My SL60 AMG has been nicked

[glojo]

It is not always possible to buy a car back from the insurance company,

Your perfectly correct, but I was hoping that the previous owner MIGHT have first offer. Insurance companies sometimes put out to tender for the removal of all their salvage. Interested parties put in a bid for a set period of time and the winning bid takes all the stock for a lump sum, taking the good with the very bad. I would like to think though that the insurance company might have a clause that allows a previous owner to be able to buy the vehicle back. (wishful thinking perhaps)

The insurance company is in a win, win situation. They base their charges on a yearly average for damage repairs plus compensation then allow for a total loss figure for stolen vehicles, then set their premiums. Every vehicle that gets recovered is then a bonus. Things might have changed though and the budgeting might be completely different.

It would be nice to buy it back, swap attractive items then sell it on.

The important thing though is Nick is happy with his new car and life moves on.

John

 

[janner]

Keeping my eye on salvage auctions for an unrecorded SL60

 

[Dieselman]

Keeping my eye on salvage auctions for an unrecorded SL60

It will be recorded as Stolen Recovered.

 

[Dieselman]

Depending on how much the insurance company want and what condition it's in I would think it is definately worth a call to the insurers.

 

[COUPE FREAK]

think the law changed quite a while ago,, no buy backs off insurance company.s,, to stop ringing of car's,, think they'll still sell to salvage companys,, but only to be broken for spares,,

 

[Dieselman]

think the law changed quite a while ago,, no buy backs off insurance company.s,, to stop ringing of car's,, think they'll still sell to salvage companys,, but only to be broken for spares,,

This depends on the catagory of damage.

A= no parts of value scrap & crush
B= parts of value scrap & break
C= car damaged enough to warrant VOSA check before new V5 can be issued.
D= can be repaired and put back on the road without a check.

The term Write off is simply a financial term relating to a payout where the value of the vehicle is written off on the books.

All cars thet have been written off will be on Vcar register but a Cat D can be a good buy.
Often cars under one year old are written off in new for old policies even though the damage is minimal.

 

[Swiss Toni]

If the insurance co have paid out, it is their car - but....

If you can get the car to MB, they might be able to tell you how carefully it has been driven over previous months?

Have the BiB told you anything about the circs in which it was found? One of many cars? on false plates? (was it sold to some poor person who might also want to buy it from the Insurance co?).

Best of luck.

 

[janner]

It'll almost certainly end up at a salvage auction.
Unless it's badly damaged it won't be recorded at all. (not even catD).

 

[glojo]

was it sold to some poor person who might also want to buy it from the Insurance co?.

Best of luck.

I had not thought of that. I really feel sorry for folks that spend all their savings on a beautiful second-hand car only to get a knock on the door and have the Police take it away. Documentation can so easily be forged, and the innocent victim lands up with nothing. I am not talking about sleazy characters buying a cheap car in the pub for cash no questions ask, or bidding for something unseen on Ebay .

For the completely innocent victims the law on stolen recoverd cars is an ass.

John

 

[Dieselman]

It'll almost certainly end up at a salvage auction.
Unless it's badly damaged it won't be recorded at all. (not even catD).

It will still be recorded as stolen recovered. The insurance company has made a payout so the car will be on the alert register.

 

[Dieselman]

but apparently it has been involved in "serious crime" (check the boot for £53m).

This can be something like organised car ringing or drugs dealing. It doesn't necessarily mean the car has been used a a getaway vehicle.

 

[nickg]

think the law changed quite a while ago,, no buy backs off insurance company.s,, to stop ringing of car's,, think they'll still sell to salvage companys,, but only to be broken for spares,,

not sure about that. there's salvage companies that advertise stolen recovereds on the web e.g. universal salvage who have a good website on which they auction various categories of cars.

 

[996jimbo]

think the law changed quite a while ago,, no buy backs off insurance company.s,, to stop ringing of car's,, think they'll still sell to salvage companys,, but only to be broken for spares,,

My folks had their car broken in to. Dash was damaged in nicking the radio. The car was 'written off' as uneconomical to repair, but offered back to my folks for £100 less on the payout. It was a perfectly good runner so they accepted.

So you can buy cars back from insurance.

The 'ringing' aspect relates to selling off scrapped cars for the chassis number - not so long ago bike frames would go for silly money depite being mangled as the details were used on a stolen bike.

 

[Alps]

think the law changed quite a while ago,, no buy backs off insurance company.s,, to stop ringing of car's,, think they'll still sell to salvage companys,, but only to be broken for spares,,

stolen recovered, cat C and cat D cars can be bought back. anything worse cannot be bought! and must be dismanteled!

 

[janner]

It will still be recorded as stolen recovered. The insurance company has made a payout so the car will be on the alert register.

Where did all these come from then?
http://www.universal-salvage.com/titles/sr_wootton.htm
http://www.universal-salvage.com/titles/sr_chester.htm
http://www.universal-salvage.com/titles/sr_sandwich.htm

 

[Will]

Where did all these come from then?
http://www.universal-salvage.com/titles/sr_wootton.htm
http://www.universal-salvage.com/titles/sr_chester.htm
http://www.universal-salvage.com/titles/sr_sandwich.htm

A category ‘D’ stolen and recovered vehicle is one that has been stolen and the claim for loss has been settled by the insurance company prior to it’s recovery.

I think Nick was paid out for his SL60 - hence it will probably be recorded?

 

[glojo]

Hi Janner,
Seeing the links you have posted and the remarks attached to them, in your opinion, is it quite common for these salvage companies to sell stolen, recovered vehicles that have not had their V5's amended?

These companies might have contracts with Police\Customs etc. that seize vehicles that have been used in the process of committing crimes\smuggling or simply driven without tax or insurance. There will possibly be no V5 and a new one will be obtained from the DVLA, will that have any notifications on it?

Half of me says the system should not be abused, but the other half thinks it a shame that a car can carry the stigma of 'stolen\recovered' for perhaps a very minor infringement. e.g. Car stolen driven for thirty days, but well looked after and then recovered, or indeed driven for perhaps just a few hours.

The way some of our members treat dealer demonstrators is far worse Read this thread. Would you prefer to buy the ex-demonstrator that has been thrashed, or the well looked after, but stolen recovered 12 month old car with the amended V5?

John

 

[janner]

The V5 wouldn't record Cat D cars anyway so that's not an issue.
An observation is that all stolen/recovered cars sold at Universal Salvage are sold HPI clear unless damaged. The insurance companies surely must have paid out on at least some (if not all) of them?
If the insurance hadn't paid out then undamaged cars would simply be returned to their owners?

Anyone know the full story for sure?

 

[glojo]

If the insurance hadn't paid out then undamaged cars would simply be returned to their owners?

Anyone know the full story for sure?

Is part of the answer in the second part of my post. I think your spot on with the insurance company, if they have not yet paid out, then I'm with you. The car is still the property of the registered keeper?

I have actually seen salvage company transporters coming out of a Police yard carrying half a dozen vehicles or more.

These new categories are very interesting and am grateful for your observations. (I'm still learning about them) Are the lower categories merely recorded at the DVLA and if so, how does a private owner become aware? HPI checks are perhaps beyond the knowledge of Mr Average?

Great posts and what are the latest bargains you have found? (early SL????)

Thanks for the input,
John

 

[janner]

I just phoned Universal Salvage.
Unrecorded is a little misleading.
They are recorded on HPI but not with any category (if that makes sense?).