A 20% or so discount is normal.. - not off top book .. but mid.

Grossly overpriced. Run away.

Agreed. If buying a cat D or C car, your first assumption must be that it will be almost impossible to sell it on in the future - no garage is going to want to take it in part-ex, unless at a huge discount to regular pricing, and very few private individuals will want to know either. So unless you're prepared to run it into the ground, then never buy a car like this.

It doesn't matter if the work was actually only minor, or if there is a full, documented photo library, with signed letters from the finest car rebuilders on the planet. Most will see 'Cat D' and move on to the next car.

Thank you all for confirming - my gut instinct was right after all :)

Yes it is a diesel engine. And the catalytic converter warning light went on while we test drove it... they said they will look into it but now I am suspicious about that one too!

Perhaps stolen and recovered some time after payout with relatively minor damage?

I'd still give it a miss.

Thanks very much for your answers. We definitely are giving it a miss with so much negative points that you've raised! Off to the next test drive :)