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Would you buy a CAT D car? Just trying to understand what the market perception is around this insurance write off category and determine just how difficult it wold be to move a car on later on. I ask as I'm looking for a cheap daily runner and one has come up as a CAT D. Obviously the price reflects this and it's no more than 60% what I would expect it to sell for normally so I'm good on the buy price. I'm trying to find out what the details were regarding it becoming a CAT D. In the first place as this can be quite a large range of items especially with a cheaper car. But would you just walk away or do you have no problem as long as the price is right?

No.

No.

Fair enough, simple and straight forward answers

IF you NEVER want/need to sell it and IF you know EXACTLY what it's CatD story is then a very vague "maybe" might enter into it IF the car was significantly cheaper than ANY "straight" example.

Trouble is, those conditions never, ever apply as far as I'm concerned. These are not rare cars so there is no need to compromise to this extent. And it's no good saying budgets don't stretch... The difference in the buy price is the tip of the iceberg with cars like this. 5k can disappear in a heartbeat if you have major issues and/or trouble selling. You pay now or you pay later.

CatD is no guarantee of getting a bad car. But with so many available without such a story, why risk it?

PS you note the price is right, but you aren't sure enough to pull the trigger without asking here. Listen to your head and ask why that is

murph7355 wrote:...Listen to your head and ask why that is

Wouldn't that be talking to himself? Should he really be listening to someone who talks to himself, considering he's the one he's talking to? That's what I hear myself saying...

Depends on the car, how long you want to keep it for and how much discount you are looking at.

if its a daily runner that you are not particulary attached too (ie, you dont mind the odd stonechip and wear n tear) and you are intending on keeping it for a few years then it can be a bargin.
Cat d damage is usually superficial or stolen recovered after paying out the original owner. I's not likely to have any major damage (but always worth checking to make sure).

Nothing wrong with talking to yourself.

As I say, it's a daily runner to save costs on the RS, hence not an RS. I'm looking for cheap but fun motoring that still allows me to justify the RS, not that I need to but it helps. So I have come down to a Smart Roadster Coupe and the decision is Brabus or not Brabus. The car in question is a Brabus but at standard Coupe money with same owner for the last 5 years and only 20K on the clock. Instead of £6-7K he is asking £3.5K. I'm asking for details of the damage if known before I even look at it, if he doesn't know then I won't bother.

I'm just curious currently as normally I wouldn't consider a CAT D.

Personally thats seems fine. It wouldn't take alot to cause a cat d on that car given its marque, small numbers and low price.