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Buying insurance write-offs

Q Would it please be possible to advise me on a few questions regarding purchasing a Cat S damaged vehicle? I have an aging Vauxhall Zafira A which has been in our family for the last 13 years - fault-free and always a pleasure to drive. However, at the last MOT showed that it will need a lot to be put on the road for another year. I also have a daughter who has now applied for her driving licence, so it looks like I might be sitting in the passenger seat more often than I like to.

I have been looking for a small supermini low-cost insurance and a small tax cars, like the VW up!, Citroën C1 and Toyota Aygo. Several visits to well-known website show loads all within my £4000 price range. What I have noticed is that a lot are Cat C cars. I have spoken to the owners (private sellers) and some dealers - and most have been involved in very small accidents, one even said that it was a door that was damaged and needed only this to repair.

My question is, what are the pros and cons of buying written-off cars? Also, regarding insurance premiums with my 18-year-old daughter driving it too (on L-plates). I would only purchase light damage, ie. bumper or light wing damage, etc.

Steve Ward

A After an insurance claim, vehicles are categorised according to the damage sustained and the possible future use of the vehicle. These categories have changed in recent years - Category A and B are severely-damaged and can never be returned to the road. Category C and D are vehicles that can be returned to the road after repair. As of 1 October 2017, a vehicle which would have been listed as Category C is now listed by the Category S. These are vehicles which have suffered significant structural damage which is severe enough to deem them non-repairable. The age and repair cost are of course one of the major considerations when the insurance company writes off a vehicle in this category. Category D was at the same time replaced with category N - this applies to vehicles that have NOT suffered structural damage but may have received damage to safety critical components such as steering or suspension. Again, this is a financial decision by the insurance company and on an older vehicle a broken steering rack could be the sole reason for the listing.

When the vehicles value begins to decrease, a category S or N listing may be assigned on vehicles with very minor damage due to a light scrape on the bodywork - if the repair work would be close to the vehicles trade value.

Trading standards are quite clear that category C and D (S and N) should be avoided. There is a huge risk that the repair has not been carried out to exacting standards, and the insurance companies are not too keen on reinsuring a written-off vehicle with some refusing to. Having an engineer’s inspection may help to convince them that the vehicle has been repaired to standard, but it must be carried out by a certified engineer.

Whilst if your own vehicle was written off in one of the lower categories, then I can see the benefit of repairing it and continuing to use it, but buying a vehicle which has been written-off and repaired to be sold on for profit is in my mind a risky business. This risk can be negated by a thorough engineer’s inspection prior to purchase, but the cost of that will also need to be considered.

I did have a customer who regularly purchased category C vehicles, because he could then afford a motor with less outlay. The theory didn’t pay off as the repairs needed and the problems he came across over the years he owned them was much higher - the last two (a Nissan Almera and Citroën C3) both went to scrap after he had finished with them.

FORD FOCUS

Oil leaks

Q The rocker cover gasket was replaced on my 2007 Ford Focus 1.6 Ti-VCT at the last MOT due to an apparent oil leak. For the first few months, the oil level didn’t drop at all, but now I’m topping the oil up every week. If I top it to the ‘Max’ mark, the level seems to drop more quickly than just filling it by half a litre or so.

It has been suggested that non-Ford gaskets are more prone to leaking as they’re thinner. Another person who had the same problem said they ended up having to replace the actual rocker cover for £300! One garage said it might be the camshaft oil seal, but the leak seems higher up and pretty much all the way round, which is why I’m certain it’s the gasket.

Phillip Gwynne

A As the oil appears to come from all around the cam cover, I suspect that it may be a poor-quality gasket which initially sealed the leak but has now failed. You haven’t mentioned if the cam cover has been checked for tightness since the gasket was fitted, and it may simply be that the cover needs to be retightened due to the gasket settling.

It also may be the case that the oil used is not all leaking out of the gasket but may also be burning off within the engine. This would explain why, when topping-up to the maximum mark, the engine appears to use oil at a greater rate. This is often the case when an engine begins to burn oil, as the higher level in the sump is more prone to splashing up the bores and getting dragged into the cylinders.

Unfortunately, the plastic rocker covers can distort and the new unit comes complete with the bolts and the gasket, but before going down this route I would certainly try tightening the cover bolts down to 9Nm. If they do not tighten or this does not rectify the situation, I would try using a genuine Ford gasket, ensuring that the mating face of the cylinder-head is clean and that the gasket is properly located in the groove of the cam cover.

I have also come across the situation where the securing bolts have sheared when attempting to overtighten them. When the tightness of the bolts is checked then the condition of the bolts can also be assessed.

FORD FIESTA

Pre-heater

Q I’d like to fit an engine pre-heater (similar to a Kenlowe Hotstart) to my 2007 Ford Fiesta 1.2. Can you advise me please which hose to cut into and the direction of flow of the coolant? Finally, do you know if Kenlowe still make the Hotstart, as I cannot find a supplier on the internet?

Russell Woodcock

A Kenlowe now only supply fans to vehicle manufacturers/engineering companies and field replacements for existing specialist applications, and no longer make or supply thermo electric fan packages for retrofit on individual cars for the automotive aftermarket. This I presume also applies to the Hotstart which is, as you say, not available for sale.

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