Buying a repaired write off - gen me up please Scotty...

[UltraWomble]

Im working nights and currently trawling Autotrader.

 

 

Spotted this which looks nice, tried to find out a bit more about it on-line and Total Car Check flags up a a VIC marker alert.

Decided to use one of my vouchers and do a full check and its been a Cat C in March 2014, looks like its not had a VIC check or a new MOT after the write off, and the cat C isnt declared in the advert.

 

Now so long as the damage has been repaired well, Im not adverse to buying a previously pronged car. But I imagine this one will be a world of pain when it comes to re-registering if its not had a VIC check (and presumably new MOT)

 

Or is it straightforward?

[catsinthewelder]

I think they only need a VIC check when they're sold on so that isn't too much of an issue (so long as it's the right car and passes).  When my 405 was cat D'ed after a prang the insurers made me MOT it straight away but there was no mention of a VIC,  that said when I was finished with it I just bridged it.

[New POD]

The VIC ? That's a Vehicle identity check ? Costs money. If not done YOU can't tax the car. Offer him the value of the remaining tax (£0) unless it is Vic'd. Simple.

[Skizzer]

Huh?  Surely under the new rules there isn't any 'remaining' tax?

[srad34]

If its a Cat C, this is shown on the V5 front page so there's no denying on the sellers part!.

(However, if iirc the V5 is held by the dvla until the VIC check is completed so they won't have it)  

[panhard65]

If its a Cat C, this is shown on the V5 front page so there's no denying on the sellers part!.

(However, if iirc the V5 is held by the dvla until the VIC check is completed so they won't have it)  

That is true if he doesn't have the V5 then it is because of it needing a VIC The VIC is pretty straight forward and costs about 50 quid if I remember correctly and they are stopping them sometime this year. You don't need to mot it again unless your insurance company insist on it.

[spike60]

A couple of years ago I bought a Z3 2.8 which was Cat C the year before but was VIC'd  and tested when I got, no problems other than normal old car stuff. It is declared on the V5 front page and was tested twice about 3 months apart in 2011, presumably it had the accident, repair and VIC in between. I haven't had any insurance problems either. VIC checks car identity, not repairs as some folk will have you believe.

[lisbon_road]

Well, I didn't know that the VIC check is going on writeoffs :

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fraud-check-cut-set-to-save-motorists-money

 

Thanks Panhard65 .......

 

A bit more here:

 

http://webuyscrapcars.co.uk/vehicle-identity-check-vic-abolished-from-october-2015/?doing_wp_cron=1420367149.4771330356597900390625

 

38 fails in 717,000 checks?  I wonder if they actually check them.  I've had them checked and you just sit in an office for ten minutes and your car come back and you leave £40 or so lighter.  But if I'd checked about 1000 and found no errors......it would be tempting to just put the kettle on........

[HillmanImp]

I am probably not the person to ask. Thabks for thinking of me though.

[panhard65]

Well, I didn't know that the VIC check is going on writeoffs :

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fraud-check-cut-set-to-save-motorists-money

 

Thanks Panhard65 .......

 

A bit more here:

 

http://webuyscrapcars.co.uk/vehicle-identity-check-vic-abolished-from-october-2015/?doing_wp_cron=1420367149.4771330356597900390625

 

38 fails in 717,000 checks?  I wonder if they actually check them.  I've had them checked and you just sit in an office for ten minutes and your car come back and you leave £40 or so lighter.  But if I'd checked about 1000 and found no errors......it would be tempting to just put the kettle on........

When I had one done a couple of months ago the guy doing it said that they aren't allowed to show the customer what they do. I had to unload it off the trailer so he could drive it into the workshop. Although we all assume it is just look at the VIN number they do also check it against a report of the damage from the insurance company. He didn't go into any detail but did say you would be surprised how far out some of the descriptions have been. I would call just 38 fails as it has been a success as even the most stupid crim wouldn't put a car in that was dodgy knowing he would get caught.

[skattrd]

Cat C not mentioned & VIC needed but not done - avoid.

 

I bought a RRC years ago that was a cat C and needed a VIC. The damage was small and I didn't repair it, I just took it for a VIC.

At the VIC (Peterborough) they told me they just checked engine and chassis numbers matched what they were supposed to be so it wasn't a ringer.

 

Vehicle safety is covered in MOT, as far as I am aware the damage does not need to be repaired to get it through a VIC check.

[lisbon_road]

Vehicle safety is checked in the MOT up to a point, but as my MOT examiner has commented that a car could be bent like a banana and still pass an MOT.

 

I have put one write off through an insurance inspection with a company qualified to do it.  I was allowed to witness that test, though he only seemed to check door gaps and so on to me.  He didn't look underneath.  £150 sigh. 

[cort16]

Some insurance companies seem to be a but arsey with damage repairables as in they'll not insure them.

I'd check with your insurance company first . For me it'd have to be really cheap or something I really wanted to take one on as they're hard to sell come time for getting rid .

[Mr_Bo11ox]

a 10 yr-old Hyundai Lantra is going to get written off for a broken ashtray so I wouldnt worry too much about what damage it might or might not have had if it looks and feels OK.

 

If the guy has the logbook and theres a test on it I would buy it if I liked it and the price was right.

[PiperCub]

Well, I didn't know that the VIC check is going on writeoffs :

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fraud-check-cut-set-to-save-motorists-money

 

Thanks Panhard65 .......

 

A bit more here:

 

http://webuyscrapcars.co.uk/vehicle-identity-check-vic-abolished-from-october-2015/?doing_wp_cron=1420367149.4771330356597900390625

 

38 fails in 717,000 checks?  I wonder if they actually check them.  I've had them checked and you just sit in an office for ten minutes and your car come back and you leave £40 or so lighter.  But if I'd checked about 1000 and found no errors......it would be tempting to just put the kettle on........

 

Exactly, that's why they are binning it off (Oct 2015? IIRC). They don't check wagons/commericals or motorcycles either 'cos they claimed not to have the capacity.

[garycox]

I think our Allegro was a Cat C in about 2004 or something, I have the insurance paperwork from that time but there's definitely nothing on the V5 about it... is adding it to the V5 just a recent thing? Does that mean it's not got a marker any more? Is there a way to check (for free?)

[meggersdog]

As has been said a Cat D doesn't need a vic but a Cat C does.

If the assessor didn't insist on taking the car away that's how come the owner hasn't had it checked.He's kept the V5c.

If it needs a vic then doovla hold on to the V5c.You have to apply for a new one and the V5 will have identity checked on such and such a date in the special notes section on the front.

 

Autotrader automatically declare cat c or d now , you can't omit it, so it does seem strange.