FOR SALE BEWARE OF THIS GUY

[Ewazix]

Just be sure of your ground here, it is not illegal to put a category B vehicle back on the road, but its V5 will be marked as such and only a few specialist insurers would give it cover making it unattractive. Insurers and salvage firms have protocols to ensure category B vehicles cannot be repaired but some do slip through and there are myriad stories of cars being wrongly classified, or not classified at all. This may be a perfectly decent Z4 that can be put back on the road, but changing the identity is not the right or legal way to do it.

No need to pussy around, it's illegal to change the identity of a write off and pass it off either for registration or onward sale, slam dunk.

[Hagasan]

Just be sure of your ground here, it is not illegal to put a category B vehicle back on the road, but its V5 will be marked as such and only a few specialist insurers would give it cover making it unattractive. Insurers and salvage firms have protocols to ensure category B vehicles cannot be repaired but some do slip through and there are myriad stories of cars being wrongly classified, or not classified at all. This may be a perfectly decent Z4 that can be put back on the road, but changing the identity is not the right or legal way to do it.

A cat b is a break for parts only vehicle. Once the parts are removed the shell muct be cut in a way it cannot be used in full again on the road. That if being dealt with by a responsible salvage agent. The shell could end up as a track car but not back on the road. If it did end up on the road it would how this guy is trying to do it.. Totally illegal

[Hagasan]

Would it be ethical to sell him the parts he wants, but from a category A vehicle?

Nope. Whole vehicle should be crushed..

[Zed Baron]

According to the RAC

Category A
Scrap only. For cars so badly damaged they should be crushed and never re-appear on the road. Even salvageable parts must be destroyed.

Category B
Body shell should be crushed. Signifies extensive damage, although some parts are salvageable. Should never re-appear on road, although reclaimed parts can be used in other road-going vehicles.

Category S (formerly Category C)
The new Category S means the vehicle has suffered structural damage. This could include a bent or twisted chassis, or a crumple zone that has collapsed in a crash. Category S damage is more than just cosmetic, therefore, and the vehicle will need to be professionally repaired. Also, it won’t be safe to drive until then.

Category N (formerly Category D)
Vehicles graded accordingly haven’t sustained structural damage, so the issue may be cosmetic, or a problem with the electrics that isn’t economical to repair. Don’t assume such vehicles are drivable, however; non-structural faults may include brakes, steering or other safety-related parts.

[JamieZ4C]

Just be sure of your ground here, it is not illegal to put a category B vehicle back on the road, but its V5 will be marked as such and only a few specialist insurers would give it cover making it unattractive. Insurers and salvage firms have protocols to ensure category B vehicles cannot be repaired but some do slip through and there are myriad stories of cars being wrongly classified, or not classified at all. This may be a perfectly decent Z4 that can be put back on the road, but changing the identity is not the right or legal way to do it.

A cat b is a break for parts only vehicle. Once the parts are removed the shell muct be cut in a way it cannot be used in full again on the road. That if being dealt with by a responsible salvage agent. The shell could end up as a track car but not back on the road. If it did end up on the road it would how this guy is trying to do it.. Totally illegal

Not strictly true. There is scope for putting a cat B back on the road, the category can be appealed or if the car is of particular historical value being two examples. However in 99.9% of cases you're right. And in the subject vehicle of this thread a definite no no.

[Rockhopper]

Those loss categories have no legal standing - they are just used by insurance companies to categorize salvage. Its possible to put a CAT B back on the road, infact a quick Google earlier suggests that Adrien Flux will even insure it for you. Its the fact that most companies wont insure CAT B cars that keeps them off the road.

https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/category-b ... ou%20cover.

Also if i roll my pride and joy into a ball and never go through the insurance it won't be recorded and I can quite happily repair it and put it back on the road without even needing an MOT!

but, the subject of the original post is changing a vehicles identity which most certainly is illegal.

[Z4C_er]

Those loss categories have no legal standing - they are just used by insurance companies to categorize salvage. Its possible to put a CAT B back on the road, infact a quick Google earlier suggests that Adrien Flux will even insure it for you. Its the fact that most companies wont insure CAT B cars that keeps them off the road.

https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/category-b ... ou%20cover.

Also if i roll my pride and joy into a ball and never go through the insurance it won't be recorded and I can quite happily repair it and put it back on the road without even needing an MOT!

but, the subject of the original post is changing a vehicles identity which most certainly is illegal.

Has anyone contacted the police to let them decide?

[True-Blue]

There is no point of debate here, this is criminal activity... hiding the true identity of a vehicle by using the VIN from another.

This is ‘ringing’

Case closed.

[john-e89]

There is no point of debate here, this is criminal activity... hiding the true identity of a vehicle by using the VIN from another.

This is ‘ringing’

Case closed.

[ronk]

Way way back in 1980’s I was a “victim” and got caught in a ringing con trick.
Fortunately Durham Constabulary stolen car squad and Barclays Bank were very helpful and I got my cash back.

I felt as thick as a chock for falling for it but fall for it I did. I won’t be the first nor the last and I think it’s best we don’t help the scammers to perpetuate the trade in dodgy motors.

[Armscarf]

There is no point of debate here, this is criminal activity... hiding the true identity of a vehicle by using the VIN from another.

This is ‘ringing’

Case closed.

[Roberltd2]

And it's not me, by the way.

[Z4paul]

Hello,

Had a guy asking me for the below.

Just wanted to make everyone aware incase your in the market for a Z!

Hi, as has been established this is cloning and unlikley to be a one off perhaps - could be a stolen forum members car that he wants to disguise and sell on. The police would want to talk to however has had the most direct contact, the facebook page is helpful as would be phone or email details, these folk often slip up when in comms with people who they think are on their side, so to speak. Essex police recovered millions of pounds worth/ tens of vehicles where this was the intention. This might lead to something bigger...

[gIzzE]

Those loss categories have no legal standing - they are just used by insurance companies to categorize salvage. Its possible to put a CAT B back on the road, infact a quick Google earlier suggests that Adrien Flux will even insure it for you. Its the fact that most companies wont insure CAT B cars that keeps them off the road.

https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/category-b ... ou%20cover.

Also if i roll my pride and joy into a ball and never go through the insurance it won't be recorded and I can quite happily repair it and put it back on the road without even needing an MOT!

but, the subject of the original post is changing a vehicles identity which most certainly is illegal.

Cat B used to be able to be checked over again, Vehicle Identity Check, and if approved a new V5 was issued, still stating Cat B, but a new V5 was issued.
Hence people like Adrian Flux will insure them, however since October 2015 the VIC was stopped*, so you can no longer get a V5 for it, and can't get an MOT.
So, as soon as the car is classed as Cat B by the insurer the current V5 is null and void, so you can't tax it or do anything with it anyway, apart from break it for parts.


* The Vehicle Identity Checkwas initially set up to try and find ringed cars, however, after 12 years and nearly 1m tests they only actually found 40 ringed cars, hence the scrapped it.
It also meant a Cat C could now be issues with a V5 without a VIC.


As others have said, the reason these people want to buy log books and vin numbers now, they buy off written off cars, cars written of badly to be told they are unsafe to go back on the road, and want to nick the id from them. Scum.

[Rucky]

Dont want to be a perty pooper but Cat B should not be repairable - for parts only:

Cannot be repaired Body shell has to be crushed, but you can salvage other parts from it from gov UK.

If you are scrapping your vehicle or breaking for parts then DVLA should also be notified as such.

Nothing to stop you selling him the body and making over the V5 to him as new owner though.
Smells like an intent to nick a vehocle and replate it to me though.
As if there arent enough dodgy vehicles on the matket already.