Should You Buy a DAMAGE REPAIRED Car?

[@phillipclaridge3112]

Interesting piece. I have purchased 4 cat N cars and have never had problems insuring any of them on fully comp. In all 4 cases, the cars were damaged when I got them and they have all gone on to give good service. I have a Hyundai IX20 which I repaired and has been in my 'fleet' for 3 years and is an absolute gem. One thing that is an anomaly (in my view) is if I were to have a newish car that I damaged, there is a good chance that the insurer will have it repaired and it will not be categorised thus when it comes to resale, leaving those who are not in the know with a car which does have a past! The thing that does really annoy me is the requirement for insurers to fit all new parts following damage. My partners Astra was recently written off as cat N because they decided that to replace the tailgate would cost £5,500. We bought the car back and found a replacement tailgate in colour which was fitted for £350 - crazy!

[@TheRj1986]

Mat Armstrong just entered the chat

[@HighPeakAutos]

😂

[@OllieTT]

Had to check the comments to make sure someone had posted this.

[@SMDH.2204]

Best comment

[@1000sofusernames]

If Mat hadn't' taken off he'd be broke by now. Those early cars weren't exactly money makers.

[@micburns]

He is good at what he does. A content producer on you tube. I doubt many or any of those cars will be on the open market.

[@mikewa2]

Flood Damage - best to avoid as most cars will have suffer damage to electronics and that can be difficult to remedy. Cars are designed to resist rainwater but flood damage can be tricky to tell what has been affected.

[@howardlake6178]

I watch, or used to watch because he doesn’t seem to do videos now, a Russian guy who rebuilds Ferraris, Lambos, McLarens etc. He would not touch anything that had been in salt water because of the extra corrosion. But Sergei at Real Life Exotics will have a go at anything, including non salt flood damage 😀

[@charlesmorgan8440]

Crikey, some of those examples are astounding. I have bought older cars, like MB W124s that were Cat D, but the notional value was so low that even a new headlight and fitting from MB would write it off, whereas I would have bought a secondhand unit from Ebay. However, that Ferrari, jeepers...

[@tonypacke6954]

Nice video Matt. It would be a laugh to send the crash damage picture to the eBay seller and offer him half of what he was asking for it.

[@mikeholden3397]

Great video as always Matt - always worth mentioning that uninsured cars (including high-end ones) are crashed and repaired all the time and won’t appear on ANY car history ‘checking’ website…..my advice, if you are spending more than say £8-£10k is to get the car professionally inspected….if the private seller or dealer resists this, walk away

[@Shaggy-8392]

@@user-ci2se2lj1t 🤣

[@asdreww]

I've had a cat D car before... it had been keyed all down one side. estimate was probably to repaint the entire car from a high end bodyshop so it was an easy right off. The paint was perfect and I knew it was basically no worse than any car that had had some random scratch//stonechip repair so was a no brainer really.

[@johndeehan8078]

Some years ago, my sister and her husband bought a Vauxhall that turned out to be two cars welded together. A history check would definitely have been wise. Three years ago, I bought a motorbike from a dealer that had been written off with cosmetic damage. I bought it at a great price, he even knocked a further £500 off without any prompting from me. A great dealership.

[@GeordsYouTube]

At the right price and managing the expectations of resale value (if it’s not a forever car) you can get a right deal, using a decent vehicle history checker is key.

[@The_journeyy]

*Buying a car that's been written off can be a perfect way to get the car of your dreams for a far more reasonable price. These days insurance companies will write off a car for the smallest things like a wing but for them its major because they've to buy the parts from the dealer were a normal person doesn't have to and can shop around for those parts write offs just have a bad stigma*

[@longbar2344]

no the stigma is most come from Birmingham

[@bobbyprice9855]

@@longbar2344 planning on buying a cat s MG ZS from Birmingham right now 😂 what do you mean by that?

[@longbar2344]

@bobbyprice9855 how do u know know this???????

[@Showing_the_car_]

@@bobbyprice9855 I'd avoid Cat S TBH. Lots more risk of badly repaired / cobbled repairs having a massive effect on the car's safety.

[@OscarHobson]

@@bobbyprice9855 well?

[@70053morayfirth]

My low mileage MG TF was written off when I swerved into a ditch to avoid an idiot approaching on my side of the road. The insurance company gave me a fair price - £2000 - then after talking to their engineer I bought it back for £430 (delivered to my local garage) who charged a further £400 to repair it (new anti roll bar and minor scrapes and paint). The insurance company would not repair it as new parts are not available. As soon as it was repaired and passed a new MoT with no advisories, it was back on fully comp insurance. A very good insurance company - Direct Line.

[@lolmeercatz10]

Interesting video, I recently bought a Jag XF V8 with 49k miles on it that is a "salvage title car" although it was never categorized or anything it just got sold through a salvage auction because it has a scratch on the door. Anyway, It cost me £5300 and I am now daily driving it, it needs a new rocker cover gasket and a full service which I'm having done at a specialist which I assume will cost about £1k is worst case and then I'm left with a low mileage portfolio spec jag for £6k because it had a scratch on the door and scruffy alloys, feels like a good tradeoff for a daily you'd struggle to beat that budget wise I think. The only thing I have noticed that is a pain is that even though my car isn't categorized or written off (clean v5c), because it has gone through a salvage auction for some reason at some point you are unable to sell it through the likes of motorway or carwow and webuyanycar would give you you nothing for it when the car is essentially undamaged which is mental.

[@ChopsGarage]

On exactly the same page as you here!! I always say at 3k why not get a car far newer, lower miles for the sake of say a Cat N repair. I can guarantee the one you are looking at for 30% more has had similar repairs done to it previously.

[@nekite1]

Always depends upon who you buy it from - I watch a channel called salvage rebuilds uk, and I would not hesitate to buy a damage repaired car from them.

[@Stormy177]

Their rebuilds are about as close to factory fresh as you could hope to get, and the fact that they show pretty much everything they do to each car on their channel is a credit to them. (I think Rob's Ferrari is a salvage rebuild he did, so he's not afraid to trust his own handiwork on a high-end car.)

[@steveegginton535]

@@Stormy177 Totaly agree. Their repairs are to a very high standard - Chris is highly skilled in all types of bodywork repairs. I think you could buy with confidence from them.

[@S40WBS]

Love em!

[@Bettys_Eldest]

Would be more than happy to buy from them, as you can see exactly what they have done to get the vehicle back on the road. It's all there on video to see. I do skip through the Car Vertical advert, and some of the time lapse sections, and didn't care for the trip to Car Vertical HQ, but otherwise fritter away an hour or so each week watching their handiwork.

[@hammyh1165]

Absolutely , I wouldn't hesitate to buy one from them.

[@BaldyFella]

I've been completely shafted recently. My Ford Focus was written off after hitting a deer on a country road back in March. I was under pressure to get a replacement so I did my due diligence and did the VCheck thing and paid £6K cash for a Ford C-Max. I noticed that the cam-belt hadn't been done (75K and 10 years) so got the Dealer to do that (we agreed 50/50 split on costs) before I would drive it away. Within a fortnight of picking it up and with the brief advent of warmer weather, I noticed the aircon didn't work. The Dealer booked it into a local garage. Warranty wouldn't cover it and Dealer wouldn't pay out even though it wasn't fit for purpose (needed new condenser plus re-gas) further £260.00 shelled out by your's truly. About 3 weeks ago I was hoovering the car out prior to what was going to be a few days down in Devon and on lifting the driver's mat noticed it was completely sodden underneath. I booked it into my garage this time for a check over. Transpired the heating management system had been completely bodged with jubilee clips etc and coolant was seeping into the car. Again warranty wouldn't cover it and Dealer refused to pay. Tried to get hold of Trading Standards but you have to go through Citizens Advice. They said I might have a case but it would take a long time to sort out. In the end I traded in the C-Max for a Peugeot 2008 (2018 plate) from my trusted local garage. It would have cost me near enough £1k to repair the C-Max. I have lost about £3K in this deal. My garage have given me 6 months warranty but told me quite honestly that I have been treated appallingly by the other local dealer. They said anything goes wrong and we'll just sort it whether the warranty covers it or not because our reputation matters. This is why some people have good experiences and others don't and I don't know what I could have done other than been without a car for months while I went through a legal process to recoup the costs. The C-Max I traded in they will put to auction because they just wouldn't sell it to one of their customers. Has left a pretty sour taste in my mouth, especially as I opted to use a local dealer rather than one of the larger more impersonal car warehouses. Interested to know your take on my sad and sorry saga Matt....should I have got the Ford Focus repaired first and then traded it or would I have been better to have gone more upmarket and taken a loan in the first place to negate the bad experience with the C-Max?

[@rp6523]

Consumer rights are, to all practical intents and purposes, theoretical. I had a similar experience to you where I was actually lied to about the car's condition, but it was down to me to prove it. I didn't have the time or money to go to court so just had to swallow it. You only have the dealer's morals to rely on if you want problems solved. Citizen's advice were utterly useless and I had to hang up on one of them before I said something offensive on one call. I haven't bought a used car from a dealer in over 10 years. I would now but I understand that I have no protection or peace of mind over a private sale.

[@stuartkennedy4202]

Take a paint thickness gauge it will give you a good idea if it’s been painted and if it’s also had filler. Saved me a few times.

[@protestagain]

I remember, one day, maybe in 1987. First snow in Oslo, I was driving a 123 series 300D. A woman crashed into my car. I was able to drive slowly to the repair shop. It was a Friday, very late, and they let me in. The car was really damaged, but it was drivably. Two hours later, it had a new wing, new lights, and it could go for the weekend duties.

[@mishalchotai4721]

Just bought a Mini Cooper on a 64 plate with 37k miles for £3900. Non Cat D is 9 to 10k with the same miles. (As of today). Well happy. It's been looked after full mini service history. Keeping it for 2y then just auction it. Or scrap. Thanks Matt. Your advice is gold as always.

[@timhancock6626]

I run a Cat D car. I saw photos of it after its accident. The repairer showed me his shop and the certifications of his body work team. It had 13,000 miles on it and its now done 67,000 miles after five years and is maintained as if it were a new car. Have there been any glitches that I could put down to the bash it had and the repair. The honest answer is one or two for definite, but nothing insurmountable or super critical. As a car it's been great. Has it washed it's face financially ? Well I think so.....just. The longer I run it the closer the residual becomes to an unwritten off car, so if I keep it eight years the relative values won't be that different. It had a new sill, a new B pillar and front and rear doors. Critically the roof was undamaged so the shell integrity was good enough to repair. Did I have misgivings..yes. Has it been a good car..yes.

[@alanhayward6719]

Very interesting video, I never realised a private buyer didn't have to disclose a previous CAT designation.

[@waduhek2568]

Quick answer: If you are savvy with cars in general, go for it with careful inspection. If not, it is a pure gamble.

[@jonathanbroughton5983]

There's a channel called UK salvage rebuilds and they do amazing work on damaged cars

[@vinimaguire8109]

I've been following Salvage Rebuilds UK Channel since day one and these guys repair some right broke up auto's to an amazing standard . Your channel and theirs are my favourite you should try doing a video together it would be really interesting if you bought and sold a car from them just as an exercise be good content.

[@Bettys_Eldest]

Would be more than happy to buy from them, as you can see exactly what they have done to get the vehicle back on the road. It's all there on video to see. I do skip through the Car Vertical advert, and some of the time lapse sections, and didn't care for the trip to Car Vertical HQ, but otherwise fritter away an hour or so each week watching their handiwork.

[@Stormy177]

I think there's quite a distance between them though - Chris and Rob are based in Kent, so they're not exactly on Matt's doorstep. Would be interesting to see if Matt could get a higher price than Rob though...

[@bouncycastles1214]

I crashed a brand new at the time VW Polo into the towbar on the back of a Freelander. Due to the age of the car it was fully repaired. Needed a lot of front end repairs including a radiator, intercooler, horn, bumper and maybe some engine work. Ran its reg and its still being used by a new owner. I recently bought a cat S. E92 335d. Poorly repaired and quite neglected. But i have been restoring it to its former glory and will keep forever.

[@miamimo70]

It's a strangely satisfying process, you get the satisfaction of fixing a good car. You search for 2nd hand panels get them sprayed and away you go. Don't go near a car that's been structurely hit unless you know your way around a jig. Plenty of back street garages that fix bent chassis legs without going anywhere near a jig. I used to fix cat C cars just for a hobby years ago. Recently bought a Merc C class wagon C250 cgi amg spec, 43k miles, light front corner panel damage for 2 grand, cost me a grand in parts and paint. Drives lovely for a fraction of the price!

[@Dan_druft]

I run my own car body repair and paint business and it wouldn't put me off buying a car for my self. I bought a Vauxhall Vectra SRI that was a cat D and had a damaged bumper and busted headlight. Fixed it with a bumper and light off ebay and I kept it for about 5 years

[@jayph77]

Your in an ideal position there Dan.

[@mikew742]

Thanks Matt, great vid and lots of detail. Personally anything involved in a significant collision, even if it were cheap I would avoid. As you rightly say, cheap is different to value, and just because something is cheap doesn’t mean it’s good.

[@RS-ch1rd]

A couple of other things to factor in when looking at damage repaired cars, quite often you find they don’t come with any service history, and they only have one key, this is because they get taken away after an accident and just come with whatever was with the car at the time.

[@stuartrhodes7352]

Good point,, my daughters golf gti was written off, but could have been repaired, wing,light, bonnet,, I've still got the spare key, full vw service book,and all receipts,, if I knew where it ended up I'd send it all over👍

[@matthewedwards1089]

Thanks for giving a clear opinion. It's always tempting to get more car for your money, however the price is set for a reason.

[@ericshrive7506]

Have bought 3 cars with N or S cat for myself and family over the past 4 years. No issues insuring them...no noticeable hike in premiums over the norm.

[@MrSonicAdvance]

8:40 I used to know someone who imported brand new pick-ups to the UK with a rear passenger bench and sold them. One of them was stolen, joy-ridden and trashed. They repaired the truck and sold it as new. Apparently it's legal, but it was a real eye-opener for me.

[@utlm6168]

I’d rather buy a “written off” car with minor damage and fix it up rather than get a dealership trade in where it’s quite possible that they’re only trading it in knowing that it has a hidden fault waiting to happen. I don’t understand why people would part exchange their car for a below value price to a dealer unless they know something’s about to go wrong with it.

[@Zhah4]

I own/run a car salvage yard you would be surprised at some of the car that come in that are written off, absolutely nothing wrong with them and most parts are readily available so bolt parts on especially with same colour you're onto a winner!

[@martinhunt6004]

Great video! I totally get it why people are tempted for the lower price, horses for courses. I doubt loan companies would lend on CAT vehicles?

[@spencerhulme1203]

I think this channel is truly amazing (where were you 6 years ago) it is channels like these i have the utmost thanks and respect for the content creator. I have some money coming from being made redundant but have been sceptical about buying another BMW i have a BMW 320D M Sport on a 2007 plate but i was royally ripped off due to my lack of knowledge at the time the issues and the ploys of some garages luckily i did take insurance out on the car and it was under warranty when the timing chain snapped the garage owned never provided service history £13,000 pounds later after the warranty ran out a list of repairs for what failed at 97,000 miles the (failings) are due to the car not being properly maintained and the dealership not mentioning the subframe was almost rotten through I have only done 20k miles and to get the car right i need to spend another £3000 on the subframe and all bushings, then i need a new DPF, new shocks on all sides, i would say listen to High Peak Autos and do your homework.

[@Rabscuttle3]

Good one, Matt - I've often thought about buying a written off car, but haven't had the courage... But, as you say, at around £5k, it could be worth it if I was going to run it into the ground in a few years... 👍

[@mattlawton4715]

No I wouldn't bother

[@yowhaatsup]

@@mattlawton4715 why

[@mattlawton4715]

@@yowhaatsup I have my reasons.

[@Fizzoid]

I bought a Cat D Grand C-Max almost 5 years ago, the front passenger side corner had been damaged and repaired. Price wise, it was about 50% cheaper than a non Cat car. It's been spot on for over 60k miles, and it will just get run into the ground, or by the time we sell it, it will be worth so little the Cat will hardly matter

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thats the right mentality imo

[@jackburtonstwin]

Good advice. In my opinion, Cat S cars can be tricky in that, even when seemingly well repaired, it is possible that there is underlying structural weakness that just won't be revealed except if the vehicle is involved in another shunt and you might not want to be onboard for that event. The Cat Ns are, at the right price point and if repaired by a good repairer, an excellent value proposition that allows you to seriously upgrade your car choice and is all but indistinguishable from a perfect excample.

[@HighPeakAutos]

My own 3 series I used as an example at the end was recorded as a Cat S which was mad

[@jackburtonstwin]

@@HighPeakAutos Seems rather harsh unless a chassis rail or a structural boot floor pan was turned into a pretzel.

[@mattlawton4715]

I wouldn't have them in your portfolio. Don't do it

[@mc4130]

Good video, Matt. So glad the thumbnail wasn’t of your doing!! The story at 8:35 - pre-registration valet snafu wouldn’t show up on Car Vertical, would it? Unless the dealer claimed on insurance - but then it would have to be logged with the vehicle? But how? But as you say, wowzer. A shocker for someone….!

[@mc4130]

…and yes, *cough, cough* Range Rover *cough, cough*…

[@josephmifsud8261]

This is a very good video. I would never touch a cat S car but it's interesting and horrifying to see the damage some cars have received. Maybe a cat N with light damage will be a best option for a cheap everyday car that you will keep until it doesn't go on anymore

[@flybobbie1449]

Had a customer who was insurance assessor. Showed me his laptop. Every car with most common fixes and prices repair garages would get to fix it, fixed costs insurance would pay out.. I could see how easy they write off cars.

[@davidfoster1762]

Very useful . My RCZ was damaged a few weeks ago whilst parked. The most minor of scrapes to the front bumper , things could easily have been much worse. Luckily the driver of the other vehicle owned up. The local body shop quoted about £600 to remove / prepare /paint / refit the whole front bumper panel . That quote nearly doubled when insurers got involved. To my amazement the other driver’s insurers accepted the higher quote even though they had seen the cheaper quote . I’ll be interested to do a car vertical check on my car to see what comes up. And,unlike me , don’t forget to check your dash cam if your car is hit.

[@harrybosch5720]

Have you every watched Matt Armstrong's channel? This is what he does and creates a lot of content from the restoration process. With most of his projects, he cleverly raffles them off. I guess he makes a good money from this and has none of the issues moving them on. its interesting to watch, but I'd wouldn't put my family in anything thats been put back on the road this way. Anyways... All good stuff Matt.

[@timhancock6626]

How do you know the next car you buy hasn't had an insurance approved repair ? The difference between one of those and a write off is often only money.

[@harrybosch5720]

@@timhancock6626 Hi, I guess the answer to your question is 'I wouldn't knowingly buy one' The best thing about buying a new car is the looking , searching, pricing, test driving, checking out the back-story, talking to colleges, giving them a good coat of looking over and paying the market value. Its all part of 'due diligence' and if the worst was to happen then I can sleep at night knowing that I didn't cut corners. Its the same for tyres and brakes etc. And as you refere to its often only money well theirs the biggest clue, after rebuilding several cars and many motorcycles. The cost to restore them to OEM is not financially viable, so you have to make choices. There is no 'Quality Assurance' from the guy on the drive or back street garage out for a few quid. Anyways stay safe my friend.

[@dutchbarnnursery3147]

Hi mat took your advice and got a 2010 jaguar xj portfolio cat-n rear bumper damage only 95k milage £6000 wow what a car,yes it makes me smile all the time driving it like in the review you done on one,thanks for your abvice mate was so helpfull

[@HighPeakAutos]

Sounds like a bargain

[@davidearl2038]

Interesting stuff. I`m much more cautious these days. Some 30 years ago I bought a VW Beetle from a dealer in Clayton, 9 months later when I took it in for an MOT it failed miserably as they said the whole floor pans front and back were fibreglass and even the seatbelt anchorages were mounted to this. The dealer was fined but it took 18 months to get him to court. I had to sell the car to a VW enthusiast who was going to re-build it with new floors, but I lost out after having to store the car for two years. So beware fibreglass floors and sills.

[@glennsheppard3320]

Great advise, agree with all of what you said having bought several damaged cars at the start of my driving career. My first few cars I bought damaged and got local bodyshops to repair them, being in N.ireland labour is a bit cheaper than in England, and at one time you could put a car back on the road for less than half price but they always had niggly faults, quite often electrical. Now I'm spending a bit more on cars I tend to stay clear. Car vertical has saved me from a few mistakes though, so cheers Mat.

[@rossthompson2699]

Thank you. Just saved me 7k by checking with car vertical and found previous pictures. Amazed how that works

[@lewisbrown4318]

All I'd say is a vehicle history check doesn't tell you if it's been involved in an accident. It tells you if it's been written off. You could buy a vehicle with a 'clean history' which has been involved in a heavier incident than a 'written off vehicle'.

[@andrewgrant656]

Well said excellent point. So many cars sold through big dealers as legit and have a shady past

[@byeckfella]

This is excellent advice. My Audi SQ5 was stolen and crashed. The damage was front o/s wing, suspension smashed as was the alloy wheel. The insurance company were in two minds whether to repair it but I persuaded them to write it off and I got the full value of the vehicle back. Although I did love my Audi I had to be sensible. When the time came to move it on I would have been badly stung….

[@gizmo6164]

Many years ago a friend of a friend ran a body shop. We were there having a brew and a chin wag when a transporter turned up bearing new vehicles from a main manufacturer. A couple of cars were rolled off into the workshop for body repairs before they went to the dealer’s showroom for sale to the unsuspecting public. Apparently a regular source of business for the body shop. It happened back then and I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t still go on today.

[@canstopwontstop8937]

Brand new mclarens get delivered a mile from me to get touch ups before they go to the buyer, one of the workers blew the clutch on one and it went up in my flames lol

[@Haawser]

It happens inside the factories too. No names but where I used to work had a section called rectification where damage caused on the main production line, or when the vehicles were being moved about in storage, was, well, rectified. So some people got cars straight from the factory which already had filler and paint. I would not be surprised if this was replicated at every large manufacturer. Because they're not going to recycle a vehicle just for a dent or scrape.

[@michaelbamber4887]

@@Haawser years ago, I worked as a Saturday boy for a local rover main dealer. It was normal to fill dints or make raised bumps into dints to fill an paint. These were brand new cars, we once swopped all the bits that were useable off a car that fell off the top of the transporter onto its roof, rover sent up a new body shell with the same chassis number and me an the other Saturday boy did the parts swop cos it was school holidays! We must have done a good job because I don't remember it coming back.

[@timhancock6626]

Before VW took over Skoda I had a visit to their import and preparation depot which used to be in Kings Lynn. Of course they did rectifications to cars with minor transit damage and they had proper paint and bodywork facilities. All manufacturers do the same, and always have.

[@rthomasbox]

You can get the car inspected and the Alert is taken off. It’s expensive £300-£400. Still lists in its history as damaged repaired. But does come up on the alerts. Insurance companies treat it has not written off as well. So you will get full market value if it’s damaged again. Just done it on mine and the check is now clear on the Alert status on hpi.

[@davidsharples4677]

Back in the 1970,s i was working next to Rovers Test track, i saw a 3,5 Rover crash, over the next week, it came out in various repairs, getting tested again and again, eventually it was fully repaired. I spoke to a mechanic, he said they do these repairs and it goes out as a new car.

[@25myma]

"...people don't check the car history.." I'd say most people dont even check THE CAR; they get in, drive it around for 3-5 min, stop, pop up the hood to see the engine is there and decide on the purchase. Mold, leaks, rust, missing dials/handles/parts, few people look for those, especially if they've fallen in love with the car, or the price. It is essential, in my experience, to buy a car you don't really like that much😝 Great video btw!!

[@RD-qp3mu]

Happy to buy a category car, usually have lower mileage with fewer hidden unknowns apart from the obvious accident damage repair. Keep it long term and depreciation isnt a problem.

[@christophernoble6810]

A warning to all. Excellent video. Just shows how careful you have to be.

[@rhiantaylor3446]

I watch a lot of UK car repair videos and a significant minority of the cars needing repair were described as "Clean title". Personally I have bought Cat N but would avoid Cat S unless there was an exceptional justification. Example, apparently Aygo etc. cars with a dented rear quarter cannot be repaired since no repair panel is available. That might be OK if you can live with the dent/damage yourself - left unrepaired and it is nowhere near suspension etc.

[@michaelatkinson7577]

Absolutely - either live with it (get a new MOT for piece of mind) or get it repaired and then MOT'd. With the construction method for some cars, a minor rear corner bash could be considered a write off (however minor the damage) simply because the insurer would insist on a complete panel (which could be huge part of the bodyshell.....) replacement - wich makes the labour costs, hire car costs, parts etc. huge.

[@SuperDoggeh]

Cat A/B cars can technically be put back on the road, it happens with extremely high valued cars/exotics, where they essentially go through a complete monocoque rebuild/replace and its really the identity that is put back on the road, rather than the car... There are some very specialist insurers for these categories.

[@theoh7389]

Hey Matt me again, my dad has 2 Renault 19 16v cabriolets one is for parts and one is working in good condition with 105k miles on the odometer. I remember as a kid me and dad used to go speeding through chase town. It had the same engine found in the mk1 Clio. Like your channel as always and thanks for the ❤️ on my comment have a nice week

[@edwardbates2562]

Really been waiting for this topic to be covered. Thanks for taking the time to run through and share your wisdom.

[@derekwhittle2158]

It’s not worth the aggro. Rusty bolts. Bad panel gaps. Odd wind noises at speed, electrical gremlins. Best get off getting the newest that you can afford, but on condition. I was looking for a new car myself a few weeks ago. I still see the ones we viewed still for sale because, they were tatty or badly presented, odd tyres, missing history

[@whatsmine7848]

I once bought a fiat Punto hgt from a fiat main agent what was a cat c and wasn’t told, when the warranty ran the faults started and that’s when I found out the car was twisted, I scrap the car and took a big financial loss but I learnt my lesson don’t trust main agents, never buy a fiat, always do a hpi check and if you have a local garage you can trust (which I do) if you buy get them to check it out, lastly don’t trust an MOT, I know people who can a bent MOT very easy

[@morganvon5664]

Thank you for some very valuable info. I've been considering the purchase of a 2015 Porsche 911 GTS. It has been in an accident. Airbags didn't deploy (in the states, if airbags deploy, the car becomes a salvage vehicle). Finding used 911's is very tough right now. However, I realized that this car has been on the dealer lot for some time. The price has dropped by 10k dollars. That's a lot in the U.S. market. But even though the car may be perfect now, I realize that it may be a headache to try and sell the car 2 or 3 years down the road.

[@nismo4321]

I've bought some cars from Copart with a very minimal damage like side scratch or damaged wing etc. Never had any issues with them and they sold fine. Like you said all depends on the price.

[@HighPeakAutos]

That’s true

[@devlinracing3553]

Great video. Personally I wouldn’t touch a damaged car with a barge pole. Too much grief with insurance, in life problems and resale value. I would rather pay a premium and get one with no issues. As you say ‘buying on value’ not ‘on price’. I suspect a large portion of the write off / repair market operates on the basis of daft customers not doing vehicle checks and getting duped by the unscrupulous private and retail sellers. A very valuable video, you will no doubt save save some unsuspecting purchaser from getting stroked. 👍

[@nismo4321]

Problem is that some cars are damaged so badly but never written off because the owner didn't go through the insurance and would fix them up and sell them as non damaged. Best to get the car checked properly by the AA or RAC.

[@patagualianmostly7437]

Best to get the car checked properly by the AA or RAC. Really? Isn't that like asking a First Aider at your place of work to do some brain surgery on you? All due respect to the AA & RAC but basically.... they are a "get you home service."

[@G-Tay]

Working in a bodyshop for over 20 years you see it everyday, "ALL" manufacturers have rework done on cars due to paint defects either at the factory or prior to dealer delivery, it's very very common. Also, big fleet companies running 100's or 1000's of cars for company cars or lease cars will sort of be self insured...Most of our work will be direct from a hire/lease company and the average bill will be from £1000-£2500 & higher, and this is direct payment from them with no "RECORDED" damage on any national system anywhere!!

[@louier9033]

I bought a category N 3 series. I can't complain - 2/3 of the retail price plus a freshly painted front bumper and wing 😁 If you think about it, you're probably more likely to get a mechanically sound car if you buy one that's just been written off and repaired, because it wouldn't have been a case of the previous owner trading it in because things were starting to go wrong with it

[@HighPeakAutos]

That’s a good point actually. I hadn’t thought about that

[@The_journeyy]

Well said clearly know your stuff

[@Diongreco]

Is insurance high on cat N cars?

[@adolynch]

Yes but then there's the electronic gremlins after a crash and repair... Sometime they take a while to surface

[@markm-ci6rj]

@@Diongreco No, I own two cars that have at some point been writen off 9not by me), never had problems with insurance, had insurance with Admiral, Coop, Sage, currently with M&S.

[@paulcrockford9845]

I have had a few written off vehicles over the years both car and motorcycle,and like you said it comes down to price,it also helps if you are handy with the spanners to do the necessary repairs

[@iR3DEMPTIONi]

Where i work we used to do bodywork for Fiat main dealer and we used to get tons of brand new cars with less than 50 miles on the clock in for paint like dents on wings ,bumpers and doors, most still had foam blocks on the doors and plastic everywhere, so even buying new from dealer you never know. I've owned a few damaged cars in the past but I have never had a problem getting insurance on any of them, one of my first cars was a cat C fiesta when i was 20 and the insurance was like £2500 but that was also the same price as a none damaged version of the car. Really enjoyed this video.

[@jameskirk4911]

I'm in the accident repair industry Matt. And you're spot on 👍

[@tsoupakis]

i have a cat c , 8j , that i spend £5k on it 4 years ago (on quite a bargain) and still runs absolutely fine. Do not really get why people afraid of them so much. if you have a small idea about cars a drive and an inspection will let you know if you want to buy it or not

[@keithhooper6123]

I bought a car c Daihatsu Copen,and it's been perfect over the last nine years.25,000 miles when purchased from dealer.

[@rouman7]

Spot on Matt , I’ll never buy a written of car ..I can understand why people do but it’s never been for me ..when I was in Dubai. I seen lots of cars too models .. written off some had water damage , some just minor damage .. in fact lots of Porsches , lambo s rolls etc etc and many get shipped to the uk

[@leedstown]

Cars are written off for very minor knocks my friend buys lots of them. Even 2 year old low mileage cars, lots of cars are been sold through auction as unrecorded by the insurance company to get more money, I have owned probably 25 damaged repaired cars and never had a problem

[@tariqjulani2628]

Fantastic public information Matt, your experience and knowledge is priceless! Best Car Review KZbinr by far! Helped me make a decision today

[@jimmypratt6450]

I remember that BMW you tested my skills on that one plenty off pushing and pulling to get it straight , it turned out ok in the end and cheap car for your pal win win all round.

[@RoderikvanReekum]

No. Only hail/cosmetical damage. If there is strucual damage it could be dangerous if you crash it again.

[@fredyyfredfreddy]

I mean it depends on what type of car too. Something like a BMW X5, I would avoid if it has been in an accident because it has so much electronics, it doesn't really matter if the car works fine mechanically. It will likely be belching error cods until you scrap it and it won't run well. That goes even more for the Ferrari.

[@tonypet1518]

Hi how are you doing. Impulsive viewing, cheers. We would buy cruising boats main stream of poor quality but with potential value. Electrics, cushions, underwater gear, painting. Not mechanical. New canopy. Good easy sale. My caravan had hail stones damage to the roof, right off. Brought it back for 200 hundred pounds. Sold for 900. Payed out 1300 for right off. Good little earner. Thanks for your videos, stay stafe.

[@Jackthesmilingblack]

If you intend to be the last owner, "accident-repair" makes a lot of sense. Here in Japan, repairs are carried out to a high quality, so when the big, expensive service fall due, I run it up the breaker's yard. Of course you need someone to pick you up, especially if you want to take the wheels ... Jack, the Japan Alps Brit

[@hotdoug1000]

8:30 the dealer would have to inform the buyer as they're not private sellers so the purchaser would know as you said earlier.

[@mototakahe836]

Used your Car Vertical thanks for the discount. Unfortunately I expected pictures and was disappointed. I was looking for pics to help a litigation case I have here in France. Suing under French law for an undeclared fault. Took the Merc to Mercedes to replace a thrust arm to be told sorry the front cradle is twisted can't do the thrust arm. ALWAYS DO A CAR CHECK ! PICCIESS OR NOT. The seller said he no longer had record of uk reg number. so for the first time bought without check. Bu....ger. Nice paperweight on the drive.

[@derekgibson3223]

Another great presentation. Well done Matt

[@georgeshiels9696]

Hi George from antrim Northern Ireland back in 1990 i got a crashed Renault 5 it was £1'500 £300 to fix it drove it for two years sold it for £1'700 that's good motoring

[@benparsonson5387]

Yes 👍 if you know what your looking for though. I bought a cat D in 2017 fiesta st 2013 63 plate. Had pictures to prove just a cracked rear bumper and smashed rear light. Car was brilliant no problems at all, Only thing is selling them on.

[@Duncangafney1]

My 330CD was listed as a cat D last year, because despite being worth over £5k and the repair costing less than £2k, the insurance company chose to cat N it. Literally the front wing was dented and the bumper was scraped. I kept the car, and it's now in better condition than it was pre the minor accident. I really wouldn't worry about Cat N.

[@michaelatkinson7577]

See my reply about my Cat S above. Very similar damage but they chose CatS!

[@casinodelonge]

REally good honest advice, you'll be giving used car dealers a good name if you're not careful...

[@philiphudgens4726]

I always think about the other components electronics etc in the car after an accident...imagine the jolt they must have got. Now imagine chucking your laptop down the stairs; even if it's still working, there's a good chance there are now areas of weakness which are more likely to fail

[@ploddicus]

What a great video Matt, clear, logical and really informative. Thank you!!

[@shellacandvinylarchive3370]

Great video - learned loads. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

[@stezie1]

Car history checks do not guarantee that the car was not in an accident, or even damage repair via insurance? The history check will tell you if the car had a write off category against it. That's it.. A similar scenario you highlighted happened to a friend of mines. He bought a 6month old car from a dealer, had it checked out by someone and it appears that it was damaged before registration during delivery requiring the whole side of the car needing repair with bumpers. This didn't show on a car history check.. Another example, Panel damage on a brand new 5 series will be repaired with an insurance claim, with out a category registered against it, because it was less than half the market value. The exact same accident on a 10yr old 5 series would write it off due to the cost of new panels. But if the owner decides to fix it themselves and buy second hand parts, then it wont have a write off category. To summarize, these vehicle history checks cannot be depended on to guarantee an accident free car.. They only help, but no guarantee. I know you are sponsored by a vehicle history company, but you shouldn't mislead people to think paying for a history check will be all you need

[@pea-dub]

Spot on matt!! Most of my cars have either been damaged repaired or high mileage! I enjoy driving nice cars without shelling out crazy money! Just avoid the obvious bad ones,the rest i Run em till they croak and move on 👍

[@neonskyline1]

I bought a 1979 Hiace caamper van for £300, done some work on it, someone crashed into me on the way to get it Mot'd, the insurance company gave me £1900 and told me i could keep it, I had the door sill replaced and bought a used door, had it sprayed and sold it for £2000, great watching your videos even though I'm not really a car lover as such, he said with his Evoque lol

[@davelester798]

Fantastic Q&A Matt another excellent video. Keep them coming. I love your honesty and knowledge of your subject..

[@kingofthewestmidlands4049]

My Merc i had for 8 years was driven into, insurance repaired it and no marker to be expected. There are many many many cars on the roads that have been repaired through insurance and nobody would know as cars have been designed to be repaired. Long gone are the days of cars like Escorts and Metros that would suffer proper structural damage and need to be reshelled.

[@theanalyticsproject1014]

Yes, I've bought a few CAT cars over the years. I agree, that resale is key. It's how much money you loose on a car that matters. I only buy CAT if I plan to keep it.

[@MrSunnyBhoy]

I bought a cat N hot hatch and wouldn't recommend it unless you know you're gona keep it for a while. Like Matt said when you come to sell you're gona take a hefty loss. Even if they look too good to be true think long term. I'm unexpected things can happen where you may need to sell the car quickly and then you'll get stung. Save up and buy a normal car is my advice. Wish I had but never again. I'm surprised those cars were repaired as they looked totalled and uneconomical to repair but hats off to the ppl who did it.

[@alexandruc161]

I buy cat D regularly, they are good value for money, most of them have a bumper, a headlight or fender but won't touch anything else.

[@Lot76CARS]

Good video Matt. The key for me is how well the repair has been done.. and you’ll seldom have the answer to that. Behind the paint where have corners been cut? As you said unless very very light damage then avoid BUT how many cars are not recorded on the register, eg third party or no claim made and they’re even more worrying!

[@matauboy]

Many years ago a friend rolled his Mk1 Cortina. The whole roof had been bogged,in places nearly an inch thick. The passenger door was mostly bog backed with chicken wire and rolled up newspaper and yet it had actually looked pretty good when he bought it. After that I always took a magnet when I was looking to buy second hand.