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Cat C Damage, VIC Test?

7K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  kn73 
#1 ·
I've seen a sweet van but it's recorded as Cat C last year. It doesn't need a VIC test as it's a commercial vehicle. If I converted it to a camper and updated the V5 would I then need a VIC test or would it still be exempt?

Should the seller have the engineeers report verifying the quality of the repair?

Should I expect to be paying around 20% less due to the CAT C?

Grateful of any advice!

Robin
 
#4 ·
No

The categorys C and D, are such a minefield, i have seen cat D top spec high end cars, that look like they have fallen off a cliff and destroyed. Yet they are cat D :* no vic test. I have also had and repaired/sold cat C cars,that have had such a simple repair as e dented door & wing,it doesnt make sense.

Cat C commercials dont need a vic test,this should not change when you purchase/change on the logbook to camper.There are no engineers reprorts/tests/inspections needed.Buy a vehicle,repair it,take it for an mot,then take it to vosa for a vic test.The vic test mostly consists of checking the van and chassis numbers,to make sure it has not been cloned nor a ringer
 
#5 ·
If it does not need a vic it will not need a engineers inspection. Hpi it to see what it recorded at. Check the V5 (loogbook) to see if it says anything about what cat it is. Check to make sure that V5 is not a old one without the cat info.

An old trick is to say its a cat c or d in the hope that you will not hpi it and it could be alot worse than a cat c. I have see cat a on the road with mot, tax and a V5, you would not know its a cat a unless you hpi it. It should of been crushed.

I had one before that said cat d, brought it without a hpi because i thought why Hpi when i know its recorded, repaired it, went to sell it and it was stolen. I only found out when a buyer done a hpi. Lucky for me i did a deal with the insurance co. By the time they paid me my storage fee, they would of had to pay me money, so i got to keep it. This was only because it was missing for over a year. I did get arrested and my house searched for handling stolen goods.
It all come out good in the end, but i was lucky.
 
#6 ·
An old trick is to say its a cat c or d in the hope that you will not hpi it and it could be alot worse than a cat c. I have see cat a on the road with mot, tax and a V5, you would not know its a cat a unless you hpi it. It should of been crushed.

I had one before that said cat d, brought it without a hpi because i thought why Hpi when i know its recorded, repaired it, went to sell it and it was stolen. I only found out when a buyer done a hpi. Lucky for me i did a deal with the insurance co. By the time they paid me my storage fee, they would of had to pay me money, so i got to keep it. This was only because it was missing for over a year. I did get arrested and my house searched for handling stolen goods.
It all come out good in the end, but i was lucky.
Christ, bet that was fun! Just when I think I've seen all the scams, someone tells you about a new one.


I'd never buy a CAT'd crash, as most insurance repair work is done on the cheeeeeep so it looks ok as it rolls out of the garage, the new paint will fall off or fade differently in a couple of years and your van will need a respray. Then theres the minor issue of rust, when they're rushing out a job to make the most £/hr from the insurance company, do you really think rust prevention is on their agenda? One car I had back from the bodyshop had paint sprayed straight over bare metal in one wheel arch "Oh we didnt have time to take the strut off to prep it, sorry"
 
#9 ·
A VIC is only a check of the vehicle's identity - it's not an engineer's report. Cat C & D cars can be put back on the road with no engineers report (and if they're new enough not even an MOT), but like T4Virgin said, what category it is listed as isn't always and indication of the amount of damage done - Cat C basically means that the cost of (main dealer) repairs, parts, labour, storage, hire car etc, exceed the market value of the car when it was damaged, whereas cat D is when the costs exceed 60% of the current market value.
This is why when older, or high mileage cars are damaged, it takes far less damage to write them off.

I've just bought a 51 plate Clio for my son that's a cat C. All that's wrong with it is the bonnet catch gave way and the bonnet flipped and smashed the windscreen, bonnet and put a small crease in the leading edge of the roof.
The roof crease is what makes it a cat C, because insurance companies will ALWAYS factor in a replacement roof, or even shell when this happens. For me, a bonnet from the scrappy and a new screen is all I need, and I'll push as much of the roof out as I can.
 
#13 ·
In this particular instance the CAT C was due do vandalism. yet to have proof of this though....

I will go and have a look at it and see if the seller can prove it was only superficial vandalism...

Will it still be classed as a a commercial vehicle even when its got camper interior and I update the V5?

Thanks for your replies
 
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