How Do I Scrap My Car?

How To Sell Your Vehicle With Scrap Car Comparison

Selling your vehicle online can be a time-consuming process at the best of times, but selling a broken or damaged vehicle? That can often be a little more daunting. Conflicting information can make the process seem complicated when it need not be. We’re here to simplify things, starting with our beginner’s guide to selling your scrap or salvage car via our comparison service for the best price.

Scrap Car Comparison is an easy to use three step service. This includes information on our how we can help you, what documentation you will need and when, and what legalities you need to be aware of when selling your car or van for scrap or salvage.

Scrap vs Salvage

You might be wondering what the difference is between ‘scrap’ and ‘salvage’. To salvage a car means either to have broken parts replaced in order to restore a vehicle to roadworthy status, or it can mean to strip the car for parts, which are then used to fix other vehicles. There are also different salvage categories: A, B, C, D, N and S. To scrap a vehicle, on the other hand, just means that it’s likely beyond repair and will instead be crushed and sold for recycled materials rather than functioning parts. Rest assured, we can get you the best price for a salvage car as well as a scrap car, with our large network of ATFs.

The Three-Step Process

Step 1: Generate Your Quote

Start your search by entering your vehicle’s registration number and postcode into the form at the top of any page. This will pull the make and model of your vehicle and will either transfer you through to your price offer if your vehicle is classed as scrap, or will take you through to a page where you can add more information about the condition of your vehicle. The latter is done if your vehicle is suitable for salvage and will ask questions such as if there are any damaged or broken areas on the interior or exterior, the mileage of your vehicle and whether or not it is a non-runner.

Don’t be afraid to add too many details on this page as the more information about your vehicle you can provide, the more accurate your quote will be. It’s also incredibly important to mention whether your vehicle has wheels or keys as we will need to ensure that the buyer we match you with has the necessary recovery equipment required for retrieving your vehicle in those circumstances.

After you provide your vehicle’s details, we will run them through our network to instantly locate the best price for your car or van. Our network is made up of the most trusted and reputable Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATF) and specialist buyers across the UK. Due to our expansive network and nationwide coverage, we can compare an array of buyers which operate in a particular area, to offer you the best price for scrap.

Once we have found a quote for your vehicle we will guarantee the price for 24 hours, or completely if you have accepted the quote. All our quotes are subject to inspection, which means it’s important not to misrepresent the condition of your vehicle as all quotes are generated and guaranteed based on information you provide. If one of our buyers turns up to collect the vehicle and discovers that it hasn’t been accurately described, then the quote will no longer be guaranteed and will need to be recalculated to represent the actual condition of the vehicle.

Step 2: Confirm The Details

Once you have accepted your quote, a member of the Scrap Car Comparison team will call you to confirm your booking. During this time they will advise you of the details of the company which is purchasing your vehicle and will go over our verbal contract with you. This contract is a sales agreement between yourselves and the buyer and will explain that ‘X’ price will be paid upon receipt of the vehicle and subject to checks.

This contract is in place to protect you, to ensure that you receive your guaranteed price, and the buyer, to ensure that the vehicle is as described when the quote was generated. Once the verbal contract is in place we will pass your contact details on to the buyer of your vehicle so that they can arrange a mutually convenient date with you for the collection of your vehicle.

Step 3: Vehicle Collection (and payment!)

Once your details have been passed on, the buyer of your vehicle will be in contact to arrange a collection date for your vehicle with you. This will be a date that is convenient for both of you, with a delivery window given for that day. Unfortunately delivery windows vary and exact times cannot be given. This is because there are often multiple collections booked in per day and each collection takes a different amount of time to complete depending on the vehicle’s individual requirements. If a collector was to run to an exact schedule, delays could occur which would throw the whole day out of sync. Each collector will ensure that you are updated when they are on route so that you have enough time to travel to the vehicle if it is stored elsewhere.

On the day of the collection you will need to ensure that you have your vehicle’s V5C, keys, owner’s manual and book pack, service history and any receipts for the vehicle if you have them. If you do not have these you will need to ensure that we are made aware at the initial quote stage. If you have lost them since, we will need to know as soon as possible as this may affect the quote which you were originally given.

When the buyer of your vehicle arrives they’ll verify your identity using photo ID and a recent utility bill. This is a legal requirement and once completed the buyer will carry out some checks on the vehicle to ensure that it is as it was described during the quotation stage. Once the checks are complete the buyer will load the scrap or salvage vehicle onto their recovery truck and complete their part of the paperwork. Please ensure that section 9 of the V5C is signed by the collector. If the buyer has subcontracted an external recovery firm to collect your vehicle, you will need to write “NOT PRESENT” in the new keeper’s signature box. Once section 9 has been completed and signed by yourself it will need to be sent to the DVLA. Once the paperwork is completed and the vehicle has been loaded onto the recovery vehicle the collector will let us know. We then release payment which should be with you in a few hours and in 99% of cases the same day.

What Happens Next?

Once your vehicle has been collected what happens next will depend upon what the vehicle was purchased for. If the vehicle was purchased for salvage purposes the buyer will either fix the vehicle to make it roadworthy again, or they will use the vehicle as spares and repairs to help fix another vehicle. Whereas if the buyer purchased it as a scrap vehicle it will be taken to an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) where it will be dismantled, depolluted and recycled. If you were the last owner before it was taken to the ATF you will receive a certificate of destruction to advise that it was 95% recycled in line with government guidelines.

Shortly after your vehicle has been collected we will send you an invitation to leave us a review. We do this so that others can know what you thought of our service. As we believe in authenticity, only verified users of Scrap Car Comparison can leave reviews.

Ready to get started? If want to find out how much you can sell your scrap or salvage vehicle for, get a quote in just 30 seconds.

How do I get the best price for scrapping my car?

First of all, the parts of a car that could hold the most value are often the parts that deteriorate the fastest. To get the best price, be sure to scrap your car as soon as you’ve decided you no longer want or need it – this will help you to secure the best price. Don’t forget to claim back any car tax that you won’t use once the car has been scrapped – this is something that is easy to forget about, but can contribute to the total amount you make from scrapping a car. Finally, make sure you’re using an impartial third party to compare the prices for you from a variety of scrap yards. This is where Scrap Car Comparison can help. Plus, we offer free collection, saving you even more money.

How much do scrap dealers pay for cars?

The average amount that scrap dealers will pay for a car is constantly fluctuating according to market trends. Use our car scrap value tracker to see the latest UK scrap value per tonne. The highest value we’ve seen since July 2022, is £192.50 per tonne. You can imagine the bigger the car, the bigger the payout!