Your car has been sitting on your drive collecting dust for a while now and you’re trying to think of the most efficient way to get rid of it without too much hassle. Well, there are three main options for getting rid of scrap cars in the UK. Selling is the most popular method of doing this and there are lots of websites out there where you can enter your registration number and mileage for free and receive an estimated price.
For example, AutoTrader requires a listing fee of between £10 and £20 but a standard listing on Gumtree is free, although the majority of the cars on this site are not always reputable. Webuyanycar.com will take most cars but does recommend at least one month left on the MOT and two sets of keys.
An option that some people aren’t even aware of is a donation. Some non-profit organisations will take your scrap car and donate any money made to charity, for example, Oxfam has raised over £100,000 since 2006 through this method. But with all these options available, how can you tell which option to choose?
Where To Scrap Your Old Vehicle
In today’s world, it’s easier than ever to scrap your old car, but it’s not easy to spot a reputable company amongst the dodgy ones. As of 2005, it’s a legal requirement that all scrapped cars go to an Authorised Treatment Facility that holds a licence issued by the Environment Agency or Scottish Environment Protection Agency. This is to ensure that all scrapped vehicles are recycled properly and not damaging the environment. For this reason, if you’re ever offered cash for your old car, alarm bells should start ringing.
A genuine scrap car service will provide you with the funds via cheque or bank transfer, and under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act, it is illegal to pay anyone in cash, to combat metal theft. You will need proof of ID to sell your car and once you have done so, follow the instructions on your v5 ownership and send the relevant part to DVLA. This will confirm you are no longer responsible for the vehicle and the dealer will do the same, sending you a certificate of destruction as well.
Scrapping An Old Car: Is It Worth More Than Selling?
It is well known that cars lose a lot of their value within the first year or so of purchase. Most cars lose between 50% and 60% of their value in the first 3 years of ownership, depending on price, running and general costs, and quality. The amount you purchase your car for and what you get back when you sell it is known as depreciation and a car that depreciates slowly will save you more money in the long run.
To reduce depreciation, one obvious tactic is to choose an in-demand car with low running costs, but these specific types of cars are not suitable for everyone. Another way to reduce depreciation is by keeping a comprehensive record of MOTs and service checks, alongside low mileage and overall good condition of the vehicle.
Overall if your vehicle is too old, damaged, or has too many problems, it is unlikely that you will earn more selling your car to another owner than for scrap metal. Selling your vehicle does not always revolve around money but also the fairness of selling a potentially un-roadworthy vehicle to an unsuspecting person, especially if said vehicle is in its last stage of MOT and isn’t road-assured. If you wouldn’t be happy buying your vehicle from someone else, then scrapping the car is most likely the best option.
How Can L.Jarvis & Sons Help?
We provide a car scrap service that is convenient and regulation-compliant, so you can be happy in the knowledge that your car is being disposed of in a safe and regulatory manner. We will collect your vehicle at a time that is suitable for your schedule, remove the hazardous materials so as not to damage the wildlife, and strip down the vehicle of its parts.
In conjunction with the End-of-life Vehicles (ELVs) Regulations, we recover glass and plastic and dispose of non-recyclable parts in an environmentally friendly way. And if that wasn’t enough, we will always provide you with a fair fee too.