uk v jdm

Hi guys I need expert opinions on this iv recently seen a couple of cheap supras both are 6speed tt however the first is a uk 6speed tt but is a cat c and the other is a jdm 6speed tt straight car. Now the thing is I want to buy the uk car however I dont want to then sell as these cars are becoming very rare now so you can kind of take this as an investment point. The uk car has been fully repaird and has had the vosa check done also its in red the jdm is a straight car also in red and both are cheap for the going rate of todays money so which would the better investment in the long run? I need as much info as possible as I dont want to be getting this wrong cheers guys really appreciate it. Oh both are stock!

A Cat C car is not a wise base for an investment. I would personally go with the j-spec from the two listed, if all other things are equal.

Jdm every time. Why the dilemma . The uk model is a cat c , and it does,nt matter how you put it . When it comes to any cat write off it knocks thousands of £s off the residual value regardless of how well the repairs have been done . Its a no brainer . The cat c will stay with the car for the rest of its history . I would never buy a cat write off . Unless you buy cheap / sell cheap. That's my bit .

not every Cat C is the same, if it was a cat C in 1999 it would have had to have sustained more damage than a Cat C last year. If I could find out what happen to the car to make it a Cat C it might make the difference to me.

eg uk car if clean underneath (for a uk car!) and then recently was rear ended including the rear quarter panel I can see it being Cat C'd. But some welding and 2nd hand bumper and in all honesty the car having a Cat C means nothing physically it will just hit its value. We all know the rear bumpers tend fade compared to the metal body work so a refresh might even do the car a favour?

Tatty and rusty underbody Uk, major front end prang rewelded chassis legs, not so good panel gaps etc then er perhaps not.

Personally a Cat C write off would never put me off buying a car.

When Insurers get a quote for repairing a car, it is at TOP rates, and using 100% new parts. Even having a door replaced (which is no problem at all) can cost more than many cars are worth . . . so they are written off, not because there's anything really wrong, just because the cost of doing a repair "by the book" would cost more than the car's value.

And anyway . . . look at the other side of the coin. How do you know you haven't bought a secondhand car that has been in a really bad crash, but repaired WITHOUT using an insurer?

I once had a really bad crash . . . car needed a whole new front, new wings, new bonnet, new lights, new radiator.

Rather than go through the insurers, and lose my no claims discount, I paid for the repair myself. (I also figured that, doing it by the book, they'd probably write the car off) And as I got mainly secondhand parts, it wasn't really that expensive.

So lewsydanny even though you're saying you'd never buy a Cat C write-off, you could have bought MY car (which would have been a Cat C) . . but you'd be none the wiser !

Coming back to your question - personally I'd choose a particular car because it is what I want out of it, and not considering the future when I might sell it . . . but if the car is cheaper BECAUSE it had a Cat C, you can afford to sell it cheaper anyway, and be no worse off !

So given that UK cars tend to have better brakes etc, if they're in similar condition I would have thought that would be a better buy.

Soo from what I gather then its down to people getting put off because its a cat c! But I agree with rojer ne and scooter as you would never no the history of jap imports exactly how do you even know them cars have not already been repaird. Its a tough one but thiers somthing about owning a uk car maybe its just down to rarity of the car and the equipment as standard but if say somthing was to happen to the car would the insurance pay out again as its already been paid out once in its life?

Considering the condition of most of the UK cars I've seen, I'd pick Import every time, and the freshest one I could find at that, take every car on its own merits though, try and get a look underneath them.

Personally a Cat C write off would never put me off buying a car.

 

When Insurers get a quote for repairing a car, it is at TOP rates, and using 100% new parts. Even having a door replaced (which is no problem at all) can cost more than many cars are worth . . . so they are written off, not because there's anything really wrong, just because the cost of doing a repair "by the book" would cost more than the car's value.

 

And anyway . . . look at the other side of the coin. How do you know you haven't bought a secondhand car that has been in a really bad crash, but repaired WITHOUT using an insurer?

 

I once had a really bad crash . . . car needed a whole new front, new wings, new bonnet, new lights, new radiator.

 

Rather than go through the insurers, and lose my no claims discount, I paid for the repair myself. (I also figured that, doing it by the book, they'd probably write the car off) And as I got mainly secondhand parts, it wasn't really that expensive.

 

So lewsydanny even though you're saying you'd never buy a Cat C write-off, you could have bought MY car (which would have been a Cat C) . . but you'd be none the wiser !

 

Coming back to your question - personally I'd choose a particular car because it is what I want out of it, and not considering the future when I might sell it . . . but if the car is cheaper BECAUSE it had a Cat C, you can afford to sell it cheaper anyway, and be no worse off !

 

So given that UK cars tend to have better brakes etc, if they're in similar condition I would have thought that would be a better buy.

As I said earlier , I would never buy any cat car, due to the amount of money I plough into a car in order to get to the condition I like . Your car might have been well sorted but if it has the condition as cat on its history I would not have bought it. Now it would be a different story if you had a car that suffered moderate damage , repaired it without going through insurance , then sold it on without letting the future buyer aware of the repairs incurred.

I know this happens a lot in the trade , for the very reason if a car has any cat on its history its gonna loose big bucks . So when I go to buy a car , if after doing the normal look around kicking the tyres etc etc . If then looking through the paper work I find either any cat right off , or bills for structural work I walk away . Better doing that , than ploughing money into a car that when sold at a later date nose dives financially .

As I said earlier , I would never buy any cat car, due to the amount of money I plough into a car in order to get to the condition I like . Your car might have been well sorted but if it has the condition as cat on its history I would not have bought it. Now it would be a different story if you had a car that suffered moderate damage , repaired it without going through insurance , then sold it on without letting the future buyer aware of the repairs incurred.

I know this happens a lot in the trade , for the very reason if a car has any cat on its history its gonna loose big bucks . So when I go to buy a car , if after doing the normal look around kicking the tyres etc etc . If then looking through the paper work I find either any cat right off , or bills for structural work I walk away . Better doing that , than ploughing money into a car that when sold at a later date nose dives financially .

But thousands of cars are sold every year which have been in an accident & not recorded. The ones repaired properly you wouldn't even know. Some you'll discover further down the line but it wouldn't be listed anyone.

I'd go with the car in the best condition.

If you're planning to keep it 5 - 8, 10 years or so buy J spec, anything longer than 8, 10 years buy UK.

All Supra's will appreciate in value but rarity plays a major factor for investment cars. Less cars there are, the higher the value. Yes, many people don't desire a previously damaged car, but theres always someone who chases the chassis number and will pay the cost.

Reading the last few threads makes me pose the question . HOW MANY SUPRA,S ON THIS FORUM HAVE HAD DAMAGE BAD ENOUGH TO BE CLASSED CAT C OR HIGHER , NOT REPORTED TO INSURANCE , REPAIRED , THEN RESOLD . WITHOUT LETTING THE FUTURE BUYER AWARE OF THE PAST REPAIRS . This may not seem to be important to some , but when I buy a car the money is hard earnt , so I would,nt be too happy if I bought a lemon , no matter how well the repair was . And I suppose it comes down to "" what the eyes don,t see the heart don,t grieve .

Its all down to personal preference on this one I think. A cat c won't make a good investment as it has a general stigma around it, but I wouldn't necessarily let it put you off. It really depends why it was written off and the quality of the repair work.

I've had friends who's insurance companies have tried to write their cars off as they deemed them old and the value to be low. The same friends have had the damage repaired outside of insurance and you'd never tell, probably better condition than before if anything.

I chose the UK spec because the mileage was good for a UK car and it came with a bunch of extras most jspecs don't have.

Judge it on the condition of each car if you plan to keep it for a long time. But I'd you're after an investment get a nice jspec facelift.

Reading the last few threads makes me pose the question . HOW MANY SUPRA,S ON THIS FORUM HAVE HAD DAMAGE BAD ENOUGH TO BE CLASSED CAT C OR HIGHER , NOT REPORTED TO INSURANCE , REPAIRED , THEN RESOLD . WITHOUT LETTING THE FUTURE BUYER AWARE OF THE PAST REPAIRS . This may not seem to be important to some , but when I buy a car the money is hard earnt , so I would,nt be too happy if I bought a lemon , no matter how well the repair was . And I suppose it comes down to "" what the eyes don,t see the heart don,t grieve .

A few yes, but not as high a percentage of the every day cars which get a bash and a quick fix!! I'd never reply on a HPI report, far too many people get put off but the way I see it is... You buy it cheap... You sell it cheap.

Interesting mixed opinions guys will have to waite and see whats the best condition wise and make my choice thanks anyways your opinions mean alot

Interesting mixed opinions guys will have to waite and see whats the best condition wise and make my choice thanks anyways your opinions mean alot

Where is this UK 6 speed in red may I ask?