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Thread: Buying a used car

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    Buying a used car

    When buying a used car and considering a car that has been stolen and recovered, apart from the obvious (damage, missing items etc), what else should one consider?
    Will it affect insurance premiums?
    Does it matter that there is now no servicing history?
    Is there anything else to think about?
    TIA,
    Gav.

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    Re: Buying a used car

    has it been written off at all? If so you will need to get it back through the MOT to get it on the road again.

    I have a merc you can buy if your in the market for a car. Economical, cheap insurance/tax and only slight fire damage.

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    Re: Buying a used car

    Quote Originally Posted by Gav View Post
    When buying a used car and considering a car that has been stolen and recovered, apart from the obvious (damage, missing items etc), what else should one consider?
    Will it affect insurance premiums?
    Does it matter that there is now no servicing history?
    Is there anything else to think about?
    TIA,
    Gav.
    Are you buying off the original owner who no longer wants a car that had been stolen, or is the owner untraced, for some reason, and you are buying off - the police?

    If you are buying off the owner, why isn't the service history available?

    As far as premiums are concerned, provided the car is in acceptable condition, cannot immediately think of a reason the insurance should be affected. If, on the other hand, it's an insurance write-off that's been reconditioned, e.g., then your insurer may well take the view that it's a dodgy prospect and weight the premiums accordingly.

    Without a FSH, the sell-on price of the car will be lower; you'll get less for it when you sell but then you should be paying less for it now, for the same reason.

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    Re: Buying a used car

    Alot of people are stupid enough to leave v5's mots insurance cert etc in Car. Polices fault as when you get pulled they often want to see them, but if your car gets nicked or catches fire your stuffed.

    Your in a good position to get a real good bargin.

    Would recommend getting a mechanic to check over if you are going to be spending alot as if Joy ridden, you don't know what damage has been done. You also have to ask yourself why it is being sold. Is it back on the road and being driven?

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    Re: Buying a used car

    If a car is an official stolen and recovered it is given a classification depending how severe the damage was. The lowest is Cat D for basic stolen recovered. I think Cat C and above require to be tested by an approved garage before being allowed on the road again. This will be recorded on the v5 and will always affect its resale values, a FSH would be the least of your worries. I don't think it'll affect it's insurance premiums, can't recall ever seeing it on any insurance forms.

    In the end you usually get a bit of a bargain but you'll never gain from it when it comes to selling it on. Parents bought a nissan bluebird years ago that was a Cat C, so it had to be tested extra. It ran for years, and still does as far as I know. Only problem was a faulty boot spring but it was never fixed as the cost outweighed the size of the problem

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    Re: Buying a used car

    Quote Originally Posted by pmjd View Post
    If a car is an official stolen and recovered it is given a classification depending how severe the damage was. The lowest is Cat D for basic stolen recovered. I think Cat C and above require to be tested by an approved garage before being allowed on the road again. This will be recorded on the v5 and will always affect its resale values, a FSH would be the least of your worries. I don't think it'll affect it's insurance premiums, can't recall ever seeing it on any insurance forms.

    In the end you usually get a bit of a bargain but you'll never gain from it when it comes to selling it on. Parents bought a nissan bluebird years ago that was a Cat C, so it had to be tested extra. It ran for years, and still does as far as I know. Only problem was a faulty boot spring but it was never fixed as the cost outweighed the size of the problem
    Cat D's need a new MOT too, or at least they did a few years back when I worked for Norwich Union. It wont affect the isurance premium as it presents no more of a risk than before it was stolen.

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    Re: Buying a used car

    I moderate on a car forum - its the other passion of mine.

    Please feel free to read these....

    cat D - Volvo Performance Club UK Forums

    IF the car is stolen recovered - you cannot have any idea what has happened to the major mechanicals. If it was stolen then the engine and gearbox would be ragged from cold - mistreated etc etc. I would get an RAC/AA inspection if possible. Bargain may turn into a nightmare.

    Repairing Cat C (I've done it) is lengthy and difficult and can be expensive. You will need a VOSA VIC certification in addition to an MOT.
    Selling them on is even harder. There not too bad if you plan to keep.

    Cat D - just needs an MOT.

    Tread carefully and do your research - find out as much as you can about the car, before parting with the cash. If you are not mechanically minded then I wouldnt bother at all. The other major danger is a crashed car will not have the same rigidity as a straight one, even once properly repaired. You can come off a lot worse if you do have a smash.

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    Re: Buying a used car

    Has it been “repaired” or had anything done to it since the police recovered it

    I looked buying a "very clean" recovered landrover. I tracked down the original owners and discovered it has spent several days at he bottom of the river seven

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