Buying a car (write off) advice

[Chris_90]

So I sold my bx on Saturday and I've been looking for a nice zx volcane I viewed 2 5 doors but wasn't keen then I found a very nice 3 door one, been to view it today needs some tlc (gear leaver sloppy/ rip on steering wheel/ odd mark on body) put it was in extremely good condition considering age (94) and mileage 178k, after coming back and forth on price to take in to account the issues. We agreed on 840 (was up at 995) I count cash out and go to fill log book out to find out its a previous insurance write off. 

So at that point I called the deal off. But I'm still seriously considering it. 

What are your guys thoughts on buying a car that has been writen off in the past? Is it still worth the price agreed considering it's been writen off? Or does it devalue it considerably? 

Any advice welcome.

[tigerstyle]

I would say with these cars at this age, it is irrelevant, as long as it does not effect your insurance price etc.
You said it yourself, what else can you buy from 1994 that would be factory condition (not cars but anything) TV from 1994? Computer from 1994? Sofa from 1994?

How the **** do you further devalue a 23 year old Citroen?

[1616six]

As I said on Instagram Chris it wouldn't personally bother me unless I was spending thousands.

The way I look at it is the car must have been straight for you to not know it was a previous write off so has been repaired well.

Secondly how many cars on the road have been smashed up and unrecorded? How many cars have you bought in the past as 'HPI Clear' but have actually just been repaired.

If it's recorded at least you know it's been repaired well enough to pass a VIC/MOT etc.

I would however go for a lower offer on the basis you weren't told it was written off and also made a long journey today that you would have to make again.

[Chris_90]

How the **** do you further devalue a 23 year old Citroen?

By classing it as a write off? Is it worth the 840 I agreed on or would it be less the thing with it I was hoping that I wouldn't lose money on it. When I come to sell when I'm bored with it, but I would be honest about it saying it's been writen off in the past so to me it devalues it.

[Mattcheese31]

CAT what?

[Chris_90]

CAT what?

Don't know didn't say on the log book.

[toseland]

you need to find this out, if its A or B you cant put it on the road, and i think there are some restructions, Cat C and D are fine however with a current MOT,, mine is Cat D, the repair was tiny but uneconomical and it was written off (the door was bent to access some sunglasses and other bits in the car). Hardly changes the value, doesnt affect the structural integrity or anything like that drives perfect but its still a write off..


I would say that it would substantially lowers the value of the vehicle and its now a LEGAL requirement for sellers of any second hand car (either private or company) to notify you of such a marker

[1616six]

you need to find this out,   if its A or B you cant put it on the road, and i think there are some restructions,   Cat C and D are fine however with a current MOT,,  mine is Cat D, the repair was tiny but uneconomical and it was written off (the door was bent to access some sunglasses and other bits in the car).  Hardly changes the value, doesnt affect the structural integrity or anything like that drives perfect but its still a write off..


I would say that it would substantially lowers the value of the vehicle and its now a LEGAL requirement for sellers of any second hand car (either private or company) to notify you of such a marker

Cat B can go back on the road

[toseland]

Cat B shell should be crushed according to the VOSA

[1616six]

Cat B shell should be crushed according to the VOSA

Even the GOV website will say this however there are MANY Cat B cars legitimately on the UK roads, I can assure you! If you google it there is plenty on other forums confirming this.

It's basically a preference of the ABI however there's no law to stop a Cat B being put back on the road.

[Mattcheese31]

What JJ said, I found all this out a couple of years ago when I was gonna put my cat B Sigma back on the road, if u can get it back from the insurers, you can put it back on the road

[Chris_90]

   
   
   

So it was a cat C in 2010. I wish there was a way to find out what the damage was.

[zx_volcane]

Have a good look around, you will likely be able to tell if its had a proper smack.

Only concern would it not being straight chassis wise.

Otherwise, I personally couldn't given a flying monkey.

Assuming its straight I wouldn't say its worth any less - need to judge the car on how it is.

[welshpug]

there is, look at the service history, if there's no history its not worth £800 regardless of write off cat.

[Chris_90]

Have a good look around, you will likely be able to tell if its had a proper smack.

Only concern would it not being straight chassis wise.

Otherwise, I personally couldn't given a flying monkey.

Assuming its straight I wouldn't say its worth any less - need to judge the car on how it is.

The car was remarkably straight! There was no damage to front legs in the engine bay, the car has been pretty much fully resprayed tho but that was last year, there's a project thread on the car on this fourm it's the one that was on eBay a while ago you might remember it silver 3 door.

there is, look at the service history, if there's no history its not worth £800 regardless of write off cat.

I didn't look though the service history but the stack of paper work was massive! It'd taken all day to read though it.

[r3k1355]

Regardless of damage what you've gotta remember is an insurance write-off is always harder to sell, even if it's a 500 banger it's harder to sell because people just walk away.

If you've no intention of ever selling then it's less of an issue, check any repair work was done correctly and carry on.
Chances are the amount of damage required to write of a ZX in 2010 was absolutely nothing, but then that also means it was probably bodged back together!

[Chris_90]

Regardless of damage what you've gotta remember is an insurance write-off is always harder to sell, even if it's a 500 banger it's harder to sell because people just walk away.

If you've no intention of ever selling then it's less of an issue, check any repair work was done correctly and carry on.
Chances are the amount of damage required to write of a ZX in 2010 was absolutely nothing, but then that also means it was probably bodged back together!

Unfortunately as most people know me I don't keep my cars long I get bored very easily. But that said I've always wanted a 3 door zx I might be able to keep this one.......


Anyway I've been in touch with the seller and done a deal knocked a small amount off and he's fitting a new radiator to it for me as the one that is on it, is dodgy to say the least. I've left a deposit so just got to arrange to pick it up now.

Thanks for the advice guys.

[welshpug]

I had enough damage on a ZX I bought many years ago to write it off but it wasn't claimed for, nor repaired

my original 16v cost £250 8 years ago with near full history and a slipping clutch.

[Poodle]

Just think about it - the car was written off at the ripe old age of 16 and it's an undesirable citroen. Cat C means "The vehicle is repairable but the costs exceed the vehicle’s value." What was it worth as assessed by the insurers? £500? £300? Not a lot, that's for sure. As calculated by an insurance company, that value minus legal costs would probably barely cover a parking scrape.

[Magenta Sunset]

which is why I accepted a payoff for mine to avoid a CAT marker.
Still got the car. will get the ding repaired in the spring.

[toseland]

As i said, a bent drivers side door wrote mine off 2 years after that.. a door that probably costs £50 max from a scrappy, which was bent back into shape and is perfectly functional (albeit with a kink near the mirror but heyho)



BTW magenta do you still need that little bit or is someone sorting it out?

[399road]

If it was written off in 2010, then any ropeyness would have failed the MOTs it's been through. If it looks ok, go for it.

[Chris_90]

I've gone for it, deposit has been left and arranged collection for Sunday evening, another 260 mile round trip ahead of me.....

   

Here's a picture of it some may have seen it before on here.

[toseland]

man that bonnet doesn't look quite alighned with the wheel... sure its scookum? lol,


looks good in reality though mate, nice find..

[Danny Wideboy]

Looks nice man.

[399road]

Cool. Another one in town. I'll look out for that now I know who's it is. Good luck for the journey home.

[Magenta Sunset]

As i said,  a bent drivers side door wrote mine off 2 years after that.. a door that probably costs £50 max from a scrappy, which was bent back into shape and is perfectly functional (albeit with a kink near the mirror but heyho)



BTW magenta do you still need that little bit or is someone sorting it out?

thanks Toseland, but I've found a solution needing no welding.
I've found a local fixer who can knock the arch out.
have a used door in the lock-up, a lick of paint, an exchange of cash and it'll be sorted.

[Chris_90]

Cool. Another one in town. I'll look out for that now I know who's it is. Good luck for the journey home.

Don't think it'll be on road for abit yet, at least a month anyway.

Just got home what a long drive, 2 miles in to the way home temp gauge is going higher and higher settled at about 100c so pulled up in a lay by checked everything made sure they wasn't any air in the system  (seller fitted me a new radiator) and a small amount came out the top bleed valve, so carried on and it seemed to stick there but every know and again it would flicker back down to under 90, heaters didn't feel like they was silly hot so I think it's the sensor that's the issue. Other than that it has a leaking bosch pump, head light bulb popped after shutting bonnet for 20th time lol

So yer I've got a project on my hands.