Chap Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Spotted this on ebay just around the corner from me, but the seller claims to not know what the Cat D is for - "Allthough there is no mention on the log-book, The car has at some point been the subject of an insurance claim or theft and is recorded as CatD". Sounds a bit odd that they bought a car from a dealer without knowing whether it was stolen recovered, or accident damaged. Shame, as the price is pretty good. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2006-NISSAN-350-Z ... 644wt_1035 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 A car with a CAT D will have to be checked out before buying to be honest. In most cases CAT D is just panel damage, so a respray would have been done. If the job was done professionally then there should be no hesitation of buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveRS Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Thats seriously cheap!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BACON Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I believe as Beau as mentioned, generally Cat D is some form of accident damage that has been recorded through the insurance firm. Only issue being the level of damage cannot be easily determined without certainly checking the motor with a fine tooth comb and doing your research into it's history if at all possible. If it was me......I wouldn't touch it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH 370z Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Welcome If you PM me the registration, mileage and your e-mail address I can HPI it for you. But the lads are right, it would be worth getting a full independent inspection of the car done before you part with any money, from someone who knows what they are doing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chap Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 PM on the way, thanks a lot Toby - a really big help. If it looks too good to be true then... However sometimes situations can force a sale. Would definately need to get it through the usual RAC\AA inspection though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Even though it looks too good to be true its because most people assume the worst, but CAT D is the lightest accident band, and also CAT D does not go down in the Log Book, so the seller is at least being very honest which is a good start. As that price though it is worth taking a punt if you are not too far away. Check it out carefuly and if you are not happy walk away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH 370z Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 PM on the way, thanks a lot Toby - a really big help. If it looks too good to be true then... However sometimes situations can force a sale. Would definately need to get it through the usual RAC\AA inspection though. Thats on your e-mail now Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonk Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Have a look at sellers recent feedback, recently bought s/h handbook and service history. very dubious! further down other bits for 350. Run a mile! Prices are in freefall, pay a bit more and you will get a genuine un recorded example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH 370z Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 PM on the way, thanks a lot Toby - a really big help. If it looks too good to be true then... However sometimes situations can force a sale. Would definately need to get it through the usual RAC\AA inspection though. Thats on your e-mail now Good luck Back over the net! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chap Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 Got it, thanks Toby. So the car was registered in an accident in October '10. The chap has only owned it since March, bought some clips for the bumper, and second hand handbook\wallet. Now flogging it and has just bought a Vaulkswagen Passat to replace it with.. not quite the same league lol. Spider sense is tingling. An aside - I thought I'd found a winner for the MY06 lower tax bracket hunt, but it was registered 24 hours too late Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonk Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 October 2010 listed, by the time it will haved been disposed by ins company, would take you into 2011. My guess is that this guy bought it damaged. look at "view item" when looking at feedback. Service book is amongst stuff he bought. So car is listed and dubious service history. Don't touch it. Have a look at "Zeds for Sale" on here. as said before, pay a little bit more and you get a genuine one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Even though it seems bad, how can you go wrong for 5K? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chap Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 Good spot, you're right that it is all a bit fishy. They allegedly bought it from a dealer (Barrons BMW - tried to call them but the service dept is shut and they would have the info, big shame), mentions that can provide the MOT history, but has nothing to say about servicing. You'd have thought they would have got the book and accident info from the dealer when they bought it - unless insurance bods didn't retrieve it from the original owner. Hard to call given they've been upfront with some of the facts, but without that missing info it is risky. £5200 on the reserve would be a total steal mind, provided it didn't fall to pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonk Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Beau, It's not going to go for 5k. It will go for about 5,500 5,600. 1st month of owning it you spend another £1,500 putting everything right. That's how you can go wrong. Spend the £7,000 on a proper one. They are out there now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH 370z Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I would tend to aggree, the trouble with Cat D's is that you just dont know. Its all guess work, and a lot of money to throw at a "Bargin" In my experiance there is no such thing as a free lunch. Plus if it was that greater a fix job, within such a short period of time why is he/she selling it?? I have also done a bit of home work on the price too for you, I have e-mailed you a copy of the PDSN report (electronic black Cap guide) and the rule of thumb for us, is you take the trade price and half it for a CAT D - Makes interseting reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 The only way you can judge this would be to actually view it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chap Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 This forum is awesome. Bounced a message to the seller asking for more info on its history, but really without either a) a tame mechanic to hand for an inspection or a couple of beers, I think I will be leaving it alone. There has been a bit of interest on there so far so it may well go for quite a bit more in the last day of bidding. There are better pre '06 examples for not much more, but I will probably end up waiting for one to appear in the right price bracket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
was8v Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I drive a recorded Z and have owned a few recorded cars. They are no worse than any car that WAS repaired after damage but the general population don't understand this - hence why you can get a bargain. It will only show on the V5 if it was CAT-C (or above) written off, and it will say "VIC check carried out" or similar. CAT-D cars do not need an identity check so IME do not usually have anything on the V5. A HPI check will tell you what category it was, although to be honest the lines are very blurred between then - I've seen CAT C cars with major suspension and chassis damage (entire corners ripped off) through to other CAT-C cars with just minor body damage. It all depends on the cost of the claim vs the value of the car - hire charges, compensation and paint soon add up! Service history is invariably lost on write off and they will usually only have one key as previous owners have them at home and the insurance company wont request them or forward them. With Nissans this is more of a ball ache as they don't have a central database of service history (unlike VW, Audi BMW Mercedes etc) so you need to ring every dealer in the country to trace history!!! You can get MOT history online though with the V5 ref number. My Z had damage pictures (rear quarter scraped by a truck bed and some light damage to front wing) with it, along with parts receipts and superb paintwork. If you don't feel capable then get someone who is to inspect it - AA/RAC inspections aren't all they are cracked up to be. I wouldn't buy recorded without damage / repair evidence! My Z is immaculate, and with the supporting documentation it was a bargain. I had an alignment check to show it was straight and the previous owner even had a spare key coded (£75 at the dealer). I have only bought service items (brakes, bushings, oils filters) in the 12000 miles and 18 months I had it (on 60k now). I would expect to pay 20% less for a recorded car (with evidence) than the equivalent non recorded car. If there is no evidence (receipts, photos) of the repair then it will make it harder to sell on. This car looks good but without evidence of the damage or receipts for repair I would hesitate unless I was planning to keep it for a long time! But at £5.5k IMO its defo worth a punt so long as you inspect it well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chap Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 There we have it - Car was stolen from Farnborough (took keys from the house) but recovered after insurance paid out. Guess the new 'owners' were not too careful with it as repaint of the bumper was needed afterwards. Sold at auction into the trade market, and the seller picked up in March. No S/H as was left with original owner or insurance company, but apparently can be followed up with the original dealer. Chap apparently has a GTR! Surprised he's not on here, or the other forum really. I'm going to be away all day tomorrow so can't really follow it up now, he's thinking about pulling the auction anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonk Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Look through his feedback......items bought from salvage yards and car dismantlers, windscreen sealer. When you push him for answers he says he's going to end the auction??? Someone else might correct me but when Toby Hpi checked it, it came back as ACCIDENT loss. I'm sure stolen recovered is listed differently. Not trying to put you off or be really negative, just saying be careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chap Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 Its alright, I'm away all day tomorrow which is the scheduled time for ending so no opportunity to think it over further. I'm already looking at new adds and trying to work out what the best colour really is For what it is worth, I reckon the chap is being pretty square about it or using some great psychology by mixing in a great deal of truth with some deceit. I bought the car from a classified advert in February this year from a dealer in Lancashire. The sellers were a reputable company who buy vehicles direct from trade only auctions, often without seeing the vehicles direct from the insurance companies. I was informed the 350z was subject to an insurance claim not because it was accident damaged but because it was stolen - with its own keys - and recovered after the insurance company had paid out 12k to the previous owner from Farnborough Hampshire. Therefore only minor repairs were neede to the car for example the front bumper has been painted. The HPI database states Category D (accident damage did not exceed the pre-accident value)which backs this up. Obviously I wanted to confirm the car's history as the service book was not with the car. The dealer thought it was probably still with the insurance assessor or insurance company, who tend to hold on to them. I called Barron's Specialist cars who had previously sold the car. As their name is clearly visible on a sticker on the rear window and on the number plates. I checked with them, the date of the previous MOT and they confirmed the mileage when they carried out the MOT and service when they had it. I also downloaded a Government VOSA listing of all previous MOT's and they also support the mileage which is now 33k miles. So there you have it, it's a low mileage car that has not suffered any major accident damage. I've done about 4k in the car and it's been great fun and has run perfect, I've changed three of the wheels as they had minor kerbing, the rear brake pads, and two new year tyres. It's had an oil change. What can I say it's a nice car it even has the later facelifted leather interior, rear LED lights etc.. I really like these cars and it was an opportunity to won one for a while I also have a Nissan GTR and can't keep both. I'm starting to think I'm selling it too cheap and may just stop the auction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonk Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I notice he has recently added in his advert that if you win it and is not as described, you can walk away. i suppose you can't say fairer than that. Nonetheless I still think he is a part time car dealer/repairer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarnie Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 For circa £5k, I'm tempted myself..... for a MY06, CAT D or not, it's a great price imo.......would be a great car for someone who was going to heavily mod a car..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricey Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 If you've got 5 grand you don't mind potentially spunking up the wall then I say go for it...........I mean whats the worst that can happen............you buy an utter sack of spanners that you can probably break and flog a bit at a time for more than 5k. He who dare's Rodders, he who dare's my son Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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