Benjy Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 I've just picked up an 05 plate BMW X3 as damaged repairable salvage, however, I bought it from the owner, not the insurance company. Basically, to cut a long story short, the owner parked it on a lamp post, and upon putting a claim into his insurance company, they found that he'd forgotten to declare 3 points for speeding, and so nullified his insurance and refused to pay out. I HPI'd it before I did the deal, and found it was still registered as a Cat C (which to be honest doesn't worry me...), but it got me wondering... ...I was under the impression that a vehicle can only be classed as a Cat C if it's an uneconomical repair, AND the insurer had paid out to declare it a "total loss/write off". Have the insurance company been too hasty to categorise it as a write off before realising about his points and refusing to pay out? And if so, can the cat C marker be removed as technically, it's not a write off, it just needs a bonnet, headlight and a bumper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewaysdan Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewaysdan Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 I think a cat c has to undergo a vic check before its road worthy again. It will have to undergo a check on the damage before they can put it into a category I believe. https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-identity-check/overview Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 VIC check is purely to identify that the vehicle has the same chassis numbers, and isn't 2 halves of 2 different cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewaysdan Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Is it not to make sure the work has been carried out to a safe standard for road use again.. I may be completely wrong then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 No, it has to have another MOT. The key word in VIC check is "identity". The engineer's report (which apparently it didn't have - he just sent them photo's...) determines the worth of the vehicle vs the cost of repairs, and an estimate over a certain percentage of the value of the car determines if it's a write off or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewaysdan Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Oh right I thought that was for cat d. I new I should have kept my mouth shut I've had a couple of cat d cars but purely cosmetic ie new bumper can't see how they are so quick to write them off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absz Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Vehicle would of been Damaged beyond economical repair for it to be Cat C, You will not be able to remove the Vcar cat C status once its been recorded even if the insurance hasn't paid out for the car. What normally happens is that the insurance assessors will record the damage onto the Vcar registrar well before payment is settled. Also the Law has changed as of this month and you can take the car to a Mot Test station for the Vic test Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 Vehicle would of been Damaged beyond economical repair for it to be Cat C, You will not be able to remove the Vcar cat C status once its been recorded even if the insurance hasn't paid out for the car. What normally happens is that the insurance assessors will record the damage onto the Vcar registrar well before payment is settled. Also the Law has changed as of this month and you can take the car to a Mot Test station for the Vic test Thanks for that mate. Just seems a shame for it to be a cat C seeing as it's not a total loss to the insurer. I'll look into the VIC check thing. I'm a tester and haven't heard anything about it! Handy though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abz Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Vehicle would of been Damaged beyond economical repair for it to be Cat C, You will not be able to remove the Vcar cat C status once its been recorded even if the insurance hasn't paid out for the car. What normally happens is that the insurance assessors will record the damage onto the Vcar registrar well before payment is settled. Also the Law has changed as of this month and you can take the car to a Mot Test station for the Vic test This, though didn't know about the last bit. I understand that one it has the status it can not be removed, though personally I have no qualms with Cat C cars. Plenty of cars out there that I have personally witness which are crashed and repaired on a daily basis with no insurance involvement that majority people would not even notice upon purchase. I saw a car not long ago which I was helping my sister buy which that was completely clean, upon pulling up the boot lining, I see a hole and clear repairs of an accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 I've got no issues at all with cat C and D cars. My only gripe is that it will affect the later value, when technically, as it wasn't a total loss to the insurer, it shouldn't be. To be fair, I don't know why I'm worried. The wife will drive it once and I'll be lumbered with the 307 Diesel whilst she lords it up in the Beemer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abz Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 I've got no issues at all with cat C and D cars. My only gripe is that it will affect the later value, when technically, as it wasn't a total loss to the insurer, it shouldn't be. To be fair, I don't know why I'm worried. The wife will drive it once and I'll be lumbered with the 307 Diesel whilst she lords it up in the Beemer... Know what you mean but as long as you got it cheap then it's all good in the hood! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absz Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Just read the email again that I received from Dvla regarding a vic test i'm waiting upon and it states from 1st October 2015 the vic test scheme will be abolished and I can carry out a mot and then apply for a v5 they have also refunded me the Vic test fee:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 Know what you mean but as long as you got it cheap then it's all good in the hood! Cheap? Try free my friend... [emoji6] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 Just read the email again that I received from Dvla regarding a vic test i'm waiting upon and it states from 1st October 2015 the vic test scheme will be abolished and I can carry out a mot and then apply for a v5 they have also refunded me the Vic test fee:) So as long as I stick an MOT on it, basically I'm confirming that the car is infact the same vehicle, just with new parts? Winner!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supra Kong Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Cheap? Try free my friend... [emoji6] Bargain!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absz Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 So as long as I stick an MOT on it, basically I'm confirming that the car is infact the same vehicle, just with new parts? Winner!! yep The Vic test was only to check identity of the car but saying that I had a couple of cars tested over the years which had no vin tags as i had them removed when repairing damage and they still passed with no questions asked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 Bargain!! Was a bit. It went from "Can you do me a quote to repair it", to "Make me an offer", to "Infact, just take it if you want it" to "Will you take that f*****g Astra with you aswell?" (05 plate 1.6 Astra...) yep The Vic test was only to check identity of the car but saying that I had a couple of cars tested over the years which had no vin tags as i had them removed when repairing damage and they still passed with no questions asked I suppose they can tell if it's 2 cars welded together. I think that's basically what they meant by "identity". I took an Escort in a few years back with a new slam panel and my rivet gun broke, so it was poking out of the ashtray Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abz Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Cheap? Try free my friend... [emoji6] WTF?! You lucky bugger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted October 6, 2015 Author Share Posted October 6, 2015 WTF?! You lucky bugger You think that's lucky - I investigated the noise from the engine on the Astra today. I fitted a mani-cat for him 11 months ago, and found this... http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/06/fe3c0fb73e8be6b4c3ba2b3007a6783a.jpg Free car, free mani-cat under warranty, plus £70 labour to fit it!! BOOM!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Raven Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Hmm. This is an interesting one,so they refused to repair based on the fact his insurance is void. Therefore i don't know how they can class it as anything. Technically the car is nothing to do with them once they deemed it as not insured? On a side note is it a diesel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted October 7, 2015 Author Share Posted October 7, 2015 That was my thinking, but I guess it's tough now. No mate, petrol. Why's that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Raven Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 That was my thinking, but I guess it's tough now. No mate, petrol. Why's that? Might have known someone that would have been interested if you where thinking of selling had it been a diesel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.