Selling your car can challenging, especially if it’s been written off by your insurance company.
Private selling can be tricky, as you have to make time to advertise, field enquiries, and schedule viewings. Even then, there are no guarantees of success.
What’s more, if your car is a Category S write-off, it will have a smaller pool of prospective buyers and a lower resale value due to its accident history. As a result, your car may take longer to sell.
Want to skip the hassle? You can sell your Category S car to webuyanycar in under an hour.
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What is a Category S car?
Insurance companies use four main categories to evaluate accidental car damage: A, B, S, and N.
If your car is labelled ‘Cat S’, it has suffered structural damage during an accident. The insurance company wrote it off because repairing it was not economically viable.
After a car is written off, the insurer will often sell it for salvage, or spare parts. Sometimes the car will be bought and repaired, then sold to a new owner.
If the car has been repaired to a high standard, it should be safe and reliable. However, written-off cars are at greater risk of developing mechanical and structural issues due to hidden damage.
As such, the resale value of a ‘Cat S’ car will always be lower than an identical, undamaged vehicle. You should bear this in mind when considering whether to repair or sell your car.
Selling a 'Category S' car
A ‘Cat S’ car can be much more difficult to sell than one that hasn’t been involved in a collision.
Private buyers are often reluctant to buy a written-off vehicle due to the ambiguity around the damage sustained – and doubts around whether the car has been repaired to factory standard.
The car’s write-off status will also have an impact on its value due to the higher risk for the buyer. Some buyers may ask a third-party mechanic to inspect the vehicle to ensure there are no underlying issues, which will incur further costs for them.
Finally, insurance can also be an issue for Category S drivers, as many insurers charge more to cover cars that have been written off – and some refuse to insure them at all.
How much does Cat S devalue a car?
The devaluation of a car due to a Cat S designation can vary significantly. Several factors influence the degree of value loss, including:
- The severity of the damage.
- The quality of the repairs.
- The make and model of the car.
- Market demand.
Regardless, a Cat S car will be worth considerably less than an identical model that has not been written off.
Buyers are often hesitant to purchase a Cat S vehicle due to concerns about the quality of repairs and potential hidden issues. This reluctance drives down prices.
It's not uncommon for a Cat S car to be valued at 20-50% less than an equivalent undamaged car, but this can fluctuate. The specific devaluation will depend on the individual circumstances and the assessment of the vehicle's condition.
Image source: Reddit
Does webuyanycar buy 'Cat S' cars?
Yes, webuyanycar can buy your Category S car in under an hour. Here’s how it works:
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Enter your reg number into our free car valuation tool to get a quote in under 30 seconds.
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Book your appointment at any of our 500+ UK branches.
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Travel to your appointment. We’ll send the money to your bank if you’re happy to sell.
While privately selling a written-off car can be challenging, webuyanycar offers a guaranteed sale. So, there’s no need to meet dealers or viewers who aren’t genuine buyers.