Urgent Buyers Help Required

[Y4R15 D4N]

2001 TOYOTA YARIS 1.3 16v VVTi CDX 5dr Hatchback - £2,850 - would take minimum of £2600

Manual, 34,000 miles, SILVER, 12 MONTHS MOT, 6 MONTHS TAX, POWER STEERING, ELEC MIRRORS, ELEC WINDOWS, 12 CD CHANGER, RADIO CASETTE, AIR CINDITIONING, DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAG, ALLOY WHEELS, COLOUR CODED BUMEPRS, REMOTE CENTRAL LOCKING, EXCLENNT CONDITIOIN, CHEAP INUSURANCE, VERY ECONOMICAL. £2,850.

Have spoken to this guy and have had it HPI checked only to find, and he confirmed this, AFTER I asked him about it, that it is a Cat D insurance write off and has had a new front bumper, but that was the only damage.

If this is the case, why was it written off - could there be chassis damage that he's trying to keep quiet, or would they literally write it off for this? Sounds like whoever has done so has run into the back of something.

The alarm bells started ringing because of the mileage, but if this is a good deal regardless of the above mentioned damage, I really don't wanna miss out on it.

I'm working against the clock on this as I may go over and buy this tonight.

cheers guys

[johnny01]

Found this on a quick Google search:

"Category D - most likely to be nonstructural damage and should be relatively easily repairable. In this case the vehicle may have been economical to repair but for other reasons it was written off. For example where the insurer have to provide a courtesy car the time taken to repair the vehicle would mean that the courtesy car cost together with the repair cost would be excessive. In a category D scenario it is more likely that the insurer did not wish to repair."

Seems to be the general consensus on a Cat D write off. Hope this helps.

I can't comment on whether this car is good value or not, as I am unfamiliar with Yaris used valuations.

Regards - Johnny

[Parts-King]

Why put £2850 if you only want £2600? A car doesnt get written off for a bumper, it was probably too expensive to repair, so it couldnt have just been a bumper

Cat D is by no means the worst, this is how it is described

A damaged vehicle which the insurer has decided not to repair, but which could be repaired and returned to the road.

An AA/RAC inspection should be done in my opinion, rather than be too hasty, what usually seems too good to be true usually is!

Kingo

PS. I don't think it's cheap, IMHO

[samir23]

my back bumper and panel had been damaged... And it did cost approx 2000 to be repaired... and the accident hadn't been that great impact...

U might get want to get some proper inspection done as recommended by parts king...

[Madasafish]

Lets see:

it's very low mileage for the year.

The seller did not declare the Cat despite knowing it.

He's clearly a lying git: and if he lies on that assume he lies on everything else.

I would assume the mileage is wrong unless you have documented evidence - MOTs and FSH - to prove it is correct.

And he's willing to discount further.

Personally I'd run away... lots better cars to choose.

OR if you really want it, offer £2000.. and only go to £2100.

Then when YOU come to sell and the buyer wnats a discount for the Cat, you're covered.

Sellers who conceal one thing tend to conceal a lot. Lots of cars for sale. Why buy a dodgy one?

[gar]

2001 TOYOTA YARIS 1.3 16v VVTi CDX 5dr Hatchback - £2,850 - would take minimum of £2600

Manual, 34,000 miles, SILVER, 12 MONTHS MOT, 6 MONTHS TAX, POWER STEERING, ELEC MIRRORS, ELEC WINDOWS, 12 CD CHANGER, RADIO CASETTE, AIR CINDITIONING, DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAG, ALLOY WHEELS, COLOUR CODED BUMEPRS, REMOTE CENTRAL LOCKING, EXCLENNT CONDITIOIN, CHEAP INUSURANCE, VERY ECONOMICAL. £2,850.

Have spoken to this guy and have had it HPI checked only to find, and he confirmed this, AFTER I asked him about it, that it is a Cat D insurance write off and has had a new front bumper, but that was the only damage.

If this is the case, why was it written off - could there be chassis damage that he's trying to keep quiet, or would they literally write it off for this? Sounds like whoever has done so has run into the back of something.

The alarm bells started ringing because of the mileage, but if this is a good deal regardless of the above mentioned damage, I really don't wanna miss out on it.

I'm working against the clock on this as I may go over and buy this tonight.

cheers guys

Sounds a reasonable price IF it was the only damage.

Sellers do not have to offer you any information regarding damage unless you actually ask them. If you did and he consealed it, walk away out of principle. I know damage of fairly low value can get the vehicle on a cat d and many dealers do too and use this to get good deals. You can also get a higher than standerd mot type test that, if passed, will give you a condition report stating work carried out is of good quality, therefore removing the vehicle from the register or making it a safer bet anyway.

I would dom this if I had a good vehicle with very minor damage so as to keep the value higher than just a d cat car!

Use the sellers laziness to your advantage, beat them down and pay 2000 and get the better test done. It was about a hundred but may be closer to 150 these days.

Another thing to do may be to find out who carried out the repair and ask them if they kept records as to the extent of the damage. They may confirm it was minor.

P.s. as for the mileage, I have done about the same in my 02 so it may well be genuine!

[Lucie]

yeah the mileage doesnt sound to OTT my 2002 plate did around 34 upto when i sold it a month or so ago

inregards to HPI checks does that just show up cars that have been written off or does it show all claims made during the life of the car?

[Parts-King]

yeah the mileage doesnt sound to OTT my 2002 plate did around 34 upto when i sold it a month or so ago

inregards to HPI checks does that just show up cars that have been written off or does it show all claims made during the life of the car?

HPI and insurance registers only show cars written off, it does not show for example, a car with heavy damage that was repaired and NOT written off

Kingo

[graykay]

I wouldn't rush into getting it. Don't worry about someone else getting it if you are unsure about something.

[Y4R15 D4N]

I wouldn't rush into getting it. Don't worry about someone else getting it if you are unsure about something.

TBH the biggest worry I had about this was that the chassis may have taken a knock as well - regardless, I'm gonna leave well enough alone. I'm not in a rush to buy one and would rather get one that was 100% (or near enough) rather than concealed history.

If in doubt, do without.!

[Parts-King]

Good plan, there are enough cars in this world without buying something potentially dodgy

Kingo