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Thread: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

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    Nefarious Networker Dareos's Avatar
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    Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    I have been looking for a new car for the last couple of months, trawling gumtree and autotrader etc. I had a 07/08 plate Golf GTI in mind and appropriate budget. I do tend to buy from the Auctions tho, in particular Central Car Auctions in Glasgow.

    So I went along today (for the 3rd or 4th time) after spotting what is pretty much my affordable dream car, which is an 09 plate Scirrocco 2.0 TSi. After looking at it, listening to it, checking out the mod cons etc I decided to take a gamble, more so than usual as there was no service history but had a couple of months MOT left on it.

    When it was announced the auctioneer stated that it was a V Class (I had no idea what this meant) and bidding started rather low. I joined in and got the car at £5500 only to find out that V Class means that it was written off by the insurance company after a crash but has been repaired separately and deemed roadworthy (hence the MOT). Checking up on it, I found it was written off after a year, so has been run for the last few years at least, so hopefully should be ok.

    So now im feeling like an idiot because I let my desire for the car get ahead of the practicallity of thorough research and I might have a bit of a lemon on my hands.

    The good side to this is that tomorrow I shall have it delivered to my mechanic and have him check it out. I have a chunk of cash left out of my budget to have any work done that may be needed. If its too much however, its going right back into the auctions and I'll have to take whatever hit I get on it.

    So moral of the story, if its too good to be true, it probably is.

    Lets hope I come back here in the next couple of days with a happy ending.
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    Ghost of Hexus Present sammyc's Avatar
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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    Fingers crossed for you. With a bit of luck the V classification overly put some others off & you'll come out of it ok, hopefully.

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    Nefarious Networker Dareos's Avatar
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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    There were a fair few bidders tbh, at least 3 others, and the fact that it happened several years ago and hopefully its been running since, should stand me in good stead. I may in fact have happened on the bargain of the century, as its full leather interior, heated seats, winter pack for mirrors etc, uprated stereo system (probably not the dynaudio one), steering wheel controls, autodimming mirror and has a parrot system installed.

    just hoping i havent royally screwed up.
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    Quote Originally Posted by this_is_gav View Post
    How do you change the height of them?

    I've just had a quick fiddle with the knob at the front :\

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    Super Moderator Jonj1611's Avatar
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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    Hope you get a good result with it mate. It happens sometimes and I think we all have probably overlooked something in the past.

    Anyway hope all goes well
    Jon

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    The late but legendary peterb - Onward and Upward peterb's Avatar
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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    I assume that is a typo in the original post as insurance right offs are designated A, B, C, and D.

    A and B are the most serious and the car has to be crushed. C and D may just be that the car is beyond economic repair NY the insurer.

    There is more info here

    http://www.rac.co.uk/community/blog/...ance-write-off
    so it may not be a bad buy. You can get a history check, and although it is a bit of bolting the stable door, etc, etc, it might put your mind at rest, and looking ahead, prevent any nasty surprises when you come to sell it.
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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    Category X Insurance Write Off - the vehicle is easily repairable and may even be still roadworthy.
    Ebay :/

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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    Quote Originally Posted by Domestic_Ginger View Post
    Ebay :/
    NO WAY!!!
    People who just give up like that give me such bargains...especially those prepared to get shafted by eBay seller fees!!

    To give you a bit of perspective - After my accident, my bike was a Cat C write-off according to the insurers, who valued repairs at £3800. Of course, they quoted using all-new parts direct from Yamaha and quoted repairing every tiny little scratch.
    I went to the Owners Club and sourced a load of as-new, NOS and second-hand parts, repairing my bike for less than £600.
    It's now been back on the road for well over a year, perfectly sound and still doing 0-60 in 2.8 seconds. Not bad for a 19080s motorcycle, eh!

    Had I sold it at Cat C, I'd have gotten maybe £400 for it, even though I initially bought it for £900 and in working condition it is currently valued at £2700!

    I say you should wait and see what it's actually like. Get it throroughly checked over and make sure it's junk before you get rid. Chances are you'll have a pretty good runner, though.
    If it does turn out to be junk, at least get an idea of it's value in 2nd hand parts before you just flog it, as that may be a bigger earner than selling in one piece.

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    Senior[ish] Member Singh400's Avatar
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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    V Class? I'm only aware of A, B, C, and D. As Peter said A and B are meant to be the worst. C and D can be a type of situation where it is cheaper money wise to write it off than getting it officially repaired. Personally because I'm not that much of a mechanic (although I'm picking up bits and bobs) I won't buy a Cat C or D. Prefer to err on the side of caution. However, if you know what you are doing you can net yourself a real bargain. A friend flips car like this, buys Cat C's and D's that need panel or easy work and then flips them for a profit.

    Hopefully it works out as the Scirocco is a lovely looking beauty.

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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    The fact that it has been deemed roadworthy post-accident stands you in good stead for at least having something that runs, if not is a pretty good buy.

    I initially thought you'd not really lucked-in, given the insane price... But then I looked at how much these usually go for and am suitably impressed!

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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    ok lets clear this up

    V-CAR stands for Vehicle Condition Alert Register, it'sa real thing...

    so the auctioneer DID say V-CAR.. but the category of class would also have been declared A B C or D

    D class... stolen and recovered and paid out, dropped into flood water and paid out, moderate damage that cost lots but could POSSIBLY have been cosmetic but big dough.. all bumpers, interior trim etc.... hence value not worth paying to fix.. them someone puts second hand stuff back in it. It is possible to get a result... I hope this is what you bought. Might still stink of drain water if it was in a flood... or worse. But you have a chance it's OK

    C class.. proper smacked up but repairable.. I wouldn't buy this without plenty of pre purchase ramping and it would need to be REALLY cheap.. it's value is always gonna be looowwww. Not a good choice at auction.

    B_ totally fubar accident.. mustn't be rebuilt, got for scrap parts on the bits not covered in blood and intestinal juices.

    A_ toast.. burned out,... crushed by a lorry...unrecognisable as anything but scrap burned metal

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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    Seeing as it was written off many moons ago and is still running, I think you might have a bit of a steal! When you come to sell on you may have a bit of difficulty, but that's a future pain... Live in the now, man...

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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zak33 View Post
    C class.. proper smacked up but repairable.. I wouldn't buy this without plenty of pre purchase ramping and it would need to be REALLY cheap.. it's value is always gonna be looowwww. Not a good choice at auction.
    I think it's worth pointing out that the assessment of Cat C or D will also be subjective.
    Many insurers will write off a vehicle if they think they can get away with valuing it for (and thus pay out) far less money than the repair costs. A couple of my family members (who I don't really like, surprisingly) used to rip people off like this for a living.

    Getting an independent assessment yourself may be worth it, especially if they can check things like frame integrity using lasers, rather than some bloke with a clipboard simply walking round.

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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    One thing to note that ever car that has been in an accident always have one common fault.

    It'll either pull to the left of the right.

    It might not but it'll allways be in the back of your mind.

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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    I've got a Vauxhall Corsa C, it was/is a Cat C, I've had it 6 years (damn I really need to get a new car) it's been spot on. My dad purchased it from two work mates who did the restoration of it, they did get it stupidly cheap and even made money off of my dad. I've had to change the timing belt and a few other little things here and there but it still runs fine and looks OK too. My dad is a Vauxhall mechanic so I have had a cheap maintenance bill.

    Best of luck, you've had a bargain if all is well!

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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zak33 View Post
    B_ totally fubar accident.. mustn't be rebuilt, got for scrap parts on the bits not covered in blood and intestinal juices.

    A_ toast.. burned out,... crushed by a lorry...unrecognisable as anything but scrap burned metal
    AFAIK if there is "biological contamination", i.e. blood, bits etc. then a car is declared Cat A.

    Also as mentioned Cat C and D can be almost anything, from a couple of scraped panels on a cheap car to being wrapped round a lampost. You need to have a good look really.
    Also cat C cars require an official vehicle inspection to be put back on the road, while cat D just need repairing to a roadworthy standard.

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    re: Felt like I might've been bit of an idiot... but better being lucky than smart :-)

    Thanks for all your advice guys, im still waiting on my mechanic getting back to me, probably will be late Monday. If all else fails I will have lost money and gained a valuable lesson, if it all works out I will have gained a car and a valuable lesson

    Damn these lessons are expensive lol.
    We're only here for the Banter - The Luvvies - Chewin' The Fat

    Violence and Lubrication is the solution to fixing everything, if it still doesn't work, you need more lubrication.

    Quote Originally Posted by this_is_gav View Post
    How do you change the height of them?

    I've just had a quick fiddle with the knob at the front :\

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