cat c write off

[allen_family]

Please please help me!!!!

i just bought a 2002 volvo v40. It has low mileage and is in excellent condition. However, the log book came back today and it had a discrepancy on it. I ran a vehicle check on it and it came back as a Cat C write off last december. The car has the balance of 12 months MOT and tax on it and i understand it must have passed a VOSA inpection.

I feel so stupid now (i've never bought a used car before and didn't know this could happen) and also really angry as i bought it when i was 9 months pregnant..

The seller saw my condition and chose not to disclose it. I now have a 1 week old baby....is it safe for us to travel in?????

Sarah

Category C and Category D Registered Cars

[NORMANTHEDOG]

firstly,you should have done a hpi check on it,that would have shown it was a cat c, secondly,what sort of damage was done to the car,and thirdly,as it has passed the vosa vic test it will should be ok.but be more carefull in future

[allen_family]

ok thanks...

i now know i should had done a hpi check....but like i said i've never bought a used car before,

plus i never thouht anybody would rip-off a 9 month. pregnant woman. i'll know not to be so naieve in future!!

i don't know what the damage was, it just came back as a cat c write off

[pingu748]

Category C - Repairable salvage. Usually applies to vehicles with significant (structural) damage, where cost of repairs exceeds book value. Can be sold complete to Trade or Public. Recorded as "Category C" at DVLA. Category C vehicles' V5 documents are returned to DVLA. You re-apply, to DVLA or at your local VRO, for registration on the original identity once you have fixed it up, MOTed it and want to Tax it. Re-registration removes the Category C classification, but evidence it was at one time Category C remains on the vehicle's record at DVLA (and HPI and AA and the others).

[allen_family]

i was looking for an economical estate car. I paid �5000 for the car which i thought was about the right amount.

As for being pregnant, i now have a 1 week old baby and this car - would you be worried if you'd never heard of this sort of thing before???

[Toureman]

For the V40 with low mileage �5000 is a good price, usually around �6500-�7000, The reason it is cheaper is because of the Cat C, the car will be perfectly safe, perhaps more than one without the Cat C as it has been closely inspected by VOSA.

The dealer should have explained about the Cat C though.

The Cat C will mean the car will have a lower re sale value but if you keep it a few years that will negligible.

Happy driving.

[allen_family]

Many thanks toureman.

[jake-the-peg]

I hate to rain on the parade because I agree with everything said previously.

But you must tell your insurance company.

The fact that it's a repaired write-off affects the value of the car and is therefore material information. It could affect you if you come to claim.

There are also some underwriters who have a policy of not insuring repaired write-offs hopefully yours will be OK with this and then you can just relax

[jake-the-peg]

I didn't mean to imply that the category C write off affected the quality of the repair - just the cars value.

Mdoo's right there's no reason to be worried about the safety but given the choice between one with a repair on it's record and one without most people would plump for the unrepaired one which is why it affects the value of the car and why you have to tell your insurance company.

It's not that you're more likely to have a claim it's because the value of the car as an asset is lower than they might otherwise calculate

[snowdogs82]

If VOSA have passed it should be safe to drive. you can also get the police involved as its law to disclose if the car is cat c repaired at point of sale. if you are very concerned i'd contact vosa who should have a record of examination and might be able to tell you what was repaired. generally, cat c is "light damage". once you know what was repaired you can the get an inspection of the works from a reputable dealer. Hope this has helped :) Louise.

[squishy7709]

I wouldnt worry to much about it being cat c as i have recently been in a car accident in my vauxhall astra it took a smack from behind the book price was £1800 the cost of repairs (at Dealer parts and dealer labour) was £2050, they always go on dealer costs to repair a car not the cheapest way. my car requires rear impact bar and bumper and a hole in boot floor to pass an mot. there is nothing wrong with the way it drives and i even drove it to the repair centre 8 miles away, i am now taking the car back to get it repaired for less than £500 to put it back on the road. and i will be selling it on as i already have another car, i can understand your upset about it not being disclosed that it was a cat c but the damage to the car could have been as liitle as what happened to mine.
So if anybody wants to buy a vauxhall astra 1.7dti in blue on an 04 plate 100k miles £1200ono lol

[squishy7709]

I wouldnt worry to much about it being cat c as i have recently been in a car accident in my vauxhall astra it took a smack from behind the book price was £1800 the cost of repairs (at Dealer parts and dealer labour) was £2050, they always go on dealer costs to repair a car not the cheapest way. my car requires rear impact bar and bumper and a hole in boot floor to pass an mot. there is nothing wrong with the way it drives and i even drove it to the repair centre 8 miles away, i am now taking the car back to get it repaired for less than £500 to put it back on the road. and i will be selling it on as i already have another car, i can understand your upset about it not being disclosed that it was a cat c but the damage to the car could have been as liitle as what happened to mine.
So if anybody wants to buy a vauxhall astra 1.7dti in blue on an 04 plate 100k miles £1200ono lol