Buying a Cat S or Cat N Insurance Write-Off Car Explained

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

GET YOUR CAR HISTORY CHECK AT www.vcheck.uk/?aid=31442

[@yorkshire_tea_innit8097]

Its funny seeing autotrader from 1 year ago cos the prices are insanely low compared to now.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yes 👍

[@NonPressure]

Pickup bargain during lock down now prices are crazy again

[@ryanh3285]

I'd say 4 years ago if you brought the right car its worth more now even with 40000 extra miles on

[@alanfurness8466]

As always a good clear and precise video to help people who do not understand the system of putting cars back on the road after write off damage. Keep up the good work in 22 Jim.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Thanks very much Alan, all the best for 2022 mate

[@alanfurness8466]

Same to you and family Jim.

[@roland20002000]

BE WARNED I just found out private sellers DO NOT have to declare if a car has been previously written off. So basically if they say no log book then this is why

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

If you look at the main video on my channel page it gets even worse than that!

[@pawelppn5505]

Where did you find it?

[@Soulboy63]

Private sellers can be done for miss selling , , small claims , easy

[@starlouise397]

But if you ask they have to tell you 😊

[@leedstown]

Just do a check before you buy a car

[@johnroberts9212]

I would be happy to take a relatively lightly damaged Cat N car. After all, on a car that's a few years old, something as minor as a bashed wing or a crushed bumper will make it uneconomic to repair and end up being written off. With Cat S I would be much more wary. It's all down to the extent of the damage and the skills (or lack thereof!) of the people doing the repairs. Happy New Year Jim 😁.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Hi John, my feelings are similar, sight of the pre-repaired damage would be a big deal to me on a Cat S an also the insurance assessors report if it were available. Cat N wouldn’t bother me in the slightest from a safety point of view but I’d have some concerns over resale. Happy new year to you too my friend 👍

[@steveegginton535]

Good point about how long you are going to keep a car may be a deciding factor. For me I think it would be the value of the car - on a more expensive car not sure I would go for a cat car, but on say a sub 5K car then probably yes. A lower value car would probably be written of for quite minor damage say a wing or a bumper due to repair costs. I have read that a lot of insurance companies are willing to insure Cat cars but if they have to make a pay out it will be lower due to the cat status which is to be expected.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

I’m in the same boat re value

[@1gerard47]

Love your videos, 44 years a mechanic, I've seen so many crooks in the game,I've been to fisticuffs with lying cheating bastards,keep up the videos, 👍.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Thanks 🙏 👍

[@malcolmkirk9003]

I saved 10k on my low mileage cat s Mercedes E63 and checked everything on the inspection and test drive and was a great car. I done this before I got the pictures of the damage as I didn't want to just look at what I already would of known. I would not of been able to of afforded a non cat s so I'm really happy with my cat s registered car.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Great 👍

[@Undisputed_King]

I'm thinking of buying a category s mk7 golf for 5k less than a normal one

[@iamdare]

How was the insurance cost?

[@riplavabit]

Thanks, saved me a lot of time figuring things out for myself, good clarity and presentation.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Glad it helped!

[@McNasty214]

I bought a Cat N Golf mk7 from a salvage auction in 2020 with full dealer history, very clean just requiring a rear bumper and taillights. I managed to get a bumper in the right colour and repaired it myself. Hoping to sell now as I'm getting a company car but I'm aware it will have to be listed around 30 percent less than an undamaged one.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Sounds great!

[@falodunopeyemidavid3997]

Sell it to me mate

[@ryanh3285]

I'm getting a cat n civic diesel tomorrow with what looks like minor vandalism damage I'm aware it's risky but it's potentially a bargain for me to use for work as my Audi is too thirsty

[@michaelatkinson7577]

It really is a bit of a lottery as to what the insurance company does. Our (£13k to replace at the time) Peugeot Partner had a 15mph shunt (no fault) into the rear corner resulting in a broken rear light cluster plus split bumper - and a 10mm dent in the rear corner. From submitting a couple of pictures - my insurer suggested it would be Written off and they would send truck to pick it up and inspect. This they did - and we started the negotiation for replacement cost (whilst they paid £100 per day for a hire car). It took a month - they decided to write it off, I already had an estimate of £850 to repair/paint. Eventually they agreed to pay out £13k - I bought it back for 25% of that - and had it repaired for £850 plus an inspection for a new MOT.....I am sure the cost of repair (at a Main Bodyshop, plus 30 days car hire and 30 days storage at CoPart plus 150 miles each way on the truck) would have cost them easily £10k - so I can understand them "Economically to them" writing it off - but as I saw and know the extent of damage, and saw the work carried out by the bodyshop. Handy for them to pay off our mortgage with the payout - and us to keep driving the car with no issues. I would certainly buy such a car with some genuine knowledge of the damage and repairs.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

That’s the thing, is having the knowledge and or evidence 👍

[@ChrisCartner]

This was really helpful, thank you so much. I'm looking at cheap cars to buy just for commuting and found a nice Cat S car. But watching this video and looking at the pictures from the listing it looks like the front has had some damage. Think I'll avoid the car on this occasion. Thanks for the video!

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Thanks Chris 👍👍👍

[@ioan1ionut]

Just discovered your channel today, but all I can say is GREAT work mate👌 Definitely will keep an eye on your content 😎 Thank you for your tips.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Awesome, thanks. Welcome aboard!

[@TrevM0nkey]

I've currently got an X5 which was a CAT (can't remember which one)... but it doesn't bother me as 'write off' and write off categories' are insurance terms. If two identical cars crashed head on causing identical damage, one could go to the insurance company and be deemed a write off and should never see the road again, whereas the other could be recovered to a garage, put back together and sold on as though nothing happened. When you're looking at cars; you could end up paying full price that's had an accident damage repair that didn't go through the insurance; but refuse to look at the car that's 30% cheaper even though it may have had less damage. the same with inspecting a cat car, you're potentially doing extra checks than you would on a car that's been repaired without going through the insurance. About twenty years ago I had a Celica GT and somebody pulled out in front of me. I hit them but went through a claims management company who went direct to the other insurance company. The claims management company sent them a quote for the repair, the insurance company decided it wasn't worth it and made me an offer. I took the offer but they weren't interested in the car so I kept that as well without buying it back. I sold it on as it was, but would that have gone down as a write off as the insurance company had no interest in it?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Nowt wrong with a Cat car as long as it's properly repaired (which not all are) and that you know it's a cat car when you;re buying it.

[@Soulboy63]

exactly , see my comment , like any car , check it out , up on ramps etc

[@x66Hawk66x]

My mk2f polo is an insurance write off cat E thankfully. Annoying because the previous owner did not mention this, nor do they mention it on the V5. I traded it my 1986 Reliant Rialto, that was already of higher value but that was under the assumption that the car was on a clean title. I should have know better as the car did have a damage wing. the only saving grace it that car will go up in value if i decide to keep it.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍

[@garethshaw5165]

I’m currently considering a CAT N purely because of the savings, Great video and very helpful

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Glad it was helpful!

[@damiantuttle1348]

Superbly well presented video, clear and concise. There aren't many fellas talking cars on KZbin that I take to, most are highly irritating, and annoying either like hyper active excitable teenagers, especially Americans, or complete dowdy uncharismaic mood hoovers . So thumbs up Son 👍

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Mood hoovers 😂😂😂 thank you Sir 🙏

[@ryanhogg6556]

Wow I bought a Audi A4 back in 2017 and I've still got it and work good and I've just check the history for the first time and the check says cat c wow it's good to know this info and I was thinking about selling the car as I don't really drive it much now because of work .thanks for the video mate

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

I take it you weren’t told when you bought it?

[@tomtrotter1306]

On my second insurance written off vehicle. No major problems with either. Both were bargains to buy! 👍

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Awesome 👍

[@dmitriidmitrievici6236]

How are you buying insurance for written off vehicle? Which website?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

@@dmitriidmitrievici6236 eBay, AutoTrader, copart etc

[@McNasty214]

​@@guttersnippeesmithers3905 I'd be concerned about these being repaired with stolen parts. I've seen cases of whole front end parts stripped from cars targeted in public carparks in Birmingham

[@osofhia]

Thanks. I’d insuring this straightforwards?

[@cmartin_ok]

Problem is that insurance companies are writing off as Cat N some very lightly damaged cars, can't understand why. Just look at some of the salvage sites and what is for sale. Also, seems that if airbags go off, this will automatically result in cat N with no attempt to repair even if actual damage is minimal

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yes which means there are some Cat N bargains around that should probably not worry anyone,

[@craigcarter1244]

Mine cat s front bumber ripped off no air bags went off or owt lol

[@McNasty214]

For example the vw golf I bought as a Cat N just needed a rear bumper and taillights. If the repair was being done with new parts, paint spraying and labour, the costs quickly mount up to the point that it is simpler for insurance to write off. I repaired it myself with second hand parts in right colour.

[@BL00MYB0Y]

Been to look at a Golf Mk7 GTI today very local to where I live. Thankfully 1st thing the salesman said was it’s a CAT N. 1st thing I thought was ok see you later. But I stayed and had a look round the car. I really liked the car but I’m put off by the fact it has been in a smash. I’ve left it for now as I’m more concerned that I’ll be stuck with it and can’t resell it if I want to in the future. Did really like the car though 🤔

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍

[@guskingarthur1]

Nice and well explained video thank you 😅

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Glad you liked it

[@mirola73]

Much appreciated, comparing cat s and 'undamaged' cars now..

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Be careful as some cars that pass an HPI test are unrecorded write offs. That’s means you pay too dollar but still get a Car S. if you go to my channel page the main video explains it 👍

[@pajguitar]

Theres something weird going on with fb market place. Been looking at cars on there for a few days - on all the ones ive gone to message to ask questions, they either live miles away from where the car is - or they are in the syria / middle east. Messaged a guy today to ask if the car was a cat s - he replied saying he doesnt know as hes never seen it ! i then asked him could he find out - he replied saying i am free to check and then offered a big discount. Did a check and it had been written off TWICE.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Marketplace is full of the lowest car sharks in the country, so much fraud on there it’s untrue.

[@LeoJr_]

Hi mate thanks for this vid just a question I found a nice aygo for an affordable price looked brand new 2018) but it did say cat S. low mileage so I checked an insurance quote and it gave me my normal quote price £1700 im a new driver. So do you think I should buy this please help thanks.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

I can’t say how well it was repaired or how safe it might be. I can only really suggest you get a mechanic to take a look.

[@Draxindustries1]

My brother had a smash in his Mk1 Lotus Cortina. It was rear ended and smashed into the truck in front. It was mangled up to the screens front and rear with both sides bulging out. It was a total mess. The police had it recovered to one of their yards. My brother like a prat actually wanted it back. The car would very obviously be a Cat A and the Police yard quite rightly refused him access to it. I tried to reason with him to no avail citing its a Ford Cortina ffs and be thankful youre still alive but the car was rightly crushed. .

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Ouch!

[@Draxindustries1]

@DefinitelyNotAGuru It was definitely an 'ouch' for him. Tbh, I don't have much time for him anymore. I was in that car as a front seat passenger and had a serious neck injury. As you probably know 60's cars didn't have head restraints and with the seats being so low my head was flung back with the rear impact. It took the police to remove my brother out of the way as he didn't want the roof cut off by the fire brigade. They cut through the A & B pillar and peeled the roof back. He was actually more concerned about a piece of metal than me even though the car was already a total wreck..

[@garydouglas3289]

Thinking about a cat n! You have just made everything clearer, cheers mate🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

No problem 👍

[@abrahamrehmaan1212]

Is cat N good to buy?

[@jamaicaboy544]

brought an astra gtc cat N 4 years back and had absolutely no issues

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@dmitriidmitrievici6236]

How and where did you insure?

[@lonleypics]

Excellent video. Relevant. Amazing work. Keep the good work. Waiting to buy a car in June and still confused to go for CaT or not 😂

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Good luck 👍

[@queeny-l1r]

Thanks for sharing your vital tips 😅

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

My pleasure 😊

[@rickyrants2482]

JUST bought a bmw x3 2017 for 10k. cat s. drives. my reason to buy is do some repairs and sell it. Lets hope i do it right.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Good luck with it Ricky 👍

[@charlottenutter4065]

Just bought myself a 2016 1.2tsi match VW polo - it’s a Cat S! The car was written off due to front crumple zones in 2018 and has passed every MOT bar one for break pads. I even took my dad with me- and ex mechanic - and he couldn’t even tell it was a write off before I told him. Honestly every car is very different. Some are repaired way better than others. I’d always been weary of Cat cars but it just proves to show you can get a decent car that has been repaired. That said, if you are looking at a cat car I’d definitely get someone who knows a lot about cars to go with you- even paying for the AA to come look may be a good idea. Great video 👍🏻

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Great advice mate, yes the quality of repair can vary massively 👍

[@mojodog7112]

I Bourght a bmw m3 hpi clear. Later noticed that the bottom of the drivers door was sticking out. Took to the body shop to have a rusty wheel arch repaired on the same side. After removing the paint to repair the wheel arch,they found evidence of repair work,said that the car had been in a accident.had to slam the door really hard to get it to shut,discovered why! Bourght this from an aa approved dealer as well

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Have you seen my recent video on unrecorded write offs? Maybe it was one….

[@mojodog7112]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru yes have seen the video.i reported this garage to the A A .They got back to me,the garage owner said he would see me in court.

[@Undisputed_King]

Informative video. Thinking of buying a cat S mk7 golf for £10k. Would be saving 5 grand at only 22,000 miles.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍

[@powertech6816]

where can you get a cat n history check with details of why it was categorised ? is there such a thing , thanks great video

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

If there are photos you can usually tell but I don’t think there’s a report that tells you why (aside from the loss assessors report to insurers which you can’t get)

[@simonwoods316]

Hi thankyou for video...btw i got knocked off my motorcycle recently and the salvage people have written bike off with an option to have cat n nike back plus cash....no guarantees though with a write off...am hoping the dealer will give me a quote for repairs....he made it safe so i was riding around on it before it went away for insurance assessment... One has to think seriously before spending any money on the salvage bike as one is not going to get much money back for it when the time comes as it's a category n. The dealer is doubtful that he'll be able to get the correct colour for various parts, for example front mudguard... I'll look months again.... The bike is only 2 months old.... I had to contact the head office UK to get the colour I wanted 😂

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

You could get unpainted parts (possibly not original or used parts) and get them sprayed yourself maybe - it could make things easier or perhaps save you a few quid.

[@alastairc2373]

Happy New Year Jim to you and the family and all your subscribers 🤞for 2022..🙂👍👍👍

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Tha is very much mate, all the best to you and yours 👍👍👍

[@h.bsfaithfulservant4136]

Thanks Jim, another helpful video 👍. You’re right that any of the ‘cats’ put off some buyers, myself included.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Thanks J, definitely suits some but not others 👍👍

[@Soulboy63]

Great Video , as usual , I have had around 6 Cat cars , less devaluation on newer ones , Check everything .The issue is there are guys who repair these on the cheap , cut corners , they normally have 10 + cat cars for sale , back street repairs .. last 1 was a Skoda Kamiq Auto , 1 year old , 10 k miles , 20 k normal , brought for 14 k , Mint , They didnt replace 1 x curtain air bag , sorted that , Cat N , still got it after 3 years .. .. Many cars on the road have unrecorded damage . Repairs through the insurance companies are also often poor , 3 times seen it , once my wifes previous car , they did not replace expensive parts like crash sensors , in Bumper , cowboys, teh maon dealer service picked it up . They dont give a hoot

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍👍👍

[@osofhia]

Thanks for the video. I’ve just bought a cat s. Getting it checked by a specialist on Monday 3rd April 2023. This is going to be my best or worst decision ever. 😰

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

🤞👍

[@spanishmontana6121]

What did he say ?

[@osofhia]

@@spanishmontana6121 He said it was really bad. Chassis leg was bent so would need to be straightened. Needs a bonnet, wing, radiator, intercooler, bumper, bumper reinforcement and loads of other parts. I guessed on some of them but there was much more damage than I thought. He said it would be about £10k to fix.

[@spanishmontana6121]

@@osofhia what car was it ? And i just bought cat s myself

[@osofhia]

@@spanishmontana6121 2018 VW Transporter. Hope yours is not as bad. What did you get?

[@nas979]

Question, My car was hit from the rear and thereforewas written off by the insurance company. It's 2007 that's their reason, too old to repair. The damage is minor, I was advised to buy it back off the the insurance company fix it and carry on enjoy driving it. We love it as a family, nothing wrong with it whatsoever. My question here is what about the insurance on this car from now on? We have been paying peanuts for insurance because of its age, Will it be easy to have it insured?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yur market will be smaller (you must disclose it's category status as it's a material fact) and pricing may be a touch higher as a result.

[@kevinmoffatt]

A lot of cat cars from the pandemic era are relatively low mileage because nobody could get parts or a decision on whether to dispose of the vehicle. A giveaway to the area damaged is the non dealer ident no. plate front or rear. I always put my fist between the rear of the front wheel and arch each side and, if you are completely anal, measure between front and rear wheel centres each side. Often, though, a steering bias will be due to incorrect tyre pressures or different make on one side. I bought a written off RS Turbo once that would stop running when it got hot and virtually no rear electrics worked. The running was a faulty fuel pump and the electrics was all poor earths/ connections, nothing to do with the damage.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👌

[@barrowexplorer]

Bought a 2018 cat s fiesta stline thays been repaired and honestly you would never no id deffo recommended considering the damage

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

The point is that some are repaired very badly, some are flawless. And of course you should always be informed a d be getting the car at a decent discount.

[@jambigreg2008]

Right need some advice on this ive got a car which is declared CAT S ive repaired it to back to normal its passed MOT, now im stuck on what happens now as ive contacted at least 20 garages/accident repair specialist saying as long as its passed MOT theres nothing else to be worrying about is this true?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

That’s it. You just need to declare it in your advert and at point of sale if you sell it.

[@jambigreg2008]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru thing is I’ve also seen that apparently I need to declare it to DVLA. SO CONFUSED

[@jambigreg2008]

Also keeping the car as my toy haha

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

@@jambigreg2008 if DVLA were informed car was written off but you’ve now fixed it and MOT’d it there is nothing left to do other than tax it and drive it mate. Just make sure you let your new insurer know that it’s a previous write off. A quick call to DVLA should settle your nerves but it is cool!

[@jambigreg2008]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru Much appreciated for the help. 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@singleservingjack4547]

Question; When looking at an insurance quote online for a Cat N car, does the quote given include the fact that the car is Cat N? Or do you need to separately tell insurance on the phone, and they will likely increase the insurance price? Thanks

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

You will need to tell them, it will often have no bearing on price but with some it may.

[@Soulboy63]

Just the payout will reflect it's cat , totalled

[@gullymiseh6]

Won a cat s electric van 20 reg on copart for under £500 / retail £19500. Still shocked

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Really??? That’s amazing - hope it’s a simple enough fix 👍👍👍

[@MichaelLee-u1z]

Great info thanks

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍

[@rajminbegum999]

Thank you very informative.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Glad it was helpful!

[@AngelaBrace]

If it's a Cat S the V5 will say it has had structural damage. If it's Cat N the V5 is as normal. It's a bit of a myth that insurance is more expensive although it's not unknown. Many people own a Cat N not knowing it was once damaged so don't declare it. If bought at the right price and properly inspected the car can be a good buy but as others have said, if it's written off again the payout may be very low. A good example of "Let the Buyer Beware"

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

I think the insurance thing has some credence as the number of insurers willing to insure a cat s or n is slightly limited and could therefore result in higher premiums simply due to there being less competition for your business.

[@hakunamymatatas7900]

Hi! I'm currently looking at an Audi A1 Cat N, and I was fortunate enough to actually find pictures of it at the auction it was sold at. It was some minor bumper damage, creased bonnet, and I went to see it today and it was in practically perfect condition. Now I'm putting in its details on insurance websites and I'm not finding anywhere where I put it's Cat N? Is it registered automatically when I put its plate registration in? I'm very worried as I'm 17, first time driver, and although the insurance costs seem reasonable, I don't want to find out I was 'lying' and won't be covered in an accident? Thank you!

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Pick up the phone instead mate, I’d suggest trying One Call, Adrian Flux and Performance Direct.

[@Soulboy63]

Makes no difference to insurance , only the value they will pay out , if totalled

[@piattogustoso]

Very helpfull thabk you

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍👍👍

[@damianwisniewski766]

Hello, I bought car last week with category S that I wasn't aware off as the seller didn't declare it is CAT S. I contacted the seller advising that car have CAT S and I'm not happy with it and would like to resolve the matter by reduction of the price I paid or I would like to return the car. All Seller replayed was that he didn't know that car have CAT S. Now seller is not replaying to my messages and do not pick up my phone calls. What can I do now? HELP

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Small claims court is probably your only option but I’m no expert.

[@teacup8362]

Buyer beware.. my son who works for a well-known insurance company ( loss adjuster ) Whatever reason the vehicle is in a category it is known as salvage regardless of the letter cat N or whatever it falls into.. If you buy a ( salvage vehicle ) and fix it up yourselve good on you BUT if you are involved in a accident and the car wrote off again for example trust me the insurance company will give you peanuts for it.. 😢

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

100%

[@johnbiggs9561]

Modern cars use high strength steel which pretty much cannot be "pulled" into shape and must be cut out or "sectioned" according to manufacturer specs. Aluminium panels are glued and riveted and must be replaced by same grade aluminium (of which there are many varieties) and identical adhesive. There are countless youtube videos showing how to repair a cat s car badly (but they think they are doing a proper job). Unless you get a full documented record of the repair, particularly with cat s, I would stear clear. It may be you in a motorway collision wishing they hadn't "pulled" the frame rails straight when your car collapses like a concertina because it has lost its structural integrity. And now to place a cat s car back on the road you need just a fresh MOT, no inspection of the repair.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍

[@mark12810]

I'm considering doing this for a van ✌️ no plan of selling it soon my current car has lasted me nearly 8 years.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍

[@michaeledwards8079]

make sure the insurance company will insure it after

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yep 👍

[@pauldavies8145]

Saved 7g though no lights in led and no easy fix 2021 vw g

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👌

[@seandoherty-uw7yx]

Im leaving in the morning to buy a cheap car for my X girlfriend, id sadly written off her Focus and got 3k to pay with im adding to that so im wondering if catS is the way to go. Shes not planning to sell it on so will run it to its grave. She only did short drives around north London visiting friends and family with a couple of motorway trips over holidays. Whats the insurance cover going to look like after making a claim already?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

I’d probably avoid it

[@chio3112]

I'm buying N category cars, this way I save a lot of money. I still look at milage and damage. But yeah, there is nothing wrong with buying N category car IMO

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍

[@expathaggis]

I would buy one if I knew the seller and history Stepfather bought one from a reputable garage….he wasn’t told that it was a Cat !!!! Another pitfall for the unwary especially as to the cost to the average unknowing motorist

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍

[@joshuakormia5573]

I got my eyes on a cat s the seller showed me the damage. it was the bumper, think of that as good deal the bumper was fix and the mileage is at 68 on a 2012. What do you think?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Hi Joshua, still do all of the other usual tests like a good inspection, look over service history and receipts, do a good test drive etc; if you're happy that the damage is superficial then go for it mate

[@melvinplant8637]

Check the chassis rails and engine mounting points, for twists or creases and bends, bent.

[@craigfayers6735]

Clocking is not illegal either, unless you dont tell the new owner when you sell it!

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👌

[@MikeMike-gw6vl]

Great vid. Im considering to buy cat n car. Does anyone know if it does cost more to insure cat n or s cars ? Also when comparing insurance on websites and you enterr reg nr ,do the quotes you're given take the category of the car into account ? Many thanks.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yes, and some companies won’t insure them (although you might get a quote online) so check the fine print on any quote forms that you complete and in the policy document etc.

[@mentalhealthhope9974]

Hi did you happen to find out about if the insuring a Cat s-n car costs more and if so how much % approximately please? Thank you

[@karlosfandango6637]

Just viewed a cat s car. Rear danagex repaired and new tailgate fitted. Lovely car btw. But told me that only 1 set of keys as the insurance company kept other set due to it being previous right off (CAT S). Is this normal? He said his wife has drove it for last 7 months after repairs. TIA.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Not unusual for cars to only have one set of keys, plenty get lost.

[@karlosfandango6637]

True. He told me the insurance company keep one set of keys. So they weren't lost it seems in this case. ​@@DefinitelyNotAGuru

[@TravelRavi]

Hi, my insurance company has written off my car for a very minor bump on the door saying it’s gonna cost us £5K and gave me £6K but the car value is £8K. They said we are coming tomorrow to pick it up. I said, you under valued my car and I’m not gonna hand over to you. Please advise. Thanks And another thing, should I inform DVLA immediately?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Just dispute it. Ask to buy the car back from them (probably dirt cheap) and get it fixed (using second hand parts from scrap yards etc). You’ll probably do very well from it.

[@kenshin-ali3368]

Can you please make a video on how to find the mechanic and hire them? And what price? Please make video for UK only . Thanks in advance.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

You just need to look for local body shops, each case will be wildly different.

[@jasonbarrett2399]

HI I Bought a car from a main dealer Honda had it 3 years now just checked on Auto trader i'm sure it says its a Cat S was not told that would I purchased it what can i do about it if please advise. this what was on auto trader 1.8 i-VTEC EX Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

It’s probably a bit late but first call should be to Honda dealer. Do a vcheck or similar first though to make sure, you can maybe get some more details on it too.

[@jasonbarrett2399]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru I would not think they would sell cat s or n car from a main dealer

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

@@jasonbarrett2399 they should certainly tell you if they do!

[@WiseWik]

So how do insurance prices compare between the two? How much more will I be paying for a cat N?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Fewer insurers to choose from which can put the price up, you’d have to get quotes to know the difference; there’s no set rule.

[@ryanh3285]

If you buy a cat n from copart and it still has mot can you drive it straight away after it's been delivered or do you have to re mot it

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👌

[@chriswiggins1215]

My insurance company wants to write off my car for a deep scratch it received whilst parked. They have said I can buy the car back and keep it. Do I need to repair the damage as I believe it’s till roadworthy? Or can I keep driving without repairing the bodywork?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

No you don’t, as long as it’s roadworthy.

[@NuhKoksal]

hello mate, If you buy a Cat N car and you had another accident then insurance pay out again or NOT ?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yes but you’d get a lot less.

[@danielarcher6380]

Thanks for your help. 10/10>

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Thanks buddy, what my other videos on unrecorded write offs as these can appear clear on a normal HPI check and autotrader etc

[@nigel.w]

Personally, I'd consider a Cat N/D, but once having had an accident that resulted in the equivalent of a Cat S/C, I'd never ever consider buying such a car. To me, N/D and S/C are like chalk and cheese. I appreciate that an S/C can be due to arguably minor structural damage and that an N/D car can be due to significant non-structural damage, but for me I just don't think a Cat S/C is worth all the hassles, potential pitfalls, and potential danger to life that an improperly repaired Cat S/C can pose, and the possibility of a Cat N/D having sustained significant non-structural damage is the reason I said I would "consider" a Cat/N/D. The car I had that suffered structural damage should have been written off completely. It had suffered damage to every panel including the roof, and had significant chassis damage. It failed the first independent chassis test and somehow passed the second. Both tests were conducted by a well-known and widely respected organization. At the time both the repairer and manufacturer used my car to test a new repair method. When I came to sell it, there were problems, even though it hadn't been recorded. I'm not an expert, but even I could see obvious problems with the quality of the repair. What I couldn't see was the quality of the structural repairs. The car was a hot hatch and one of the potential buyers wanted a PPI at a race prep shop. That shop had some serious equipment and they put the car through a particularly tough inspection, which revealed remaining chassis damage to all four corners. Remember the chassis had been tested and passed before the car returned to the road after its accident. I also had a car that sustained non-structural damage as a result of a concrete lorry backing into the front of it. Surprisingly, this car appeared relatively unscathed. The front bumper had been been pushed in considerably, but pretty much reformed itself, and the bonnet suffered only minor damage to the front end. However, inside the engine bay was a different story: the radiator had been pushed into the engine block. I still own this car and it has cost a small fortune in ongoing repairs ever since its insurance repair. Actually not that small a fortune. It has ongoing intermittent overheating issues despite a new radiator and repeated attempts by various garages, including the dealer, to resolve them. It also has ongoing issues with the air-conditioning system, despite every component of the system being replaced since the insurance repair. And some components have been replaced more than once. It's a cheap car, and its repair costs have far exceeded the value of the car many times over. Although I like the car, and there are several factors in my having kept it, with hindsight it doesn't really make economic sense. I've had other cars that have sustained minor damage, which has been satisfactorily repaired. None were recorded as insurance write-offs and I don't think any should have been. But my experience is that major damage should simply be avoided, and that even apparently minor damage can result in years of headaches and excessive expenditure that would be best avoided.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Great comment, thanks for sharing 👍

[@alanhealey7885]

Could you potentially get issues with insurance with cat cars?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yes, you need to declare it when you take out the insurance even if they don’t directly ask you as it’s a material fact. Any further write off settlement would also be much lower than on a “clean” car.

[@luqmanmohames677]

Question. My dad got his rear end smashed by another car. He was written up with a cat s. So can he drive the car before inspection??

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

It needs to be repaired first.

[@luqmanmohames677]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru he fixed the car and was using it a few days unintentionally.

[@luqmanmohames677]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru if it is fixed can he use it or must be contact the dvla

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

It must be inspected

[@pressplay1703]

I asked google a simple question, how do i sell my cat N car? it's a naturally aspirated 3.2 audi tt, mk2, all i want to know is can i transfer the v5 to the new owner without doing anything else, do i have to repair before i sell

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Nope, you just have to tell the buyer it’s a cat N

[@L_U-K_E]

Thank you

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

You're welcome

[@Leonfr_2022]

Happy new Year Jim, with these groups, do you know how much effect on actual insurance for them? Cheers

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

You too Chris. Well if it’s written off again you’d get a lower payout as a result. I’m not sure on cost of insuring but would imagine it’s more or less the same price albeit you may find the odd company that won’t insure it.

[@Altavista006]

When an S category car is re-registered with DVLA, do they re-use the original number plate, issue an age-related number plate or issue a Q plate? What is putting me off buying an S cat which has not yet been repaired is that I really don't want the car to be re-registered with a Q plate. DVLA state that any vehicle with a Q plate must show the Q plate - a private plate or any other plate cannot be allocated to the vehicle. Does the re-registered vehicle have to have a Q plate?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

It’s not actually re-registered so keeps it’s plate

[@Altavista006]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru Thanks for your swift reply - it is appeciated.

[@melvinplant8637]

So buy a" CAT N"

[@kenshin-ali3368]

Also can you please tell if I buy Cat S or N what insurance company do? Does insurance go high or something.?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

You should disclose it, some will act differently than others

[@tahmoorali9839]

Bought over 5 cat s in the past never had an issue

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Great 👍

[@vdwd4411]

Any tips on buying Cat S? What should I look for? Do you have issues Selling down the line?

[@3dmixer552]

Do they cost more to insure?

[@tahmoorali9839]

@@3dmixer552 no

[@3dmixer552]

@@tahmoorali9839 cool. Thanks

[@fathersunglasses6085]

I already have a cat s which I have had for years but I am fearful of the safety of it if I was involved in a crash. Who could I take it to so they could check if it has been properly repaired?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

I would suggest an insurance approved body shop to give it the once over for you. Lots of people get Cat S/N cars back on the road for a living and many do a pretty good job but peace of mind is priceless.

[@fathersunglasses6085]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru I have had my cat s car looked at and have been told it is being held together by filler and plastic 😨 now what do I do

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

@@fathersunglasses6085 oh no! Have you got much money in it? Is it safe to drive?

[@fathersunglasses6085]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru It cost £2500 back in 2019, its a 64 plate Nissan Micra okay to drive but obviously in the event of an accident its going to disintegrate, possibly even kill or injure the occupants. Don't think it would be right ethically to sell it, is there to way to re repair it but repair it properly?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

@@fathersunglasses6085 it’s hard to say without knowing what is bent and where. You could sell it as spares or repair I guess if it’s that bad.

[@starlouise397]

Ive just checked for cat on a possible purchase, making an auto trade advert but nothing came up so is that cool?? Its got a v5 log book ... viewing it on Wednesday 😊

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Did you do a vcheck?

[@starlouise397]

​@@DefinitelyNotAGuruno should I pay to do a full check even though it has its log book. It's my first car I don't have no one to help me with it 😊

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

@@starlouise397 yes! Email me the check and the ad after if you want

[@colinjs71]

Must you tell an insurance company the car is cat S ? Even if it's been back on the road for several years with lots of mot's ?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yes

[@gavinb5784]

What's view on CAT S and N, having a hard time finding an insurer to accept it.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

It’s not as easy to insure them as it used to be. Give Adrian Flux a try (better on the phone than online)

[@michaeldcruz8559]

Hi Jim i just accidentally bought a cat n car when the v5 arrived the cat n doesn’t appear on v5.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

🧐

[@michaeldcruz8559]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru what do you mean?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

I’m not sure what you mean mate, is it an unrecorded cat n? I.e. how was it accidentally bought?

[@michaeldcruz8559]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru it is recorded i rang dvla and it is on their record but they said cat n don’t show on v5…the seller did not say it is cat n.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

@@michaeldcruz8559 really? I’m sure cat s does

[@mikeymc222]

As a cat s has to be inspected once repaired would there be a report to say that it has been repaired to a satisfactory condition? Thanks

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

They actually don't have to be inspected.

[@mikeymc222]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru oh right! You read everywhere that they have to be inspected before being allowed back on the road?!.. Very interesting.. thanks for that. So possibly many dangerous cars on the road.. wow, not very thorough of the dvla..

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

@@mikeymc222 Watch the main video on my channel, many Cat cars appear as "HPI Clear" despite having been in big accidents - some even being sold by main dealers. It's an eye opener.

[@pahuljichey7898]

I’ve just paid deposit for a car Vauxhall corsa 2010 1.4l 90,000mil for 3.5k. They did not even tell me it’s cat N. I did my check on auto trader and found it’s car N. I’m a new driver just passed my driving. Car didn’t look bad when I looked at it. Do u think it’s a fair price? Or should I tell them to price down as it’s cat N

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

The worrying bit is they didn’t disclose it at point of sale, makes you wonder what else is being hidden. If you go to my channel page the main video there tells you more about history checks and how the auto trader one is not telling you everything, you actually might be able to get photos of the accident damage so you can decide if you still want to go ahead. Has the car got full service history and has it done realistic mileage each year? If the answer to both those is no I’d probably ask for your money back on the basis that they didn’t disclose the cat n to you.

[@pahuljichey7898]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru so Im getting the car from a dealer they specialise in selling corsas only. I have checked the mot history online on government page and it seems to be okay I believe. It’s just I live alone and I have no one that has car knowledge so I’m a bit worried. The car reg number is av60elc. Im going to watch your other videos too thank you so much for ur help🥹 bit worried

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

@@pahuljichey7898 I’ve checked the old mot’s and nothing disturbing there. Just challenge them about the cat n thing, ask why they didn’t disclose it and ask for a discount (if you’re still happy to take the car) You can email me a link to the advert for the car if you like [e-mail]

[@pahuljichey7898]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru thank you so much for ur reply. I watched your video and done the check on the website you linked and paid extra. I saw some photos but I can’t make up anything of it. So i will email you and please do guide me. Appreciate your help a lot

[@curtisducati]

After finding out the insurance company's are writing off your car then collecting it and selling as UNRECORDED WRITE OFF in auctions ! They did my car last year and I saw it on the road after it was damaged but not recorded as a write off ???? DISGRACE

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

I’ve done a video on that - shocking

[@chillinvillin21]

Why do sellers list Cat S and Cat N vehicles near the same price as non damaged vehicles? Kinda ridiculous to think they can get the same price for a written off car.

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yep

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yep

[@chillinvillin21]

Hard to figure out how much to low ball them. What sort of insurance pay outs do they get?

[@geoffisaac3511]

What about insuring it will it be straightforward ?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Usually but some insurers don’t like them so always disclose it

[@toad4856]

Got a BMW with a category S on it no chase damage broken alloy wheel and a broken lower suspension arm. Insurance damage assessment is a joke the people doing it are clueless. Just one big scam

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

👍

[@mixofcolours8137]

Hi can I buy car category S or N ? Please

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yes, just look on auto trader or eBay, there are hundreds

[@a57aak]

Is it just ne hearing a whistle

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Where are you hearing it mate?

[@a57aak]

Whenever you say anything with a "S" in maybe it's my hearing. Thanks for informative video

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

@@a57aak I see what you mean, I can hear it too. It’s caused by my recording setup, I’ll apply a de-esser in future (that it actually a thing!). Thanks for watching Akash 👍👍👍

[@shouibahmadi9523]

Is all Category car Is Writen off ?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Yes

[@shouibahmadi9523]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru Thanks a lot for quick response

[@ahamedmashoor872]

Can you export a Cat N or Cat S car ?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

I guess so

[@Make_Boxing_Great_Again]

I’m not concerned about resale because I run mine into the ground, however would a cat S car have it’s corrosion resistance and handling affected?

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Maybe, maybe not. Everything depends on how well it’s been repaired.

[@simonking5010]

You fail to mention.. ask your insurance company what they would be willing to pay out on it if stolen or written off again. The true value is.. bottom trade book, then divide by 2. Less then %50. Light damage or not, the car has been a total loss. I enquired a while ago coz so many performance cars especially coming to market at only a few thousand below retail. My insurance company wanted before and after crash pictures and engineers report. Basically on a £20k car they would only pay out around 6k at best. Food for thought guys, don't be ripped off!

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

It stands to reason that if it’s already been written off once a further write ✍️ ff won’t be worth anywhere near as much. Insurance companies only ever pay out the actual “value” of the car which is nothing to do with purchase price or price people may be asking for one near you - basically the trade Price.

[@simonking5010]

@@DefinitelyNotAGuru you won't get trade value, only scrap value.

[@scott1506]

cat n - NON structral damage, cat s - structral damage

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

That’s what it says in the video, yes.

[@amberkirk4212]

Super👌 🌼😄

[@DefinitelyNotAGuru]

Thanks Amber 👍