A spot of advice for a colleague if you don't mind.
If a car would usually be a good purchase at £10,000; what would be an appropriate price for the same car but adding in the factor that it had been a Cat C [front end damage] but had been seemingly well put back together ? £2,000 less ?
Yes, he is aware that not buying it, getting another one, etc. etc. is an option.
No, he doesn't want a Mondeo TDCi.
TIA,
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Sorry but I personally wouldn't touch it.
That's my personal point of view, others may possibly disagree and have different ideas.
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I appreciate the thought, but as I said in my original note he is aware that not buying it is an option. He is also quite capable of deciding which model car he wants and whether or not he wishes to buy a Cat C.
What he doesn't know, or at least is not sure, is by how much would you reasonably reduce the price of a £10k to reflect that status.
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If it was a cat C write off on a £10K car, then it would have needed at least £6K of repairs. This means that the chassis must have been bent and it needs straightening. If the repaurs have really been done properly, the chassis strqaightened properly and no corners been cut in the repairs then I'd want £2-3K discount for the cat C. If its even slightly unstraight, don't touch it. If he's not planning on keeping it for a long time, don't touch it.
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I read often, only post occasionally
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IMO the value would depend on a). how well the repairs have been carried out and.. b). how desirable the car/model is in the first place.
If the car is a common model, with loads of "undamaged" examples on the market to choose from, then 50-60% of the market value may be fair. However, if it's a rare and desirable model then perhaps nearer 70-80%.
As you've mentioned, the repairs may have been done to a high standard - is there any proof/documentation of what was done and where? If the repairs were carried out at a reputable garage/bodyshop that will at least provide some peace of mind.
Finally - are you sure he doesn't want a Mondeo TDCI ? ;-)
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To specifically answer Dr No's Question.
Given its a cat C, given that any HPI* will bring this up, a 40% discount would be appropriate
10 grand becomes 6
*dont forget, if its a good fix, any back street trader could quite easily out this car at its full value as there are shed loads of used car buyers who dont take out an HPI and would never find out.
You really really sure he dont want a mondeo TDCI?
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I recently bought a car privately that was 2 years old, before paying i did an Hpi check and everything came back all clear, but after the obligatory wash and polish noticed a few little tell tale signs, upon further examination i would say the car has had a new bonnet, front bumper, o/s wing, door skin, and rear door and quarter panel painted, however the repairs have been done very professionaly and i'm well pleased with the car, but i don,t understand why the hpi check didn't bring this up, can anyone explain.
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I believe a car has to have been written off by an insurance company in order for it to be recorded, such that an HPI type check will reveal accident damage.
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I got my bonnet repaired (although I could have bought a new one) and it won't show up on any HPI check.
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Adam
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Am I right in thinking then, that as many large corporations 'self insure' their fleets, any repairs they pay for will not be picked up by HPI (or similar services)?
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Why the HPI check did'nt bring this up?
Because it has not been written off by an insurance company. HPI checks do not mean that a car has not ever been damaged, merely that it has not been 'written off'.
Hope that helps
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Thanks people, that's useful.
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I'd knock at least a quarter off for a CAT C. Bit less for a D.
A lot depends on how long he wants to keep it as selling it could become a problem. I don't know how dealers handle things like this?? Possible "sorry mate, not interested" at part-ex time.
As said earlier, a car could have every panel replaced and have a bent underbody, but as long as the insurance company don't write it off it won't show under an HPI check. So if Fred down the road with Third Party insurance wrecks his car and his mate Rodney botches it up, you won't know unless you get a decent engineers check.
Martin
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Can I hijack this thread slightly? There is a salvage auction near to me and there is a constant stream of transporters taking vehicles in and out of it. Some of these are burnt out wrecks but others only seem to have minor damage. Am I right in saying that these must have been written off as well, as I can't think why else they would be there? For example, I saw an 02 A4 today that just had boot damage but assume it must have been a write off? Is it a case now that if a car's safety system has activated eg. 6 airbags, pretensioners etc, then the cost of simply replacing them for starters is enough to write off a vehicle?
The website of the auction is as follows (mods delete if you don't think it is appropriate)
auctions.blue-sock.com/1/view/index.php
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Indeed BobbyG, any bump hard enough to fire off the airbags causes thousands of pounds of damage to the interior of the car plus airbag replacement costs. This alone is enough to write off a lot of cars.
Dont forget they could also be stolen/recovered vehicles being ferried in and out.
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By stolen / recovered, do you mean ins company has paid out and the car has subsequently been found? That would make sense.
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By stolen / recovered, do you mean ins company has paid out and the car has subsequently been found? That would make sense.
Quite, the insurance companies wait for a month or so before paying out, then when and if the cars are recovered they are then the property of the insurers, not the original owners, unless they manage to buy them beck.
Hence I guess you could get stolen and recovered vehicles with minimal or no damage done.
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