Cat C worth restoring?

[e30mazm3]

Hi all, havent been on here in a while been busy restoring my E36 M3 GT, only took 6 years anyway........

I used to own an alpine white Mtec 1 320i convertible IIRC the mileage was around 150k ish and the car was a cat c (maybe a D cant remember).

I have the chance to buy it back for a reasonable price but it will need money spending on it. My question is it worth the investment and time? Or because of its CAT status would i be better off not bothering at all with it?

[Mr-Lachs]

The thing i always say is, if you love the car and going into it for the right reasons (i.e. not to make a quick buck on it - doing it because you love the car) id say its worth it. The thing i always think about is some of the cars that have CAT status have had a lot less work than cars that have had full restorations - i.e. a cat could have been slightly bumped and due to its age written off only needing a bonnet and bumper (for example) whereas a car needing a full resto could of had big chunks cut out of it and replaced (in some cases poorly) yet on paper its the cleaner car.

[e30mazm3]

Well i do love the e30 although convertible was never my first choice on an older boxy 80's car, but i enjoyed the experience when i owned it and loved the straight six.

Im never in it to make a quick buck, but it would be nice to know im not wasting money on it with a resto. You never know whats round the corner and anyones financial status can change overnight if you know what i mean.

[Mr-Lachs]

Very true but if you like it (and its an added bonus that you know the car having had it before) id say go for it they all need work these days as they are getting to that sort of age so you may as well spend it on that one as any id personally say

[aimlessrock]

I say go for it, cabbys are always popular and being a b20 you can still pick up engines cheaply (compared to b25's).

[biffer]

agree with mr lachs- my '87 sport was a cat.c at around 10 years old due to a front -end shunt.

cosmetic stuff-wings,bonnet,front-panel,bumper,spoiler- all replaced -plus the top side of the nearside front chassis-leg i.e. the sheet-metal that the abs block sits on, was renewed.

the rest of the shell however more than makes up for this-its virtually rot-free, so it being cat.c is a minor let-down if the car overall is good.

[pacerpete]

Don't bother. Plenty of cars out there without the kiss of resale death that vcar adds .

[Andyboy]

If the car is 300 quid, has a good roof, no rot and just needs titivating AND you're keeping it, then yes.


Otherwise, no. 320i's are useless for breaking with nothing on them of any real value. A 325i is the exact opposite.

[Jesus325iTouring]

If the chap isn't in it for the money, then resale value has no relevance, nor indeed the breaking value.

Crack on and restore it

[Mr-Lachs]

If the chap isn't in it for the money, then resale value has no relevance, nor indeed the breaking value.

Crack on and restore it

+1

[Andyboy]

If the chap isn't in it for the money, then resale value has no relevance, nor indeed the breaking value.

Crack on and restore it

-1