Cat C write off - possible rebuild advice

[bluenose]

A recent phone call to the insurance company has confirmed my car is a "total loss" Category C (click on my link for the story leading up to this point http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=300216).
Will find out later next week the full extent of damage and cost.

I've requested that I would like the car back but I've read that the car will have to have a full VOSA inspection. I'm a first time ever insurance claimant, so any info, tips or advice on a Cat C rebuild? Are most of the front end parts bolt on?

Even after all the work is done, the car may be worthless due to it being marked as a Cat C. But on saying that, it was a very reliable motor for me, so keeping it until the bitter end is an option. Resale wouldn't be much but there's still money in it purely for all the Cupra goodies.

Will keep you all updated. Thanks for any info.

 

[M1KEH]

Most of the front end will bolt on, unless you have damaged chassis legs. Unlikey from the sounds of your crash. The vosa inspection is to make sure you haven't chopped the car about. It is no stricter than an MOT and it is more about checking the chassis number etc.

 

[m0rk]

Don't worry about the value of the car if repaired - it has virtually none anyway.

Pics of the damage - as Mike says - the chassis leg is the key to all of this.

You might get the chance to buy the car back from the insurers (£200 ish) for you to repair. You might not.

I wouldn't expect them to provide the quote to you for the repair... the assessor will have looked at it, and declared it as beyond economic repair (see the first sentence I wrote)

All up, before you repair or buy it back - price the actual cost to fix the car up... it might still not be worth it DIY

 

[Brummy]

As m0rk says chasss leg is key in this one, But Ive bought a Cat C back to road and driven it happily for a few years, even taking it over to Germany and around the 'Ring so it can be done. (the Green Mk2 ion my RR link .
VoSa check is a nothing check tbh, its just to prove " that the car is what it purports to be" so not a cut and shut etc.
cost for that was about 35 - 40 quid a few year back, guess it may have increased a little now

 

[bluenose]

I must admit, I was shocked at how little value the Ibiza has when I was looking for private sale examples to send in to the insurance company. It seems that the sum of individual parts is worth more than the road-going car itself!!!!

Can't really comment on the seriousness of the damage as it went away before I had a good look at it. Fingers crossed, the only major panel to replace is the front (slam) panel. I can live with my own attempts to knock the wing, bonnet and bumper back into shape and having been without it for 2 weeks up to now, anything is better than nothing! The car pre-accident was very reliable, rust free and still drove, stopped and handled well, so hopefully a few hundred pounds spent on it means I get my own car back on the road. Possibly better than spending a few hundred pounds on a run-around with no known history. Then maybe, as and when metallic black Ibizas end up in the breakers, I may be able to source "less bent" parts.

Am I right in thinking that the car is MOT'd first, then taken for a VOSA inspection? And would I legally be able to drive to and from the MOT and VOSA test centres?

Brummy, you've given me hope with your Cat C build. Do I also need to attach a small stuffed animal to the car to show it is a Cat C model?


Quick search of the direct.gov/motoring site states this:

Taking the car for a VIC

When you take your car for a VIC the following must apply:

* repairs must be conducted and the car must be roadworthy and capable of being driven under its own power
* if it's over three years old, the car must be covered by a valid MOT if it's being driven to the VIC
* the person driving the car must be insured
* the car must display front and rear number plates if it's being driven to the VIC - for assistance in obtaining number plates, contact VOSA on 0300 123 9000

A car can be driven directly to and from a pre-arranged VIC without road tax.

 

[Fl@pper]

I must admit, I was shocked at how little value the Ibiza has when I was looking for private sale examples to send in to the insurance company. It seems that the sum of individual parts is worth more than the road-going car itself!!!!

nail on head there to be honest

 

[bluenose]

Seems such a shame. When I sent off my begging letter to the insurance company I tried to sing the praises of my "rare" 16v model but was struggling to come up with any hard evidence to show it was worth anything.
I realise now that my car is worth more to me than anyone else!

 

[Brummy]

Lol at the Small stuffed animal comment .. when my car went in for the Vic it had a silver boot.so the repairs thing is kinda as long as theres no sharp edges etc etc

 

[bluenose]

Here's the only photo of the car after the accident (took more of the other car).

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd102/bluenose150/Ibizacrash.jpg

Wing and bonnet not looking too bad (corner damage).
Bumper and grille took the biggest hit, which has forced the slam/front panel back and upwards (headlights looking cross-eyed and bonnet slightly ajar!).
Radiator had broken off it's mountings (possibly n/s headlight too).
Couldn't see any obvious damage to inner wings or chassis legs (fingers crossed).
Both indicators need replacing (n/s smashed but o/s lens cover dropped off - must have been out of sympathy!).
Just noticed the Gti 16V badge has gone walkabout. I'm assuming a nice obsolete item now.

 

[Seat-Chris]

Im guessing your fully comp with your insurance ? personally i think fully comp can be a waste of money if your vehicle has such little value, im tpft and had an accident a year ago that insurance would have probably said the car was a cat c write off and uneconoimc too repair, but i bought what i had too and got creative with cable ties and a hammer and fixed her up for £70.

Where as if i were fully comp they would have taken the car, fart around for a few days then tell me i gotta pay xyz amount to get it back then have a full vosa inspection which is all money and time that could be spent on repairs.

In regrades too your car that is definitely a keeper its sooo clean good luck with fixing her up and get some piccies up when shes done

 

[gtikezz]

pm mate if you decide to rebuld i may be able to help you out a bit

anything to get her back on the road

 

[bluenose]

Seat-Chris, yes I am fully comp and can now see that for a car worth very little, TP,F&T is the way to go. As you have done, I could have repaired the car (possibly avoiding the Cat C title) and been back on the road again.

gtikezz, thanks for the offer. As you can most probably tell from my postings, I am desperate to get the car back. It was a great motor up until the bump so I'm hoping the engineers report is not too drastic. I've not got too much spare money to throw at it, so it would be the essentials first, then cosmetics at a later date.

 

[I_biza_YOU]

If it's a repaired write off doesn't the insurance go up to? you have to declare it no?

 

[ather`s]

defo PM kezz for your parts as she is excellent and you can still get the GTI16V badge for the grill! about £4 - £6 from dealers.

 

[gtikezz]

defo PM kezz for your parts as she is excellent and you can still get the GTI16V badge for the grill! about £4 - £6 from dealers.

cheers phil i think i may have one in the shed somewhere i will have to have a look

 

[Presha]

I had a similar incident in mine chassis leg was fine drove it home and changed the crash bar as i had the spare parts was back out on the same night lol i'm guessing your one was still driveable? If so you should have done the same and the insurance wouldn't have to get involved with your car only the third partys car etc depending on what happend in the accident etc

 

[crezz]

they will value your at £800 tops i reckon, i had the same problem with insurance before

 

[chipmunk82]

I just paid 1100 for a VGC cupra 16v, and I've been looking for a while so if it was in decent nick hold out for a higher payout, granted it may not be worth that but mine was to me for the history and condition inside/out

 

[2pac58]

last year i got hit by a ford ka in my 8v cupra was a write off her insurance paid me £1550 and i bought the car back for £50 as all the damage was a dinted and scratched door

 

[bluenose]

Yes Presha, the car was still driveable (had to drive about a mile home and everything seemed ok).
With hindsight, the best course of action would have been to keep hold of the car but I can't remember if I was given that option by the insurance company. I assumed this is how it works with being fully comp.
Will definitely look at TP,F&T next time round (well, until I get that Audi R8 I've always promised myself ).