Disposing of Your Car
Understandably, there are occasions when van and car owners might want their motoring pride and joy or essential means of transport to last longer. Sooner or later, however, almost all vehicles reach the end of their useful service lives. Whether due to accumulated wear and tear over tens of thousands of miles or the unfortunate appearance of a serious defect, repairs eventually become disproportionately expensive.
If a vehicle has had particularly heavy use, is no longer roadworthy or is getting beyond the patch-up stage, selling or scrapping is the next logical step. If you are considering disposing of your car, read on to review your options.
Compying with Regulations
Every year, British motorists scrap more than two million vehicles. Nowadays, however, car scrapping is subject to regulations to ensure safety, protect the environment and avoid punitive fines. Also, the latest rules aim to prevent the theft of parts, copper and other scrap metal. Gone are the days when dealers and vehicle recycling facilities made cash payments for scrap cars; instead, they now settle by bank transfer.
Selling Your Car
If your vehicle is still running satisfactorily or is economically repairable, you could obtain a quote from a garage or car dealer. Sometimes, sensing a profitable deal, motor traders might be interested in repairing a broken-down vehicle and selling onwards. Similarly, some web sites promise to buy cars in any condition, although the prices offered to sellers tend to be relatively low.
As an alternative, especially if you are mechanically minded or can enlist help without incurring too much extra cost, you could strip the car and sell the parts yourself. Apart from selling the spares as a job lot to a local dealer, it is also possible to sell used parts online. However, you will need to be able to invest the necessary time.
Donating to Charity
You may wish to consider donating your old vehicle to charity, especially if it is still running. Conveniently, charities usually collect used cars free of charge while ex-owners enjoy the altruism of contributing to a good cause of their choice.
Scrapping Your Car
Depending on the location and price agreed, most scrap companies will arrange to collect vehicles from residential addresses. Thus, scrapping a car is one of the easiest ways to dispose of an old vehicle and, where possible, obtain a competitive price. Experienced dealers then break the vehicle into parts for sale, or they recycle the raw materials under Environment Agency regulations, introduced to prevent unnecessary pollution.
In some cases, the decision to scrap your car can be more straightforward than selling it. Specifically, there is no time-consuming advertising, nor any need to organise viewings or worry about test drives by potential purchasers. In addition, you can usually obtain a refund for unused road tax as well as for unexpired motor insurance, depending on the company and policy.
Usefully, bona fide scrap car dealers also help with completing DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) formalities. Your responsibility for the car or van finishes when you deal with an officially licensed facility; look for credentials such as membership of the Motor Vehicle Dismantlers Association, a governing body for the trade.
For further details about recycling about how to scrap your car with ease, as well as our 24-hour scrap car collection service, please call us today or contact us here.
