Common Vehicle Related Questions

Selling your vehicle for scrap or salvage vehicle can leave you with many questions, such as whether you can take the car stereo out, which options affect the value, or what happens to your vehicle once it’s sold and we’ve answered as many as we could think of below! If you can’t find the answer to your specific questions then please do get in contact so that one of our advisors can assist!

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Frequently Asked Vehicle Questions

Can You Collect Vehicles With No Wheels?

Many of our buyers can collect vehicles without wheels, however it does require a certain type of recovery vehicle. At the initial stage of the quote process when you enter your vehicle’s details, please ensure that you include all information regarding the car, including that it does not have wheels, so that we can ensure the buyer of your vehicle has the required recovery equipment.

Do You Buy Alloy Wheels?

Many of the buyers on our network purchase vehicles with alloy wheels for both scrap and salvage purposes.

I Don’t Have The Keys For My Car?

That’s ok, however if you don’t have the vehicle’s car keys please ensure that you let us know at the initial quote stage so that we can ensure the buyers we find for you have the correct recovery equipment to retrieve your vehicle.

My Car Is Still At The Garage

No worries at all. Our buyers can collect from almost anywhere as long as the location where the vehicle is located is accessible for a recovery vehicle.

Can I Remove The Car Stereo?

Yes, you can. However please ensure that either the original stereo is put back in or your details reflect that the vehicle’s stereo system has been removed.

I Have Taken Parts Off My Vehicle

Removing parts off your vehicle may significantly affect the price in which you are quoted as it means your car may only be suitable for scrap, and not salvage purposes. However your vehicle will still be worth something. In order to find out what the value of your vehicle is simply fill out the above form with your vehicle’s details and we will search our nationwide network of buyers for you to find the most suitable buyer and price for you.

What Is An OEM Catalytic Converter?

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer and simply refers to any part made by the vehicle manufacturer for your vehicle, as opposed to one produced by a third-party company. Since catalytic converters are incredibly valuable parts, OEM ‘cats’ are guaranteed to be made from the highest-grade materials in line with the manufacturer’s high quality standards. Non-OEM catalytic converters could be of a lower quality.

I Have A Vehicle That’s Not Registered In The UK, Can I Scrap It?

Yes, you can scrap vehicles which are not registered in the UK. You cannot, however, sell them for salvage. When selling a vehicle for scrap which is not registered in the UK, you will need to notify the governing body in the country the vehicle is registered to. You will also need to send them the equivalent of your vehicle’s registration details and certain countries may also require the number plates however when you contact the governing body in the country it is registered to, they should be able to tell you exactly what is required.

What Happens To My Car?

Once you have accepted a quote for your vehicle the buyer will contact you to arrange the collection of your vehicle. What happens once your vehicle is collected will depend on the reason why the vehicle was bought. The vehicle may have been purchased to be dismantled and scrapped at an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF), or it may have been bought for salvageable parts; in which case parts of your car will be taken apart and fixed, or used to return another vehicle to the road.

My Vehicle Still Has A Lot Of Fuel Left In It

Our buyers have to assume that any fuel left in a vehicle may be contaminated and so all fuel will be removed during the depollution process, but this will not affect the purchase price given. We advise against removing fuel yourself due to the health and safety risks of handling flammable liquids.

Does My Vehicle Need To Be Complete?

No, however your quotation will need to reflect the current condition of the vehicle. Our buyers purchase vehicles in all types of conditions and so if you have taken any parts off, or out of, the vehicle we’ll still be able to find a buyer for your vehicle. Please ensure that if your vehicle is not complete, that it is specified when entering your vehicle’s details for a quote, to ensure that the quote is representative of the vehicle in its current condition.

What If I Miss Something When Describing My Vehicle?

Please let us know as soon as possible. All quotes are generated based on the information provided at the time the quote was generated and so if something was missed we will need to know as soon as possible as it may affect the price which you were quoted.

Does My Car Need To Have A Valid Insurance Policy?

No. All of our buyers use professional recovery vehicles and so no tax, insurance or MOT is required for them to retrieve your vehicle. Please be aware that if your vehicle is parked on a public road, it will need to be insured up to the day of collection. If you would like your vehicle removed of safely and legally, the buyers on our network can arrange this for you whilst you get paid in the process! To find more, read our dedicated blog on scrapping your vehicle without insurance.

Does My Car Need To Be Clean?

Yes and no. The buyers on our network do not expect your vehicle to be cleaned, waxed and polished but they do expect all rubbish in the interior of your vehicle to be removed.

Does It Matter If I Do Not Have Any Service History?

No. Any service history is appreciated however it is not a requirement. If you do not have any service history for the vehicle please ensure that we are aware during the quote process

I Want To Scrap My Car But Have Personalised Number Plates Which I Want To Keep

If you have personalised plates on your vehicle you can absolutely still keep them, however you will need to transfer the vehicle registration number over to another vehicle or onto a Retention Document, before the vehicle is taken to an ATF to be scrapped. If this is not done and the vehicle is destroyed then the vehicle registration number will be destroyed and you will be unable to use it on another vehicle. To transfer or retain ownership of the vehicle’s registration number you will need to apply at your closest local DVLA office.

What Is An ATF?

An Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) is a government authorised treatment facility where, following legal guidelines, vehicles go through a depollution process before the parts are disposed of and recycled.

What Is A COD?

A Certificate Of Destruction (COD) is a document that the DVLA has issued when a car has been scrapped at an authorised treatment facility.

This means that a vehicle has been brought to the ATF, dismantled, depolluted, and the materials were then recycled. Legally, all cars which have been recycled at a government authorised treatment facility must have one however you won’t always receive a certificate as it depends on whether you were the last owner before the vehicle was recycled.

A certificate of destruction is only issued for vehicles which have been scrapped and not those which are sold for salvage.

What Is The Scrap Metal Dealers Act?

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act is legislation which was brought into action in 2013 as a way to create accountability amongst the metal trade industry to stop rogue traders from selling stolen materials by banning all cash payments for scrap metal. Read more in our dedicated blog. 

How Long Does The Process Of Selling My Car Take?

The quickest quote to collection we’ve ever had was the very same day, however the process usually takes about 2 days. Our buyers work to our user’s requirements so once the quote has been accepted the collection can happen as soon, or as far as the user would like.

How Do I Send Photos?

There are a multitude of ways that you can send photos of your vehicle to us.
You can either:
Email them to [email protected] with your vehicle registration as the subject line.
Send them to us through Whatsapp by messaging us on: 07763464508.
Upload them at the relevant part of completing the online quote request forms. Find out more in our guide to taking photos for scrap and salvage. 

I Don’t Have A Camera, What Can I Do?

In the event that we request photos of your vehicle you can either use a phone or a camera to take the images. This can either belong to you, or a family member or friend if you have their permission to do so. All we ask is that the images are clear, not blurry and that you include the vehicle’s registration number so that we know whose photos they are!

What If I Miss Important Information?

If you think you missed anything when providing details about your vehicle, or if anything has changed since you provided us with your vehicle’s details, please let us know as soon as possible as it may affect the quote which you were given.

Can I Scrap More Than One Vehicle At A Time?

Yes as long as you have relevant paperwork. If you need to dispose of multiple vehicles you may also be interested in our fleet disposal services.

Need to know what documents you need to scrap your car? We’ve put together a handy guide here.

Am I Entering A Contract By Selling My Car Through Scrap Car Comparison?

Yes. Once you have accepted your quote our in-house team will go through our verbal contract with you. The contract is a sales agreement between the collector and the buyer explaining that ‘X’ price will be paid for ‘X’ vehicle upon receipt of the vehicle, subject to checks. This contract is in place to protect both the seller, to ensure that they receive their guaranteed price, and the buyer, to ensure that the vehicle is as it was described when the quote was generated.

My Quote Expired But I Want To Accept.

We can only hold quotes for 24 hours so unfortunately if this time period has gone past than your guaranteed quote price has lapsed. However your vehicle may still be worth the same amount, please speak to one of our advisors to receive another guaranteed quote.

The Vehicle Isn’t Registered To Me, Can I Still Scrap It?

Yes. If you have the registered keeper’s permission, and a signed note to state this, in addition to photo ID and a recent utility bill.

What Does ‘Subject To Inspection’ Mean?

When quotes are generated they are done so on the good faith that the vehicle has been described accurately. Subject to inspection means that if our buyer buys a vehicle which is described as a complete, running, vehicle with minor damage and they arrive to find a non runner with no wheels and significant damage to the framework, they reserve the right to change their price or reject the car.

My Car Has Added Extras, Will It Affect My Quote?

Sometimes. It depends on the make, model and year. We generally find that added extras don’t typically make a huge amount of difference when it comes to scrap vehicles, unless those added extras are alloy wheels. However, in the salvage market added extras do receive more, as it means more parts can be sold.

Why Do You Need My Number / Email Address?

We need your contact details in order to contact you regarding your quote or if we have any further questions regarding your vehicle. We will never share your details with anyone else unless you have accepted a buyers offer, in which case we will share your contact details with the collector so that they can call you to arrange collection.

Why Do You Need My Postcode To Run A Quote?

Because our network of buyers spans across nationwide we need your postcode in order to identify which buyers are available, and operate, in your area. This in turn helps us to compare quotes and get you the best price for your vehicle.

How Often Will You Contact Me?

We’ll only contact you when it’s necessary to proceed with your quote or gather more details. If we don’t hear from you in 7 days we will message you to let you know that we are removing your details from our system and you won’t hear from us again unless you contact us.

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