What happens if my car is in poor condition?

A lot of Car.co.uk customers get in touch with us to explain the poor condition of the car they’re hoping to scrap – our answer is always the same; don’t worry!

When we provide a quote, it is based on the scrap value of your vehicle, rather than the overall condition. That scrap value is calculated by considering the weight of the car – alongside the parts we know can be salvaged for recycling purposes.

Our team handle enquiries from people with cars in all conditions, including:

  • Un-roadworthy vehicles
  • MOT failures
  • Junk and salvage cars
  • Fleet vehicles
  • Insurance write-offs
  • Damaged cars
  • Flood-damaged vehicles
  • Non-runners
  • Part-exchange cars
  • Foreign cars that are not UK registered

Whether your car is simply getting old – or if it’s sustained serious damage, we’ll always work hard on your behalf to find an excellent price.

 

How much is my car likely to be worth?

We won’t just offer you a set price when you get a quote to sell your scrap car through our service – we handle each enquiry individually, to make sure you get the best price possible.

What’s more – we work with a network of specialist scrap partners around the UK. Since our specialist scrap partners are equipped to deal with particular makes and models, this often means that we can find you a truly unbeatable price.

 

Other related FAQs

Looking for more related content to this? We’ve picked a selection of related topics that you may find helpful

It’s illegal to scrap someone’s car without their permission and take payment. The Scrap Dealers Act requires that individuals scrapping cars provide photo ID and proof of address and are never paid in cash, ensuring transactions can be easily traced.

To scrap your car legally, the three absolute musts are you must use an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF), ensure your logbook (V5 certificate) is completed correctly, and, if the vehicle’s to be destroyed, obtain a CoD (Certificate of Destruction).

If you’re entitled to any unused road tax when you scrap your car, you should get in touch with the DVLA to reclaim it. Since tax discs were phased out, this can no longer be done at a post office – so you’ll need to contact the DVLA directly, either on the phone, by post, or using their website.

When a car is no longer roadworthy, it still has some value. An Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) will pay you the scrap value of your car, which could be well over a hundred pounds, depending on the model.

Scrapping your car can be the solution when repair or running costs are greater than your vehicle’s value. If your car has been written off, deemed unsafe or no longer in use, these are all additional reasons to scrap it.

Yes. Vehicle tax is no longer transferable from owner to owner – so, if you’re scrapping your car, we recommend that you get in touch with the DVLA soon after collection to reclaim any tax that may be owed.

When a car is scrapped, any hazardous materials are removed, along with any parts considered harmful to the environment. Tyres will be removed for recycling, the car will then be crushed and separated into plastic, fibre and metal, and recycled.

No problem. A Certificate of Destruction (COD) can be issued to you when your car is scrapped, but you need to make us aware of this prior to collection.

It’s illegal to sell a car with outstanding finance, so before you scrap a car you need to have paid off the outstanding finance amount. Technically, a car with outstanding finance is the lender’s property, not yours.

Someone else can scrap your car for you but they must take it to an authorised treatment facility (ATF) and hand over all appropriate paperwork for it to be done legally.