Would you buy a Cat C Clio?

[Mr Burns]

I've been offered a Cat C 172 Cup by a local garage, here's the deal...

- 2003 172 Cup written-off very early in it's life at 11k miles.
- Completely re-shelled with a new body from Dieppe.
- Re-built by a Renault specialist after sitting in a garage for several years.
- No identity, owner said once it's back on the road it'll be registered as a 1.2 with an engine conversion.
- Car is near completion and to be fair looks bang on, seller assures me it's only done 11k miles and there is very little visible wear. Interior is like brand new.
- Seller is looking in the region of £3,000 once it's finished.

Walk away?

 

[ilovewilly]

3000 for essentially a 1.2 with an RS engine.

Sounds a bit steep. Buy a Cup with higher mileage + service history.

Is it for sale with a fresh service and cambelt? If not you are looking at a monkey for that lot on top of your 3k purchase which will put most people off.

Granted some people won't be bothered that its a cat C, but you are limiting your market and will make a loss, a higher loss than spending 3k on one today with 60k.

 

[Budgie]

f**k that.

 

[Ali]

I wouldn't even pay 3k for a straight cup!

 

[Rob]

2k and yes, any more, you're nuts.

 

[.Ben.]

For ~£500 more, you could get a Cup that's registered as a Cup with no recorded damage in good condition!

Avoid.

Like the f-cking plague.

 

[ilovewilly]

There are tens of Cups for less than 3k with recent belts and average mileage.

11k and standing for several years ins't a pristene engine that will outlive others. It will need the belts as they are several years old and things like the battery could be duff, needs coolant and brake fluid changes etc etc. I would hope everything like that including brakes had been replaced with OEM for that price, but I can only assume its been shelled into a 1.2 shell with documents.

Otherwise why would it be registered as a 1.2?

Interior may be mint, but they are shocking new or worn

Just goes to show there is a buyer for everything.

 

[.Kev.]

Why register it as a 1.2 and then tell them about the engine conversion? Why not just register it as a Cup like it was before. I mean if it was a 172 cup before surely he'd have the chasis numbers from the old shell and details. If not it would be on a Q plate.

Also is it a genuine RS shell? I know when my mate wrote off his Zs the shell's were different from other Fiestas. More strengthening.

Smell's fishy to me.

 

[D4N13L]

I dont get why a 172 cup has been written off, re shelled and then re registered as a 1.2. What benefit will this have?

 

[Dan D]

I dont get why a 172 cup has been written off, re shelled and then re registered as a 1.2. What benefit will this have?

Tax?

 

[Gobsheene]

Why was the shell brought from Dieppe? Surely is the same as any other non sunroof clio shell?

Oh and to answer the original question, yes... but not at that price.

 

[Sir_Dave]

At less than £1500 yes, as if was fecked it would break for more.

At £3k. No chance.

 

[yellowbelly]

Duncan, Theo, James, Deborah and Peter come to mind!

 

[Steve]

Don't touch it !

 

[ilovewilly]

Duncan, Theo, James, Deborah and Peter come to mind!

I don't think Jim would even stroke his beard at this one!

 

[GM_182]

I completely agree

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

seems a bit to many pennies to get excited over.

 

[Gally]

I wouldn't even pay 3k for a straight cup!

Pmsl!

Oh and +1

 

[Soot1e]

The tax may be cheap but insurance will be more. Cat c 's aren't to be completely avoided but at the right price, I'm thinking £1600.
Also it will be harder to sell on due to it's strange history.

 

[Marv-C]

NO

 

[mikekean]

If he has the receipt from Renault for the shell all the car needs to have is a VIC check to be put back on the road. Why its being registered as a 1.2 i dont know. Sounds more like the 172 cup was a Cat B so no longer has a log book hence them using the log book from a 1.2. If that is the case i wouldnt pay any more than what a 1.2 clio is worth.

 

[JCC]

That is a weird one. Why is it being registered as a converted 1.2? Did he give a reason for this?

Oh I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole BTW.

 

[Mr Burns]

Probably Cat B as Mike suggested.

 

[CCrispUK]

Tax?

+insurance?

 

[Jimbo-Clio]

way to dodgey. Chances are as above its a cat B been retained as parts and rebuilt onto a 1.2 shell as that was the cheapest shell and logbook available at the time. I would be tempted if it was a freinds car and i had witnessed the rebuild but you have no idea what that has been re built with. If you love it that much i would go with a mechanic and comb it up and down along with the history, hpi's and DVLA inquirys also i would check the engine numbers etc as it could be that the 172 cup was stolen rather than written off and used as a donar car if so walk away!!!

£1350 is the price even thats taking a bigger risk than i would mate

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Buy this cup if its straight >

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...s/1500/postcode/g524dq/keywords/172?logcode=p

 

[Jimbo-Clio]

Might be worth a look at that price! i may buy it to break it after some turinis anyway and a spare lump

 

[JCC]

Probably Cat B as Mike suggested.

Registering a re-shelled written off car that wasn't supposed to be returned to the road, using the logbook from another possibly not written off car that's the wrong model? Sounds complicated and illegal to me lol

 

[Jimbo-Clio]

Registering a re-shelled written off car that wasn't supposed to be returned to the road, using the logbook from another possibly not written off car that's the wrong model? Sounds complicated and illegal to me lol

Thats the point of reshelling it JC your using the spares from a CAT B write off that cannot be returned on a Car that can come back onto the road hense why its got a 1.2 log book not illegal complicated and dodgey yes lol

 

[ianysm]

No way! Sounds like a complete shed to me. Very dodgy registering it as a 1.2. What else are they hiding?

 

[st3ve]

lol, re-shell a category C write-off? I've heard it all now.

It's been a cat A or B for certain.

You don't re-shell a cat C, the cost and work involved in doing so will far outweigh the cost and work to repair one.

 

[alanc1000]

i wouldnt buy a cat C for any price, based purely on the fact it will be a bugger to shift and i couldnt be arse to hang on for it trying to sell it for a year.

 

[bmh.01]

Buy this cup if its straight >

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...s/1500/postcode/g524dq/keywords/172?logcode=p

I'd guess its had a front ender at least seeing as one headlight is a ph2 and the other a ph3. Grey interior plastic on the drivers side and black on the passenger as it should be, i'd be tempted for a track hack though as long as its not totally hanging wish it was a bit closer actually!

 

[Tunst]

Id only buy a CAT C if i planned on running it into the ground then breaking for spares or scrapping.

 

[joshcliosport]

If you buy this, it will cost you an arm and a leg - literally - if you crash it!

 

[mat-nos]

far too complicated to find out its proper factual history.... means walking away imo

if on the otherhand if it wasnt going back on the road.....awesome track car patencial if you can knock 1k off it!!!

 

[Jamie]

What did Cast once say?