My stolen car, declared a write off...back on the market?!?

py2006

Hi Folks,

Earlier in the year my pride and joy was stolen during the night and joy riden around the place. They thugs were caught in the act by the Gardai and it was reported to me later that morning.

Now, the insurance declared it a write off and paid out which was great! To me the damage was purely cosmetic. Smashed windows and dents and scrapes all over the place!

I just spotted a car for sale on one of the main car sales websites and I am almost certain that it is mine judging by reg num. (Will double check paperwork).

I really miss the car and would love it back. What do you think? How would a car dealer re-act to original owner looking to buy car back or would that be an issue?

Also, is there any issues from insurance company insurance me on a car they declared a write off before?

Thanks in advance!

Drummerboy08

It was probably declared an uneconomical write-off - someone could have bought the salvage and repaired it. Happened with a Focus of mine a few years ago.

I'd say the dealer would be only too happy to sell you the car - they wont car who buys it, as long as they get the right money for it.

Any link to the car?

alias no.9

Should be no issue if it was only cosmetic damage and written off because of cost rather than unrepairable. Don't tell the garage that you were the original owner until you've got the price to a level you're happy with. Knowledge of a cars history is adds value, he doesn't need to know.

Edit: if the car has only been through 'trade' owners, make sure it doesn't go through a change of owner because it will increase the number of previous recorded owners, even though one of them was you.

trad

Your insurer might not insure it for the market value if they have already paid out to you and know it was a write off.

py2006

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

It was probably declared an uneconomical write-off - someone could have bought the salvage and repaired it. Happened with a Focus of mine a few years ago.

I'd say the dealer would be only too happy to sell you the car - they wont car who buys it, as long as they get the right money for it.

Any link to the car?

Yea a garage bought it off me for 1000 but I can't remember their name! It was in the same area though.

KTRIC

Buy it back, depending on the cost of course.

If I recall correctly it was a fairly nice car you had.

EPM

If the damage was purely cosmetic then I cant see the problem. But there could be undiagnosed mechanical issues ready to rear their head if the thieving scum really rallied they thing. It may not feel like the car you owned any more if you know what I mean

py2006

KTRIC wrote: »

Buy it back, depending on the cost of course.

If I recall correctly it was a fairly nice car you had.

Yea, thanks! I loved it! Its going for less than what insurance company paid out!

I just have a niggling feeling the insurance company might refuse to entertain a car they had previously paid out on!

EPM wrote: »

If the damage was purely cosmetic then I cant see the problem. But there could be undiagnosed mechanical issues ready to rear their head if the thieving scum really rallied they thing. It may not feel like the car you owned any more if you know what I mean

Yea well I didn't even want to know the car after it was taken! But the funny thing was I started to really miss it in the last couple weeks and was starting to see other ones on the road! Then all of a sudden I spot this ad!

vibe666

if it's road legal i don't see any issues and the insurance company aren't going o do anything. what if it had been someone else buying it and going to the same insurance company, they could hardly turn them down could they, so it should be no different if it's you.

mymo

Similar happened to me, car write off, but kept getting notices about NCT. I called 3 times to cancel and the third time was told it had just passed.
I rang the garage that "disposed" of it and was told I could have bought it back for peanuts and repaired it myself. (I'd already replaced it and insurance paid out more than I paid for it anyway!)
Apparently it's common if cars repairs are not economical. So I don't see problem with you buying it back.

smash

py2006 wrote: »

I just have a niggling feeling the insurance company might refuse to entertain a car they had previously paid out on!

Why not call and ask, it only takes 2 mins!

-Chris-

alias no.9 wrote: »

Don't tell the garage that you were the original owner until you've got the price to a level you're happy with. Knowledge of a cars history is adds value, he doesn't need to know.

In fact, do the exact opposite - say you like the car but you know someone who knows someone who says it was a write-off.
You'd love to buy it, but you're afraid of it. Can you have extra discount?

The knowledge that this information is "in the wild" about your car may spur the salesman to get it gone quick-smart.

ball

I'd say let the garage know you know it was written off.
You'd have a better chance of getting the price reduced.

As far as the insurance is concerned, your insurer will know that it was written off before.

If the same thing happened again (the theft), you wouldn't get as much as you did the first time.
They will still insure the car though.

In my opinion, if it is your own car and it's been repaired, happy days.
You know it was written off, but you also know what happened to it

py2006

Hmm, yea I was thinking of saying nothing at first and see if they mention anything to do with its history! The ad mentions nothing about NCT which is worrying!

Surely, they would hardly try to sell a car thats not nct'd.

-Chris-

Having an NCT isn't a requirement, but it is a selling point.

My question, if I were buying a car from a dealer (who has their own mechanics, and who know that having an NCT adds value to a car and only costs €50), is "why haven't you NCT'd it?".

If I were buying a car without an NCT, one of my conditions of sale is that it passes the NCT before purchase. If the seller doesn't agree with that, then that signals to me that they know it won't pass, and that they know something they're not saying...

py2006

ahhhh Car is gone!

It sold quickly or perhaps they read this thread!