I was just wondering if getting a slightly damaged car is worthwhile and thought I would ask for Bit-Tech peeps opinions and previous examples. Also would like some advice on what to look out for when getting these types of cars. I have moved back home to complete my PgCE next year as all my placements would be based here anyway but need to travel the motorway miles to the university still so I have decided to get a car for the first time in 4 years. However being a student over that time means that I'm very short on money and damaged/repairable cars seem like a means to an end. I have all summer free to bang any dents out and have little car knowledge.
Can they be worth it ? Simple answer is yes, but if you don't know much about cars or what to look for you could end up with a real problem on your hands. You can pick up some insurance write-offs for pretty good money and then repair them with relatively cheap parts from a breakers yard. If you know someone who has some good car knowledge I would take then with you Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio using Tapatalk 2
Depends how damaged, how much mechanical knowledge you have, how many tools you have, and possibly whether you have a mechanic mate you can butter up with beer. If it's just bodywork damage then by all means drive it around with said damage, as long as it MOTs you're all good. If it's more serious then you will really need to be confident that you are confident about the points above.
Be very careful about what you buy - most of the stuff that comes up in public is what the trade have already passed on. To be honest I wouldn't bother. Something capable of reasonable motorway cruising with decent costs can be had for <£1k now anyway, it's not worth the added risk of buying borked. Not to mention the increased insurance costs of Cat.D/Cat.C cars (sometimes wrongly, but it's still a factor)
Yep, plenty of high mileage diesels around with FSH for well under £1k. Even something like this would probably suffice, and you'd probably end up spending much more than that trying to repair something else. Should also give over 50 MPG on the motorway if you don't rag it.
I think they are to a certain extent , if you are in the trade and know alot about body work and are able to carry out the work yourself then yes but if your going to give a garage the cars to repair then no as you'll be paying Store prices and labour , Cat C is probably what you'll be looking at , but also keep in mind that you shall have to go through an Extended MOT to get the car back on the road , If you can find a CAT C that hasn't been registered to insurance to be written off then you wont have to go through the extended MOT but those type of cars can be dodgy hope this helps
You don't need an extended MOT - the vehicle must have a VIC and an MOT before it is allowed on the road - VIC confirms it is the vehicle in question and not a ringer, MOT makes sure it is roadworthy.
I'll only say this, if you are short in money, go find a car that run like a clockwork. Don't jeopardize your wallet with something that is potentially full of surprise.
That's alright - on re-reading that sounds a rather aggressive way to put it, which wasn't meant. Indeed! I'd go for a spanish box, non-turbo diesel or petrol (either/or) for maximum cheap reliability. Although if I wanted a motorway smoker for less than a bag, I'd go for something like this as long as there's some recent servicing gone on, since I can do repairs myself.
http://www.bluecycle.com/ my mate buys alot of cars from these guys and repairs the damage then sells them on, he makes a very very good living from it. But as he is a mechanic he only has to pay for the parts, he is not paying someone else to fix it. Just make sure that you choose the right car, most of the cars have been damaged not just by the orginal owners but because they were stolen and found much later down the line after the insurance company had already paid out to the policy holder. Obviously if it was stolen then the little darlings have likely ragged the engine. As Krikkit has already pointed out, what is being sold to the public is being passed on by both trade and insurance companys as not 'worth it' But there are still bargins to be had if your prepared to put in your own hours and the damage is not too extensive.
Short on cash look for something built like a tank from the mid to late 90's. You can find cars with FSH that will just keep going and going.
Thanks for the advice guys, much apprenticed. As I have little actual experience in dealing with cars I might just find a cheap car that is still working. On another note my dad has decided to gift me his battered Corsa after 2 weeks of harassment so I don't need to spend my money on anything other than insurance. That 2L BMW would be nice Krikkit but trying to get insurance for an under 25 for it would be a challenge.
You'd be surprised at how cheap insurance can go on cars you wouldn't expect younger people to drive. I paid £750 to insure a 200bhp Audi A4 S-Line estate this year, and started the year aged 24. That BMW would be worth a lot less at that age...
Got a quote through for the BMW and its only £4111.74 so I think anything like that is out of the question. Feel I should add that I live in a high risk postcode right about now as well
Tried classic insurers? If you really are in a hellhole for insurance postcodes I fear a decent barge is out - you're looking at the lowest possible groups, Corsa, 106, Punto etc. Horrid motorway cruisers. I'd recommend a 1.5D 106, for ultimate economy, or a 1.2 Punto for a bit of pizazz.
Holy Mackerel... that's high. As Krikkit says, you really need to look for the low group cars, and ignore how they drive sadly. I'd avoid a Mk1 Punto though, later versions are ok, but the early ones eat up cash in repairs (well, YMMV but mine was expensive, amazing to drive, but expensive)
You could pick up an e36 BMW and stick it on a classic car policy, try Adrian flux Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio using Tapatalk 2
