not make any offers on parts.

My 2001 Octy vRS has been written off. They are coming on Monday to collect it/assess it.

Once i get my agreed price for it, a mate of mine wants to buy it off the insurance company, and use the engine for an up and coming project.

How does this work? Once the car is in the possession of the insurance company and I have my money, do i have the optoion to buy it off them or can anyone else buy it off them before they pass it on to a breakers?

My mate wants the engine and associated parts, but a vRS at our local breakers recently proved to expensive.

Any advice greatly received

[th4neuk]

I think you can make an offer for the salvage to the insurer.

I would wait till they make you your offer though and then if you are happy with that you could ask. You are more likely to get a better price than your mate so you would likely be buying it on his behalf.

HTH

Cheers

[devonutopia]

I was offered my car back for £500 when mine was written off. This was over 3 years ago though, and I think they've got quite tight over it. What category write off do you think it will be? Usually, the cost is 10% of salvage, but it might be more in your case if it's only a cat D write off (i.e repairable) Mine was a cat B so I was able to recover my Fabia (and put the Jabba'd ECU in my new car )

[Carl VRS]

The assessor has been round this morning, and told me that due to its age and value, the car will be repaired, not written off. Can I refuse to have the car back on the grounds that I dont want my baby travelling in a damage repaired car, and that i wont get the £4800 I wanted to sell it for. Do I have a case? I really dont want the car back now...

[Stuart_J]

The assessor has been round this morning, and told me that due to its age and value, the car will be repaired, not written off. Can I refuse to have the car back on the grounds that I dont want my baby travelling in a damage repaired car, and that i wont get the

[Carl VRS]

So when it comes back all fixed will it have any Cat C or Cat D history on it when i go and sell it. Surely that will affect its value?

[Jimmy]

Nope. It'll only be Cat C or cat D if written off by the ins co.

[Carl VRS]

Ahh thats ok then, put my mind at rest somewhat

[Stuart_J]

Nope. It'll only be Cat C or cat D if written off by the ins co.

Correct :thumbup:

[ItsOnlyMe_vRS]

Although an HPI check run against the car should show that its had an accident.

[mannyo]

Although an HPI check run against the car should show that its had an accident.

No it doesnt, only shows if written off. Accident history is not recorded on HPI. I have bought a few accident damaged cars, none have ever had details on HPI or any other register.

[Carl VRS]

Thats all good news then, so i can still sell at the price originally wanted.

[mannyo]

Thats all good news then, so i can still sell at the price originally wanted.

yes no problem.

[Quinten]

Thats all good news then, so i can still sell at the price originally wanted.

Yes, but failure to disclose information at the time of sale when directly asked is fraudulent (definitely on commercial, i.e. dealers; not so sure on private sales) and could lead you in court.

[Stuart_J]

Yes, but failure to disclose information at the time of sale when directly asked is fraudulent (definitely on commercial, i.e. dealers; not so sure on private sales) and could lead you in court.

Many brand new cars are repaired before they are sold as new & dealers never declare that do they so why does an owner have to declare it ?

[mannyo]

You only have to declare it if specifically asked. I have never been asked the question, so never specifically declared any known damage come P/ex time.

[Quinten]

Exactly. You do not need to declare it, but when asked, you can't lie about it.

[Carl VRS]

Thats all fine by me, i'm an honest bloke, honest!!

[Carl VRS]

Oh the joys of the insurance world, now they are saying it isbeyond economical repair, and have offered me more than what i was going to sell it for. Should I take their first offer or should i be cheeky and ask for a little more?

[Quinten]

Ask for more... Don't ask, don't get

[Stuart_J]

Yes ask for more BUT you will need to back it up with some evidence that the figure they are offering isnt enough.

Trawl the Autotrader & Exchange & Mart for similar cars & compare prices, if they are going for more then you have something to show them & argue, if not try anyway, you might only get another 100 but its worth the chat.

NOTE they wont match main dealer prices as those will come with 12 month guarantees therefore worth more than your car.

Stuart

[LJ_Matt]

No it doesnt, only shows if written off. Accident history is not recorded on HPI. I have bought a few accident damaged cars, none have ever had details on HPI or any other register.

So have I and I think that idea stinks!

Both my fiesta and escort had been professionally repaired on insurance and both suffered terrible rust years down the line! :(

[cheezemonkhai]

So have I and I think that idea stinks!

Both my fiesta and escort had been professionally repaired on insurance and both suffered terrible rust years down the line! :(

How old were they?

Mk I, MK II and MK III fiestas rust like anything. I've done a fair amount of work on all three types and they all rust badly, especially around the arches.

[LJ_Matt]

One was on a H plate and the last a P, both owned for over 5 years.

My point was that they suffered rust where the repairs had been done.

The escort was supposed to be red but was actually orange all down one side unless t-cut regularly.............

[cheezemonkhai]

Red paint fade is very common on older cars and even on some newer ones.

H plate and P plate would have made the fiesta a MK III and they rust like anything no matter how much car you take.

I jet washed, steamed, dried and then underbody sealed one, and still end up fixing rust every few months.

All I am saying is that it might be poor repair, but a lot of cat D's can be a good buy, esp just ones with bent bumpers etc.