just found out i driving a cat b write off

lady fifi

bought my 2006 gt golf 2 years ago paid 12000 privatly for it ,and have had a lot of things go wrong with it .. over the 2 years , but knowing a few mechanics have got it fixed bit by bit ! last straw was the crank goin , had to get new engine after spending about 3500 so far , now engine was going to cost another 2000 but car only worth 250 without engine,, got it fixed decided to sell it on , thought aution in dublin was easiest way to go try get money i spent on it back at least , only to be told it cat b write off , from england and should not be on road ... yes should have done full check on it before i bought ,but didnt ,:( dont need to be told that , need to kno where to go from NOW on ,any info please help !!! how can this happen?? it passed nct , it insured , makes no sense ..

Atlantic Dawn

lady fifi wrote: »

only to be told it cat b write off , from england and should not be on road ... yes should have done full check on it before i bought ,but didnt ,:( dont need to be told that , need to kno where to go from NOW on ,any info please help !!! how can this happen?? it passed nct , it insured , makes no sense ..

Did you check the history of the car since you were told this or are you simply going on someone else's word, perhaps someone trying to get the car cheaper from you?

If you have not got a history check yourself you should have one done, easiest way is to HPI check the car using it's UK reg number, this may be etched in the windows. Did it pass an NCT that your put it through or previous owner only?

TestTransmission

I've moved your thread OP as it's not a DIY matter

MugMugs

DDid you buy this vehicle from a Garage?

gb153

MugMugs wrote: »

DDid you buy this vehicle from a Garage?

...

lady fifi wrote: »

paid 12000 privatly for it

MugMugs

OP run a check on the former reg. It's buyer beware to be honest so if your check shows it to be a CAT B then I'd highly suggest you remove the vehicle from the road. It's a serious liability...

lomb

Could have been flooded though so the CAT B may mean nothing.
If it passed an NCT, drives straight and is not a cut and shut Id consider driving it for another few years after some budget repairs.

MugMugs

Cat b means not fit for use. Illegal to drive on a road.

Senna

A CAT B car isn't allowed back on the road, the DVLA wont reissue a V5. Seen the CAT B is flagged on the system, the DVLA will have that information also.
It might just be a CAT C/D and the person who told you is bluffing.

A is for burn outs and gutted vehicles. Only value is in the baled weight at a metal recyclers.

Cat B is where the vehicle is no longer safe to put back on the road and must be broken or crushed. These can only be sold to registered dismantlers with an EPA waste licence. They are actually sold as parts and are no longer considered as a vehicle. There is no economic consideration involved, purely a safety one. Vehicles that have been flooded are normally written off as a cat B.

Cat C is where the car is repairable but is not economic to do so. Think older cars and or ones where the chassis needs jigging.

Cat D is where the vehicle is repairable and would be economic to do so (cost of salvage + cost of repairs < Pre accident value) but the insurance company has decided not to repair the vehicle. This could be due to excessive storage or recovery costs, etc.

MugMugs

MugMugs wrote: »

OP run a check on the former reg. It's buyer beware to be honest so if your check shows it to be a CAT B then I'd highly suggest you remove the vehicle from the road. It's a serious liability...

Do this OP, it will establish the factual situation for you, at least you'll than know the story and it may well be not as bad as what you are currently looking at.

L-M

Senna wrote: »

A CAT B car isn't allowed back on the road, the DVLA wont reissue a V5.

If the DVLA won't issue a V5 (I haven't a clue about English imports) and I thought the V5 was required to register it here, so how is it even registered here?

Henry Ford III

Limerick man wrote: »

If the DVLA won't issue a V5 (I haven't a clue about English imports) and I thought the V5 was required to register it here, so how is it even registered here?

Dodgy docs?

L-M

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Dodgy docs?

I fail to see how dodgey documents would get it out of a cat b registered state and re registered over here.

If that's possible, it's a disgrace.

George Dalton

Limerick man wrote: »

I fail to see how dodgey documents would get it out of a cat b registered state and re registered over here.

If that's possible, it's a disgrace.

Just thinking about the possibilities it would probably be easy enough to do. I doubt the civil servant in the VRT office would have been too adept at spotting a fake V5 cert?

L-M

George Dalton wrote: »

Just thinking about the possibilities it would probably be easy enough to do. I doubt the civil servant in the VRT office would have been too adept at spotting a fake V5 cert?

I'm honestly confused.

That means the car technically didn't exist as a "vehicle" when it entered the country. In that case, someone could rob a car, pretend it was a UK import, create a fake v5 and registered it as a car?

Baffling.

George Dalton

I don't know I'm just speculating really.

Nforce

Apparently it may be possible to have a vehicle reclassified from Cat B to Cat C following a written assessor's report.

L-M

Nforce wrote: »

Apparently it may be possible to have a vehicle reclassified from Cat B to Cat C following a written assessor's report.

But wouldn't it then be classified as a Cat C rather than a B?

Nforce

Limerick man wrote: »

But wouldn't it then be classified as a Cat C rather than a B?

Should be,yes...though I'd imagine the car's history will still flag it as having been a Cat B?

lady fifi

car was brought into ireland ,re reg it has irish plates , have rang few places to see about trade in and have been told same story from all garages cat b write off from england full insurance pay out on car there fore it not even insuranced although i pay insurance ,dont kno how it got here or re reg , seems it a reg thing from people i spoke to but normally with a c or d cat , they can't understand how it happened !!!:mad:

mickdw

Im not sure here but I think the dvla used to actually issue certificates of export for all forms of write off even though they wouldnt issue reg cert. That would then allow registration here.

lady fifi

i just want to kno how i can insure my car, pay tax, nct it, and it a illegal car not to driven .. where do i go from here if i hav accident insurance wont pay out because car should not be on road .. i guessin ..dont have any defo ans ..

JAMES VTI S

i drive a cat c and bought it with the knowledge of knowing that

i looked at it and its a grate car never missed a beat

Divorce Referendum

mickdw wrote: »

Im not sure here but I think the dvla used to actually issue certificates of export for all forms of write off wvwn though they wouldnt issue reg cert. That would then allow registration here.

Spot on there that definitely used to happen and most likely what happened here. It would have been easy to register the car here then under the old system (pre nct) with the certificate of permanent export.

Divorce Referendum

lady fifi wrote: »

i just want to kno how i can insure my car, pay tax, nct it, and it a illegal car not to driven .. where do i go from here if i hav accident insurance wont pay out because car should not be on road .. i guessin ..dont have any defo ans ..

To be honest if you have already have insured the car and it has an nct then there shouldnt be a problem but dont quote me on that its very complex. However driving a car that is a cat b write off i would be wary of the safety of the car. How do feel about this issue yourself? Maybe have it checked over by a compotent engineer for peace of mind.

lady fifi

it a 2006 dont think that pre nct for mine ?? i kno now how foolish i was nerver happen again , but who do you turn to for ans on what to do with car now can i have it tested and cat b removed ???the car is a beauty ..

lomb

I drive a Cat D write off, never checked it on the UK register though took the seller at his word it was only a D. Every panel looks like it has been sprayed if one looks very very closely(repaired very professionally though.)
Great car, maintained almost regardless of cost by previous owners and drives nicer,tighter and straighter than any 9 year old car I have ever driven.
Doesn't bother me in the slightest. Many high performance cars are written off early in their life making them economic writeoffs at main dealers.

lomb

lomb wrote: »

I drive a Cat D write off....

Thread is about a CatB though

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lady fifi wrote: »

it a 2006 dont think that pre nct for mine ?? i kno now how foolish i was nerver happen again , but who do you turn to for ans on what to do with car now can i have it tested and cat b removed ???the car is a beauty ..

Depends on when the car was brought into the country. The nct started to check cars last year for vrt payment. If you think the car is perfect than maybe the cat b is a mistake on the hpi check websites. I remember when motorcheck posted on here he said it can happen from time to time. If the car is correctly classified as a cat b then it cant be removed unfortunately.

L-M

It wouldn't bother me either, but the case at hand is that how something that would be considered only for parts in the UK is actually registered, tax'd and nct'd over here?

mickdw

Id contact a motor engineer. See what they say. I specifically remember an Engineer telling me that some of his work was 'writing cars back onto the road' so maybe a full inspection by an Engineer would allow you to be 100% legal although cat B should be a breaker only.

Divorce Referendum

Limerick man wrote: »

It wouldn't bother me either, but the case at hand is that how something that would be considered only for parts in the UK is actually registered, tax'd and nct'd over here?

Well mickdw post on the certificate of perm. export is the most likely explanation here. As for the nct, well the car must be in fairly reasonable order to pass it although I do acknowledge the nct isnt the most exhaustive test in the world.

lady fifi

thanks mikdw sounds like a option( engineer) where do i get one of them ?any idea of cost ? anyone think going to cops is good idea? or would they just impound car

Divorce Referendum

lady fifi wrote: »

thanks mikdw sounds like a option( engineer) where do i get one of them ?any idea of cost ? anyone think going to cops is good idea? or would they just impound car

Here is one website i found (not sure where you are based) http://www.assessireland.com/

Should be about the bones of 200 to 350 euro. Think the aa do a check as well if check their website

Henry Ford III

Motorcheck says this....

"Category B:
The bodyshell should be crushed. The vehicle should never reappear on the road, but it can be broken for spare parts plus any residual scrap metal."

I've no idea how such a car could get reregistered here, or pass an NCT.

It all sounds very suspect tbh.

OP I suggest you do now what you should have done before buying - get a proper data check done. Until you do that you shouldn't drive it either.

Atlantic Dawn

Limerick man wrote: »

It wouldn't bother me either, but the case at hand is that how something that would be considered only for parts in the UK is actually registered, tax'd and nct'd over here?

There's no legal categories of write off in this country, a car could be composed of 3 welded together cars and once it passes the NCT is fully road legal. Some of the insurance companies share information on write offs with each other and may refuse insurance based on this. We badly need a register for write offs in this country.

lady fifi

thanks just had look at that site , dont think i'll get to contact them tomorra :rolleyes:, im close to dublin so think i get in touch with them after christmas... i kno i should have done check before i bought but i didnt , but any more ideas anyone please put them out there... more options, more ideas .. something has to work out ..has to pay off.. how many more are on the roads without owners knowing ..?? being honest in the long run , better get ready santy on his way . happy xmas

Divorce Referendum

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

There's no legal categories of write off in this country, a car could be composed of 3 welded together cars and once it passes the NCT is fully road legal. Some of the insurance companies share information on write offs with each other and may refuse insurance based on this. We badly need a register for write offs in this country.

There is A and B. Although I agree with what you are saying it should really be recording C and D's now as well.

From Motorcheck

Motorcheck searches for any record of the vehicle being previously written off in Ireland or the UK, and reports this to you as part of our "full check" or "history check" reports (ie: Category A & B for Ireland and Category A, B, C, D & F for UK).

Divorce Referendum

lady fifi wrote: »

thanks just had look at that site , dont think i'll get to contact them tomorra :rolleyes:, im close to dublin so think i get in touch with them after christmas... i kno i should have done check before i bought but i didnt , but any more ideas anyone please put them out there... more options, more ideas .. something has to work out ..has to pay off.. how many more are on the roads without owners knowing ..?? being honest in the long run , better get ready santy on his way . happy xmas

Too many i bet. Alot of people wouldnt be aware of the checks. Well i hope things are sorted out for you. If the engineer says all is fine with the car then the cat b is most certainly wrong and i hope this is the case. Keep us posted.

lomb

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Motorcheck says this....

"Category B:
The bodyshell should be crushed. The vehicle should never reappear on the road, but it can be broken for spare parts plus any residual scrap metal."

I've no idea how such a car could get reregistered here, or pass an NCT.

It all sounds very suspect tbh.

OP I suggest you do now what you should have done before buying - get a proper data check done. Until you do that you shouldn't drive it either.

I would be careful here and who you contact.. If the car has no signs of accident damage or flood damage then it is probably stolen and ringed with the CAT B registered car. In this case the ownership of the vehicle is with the owner of the stolen car ie not you!

mickdw

Thats a good point and quite a strong possibility in this case.
First thing is to get your own motorcheck report,
Second would be to have a good look over it cross checking numbers etc and looking any signs of ringing or crash repair damage.

Bigus

lomb wrote: »

I would be careful here and who you contact.. If the car has no signs of accident damage or flood damage then it is probably stolen and ringed with the CAT B registered car. In this case the ownership of the vehicle is with the owner of the stolen car ie not you!

Sounds like a ringer all right

mullingar

Cat B is where the vehicle is no longer safe to put back on the road and must be
broken or crushed. These can only be sold to registered dismantlers with an EPA
waste licence. They are actually sold as parts and are no longer considered as a
vehicle. There is no economic consideration involved, purely a safety one.
Vehicles that have been flooded are normally written off as a cat B.

If chassis/panels are straight and second hand engines can be bought cheap, its very possible that's its in great shape.

Get an engineers report to check its true colours

msg11

Limerick man wrote: »

In that case, someone could rob a car, pretend it was a UK import, create a fake v5 and registered it as a car?

Baffling.

It happens believe it or not but only if the person never went out to check the chassis code and engine code/number, and when I say these numbers I mean in the places the manufacture says to check, IE not just under the hood. But the windows and by getting the ECU too give you the engine number and chassis number that the car should be with. Although granted not alot of people know that the ECU will throw up the real cars chassis number! But it dose ..

After reading a few posts you posted, best bet is too get the ECU too throw up the real engine number/chassis number and go from there.

It sounds like a cloned stolen car to be honest.

A cat b is a serious write off, as in a very seriously damaged car. EG a fire bridge attended call to get the roof of would be a cat B .

Senna

Seemingly its getting a lot more common in the UK, the dvla are reissuing V5's if the car has an engineering report from the VIC (Gov body). The salvage categories are only guidelines. There is no law in the UK against repairing and re-registering a category 'b' write-off, subject to a VIC test. AFAIK, the insurance company can only sell a CAT A/B to a registered salvage yard and that salvage yard aren't allow to sell on the car, but there are probably ways and means around that.

If you google CAT B, you will see alot of people who have had cars written off as CAT B think the car is repairable. So a CAT B isn't necessary a mangled wreck.

If i was the OP, after getting chassis codes confirmed, i would get the car to any mechanic asap, have it put on a lift and give it a visual inspection, just to make sure it isn't a danger on the road (it shouldn't be, seen it went through a NCT), just for piece of mind until a proper engineer report can be got.

corktina

i assume if you claimed the V5C was lost when the car was written off and then brought the car to Ireland, it would be re-registered on the strength of that logbook without any checks in the UK and have a clean bill of health.

GTDolanator

lady fifi wrote: »

car was brought into ireland ,re reg it has irish plates , have rang few places to see about trade in and have been told same story from all garages cat b write off from england full insurance pay out on car there fore it not even insuranced although i pay insurance ,dont kno how it got here or re reg , seems it a reg thing from people i spoke to but normally with a c or d cat , they can't understand how it happened !!!:mad:

your grammer is shocking,are you blonde?

johnos1984

I've dark brown hair and crap grammar so what's your point?

Mar4ix

(ecu possible change from old to stolen and recode), first signs to find of ringed car would if youll ask vw give you win number translation. (or somebody who have descent vw dealer software, where type win number, and software give full info about car), win number states about car - year, colour, engine (there is a lot same size but different engine codes), gearbox(same - lot types), what seats, how many doors , have sunroof or not.
Also you can find in interenet , where you can check your car ... like here

Alanstrainor

GTDolanator wrote: »

your grammer is shocking,are you blonde?

Its Christmas, be happy.

MagicMarker

GTDolanator wrote: »

your grammer is shocking,are you blonde?

Jesus at least correct your own grammar and spelling before pointing fingers.