Category D MG TF

[JEA55]

Does anyone have any experience of buying a Cat D MG?

I am considering buying an MG TF 80th in Goodwood Green that is for sale, but it states Cat D due to when MG Rover when into administration and there was a parts problem? Normally I perhaps wouldn't look at it, but as the Goodwood Green 80th seem hard to come by, I thought I might consider the Cat D one.

Also, does it have any impact on insurance?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Deb

[Rob Bell]

What parts were problematic Deb, do you know?

I am not sure how a cat D record will impact insurance - easiest thing is to discuss with an insurance broker for their opinion. I suspect that it doesn't make any difference for a cat D, as the damage would likely have been minimal. It may make the car a little harder to sell on in future, but if you're planning to buy it as a keeper, that probably isn't much of a problem?

[adrianclifford]

Try these because of the very low price of UK cars (like ours) :

From the Telegraph Motoring pages :

Category D is for the most lightly damaged cars, or those which were stolen and recovered after the owner had been paid by the insurance company. The official description of a Category D car is one that has suffered accident damage that would cost less to repair than its value.

And from Autocar :

What is a Cat D car or Cat C car?

A car classified as Category D has been damaged enough for the insurance company to consider it uneconomical to repair. Cat D cars are the least serious kind of write-offs, so these are the ones you’ll come across most frequently in used car adverts.
A written-off car won’t necessarily have sustained serious damage: because of how insurance claims are assessed, a low-value car can be judged a write-off after a simple car-park scrape that would cost a few hundred pounds to repair.
This explains why there are so many Cat D cars for sale for a couple of thousand pounds: dealers pick up cheap write-offs and make the necessary repairs before selling them on for a quick and tidy profit.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) defines Category D write-offs as: "Repairable total-loss vehicles where repair costs including VAT do not exceed the vehicle's pre-accident value."
Cat C write-offs are similar, but they’ll have sustained more damage than Cat D car – or have had more expensive parts damaged. The AIB defines Category C write off as: "Repairable total-loss vehicles where repair costs including VAT exceed the vehicle's pre-accident value."
Cat C and Cat D repaired cars – the process

For every insurance claim made, insurance companies calculate the likely cost of repairs. This obviously includes parts and labour, but also takes into account auxiliary costs such as storing the car, the provision of any replacement rental car laid out in the policy and other overheads above and beyond the actual repair of the car itself. This explains why insurers often write off cars that would ostensibly be economical to repair.
If these costs fall bellow your car's current market value, then the insurance company will pay for repairs. If they don’t, your insurer may simply pay you an agreed amount for your car. At this point, most claimants simply buy a replacement car, although they do have the option of buying their damaged car back.
As most people simply take the insurance money and replace their car, insurance companies dispose of thousands of written-off cars (assuming they’re not Cat A) through auction houses each year. These cars are usually bought by dealers, who either strip them and sell their parts, or repair them to a roadworthy and saleable condition.
Buying a Cat D car or Cat C car

Cat D and Cat C cars can legally be bought and sold, but the seller must declare them as such to any potential buyer.
Because Cat D and C cars have what many would term a ‘chequered history’, they’re worth less than an equivalent car that's never been written off. The advantage of this is that it's possible to get a newer, better-equipped or more prestigious Cat C or D car than you would otherwise be able to afford.
Don’t forget though, any such car will be worth less when you sell it yourself – and when you do, you’re legally obliged to declare it as a previous write-off. Some experts estimate that written-off cars are 50% less valuable than an equivalent car without repaired damage.
You should also bear in mind that many buyers will be completely put off by a Cat C or Cat D car, so it may take you longer to sell such a car than one with an unblemished record.
Neil Hodson, Managing Director of car history check firm HPI, takes a broad view of Cat C and D write-offs, saying: “The real risk with buying a write-off is paying good money for a vehicle that's been badly repaired and is a danger to drive, or worse still, should never have been put back on the road in the first place. If a write-off hasn’t been properly repaired, any price is too high.”
The flip side to this, he argues, is that “there are write-off categories that, if repaired professionally, offer good value for buyers”.
Trading Standards officer Gerry Taylor takes a different view. He told us that buyers should avoid Cat C and D cars altogether, as motorists run the risk of buying a dangerous car, unless any repairs were carried out to manufacturer standards. Any imperfections in repairs could compromise how the car behaves in a crash.

[JEA55]

Thanks for the replies - I think I might give it a miss, probably best to wait for another one to come up that isn't Cat D!

[stubby44]

Well I bought a nice 80th last year with CatD damage to rear end. Mended it myself and have a nice low mileage (16800) car that stands me at the same money as a well used ordinary TF. Depending on what you can do for yourself and how bad the damage is its a good way to go. And now you don't need to go for a vic check its even easier!
PS no problem on insurance. Might not be worth as much to sell but mines a keeper anyway.
Where is this one for sale??

[JEA55]

It's for sale on Autotrader for £2,650

Deb