Finding out car is Cat D

[D&M 66]

5 hours ago, Dealer said:

Name and shame

However tempting that may be, we're not going to do that due to the problem at the moment.

[metcars 395]

8 hours ago, D&M said:

Thanks for the comments and advice.

They are friends of ours, but we've done as much as we can - pointing out the flaws and letting them deal with is as they feel appropriate.

They've offered us £400 for our time and efforts so far, which is pretty generous! They were more worried about this upsetting our relationship with them.

We just don't like hearing about dishonesty, this trader car was registered as Cat D 3 months prior to our friends buying it but they were absoloutly assured that the car was NOT on the insurance register. They didn't check it, but the dealer isn't a small place and seemed reputable.

We would hate to think that any of our customers have left us feeling like that.

But thank you again all for your posts and insights.

They've offered you £400? How much is the old banger worth? 

[D&M 66]

2 minutes ago, met said:

They've offered you £400? How much is the old banger worth? 

They paid £4k,

should be worth the same now... well, it was.

[metcars 395]

43 minutes ago, D&M said:

They paid £4k,

should be worth the same now... well, it was.

Its 16 years old?

[Nick M.K. 574]

10 minutes ago, met said:

Its 16 years old?

Still worth 10% of it's price when new. 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

In my eye's, dealers who sell write offs should be completely upfont and transparent about it, the dealers that hide it are the epitome of low. They give us all a bad name. 

[metcars 395]

5 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

Still worth 10% of it's price when new. 

So i'm interested to lnow what is the typical punter for this sort of thing? Surely Its too old to impress the neighbours?  And not old enough to be a real 'classic'

[BHM 994]

15 hours ago, D&M said:

They paid £4k,

should be worth the same now... well, it was.

£4K!?!!! I wish I could find punters with £4K for 16yr old cabbies!! 

 

8 hours ago, met said:

So i'm interested to lnow what is the typical punter for this sort of thing? Surely Its too old to impress the neighbours?  And not old enough to be a real 'classic'

Absolutely anything that the roof goes down on impresses (or more accurately ‘makes an impression on’) the neighbours - I had a Megane CC recently and believe me, in not-so-wealthy circles THEY ARE A DESIRABLE CAR - don’t laugh, I kid you not - and I’m going to stick my head above the parapet & say I’d rather be seen in one of them than look like a complete arsehole in an open BMW.

Also not everyone can date a car from across the car park like us. In my social circle many friends, ‘er indoors etc. wouldn’t have a clue - if I pulled up in any car and said to the Mrs it was 2 or 10yrs old she wouldn’t know any difference. 

 

14 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

In my eye's, dealers who sell write offs should be completely upfont and transparent about it, the dealers that hide it are the epitome of low. They give us all a bad name. 

+1. Let’s be honest though, how many of the general public come back to us with spurious complaints that were pointed out to them & written on the advert in the first place!?!! 

[metcars 395]

22 minutes ago, BHM said:

£4K!?!!! I wish I could find punters with £4K for 16yr old cabbies!! 

 

Absolutely anything that the roof goes down on impresses (or more accurately ‘makes an impression on’) the neighbours - I had a Megane CC recently and believe me, in not-so-wealthy circles THEY ARE A DESIRABLE CAR - don’t laugh, I kid you not - and I’m going to stick my head above the parapet & say I’d rather be seen in one of them than look like a complete arsehole in an open BMW.

Also not everyone can date a car from across the car park like us. In my social circle many friends, ‘er indoors etc. wouldn’t have a clue - if I pulled up in any car and said to the Mrs it was 2 or 10yrs old she wouldn’t know any difference. 

 

+1. Let’s be honest though, how many of the general public come back to us with spurious complaints that were pointed out to them & written on the advert in the first place!?!! 

No, i'm with you totally. The figure that sprang to mind was £1995 while the suns shining! And yes, megane cabs are popular! As far as the 16yr old BMW is concerned, 'emperors clothes'?

[D&M 66]

They bought it because they loved it, that's the price it was advertised at and that is the price they paid. They were looking for a long time for an Individulal spec until this one popped up.

Bought from a trusted dealer, whos been trading 25 years, and mentions on his website that their members of the Good Garage Scheme and the RMIF. Had a look on their website and about 30% of their cars are Categeory. C's, D's, N's and even an S. Not a single one has that mentioned in the advert. One does mention that their was light rear wing damage that has been repaired, but not that the car is a Category. A number of their cars have number plates removed from the car before photos (including said BMW, as our friends have an original print out from eBay MP of the orignal advert.

We think that should be mentioned upfront, its a detremental fact about the car. As a customer, I wouldn't want that sprung on me if the dealer told me whilst viewing. And I certainly wouldn't to find that out a few months down the line.

Agree with most all of the comments above, and would like to thank you all again for taking the time to read and post.

[Mark101 536]

I have sold a number of CAT C and D (now S and N) but have always been very upfront in advert, conversations and viewings - I have even pointed out where the damage was likely to have been (from my trained eye).

Having said that, it can be so frustrating - I have a CAT D - 64 Plate DS3 with 18k - retails (straight at £7,500), I want about £5,000 but cannot get a sniff.  When I say it is perfect, I am not exagerating, it really is.  I could very easily sell this as a straight car but I won't - as in my opinion that isn't right, fair or the practice of a truly genuine trader.

If however, someone wants a newish low miler for several thousand less that retail, it would make a great car and after a couple more years, the value will have bottomed out anyway.

It is in doom silver though 

[D&M 66]

2 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

I could very easily sell this as a straight car but I won't - as in my opinion that isn't right, fair or the practice of a truly genuine trader.

Couldn't agree more. An opinion shared with everyone on the forums it seems.

With your DS3, have you thought about getting the roof and mirror caps wrapped or some decals? Cheap, and completely changes the car - or mention in the advert that you'd get some decals, or a roof wrap as per the customer requirements

It looks such a nice car, but it might just need a little something extra to help it find a home

We had an E90 M Sport for 2 weeks - Not a sniff.. Crashed the price too, but still nothing.

Done an Arfur Dealy on it... Painted the alloys black and upped the price back to where it was and it found a home within 3 days.

[Mark101 536]

Good shout D&M, thanks.

Roof and Mirrors are already "factory" white but can't help thinking black would be better.

Having said that, I also have a straight DS3 in red, very nice sporty spec and wheels but no interest.  Everyone who sees it (when viewing or collecting something else) says how very nice it is.

[Nick M.K. 574]

10 hours ago, met said:

So i'm interested to lnow what is the typical punter for this sort of thing?

45-60 years old, the "I've always wanted one of these" type who couldn't own one until the kids grew up, someone with at least one more car or van on their drive and someone who would not be interested in that car if the price was under £2K. 

Also don't compare prices on a 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder BMW E46s. It's the big old petrols everyone wants. 

[D&M 66]

2 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

45-60 years old, the "I've always wanted one of these" type who couldn't own one until the kids grew up, someone with at least one more car or van on their drive and someone who would not be interested in that car if the price was under £2K. 

Also don't compare prices on a 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder BMW E46s. It's the big old petrols everyone wants. 

Nail on the head. Couldn't describe them better!

M Sport Individual, less than 90k, 6cyl, Auto, Stunning colour, cream leather, all elec and heated, widescreen nav + tv. I think they paid a fair price if it was a straight car.

Nice addition to their near new VW Transporter, Rav4, and 6 motorbikes.

They are just gutted as they wouldn't have bothered even looking at it if they knew, and held out for a straight one.

[metcars 395]

11 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

45-60 years old, the "I've always wanted one of these" type who couldn't own one until the kids grew up, someone with at least one more car or van on their drive and someone who would not be interested in that car if the price was under £2K. 

Also don't compare prices on a 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder BMW E46s. It's the big old petrols everyone wants. 

Really, I'd understand if it was an E type Jag or an Austin Healey. But do people really blow their pension draw down on a 16yr old BMW cab? Weird?

[BHM 994]

20 hours ago, tradex said:

less punters

9 hours ago, met said:

Really, I'd understand if it was an E type Jag or an Austin Healey. But do people really blow their pension draw down on a 16yr old BMW cab? Weird?

Funnily enough, I thought it was a £1999-er at best, and only then in the sun on a hot summer’s day when Mr. Sun has got his hat on, hip hip hip hurrah. 

[Nick M.K. 574]

Last winter I sold a very nice and clean but not very low mileage 2002 BMW Z3 2.2 with the smallest 6 cyl engine, 74K miles. £7389, listed it in November, sold it just after Christmas after a lot of interest, multiple calls, emails, website hits etc. 

The BMW specialists on the old AT forum thought the price was quite high but the market clearly didn't.  

Edited August 1, 2018 by Nick M.K.

[twerp 69]

Unbelievable - in the middle of winter too !

[David Ayers 171]

Tell the whole story Nick!

 

Isn't this the one you "forgot" you had

Edited August 1, 2018 by David Ayers

[Nick M.K. 574]

Same one, same car. 

Taken in p/x in AUG '17, left in my storage yard until November '17. In Aug I had thought of advertising it for £3990 but couldn't get round to it. This was very lucky indeed. 

[It's me 613]

its 

£185

to make an online claim, just tell them to do it

its not hard

[sparky 274]

On 7/31/2018 at 10:40 AM, Mark101 said:

Good shout D&M, thanks.

Roof and Mirrors are already "factory" white but can't help thinking black would be better.

Having said that, I also have a straight DS3 in red, very nice sporty spec and wheels but no interest.  Everyone who sees it (when viewing or collecting something else) says how very nice it is.

Funny things are the DS3. Personally I love the red ones but they do seem to be more miss than hit. White and blues are my best sellers, never been brave enough to buy yellow. That silver one of yours, personally I think it's the wrong type of alloy as well as the wrong colour. Put a set of the standard 17s on, black the roof then it's a different car. 

[Mark101 536]

41 minutes ago, sparky said:

Funny things are the DS3. Personally I love the red ones but they do seem to be more miss than hit. White and blues are my best sellers, never been brave enough to buy yellow. That silver one of yours, personally I think it's the wrong type of alloy as well as the wrong colour. Put a set of the standard 17s on, black the roof then it's a different car. 

https://www.imperial-marques.co.uk/cars/citroen/ds3/dsporthdi/189685/

https://www.imperial-marques.co.uk/cars/citroen/ds3/dstyle/192025/

Considering whether to get the wheels on the silver one recoloured black along with roof and ears?

Red one is smart but red to me seems like what used to be doom blue.

[sparky 274]

32 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

https://www.imperial-marques.co.uk/cars/citroen/ds3/dsporthdi/189685/

https://www.imperial-marques.co.uk/cars/citroen/ds3/dstyle/192025/

Considering whether to get the wheels on the silver one recoloured black along with roof and ears?

Red one is smart but red to me seems like what used to be doom blue.

Personally, what you would spend on getting them painted, what you could get back if you sold them, I'd be trying to buy a set like the red one has got. I know they get kerb rash but they are a stunning alloy which IMO a DS3 simply has to have.