Value of a Cat D repaired car

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I often get asked lots of questions around how much cheaper a Cat D repaired car should be vs a clean original example. So, I’ve compiled a quick overview of my thoughts below. (Following on from one of my posts on www.z4-forum.com

Firstly, there is nothing wrong with buying a cat D, provided you follow some fairly simple rules. Do your homework, and you can end up with an excellent car, and a complete bargain!

People looking for Cat D’s fall into 3 groups.

Group 1 – People looking for a cheap run-around which will be run into the ground.
Group 2 – The Dreamers – looking for their dream car but cant quite afford it, so need to compromise.
Group 3 – Exotica hunters – Looking for rare cars, normally with prices into the hundreds of thousands new.

When buying a cat D for your use, or buying a cat D to repair and sell, make sure you remember these target groups, as the groups are radically different and will want very different things.

When buying a Cat D here are my tips.

1) Make sure you purchase at the right price. As a guide I’ve always priced cat D cars at least 25% below normal book value. Although now were in a recession and the government has reduce the scrappage scheme, try to haggle for 25-30%.

2) Check the car out thoroughly – If you are serious, have a full inspection done, and get the repair work checked thoroughly. Some Cat D’s have well documented repair histories, along with photo’s of the original damage, and work to repair. If you don’t know what the original damage was, and what was done to repair, it raises a whole load of questions! In which case don’t touch.

3) When you come to sell, you will have trouble. People will buy Cat D’s, but they are much fewer than regular buyers. Most people will avoid a Cat D like the plague. Meaning you will probably need to sell dirt cheap. If it were a run around, or a car you wanted to keep and run into the ground, it would be very worth it.

4) If you still fancy a CAT D, there is always the option of buying damaged, and arranging repairs yourself. At least you know the quality of work, and some of the history this way. Likewise, you should be able to do it even cheaper!

These same tips apply whether your a buyer or seller, and are all important when looking to buy/sell a Cat D car.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment, and I will respond.

May