Ask Honest John Question of the Week: Should I buy a Cat S or N car?
Fri, 19 Jul 2024
Dear Honest John,
"What are the perils of buying a car with Cat S or Cat N on their spec?"
- OB
Dear EH,
A vehicle history check may reveal an insurance write-off category, which means that at some point in the past the vehicle has been damaged, an insurance claim has been made for the damage and it has been judged by the insurer that it is uneconomical to repair.
However, this does not necessarily mean that the car is too damaged to repair - just that the insurer has deemed it not economically viable. Cars marked with Category A or B are too damaged to be repaired under any circumstances.
A car marked as Category N has suffered non-structural damage, which usually means cosmetic repairs, but can also affect other components which would need to be repaired or replaced.
A car marked Category S has suffered structural damage and will need more substantial repairs in order to be returned to the road.
If you are considering purchasing a car marked as Cat N or Cat S, you should do your homework in order to find out as much about the damage and how it was repaired as possible. You may also wish to consider having the vehicle independently inspected, particularly if it is a Cat S car. Even if the car is repaired to a high standard, there is an increased risk of potential problems in the future.
Damage repaired vehicles are usually cheaper than non-damaged equivalents, but this may be slightly offset by an increase in insurance premiums and the possibility of the car being more difficult to sell on in the future.
Is it easy to sell a Cat S car?
