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Hey Guys,
Im new to the forums and this is my first post, was just wondering if anyone could give me some advice.
Im looking to buy a Honda Shadow 125 CATC bike of Autotrader but im not sure if it is wise to buy a CAT C bike or not:Are CAT C bikes safe?
Is it worth buying one?I really want a Honda Shadow but dont want to spend out loads of cash so I thought maybe buying a CATC bike would be a good idea, any help would be gratefully received, cheers
is it still in need of a VIC check (very strict MOT) before going on the road or does it come repaired and with a pass certificate
I’ve bought a few Cat D’s in my time but no Cat C’s. As long as it has been repaired professionaly and has had a VIC and an MOT you should be OK (make sure that you check this and that the log book you are given is genuine – DVLA will not issue a new log book untill the VIC). Remember that you could have trouble selling it on though. Below is the category explanations.
Category A. The vehicles under this category are extensively damaged vehicles such as those destroyed by fire, with no salvageable parts and vehicles which can never be re-registered to return to the road.
Category B. Category B vehicles are vehicles which are extensively damaged but which do have some parts with value, these vehicles can also never be re-registered and returned to road use, or vehicles which require a complete new body shell.
Category C. Category C vehicles are vehicles where the repair cost exceeds the value of the vehicle, however the extent of the damage is such that the vehicle can be repaired by the use of recycled parts or by using other cost saving measures. With a category C vehicle the buyer needs to apply to the DVLA for a Vehicle Registration Document (VRD) what used to be called a ‘Log Book’
Category D. Vehicles which fall within D category are vehicles where the cost of repair is less than the value of the vehicle, however for a number of reasons it may not be economically viable to repair the vehicle. This could be for a number of reasons:
1. Vehicles replaced under ‘new for old’ schemes (often at 50% damage) these vehicles are treated as not economical to repair, when repair costs reach half the value of the vehicle.
2. Vehicles which could have been repaired but due to car hire costs the insurer has decided to deal with the claim as beyond economical repair.
3. Vehicles which an insurer has decided to deal with as beyond economical repair so as to avoid a diminution in value claim following repair.
4. Vehicles where the value of the salvage is such that the insurers feel it more appropriate to deal with a claim as a ‘constructive total loss’.
5. Occasionally an insurer will have a client who for a number of reasons is simply refusing to have the vehicle repaired and the insurer will attempt to obtain sufficient for the salvage so as to ‘bridge the gap’ between the value of the vehicle and the repair cost.
With a category D vehicle, the salvage dealer should supply a copy of the Vehicle Registration Document (Log Book).
Category X / W. Vehicles not recorded on VCAR
NROV: (Not Recorded On VCAR) Vehicles in this category are clear on the Hire Purchase Investigation (HPI) at the time of enquiry. Although these may well be third party insurance and may never be registered
Hope this helps?
Hi Bulldog and welcome to TBF.
As the guys said above really, just been looking at some CAT C stuff on Autotrader. It goes a lot cheaper in general than the non-accident stuff. As Katana quotes, they are:
“….vehicles where the repair cost exceeds the value of the vehicle”
Which means someone repaired it posibly with secondhand parts or cheaper methods like DIY repair. You are really in the hands of the person who repaired it so get it checked over thoroughly if you aren’t mechanically skilled enough to test things like brakes or twisted frames. An RAC inspection or similar may be worth the money.
All adds on to the price, and don’t forget the resale value will be low too because (from memory, I may be wrong on this) you have to declare the CAT C history at every resale.
If you are not looking at keeping the bike long, it may be a false economy unless the price is significantly cheaper. Let us know how you get on!
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