Buying a Cat D

[cort16]

I had one of these and they're nice cars. For 10 grand I'd be paying a few hundred quid for a vehicle inspection.

If this comes back fine you know it's been repaired okay. 

[Norbert]

As for Olton.  My nan, (RIP) used to say "Olton's not as bad as Acocks Green, but it's not really Solihull is it?"  

 

When I looked at the web page that's where I thought it would be too. Can't be too harsh I thought - Gaffer_Norbert lives there for a start............

 

Then I noticed that the 'phone number was 0121 6xx xxxx. Little voice in head: "That's not right - Olton should be 7xx xxxx?"

 

When I clicked on the 'Contact us' tab and saw the map, the 'phone number makes sense - it's in the slightly* dubious back streets of Highgate, round the back of Southside (ie in the middle of the old Superprix circuit).

 

What with the blingy wheels and everything, I'd be with LankyTim on this one - running away.

[r.welfare]

I was watching 'Wrecks to Riches' the other day - a generally subpar programme where Dominic Littlewood and Vicki Butler-Henderson rebuild Cat C and D writeoffs for worthy punters. They were talking about some kind of inspection which changes a Cat D to 'condition approved' - any idea what benefits this actually brings in value, would it still show up via HPI?

[colino]

As someone who made a respectable living rebuilding salvage, first of all I'd tell you the categories mean absoutely nothing now and secondly I wouldn't touch an, "executive" repaired vehicle at so close retail, because it really isn't worth it.  There are still people who actually buy new cars like this (instead of lease or on the drip) and you will be able to haggle one from a first, private owner to below that level with cash.

Just think too about when you want to sell it.  Ideal choice still is Autotrader and the first thing that will pop up automatically in your carefully constructed advert is that its on the register.

By all means take 2-3 thousand to the salvage auction and get something older, fixable yourself.  You will then fix it properly, get the benefit out of it and then get most of your money back in a couple of years.

[Parky]

amazed something that new and valuable would have been Cat D'd. Must have been a few grands worth of repairs needed which strikes me as being more than just a bumper and an airbag module.

 

If keen at least get the AA or RAC to give it a going over first. Yes it might have run into the back of a truck at some lights, but it might have been involved in some Police Camera Action style rally crossing into a tree and I would not be happy with it if that was the case

[Noel Tidybeard]

this is what you get when you click the "about us" tab

 

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the website looks glitzy at first but is a bit limp when you nosey around some more

[Mally]

this is what you get when you click the "about us" tab

 

 

the website looks glitzy at first but is a bit limp when you nosey around some more

 

Well spotted.

Testimonials aren't much better.

One got a free Mot for buying it.

One drove all the way home to Milton Keynes without mishap. Must be at least 70 miles.

I got further than that in my Rickman before the RAC took over!

[Felly Magic]

Think about this, the dealer has a profit margin on that selling price, so take that off, and you have the true value of the car, well below £10k, that does start the bells ringing very loudly.

[DVee8]

It has been 3 days now and no reply to my email asking for any infomation as to what damage caused the car to be a cat d.

[New POD]

It has been 3 days now and no reply to my email asking for any infomation as to what damage caused the car to be a cat d.

 

Customer who is emailing and not phoning is a pain, and will be put on the not worth the hassle pile, because there is an evidence trail, and because they are not excited enough to be trying to phone or visit.

[DVee8]

Customer who is emailing and not phoning is a pain, and will be put on the not worth the hassle pile, because there is an evidence trail, and because they are not excited enough to be trying to phone or visit.

To visit is a 400 mile round trip,that they haven't replied to,and as i am on night shift this week and asleep most of the day.A customer is still a customer no matter how they communicate.

 

If all company's put a emailing customer on the not worth the hassel pile they may go bust quickly. All emails should be answered as a customer could be anywhere. We were prepared to travel if it was the right car.

[garbaldy]

And if a customer was very interested they would call for an Instant answer.

[Alexg]

I work for an independent dealer, and while email enquiries aren't as strong as phone enquiries, if I didn't respond to them I'd lose 20% of my business.