Old Top Gear 1997 - Accident Damaged Write-off's

Quentin Wilson explains the benefits of re-building and running a rebuilt write-off.
Taken from an early 1997 episode of the old format Top Gear.

[@clarissamcpigeon7857]

There is nothing wrong with a Category N (used to be Category D) car so long as it's been properly re-built. My own car got Cat N'd just before Christmas because - just like the grey Merc - the parts and labour were more than the car was worth as the insurer was using an official bodyshop and supplying official parts. I told them to piss off and did it privately because the rest of the car was absolutely sound and had nothing wrong with it. It was still cheaper than a new car, plus I don't care about its value or permanent Cat N status because I know its history and I'm not trying to sell it.

[@robthesamplist]

Just the stigma when buying and selling, 95% of people stay away.

[@tjfSIM]

Yes, and the difficulty of selling it on is a big put off for most people. Personally if I'm buying a car for the keeps and am not worried about resale value, I wouldn't think twice about a CAT-D.

[@polygamous1]

Mate are you sure category N it the same as the old category C or D? If this Is the case I am definitely buying one, my old Vauxhall Astra was broken into Battery spare wheel stolen driver's door damaged n was deemed beyond economical repair bought it back from the insurance had it repaired for a fraction of what the insurance said it would cost n used it for almost 8 years afterwards, someone is making a Lot of money from the insurance companies n we collectively are paying for it with some young drivers priced out almost

[@deloreanman14]

Looks like that Mercedes only lived a few years past this program. MOT expired in September, 2003.

[@randomtransportguyx4397]

Oh

[@randomtransportguyx4397]

Oh no

[@paianis]

My guess is it was never converted to run on unleaded.

[@Paul-fx4hb]

@@paianisall old Mercedes run on unleaded. I’ve had 20 of them over the past 22 years and some I still have now after 10-20 years. Always used unleaded no issues.

[@neilmartin5341]

Might of got exported? I used to sell loads of olds Mercedes to Africa 😊

[@mrcaboosevg6089]

I miss the days where you could do this, car scrap yards which you turn up and can offer a fair price for what you want is just a thing of a past

[@bombadilian]

So weird to hear him say a knackered K11 Micra is worth £2000+ lol

[@HoneyRacks]

Anyone Else Felt Like Crying To See That Ferrari In That State 🥲

[@MrSupercar55]

Well, the interior doesn’t look too bad and the engine would probably run, provided it had been switched off immediately after the car turned over. You might be able to salvage some parts, even if it is just a noisy V8 and a couple of comfy beige leather seats and an old school Ferrari steering wheel. Even that is just stupid cool!

[@bbz.119]

4:00 not often u see a 2CV in a scrappers these days

[@MrSupercar55]

Try going to rural parts of France. You’ll see many a 2CV on the roads.

[@williammcphee8760]

Loved a cat D back in the day

[@JohnHonda101]

A865 FLO and A866 FLO are both Blue Mercedes

[@lenizacastello]

And there`s my mother`s clio...

[@CORRIGEEN71]

Quinten wilson what a slick presenter what happened him has he retired from tv?

[@Ruvik92]

He does not get offers for to anymore so he retired yes at least I believe so

[@raydavies3278]

He,s an asshole.l was a car dealer for 25 years when back in the 90's he went on T.V. and showed crook's how to clock cars .The next day at an Auction in Leicester he was looking so smug when a group of dealers caught up with him.What the hell are you doing they asked,now we will be flooded with clocked used part exchange cars.They beat the shit out of him big time.Months later the trade was awash with phony cars,thanks to this dick-wad.

[@FAT8893]

Ray Davis Like those dealers didn't do clocking. 🙄

[@NichRigga-o5p]

he was killed in a robbery in London several years ago

[@BogSulphur]

@@NichRigga-o5p no he wasn't

[@Spheredalai]

lol i could see repaired mercedes got a horrible panel gap on the hood and wing area. seems like Quentin didnt find the "right" repair shop

[@st_ate1856]

Wonder if that Ferrari 348 ever saw the road again

[@MrSupercar55]

It wouldn’t surprise me. Anything with the Ferrari logo on it. Anything bearing the horse on its hind legs. The red Italian stallion is crazy money. Even a crappy one costs about as much as the deposit for a bloody house!

[@LancerloverLL]

It's not worth 4,500 with the damage history

[@MonkeyHunch1]

He meant the car would be worth that without the damage history , so to buy the damaged vehicle and fix it yourself to use yourself would save you about £1500. But only if you keep it for a good few years.

[@landyachtfan79]

2:46.........what is "the skip"?!!

[@delorean8526]

it's a british term for a dumpster

[@jimtaylor294]

@@delorean8526 Kind of. Most Skips are open rather than lidded. A US Dumpster is closer to a Commercial Bin, such as those Biffa does for shops. (still needs a lorry to shift or empty it, but is bigger than most skips and has a lid)

[@delorean8526]

@@jimtaylor294 didn't know there was a difference (I'm American so my knowledge is based off third hand information from watching top gear)

[@matthewgodwin3050]

Properly repaired or not, I can't help thinking "how would it behave in an accident? Myself, if I knew the repair was good quality, I'd happily drive it. However, would I strap my children into it? Er, no. Not even slightly.