The do’s and don’ts of scrapping a vehicle
If you have never scrapped a vehicle before then you’re probably wondering what you need to do. Luckily it is actually a fairly simple procedure scrapping a vehicle. There isn’t much effort involved.
Before you go straight to your local dealer to have your vehicle scrapped there are some things you should definitely know. Otherwise, you could be making mistakes you don’t know about. You could be losing potential money that you could make when scrapping your vehicle.
Don’t
First things first, let’s have a look at what you should avoid doing when you scrap your car…
Don’t take your vehicle apart: You may have been informed that you can get more money by taking your vehicle apart and selling the most expensive parts first, but this isn’t always necessarily true, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing.
If you aren’t a mechanic then it could be dangerous trying to take the vehicle apart yourself. There are several hazardous fluids in a vehicle that can cause you harm such as the fuel, steering fluid and oil. If these are not handled and removed appropriately, not only can this cause you harm, but can also damage the environment. There are several environmental procedures in place when it comes to removing dangerous fluids.
On top of this, the most valuable parts of the vehicle to sell are the catalytic convertor, the wheels and the engine. Therefore, if you decide to remove these parts, you’ll find it difficult getting the vehicle to the scrap yard. Likewise, the price of the vehicle usually goes off weight, therefore if you do get rid of heavy components it might reduce the scrap valuation.
More things to avoid
Don’t go to a dodgy dealer: It can be hard to tell who to trust but there are certain things you should look out for. For example, you should never be offered cash in exchange for a vehicle. Laws have been passed that mean you have to be paid via bank transfer or cheque. If a dealer says they’ll give you a better price in cash, politely decline and find another dealer.
Additionally, you need to ensure that you receive a Certificate of Destruction once the vehicle has been scrapped. If the dealer does not mention this or tries to offer a counterfeit one then they are not a government-approved scrap yard. It is essential that you go to an approved scrap yard. Otherwise, they may say they’re scrapping the vehicle, but could go on to sell it. If this happens and your vehicle is involved in an incident, you are still the legal owner of the vehicle and could face trouble.
Do
Pick the right time. Like any market, the scrap metal market will fluctuate depending on demand. There may be times when scrap metal isn’t worth much. If you can hold onto your vehicle for a little while until the price rises this can be a good idea.
Along with this, it seems that scrap yards get more bookings towards the end of the month. This results in them offering lower prices because of how busy they are. It may be worth getting a quote at the beginning of the month when they aren’t as busy and are looking for more scrap metal.
Do barter with the dealer: Although some reputable dealers will offer you an honest valuation, this isn’t the case with all companies, so you may have to barter a good deal with them.
The dealer might try and give you a lower price, knowing that your vehicle is worth more. To try and avoid this, do your research. Shop around and see what different dealers offer. This way, you can go to the dealer with confidence that you know how much your vehicle is worth.
The best place to scrap your vehicle
By now, you may be worried about finding a legitimate dealer but it’s easy to find approved scrap yards across the UK. Car.co.uk is an online service that will give you a quick valuation and collect and scrap the vehicle for free. In return for choosing their service, they use their profits to help local charities and organisations. Food re-distribution has grown massively since they have been able to help fund charities. Choosing to scrap your vehicle with them could help even more people living in poverty. So scrapping your vehicle is great for others too.
