What To Do Before Scrapping Your Car

So, you’re all set to scrap your vehicle – you’ve secured a great quote, have arranged a collection and now you just need to get your car ready for the dealer to pick up. But what steps do you need to take to prepare your car to be scrapped?

What Do I Need To Do Before Scrapping A Car?

Firstly – Find your V5C logbook Right after handing the car over, you must notify the DVLA that you have passed ownership to the scrap yard. Don’t forget this step it’s very easy and takes just a few minutes online. It’s best to ensure you have the logbook in advance though because otherwise it can actually affect the process. For more info on how to inform the DVLA and what to do if you’ve lost the log book read our handy guide here.

Remove all of your belongings from the car

Check through every inch of the car to make sure you have everything you need. All sorts of items end up being left in vehicles when scrapped, from coins to car chargers, adult toys to model villages, don’t forget to check: 

• The glove compartment or centre storage – empty absolutely everything from these, and, while you’re at it, check through any booklets or magazines to make sure nothing has slipped inside.
• Any pockets in the car – usually at the side or even in the back of the front seats, these are the sorts of places you might find kids toys, lip balms or electronics. 
• Behind the sun visor – some people tuck their driver’s license, loyalty cards or even bank cards behind the sun visor, so don’t forget to have a quick look there.
• Under car seats – all those coins you lost from your pockets? They could well be hiding under the seat. Roll the seats back if you can to check underneath, or simply feel with your hand to make sure there’s nothing tucked back there.
• Seat crack – yes, it might be pretty gross to stick your hand between the cracks of the car seats, but it could be worth your while to have a quick check.
• The car boot – it might seem obvious, but give the boot a thorough check before scrapping your car, including in the spare wheel compartment if you have one.

Remove any rubbish from the vehicle

Clearing all rubbish from the car is not only a great way to ensure you’re not leaving anything valuable in there, but is also helpful for the dealers who scrap your vehicle. It takes them time and money to empty your car of trash before they strip and dispose of it, so if you’ve left old food wrappers or magazines everywhere, you could find they won’t be willing to pay as much. Find out more with our Can I Scrap a Car That’s Full of Rubbish guide.

Make sure you have the keys handy

While it’s not totally impossible to scrap a car without the keys, it most certainly helps to be able to give them to the scrap collector when they pick up your car. They’ll need them to be able to move your vehicle onto the recovery truck, even if the engine itself doesn’t work. Our Can I Scrap a Car Without Keys guide explains more, so have a read if you can’t find your keys. 

Ensure the vehicle is easily accessible

Here at Scrap Car Comparison we can help supply you with scrap car quotes from dealers all over the country, meaning it’s incredibly likely we’ll be able to find a collector to come to you. The main point to bear in mind here though, is that they’ll need to be able to physically access your car. This means there will need to be room for the recovery truck to access your car, so make sure there’s a decent road to reach your vehicle and enough room around it for the dealers to hook it up to their truck. We explain more about where your scrap car can be collected from here. 

Administrative requirements

When any vehicle changes ownership, whether it’s being sold as scrap, salvage or simply to another driver for immediate use on the road, certain authorities within the industry must be notified. Perhaps most importantly, the DVLA must be informed that the car is no longer under your ownership. This can be done using part of the V5C, and prevents any future business involving the vehicle from being linked to yourself. You will also need to tell your insurance company that you no longer own the car, and they will sort out ending your policy.

Completing these steps will ensure that the vehicle is totally disconnected from yourself and won’t impact you in any way in the future. You might even end up receiving a tax or insurance refund!

To make sure you don’t miss out any documents, make sure you read our guide on the paperwork you need to scrap your car.

What you don’t need to do when scrapping a car

So those are some fairly simple ways you can make sure your vehicle is ready for collection, without any complications, and making sure you’ll get the best quote possible. But there are also some things you don’t need to do before you scrap your vehicle. The main ones to note include:  

• Wash the car – it’s most likely that the vehicle is going to be stripped and recycled, so there’s no need to get the paintwork looking fancy.
• Valet the vehicle – likewise, there’s a strong chance the seats will be ripped out and the inside of the car dismantled, so there’s no need to hoover and dust the insides before it’s collected.
• Service the car – as long as the car is able to be physically towed by the recovery truck, then there’s no need to worry about how drivable it is – don’t bother getting it serviced before collection.
• Insure the vehicle – all certified scrap dealers will have their own insurance when collecting your vehicle, so if it’s already registered as SORN, don’t worry about adding any further insurance just to scrap your car. You should receive a Certificate of Destruction, or will need to send the DVLA your V5C logbook, so they’ll know it’s no longer linked to you.

Check out our Scrap Car Collection FAQs for more information about requirements for scrapping your vehicle. Then, why not start by arranging a scrap car dealer near you today.