When motorists own damaged cars, they have options. Whether you own a non-runner that's simply reached the end of its life, or you're the owner of a vehicle that's been wrecked in a collision, here are the best ways to sell a damaged car.
Evaluating the damage
When attempting to sell a damaged car, your first step is to check over and identify everything that's wrong with the vehicle. Looking closer might show you that the damage isn't quite as bad as you first thought, and the cost of repairing that damage is a lot lower than you expected. Have a mechanic look at the vehicle to understand better how much it will cost to fix it. You never know, you could still get a few years of travel out of that damaged car yet. However, non runner cars, those with serious body damage, or those that have had the sides, back, or front end crumpled, will tend to cost far more to repair than it's worth paying for. Fortunately, some people and companies buy damaged cars no matter how bad that damage is.
Repair and sell
One option is to find a buyer who is willing to buy damaged cars. Sometimes, even some minor repairs will make the car more valuable to car collectors or those that are on the lookout for spares. The problem with this approach is that it can take a lot of time and hard work. First, you have to identify any parts that can be reused, then you have to advertise, and then you have to sit around waiting for potential buyers who may or may not bother showing up. Trying to sell a broken car used to be incredibly time-consuming, especially if you spend a lot of time breaking it down, making repairs, and trying to find someone willing to buy damaged cars. Luckily, you now have much more profitable options that can save you a lot of work and ensure that you get some money instead of spending it.
Scrap yards buy even extremely damaged cars
No matter what the condition of your car is, a scrap yard will buy it from you. Non runners or cars without a valid MOT can be a pain to sell privately because the new owner will have to make arrangements to use the car on a public road or transport it to where they need it to be. The good news is that scrap yards like those that Scrapi.com has partnered with all offer free car collection. You simply book your collection time, and one of our recovery teams will arrive at the time most convenient to you. They will check the vehicle, pay you, and you can say goodbye to that broken down car that's taking up space in your garage or blocking your drive. While there are people who will buy damaged cars, selling accident damaged cars and non runner cars to scrap yards is now a very quick and easy process that could make you more money than you think.
Selling separate parts of your damaged car
Another option is to take out the more valuable parts of your damaged car and sell them separately. This can be quite a profitable option, but it does have one specific flaw. You can take out your catalytic converter, your car battery, any parts of your engine, and even parts of the bodywork. Still, unless you're willing to sell every single part of that car, then you're always going to be left with a broken up shell that will be much more difficult to get rid of and much less profitable if you decide to sell the remains to a scrap yard then. When you get a scrap price quote from our pricing calculator, the more parts of your vehicle that can be reused or recycled, the more you will get paid. Taking out parts and selling them separately will only ever reduce the amount you get when you finally sell it to a scrap yard that buys damaged cars. That can be a lot of work for very little gain.
Driving damaged cars
The fact is that the vast majority of British car owners will wait to make repairs on a damaged car and will usually wait for over a month before those repairs are made. One problem is that so many people rely on their cars every day and feel that they can't leave their damaged cars with a mechanic because they can't live without that vital transport. This is incredibly dangerous. With research showing that up to 14 million motorists have driven their damaged cars on public roads, there are potentially many dangerous cars sharing the road with you. While body damage is the most common form of car damage, many people underestimate just how dangerous those dents can be. Even a minor dent can seriously compromise a car's safety and those in it because structural integrity can be impaired. Never drive a broken car or damaged vehicle on the roads and consider finding quick ways to get rid of it if you struggle to live your life without a set of wheels.
The importance of having your car collected when it's damaged
When driving damaged cars is so dangerous, our free scrap car collection is more useful than ever. Not only do you not have to worry about getting a non runner to a scrap yard, but you also avoid the risk of hefty fines if you get stopped by the police while driving a dangerous car. If the police notice vehicle defects on a car that's being driven, then the driver can get a huge fine of up to £2,500. They'll also get three points on their licence, which will add costs to future car insurance policies. The penalties for driving damaged cars are even worse if it's not your first offence, and you could get a driving ban as well. We buy damaged cars, non runners, and even crash damaged cars that are too costly to repair, and we come straight to you to collect it. That means you avoid all of the risks of driving a dangerous vehicle, and you get paid as soon as your car is collected.
How can I sell my non runner car?
This is one of the most common questions that we get about damaged cars. There are many reasons why a car can't be moved under its own power, and everything from a car with a dead battery to crash damaged cars can be classed as non runners. Fortunately, there's as much value in recyclable parts as there is in the scrap metal of even the most damaged cars. The price of scrap metal in the UK tends to be high, although there are fluctuations from month to month. At Scrapi.com, we only partner with scrap yards in the UK that are licenced Authorised Treatment Facilities. That means they have a firm focus on recycling and aim to hit a 95% recycling rate on every car they buy. So, we buy broken cars, remove any parts that can be sold to other motorists, and then process and melt down all of the metals, plastics, and other materials that can be found in the modern car. Those raw materials are then sold on to manufacturers or the construction industry (or even fashion designers and urban planners!). That focus on recycling means that it might be worth a lot more than you think when you sell your problem car.
The best way to sell a damaged car
Avoiding the slow process of selling to a private seller or the hard work of breaking apart your car and selling the parts separately, selling non runners or crash damaged cars to a scrap yard isn't just convenient; it can also be more profitable than the alternative methods. If you find someone willing to buy damaged cars, there's a good chance that you're going to have to settle for a much lower price unless you fork out for any necessary repairs. When you sell to a Scrapi.com scrap yard, you always know that you're going to get the true value of your car. That's because we base your quote on the value of the scrap, which can be sold on and reused. However, there are many unethical scrap yard operators in the UK, and they will always try to charge you for car collection or offer you whatever low price they believe they can get away with. Avoid those yards and get a more accurate price by using our car price calculator, which you can find out more about here. That quote you get will be the price you get paid, with no last-minute haggling or hidden car collection fees. Simply give us as much information about the damage to your vehicle, whether it's a non runner, and all of the facts about your broken down car. The more we know, the better and more accurate your quote will be.
Selling a car with a SORN
Non running cars or crash damaged cars cannot be driven, but unless you declare that car as SORN, then you're still going to have to pay for your road tax and car insurance. The only way to avoid paying out for those costs is to declare your damaged car as SORN. Lots of UK motorists think that you can't sell a car that's been SORNed, but that's not the case. We have an extensive guide to selling a car with a SORN, which will make it much easier to sell your broken down car before or after declaring it SORN. Never assume that a SORNed car can't be sold to our professional scrap yards, and don't ever risk driving a SORNed vehicle to a scrapyard operator that assures you that it's fine to do so. This can lead to some hefty fines if you get stopped by the police.
Doing the maths
When you weigh up your choices about what to do with a non runner or crash damaged car, it's a good idea to crunch the numbers. If your car was involved in an accident, it's not just the cost of repairs you're going to have to think about. Insurance premiums can be one of the significant expenses of car ownership, and if your car is involved in an accident, then those premiums will be going up. Not only that, but you may also lose any no-claims bonuses that you have accumulated over your years behind the wheel. Check your excess requirements too and consider all of the immediate and long-term costs of repairing that damaged car. If the costs are simply not worth it, then the common-sense approach suggests selling the faulty car to a Scrapi.com yard and using the money you get to put towards a new car altogether. You might even use the experience to decide to go car-free, something that more and more people are doing every year, when as many as one in three UK drivers admit that they can't afford their agreed-upon insurance excess, knowing that we buy damaged cars and non runners can be a huge weight off your shoulders.
What paperwork do I need when I sell my broken car?
All car sales will mean the owner gives the buyer the relevant section of the logbook (V5C) and alerts the DVLA that the car has been sold. Any rebates on the road tax will be issued automatically, and you are no longer responsible for that car. Of course, crash damaged cars that have been involved in a serious collision might not have the logbook if it was damaged or lost in the accident. However, you can get a replacement V5C from the DVLA. You can read our full guide to the V5C logbook here, but if you're selling a damaged car, remember that the team at Scrapi.com will always fill out all of your paperwork for you and make sure that replacement documents are arranged. That's one task that you can completely avoid! You will still need to provide proof of ID and address when the recovery team arrives, but you can get paid as soon as that is confirmed.
Selling damaged cars without an MOT
If you've declared your car SORN or you've been involved in an incident that's left your car unable to pass its MOT, it's very frustrating to keep hold of that vehicle and not be able to use it. You can only drive a car that's without a valid MOT in the UK if you're driving specifically to a pre-booked MOT testing centre. Of course, selling a car without an MOT is perfectly legal, but if you're selling to a friend or someone who responds to your sales advert, then they won't be able to drive it away unless they have pre-booked that MOT test slot. It can all get very complicated! That's why we have made the process of selling MOT-less damaged cars so simple. Just let us know that the car doesn't have a valid MOT and as much information about the car's damage as possible. If it's something simple, such as an electrical fault or a dead battery, then your car may be worth a lot more than you have assumed, even without a valid MOT.
I want to sell my non running car. What do I do?
It couldn't be easier. Just head to our quotes calculator and get your quote quickly. You can find out more about how to get the best price for your old car with our in-depth guide. Find out how we find the best price for you and check out your quote. If you're happy with the quote, then all you have to do is book your collection time. On the day of collection, we'll ask you to confirm the time and date, and then our recovery team will arrive to check the vehicle over, fill out the paperwork for you, and pay you by bank transfer or cheque before leaving with your damaged car. Remember that it's illegal to pay cash for an old car since the launch of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act in 2013. If a scrap yard offers to pay you in cash, they break the law, and who knows what other laws they might be breaking?
If you've weighed up all of the repair costs and insurance costs (including the excess, the loss of no claims bonuses, and an increase in annual premiums), and realised that those costs are simply not worth it, then it's good to know that you can sell even the most damaged cars to Scrapi.com. With our years of experience, professional training, and focus on recycling, you know that you're not just getting the best service in the UK, but also getting paid the top price for even the most damaged car. Get your quote now, and find out just how much you could be getting paid for your non runner or accident damaged car.