(T) Cat D - insurance write off

Hi,

Looking at a car that was a Cat D, looks nice, however it has no service history, I have VOSA print out and all looks good. I will ring the MoT stations to see if on the off chance, the car might have been serviced there also.. To see if the cambelt and WP were done.

Is there ANY way that I might find out what the insurance claim was?? I understand that Cat D is the least serious damage usually, I'm guessing that that car's had a new rear bumper as it's got reverse sensors fitted.

Fingers crossed someone can help?


Cheers


Jon

if there is no before photos i'd run away. some insurance companies put a cat D on some right wrecks. i've seen 2 same model same year cars next to each other in a breakers one a cat C and one a cat D, the C was cosmetic the D imo should have been a B as with out a jig and skill it would never be right.

Hi,

Thanks for the advice. Really with that as a matter of course - if a car's not crushed, or scrapped, if it's sold on to be put back on the road, that a photo diary with engineers report possibly is compulsory and compiled by the repairer..??

I've got no way of knowing what has been repaired, when it was repaired and if there's a chance that the car could be effected.

Also, in this particular case the car's history has apparently been lost, VOSA printout seems to suggest that it hasn't been clocked - mileage looks ok...but..?

I know what I should do - and probably will, its hard - the car looks so good.

Cheers

Jo

none of that is needed, a good person may keep photos even old parts to show, but a lot will bodge it as cheap as they can and stick it back on the road. mot tester don't have to check for twisted chassis often it wont be noticed until tyres start to wear strangely

with these catc/d repaired ithink its all down to price, is it cheap?

once youve got it and you get fed up with it you might find there hard to
sell on again, otherwise,

if you go for it, id be asking for a test drive, not just round acar park,

some never drive straight.. and you carnt realy pick up on it on a car park test,

get under it and look for tell tale sighs of where things have been straightend out..any sighns of body filler or areas of where gallons of underseal have been painted on walk away,

look at the door gaps,and wings etc,

dont forget to look at where the spare wheel lives, remove wheel and have alook

If they don't have receipts to prove the work done I'd walk away. Went to see an 06 plate mjet 1.9 that was cat d with a vosa certificate in 'perfect condition'. What a shed! It was clearly bodged up. Just be careful or it'll end costing more in the long run.

After watching numerous episodes of wheeler dealers maybe take magnet with you aswell to check if there is bodyfiller in places ie side quarters doors ect aswell as the useful advise from @oldhammer

the magnet trick might not work anymore as theres anew body filler on the market, its metal based so no one will know if used,

JB weld is good at hiding things too,