Hi,

Never thought about this before but one just passed over my desk which fits what I'm searching for and the price 4k lower than trade.

Initial report is that damage was mainly cosmetic and from the bloke who's a pal of the guy next to me; sounds great eh it's not that dodgy honest...but it should not of been a write off, nowhere near in fact.

So pro's and con's of a cat D, otehr than light damage which this has had, any other things to be asking about it's history that may not be declared, am I likely to see it on ploice camera action one night in 5 years time?

So thoughts, I know a saving today will be a headache in two years time or three...it's this or an mx5

Cheaper price now means cheaper price when you come to sell it. Already said this, but receipts/letters/etc anything to describe why the insurance company wrote it off would make the decision for me.

Other than that, I considered a Cat D M3 before my current car, so the short answer is yes

Guess it also depends on how long you are planning to keep it.

For example, even if the re-sale price was up to 50% lower, it isn't much if its only worth a grand when you come to sell it, compared with the 4k saving now.

i wouldn't touch a write-off with a barge pole..... fine for banger racing, not for the roads!!

other halfs got a cat c

think it was rolled and repared, pillars have some creases that are just visible if your looking in the right place

I trust the guy who repared it so that helps i suppose.

My local bodyshop have repaired a guys ferarri for him twice now after being written off, said they cant do it again though as the chassis wouldnt take it.

I have done and would buy a write off again, especially cat d.

Cat D is just really minor cosmetic and non structural damage- wont need a vic check to go back on the road.

It depends- you got youngsters/wife etc that you cart about?I'd consider their safety against the £4k saving...

What you need to remember is that cars like that are generally written off as they are uneconomical to repair. When this is calculated the cost of new parts, full rate labour etc is all taken into account.

By buying such a car and having it repaired yourself, whilst using some salvaged parts etc can make it a cheap option but as said you must be prepared to struggle to sell it later and certainly for a lower price.

Also worth getting it checked properly.

You can also have it surveyed and have the D marker removed IIRC.

I'd look at CAT-D, and no worse. And that would only be if I intended keeping it and running it until it died, so as not to have the issues of selling on etc.

Steve

cat d is worth a look. if all the story tallys and the saving is great enough to make the resale not an issue i would go for it.

anyone who says not at all doesnt understand what Cat D means.

You can also have it surveyed and have the D marker removed IIRC.

nope

I would also consider a Cat D. More cars are written off these days, because of silly things. EG. You have a minor frontal, but the airbags deploy, voila one Cat D write off, because of the cost. The most expensive parts are the dash and airbags. If the car didnt have airbags chances are it would have been repaired. Dash and airbags from a car crashed for another reason, from a scrapyard make for a cheaper repair, but the ins. co would not use secondhand parts.

My mum had a cat D repaired car... a renault 5, was a year old with 13k on it at the time, we were shown pics of the car before repair, the sill and floor had been damaged, we had an RAC inspection, and he said it was sound, but would rust early...

we had that car for about 10 years!!! it did rust on the sill, but never enough to need welding for an MOT... so I'd say yes.....

i would consider a CAT D

just the main thing i would think about is wheather i'd want to make money on it if i dont i would get one

a 'Cat D' could even be a totally 'straight ' car thats been stolen even WITH keys.. been paid out on the insurance and then found.. so a 'D' is not to worry about.. I have a Cat 'C' at the moment .. it was a rear end thump .. due to the age of the car... 99 on a 'T'.. It was deemed TOOEXPENSIVE to repair through a dealer therefore was written off. I have had a FULL VIC (VOSA) check on it, and it has been through an MOT too..

So I personally would have NO qualms going for a 'D'...

as already said as long as it checks out and it passes a thorough check by a profesional then i wouldn't consider it being a cat D a proble as long as it was sensibly priced

if its 4k lower than trade but trade is 25k+ then not worth it but if trade is say 10k then 4k is quite a saving and worth it as long as you remember its a cat D come selling it on

details from the insurer involved about why its a cat D would be nice but not essential.

You can have a lot of fun in an MX5 though