It was only a short while ago that scrapping your car would cost you money, however as the need for scrap metals has changed so has the industry and now you’re the one being compensated when selling your vehicle for scrap.
A popular misconception is that car scrapping is only for vehicles which have been in accidents, failed their MOT and are uneconomical to repair or non-runners. However, the reality is that there are numerous reasons you may consider scrapping as a way to dispose of your vehicle, and whether you’re looking to clear out some valuable parking space or upgrade your vehicle for a more environmentally-friendly model, scrapping your car can be a time-efficient and financially rewarding way to do it.
There are instances where people have been known to sell their cars for parts themselves, however this can take an increasing amount of time and effort and not everybody has the resources or space available for selling those parts. Using an online comparison service, such as ours, can be a much smoother and more beneficial option for removing your vehicle and looking at what monetary value your vehicle may receive.
Bank notes and cash on a tableDid you know: Paying in Cash for Scrap (including cars) is Illegal The introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act in October 2013 brought in new legislation regarding payment. In an effort to combat metal theft and bring greater transparency to the industry cash payments for all forms of scrap were banned.
Back in the day, you would have to trawl through pages upon pages of free ads to find somebody to purchase your scrap vehicle. However, nowadays it’s as simple as typing ‘How to scrap my car for cash’ into a search engine, sitting back and waiting for the relevant options to roll in. The internet has enabled companies to be available at your fingertips within seconds but just because your options are all in one place doesn’t mean it’s necessarily any easier to choose which company to sell your scrap vehicle to. For example; we’ve heard of instances where people have sold a vehicle and the paperwork had been improperly completed. Months after their vehicle was sold, they received speeding tickets and parking fines for a vehicle which was supposed to have been taken off the road and scrapped. So how do you narrow down the search results to enable you to find a company which can be trusted?
The companies available through our service are made up of specialist scrap and salvage vehicle buyers, breakers and registered Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATF) and their coverage spans across the nation to ensure that no postcode is left uncovered. We know that researching companies can be a long and monotonous task of trawling through each online listing trying to find which is the most reputable company to take your vehicle off your hands… Which is why we’ve created a much simpler service. Here at Scrap Car Comparison we have used our years of experience in the industry to design a comparison service which enables you to get your vehicle valued instantly by the most trusted and reputable buyers in the industry. But you don’t just have to take our word for it.
Woman on laptop finding out how much cash her scrap car is worthTo get offers for your scrap car all you need to do is enter your postcode and registration number in the quote form at the top of this page and our system will instantly search our expansive network of buyers to locate the most competitive price for you. Our service is 100% free and there are no hidden fees so, as long as the car has been accurately described during the quotation process, the price which you are quoted is the price which you will be paid, guaranteed.
We work with a huge range of professional buyers throughout the UK. Contact us for a quick, hassle free collection anywhere in the UK. Here are some of our larger collection areas.
We’ve gathered some of the most common questions our customers ask below, you can also find a full list of questions answered in detail on our FAQ page.
All payments are made on the day of collection. Once the collector has inspected your vehicle to ensure that the condition of your scrap car matches the details given to us during the quotation stage, you should call us to confirm the details and once this has been done, payment will be made.
Unfortunately it is illegal to do so. This is because scrap metal dealers must be able to convey a named cheque or printed receipt of the transaction which was made. There must also be a record of the person who made the transaction. If no proof can be shown in the relation to the transaction then it will be rendered as incomplete and considered an offence under section two of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act (SMDA). This was bought in as a way to combat scrap metal theft and rogue traders, and as a result paying for scrap vehicles in cash has been illegal in the UK since the 1st of October 2013. If a particular trader is willing to break the law by offering or making untraceable payments in cash, you have to ask yourself what else they could be doing which is illegal. Using trusted traders is paramount to your safety which is why we strictly adhere to the law and ensure that all of our buyers operate with the appropriate payments for your vehicle.
Payments are made by either BACS or business cheque. Unfortunately no payments can be made in physical cash as, as mentioned above, there is legislation prohibiting handing over physical money for scrap metal. Please note that this only relates to scrap vehicles and not vehicles which are being sold on for salvageable parts.
The price you receive for your vehicle will be dependant on a variety of factors, for example; whether your car has been purchased as a salvageable vehicle or as an end-of-life vehicle for scrap. To find out the value of a scrap vehicle, simply fill out the quotation form at the top of this page and our website will generate you a no obligation quote, instantly.
One of our buyers recently bought this scrap car and paid the customer on collectionAs mentioned above, it is dependant upon the intentions the purchaser has for your vehicle. If your car is purchased for salvage purposes the vehicle’s worth will be valued based upon; overall mileage, interior condition, exterior condition, the condition of the engine and whether the vehicle has any additional extras such as alloys. In addition to this some buyers pay an additional premium if it is considered a classic, or it is a vehicle sought after for a personal project. However, if your car is purchased with the intention of scrapping it, the offers your receive from our scrap value calculator is based on weight per tonne and the vehicle will be taken to an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) where the vehicle will be depolluted before being recycled.
The purchaser of your vehicle will be the one paying you. Once you have accepted a quote from our site we will send you the details of the company purchasing your vehicle. They’ll then be in touch to arrange the collection of your scrap car and once the vehicle has been inspected, and is in the process of being collected, they will proceed with your payment.
If you already have a scrap car which you have accepted an offer for, you’re almost there! The only things you need in order to get paid once the aforementioned is done, is to wait for your buyer to arrive and collect your vehicle. Oh, and have a bank account for the payment be made into of course!
Yes. Cash payments are illegal due to the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 and so all payments are made via bank transfer or business cheque, which must be paid into a UK bank account.
No, our service is 100% free for users of our site. There are no hidden costs or fees and all collections are free; so the quote you accept, is the price you will be paid!
If you would like to contribute to one of our chosen charities we have enabled donations to be made for as much, or as little, as you would like. You can make a charitable contribution in one of two ways; either over the phone with one of our dedicated advisors, or online through our website. To donate a car, just fill in the relevant section during the online quote process – or mention it to your advisor on the phone if you choose to ring in.
When scrapping a vehicle you should always ensure that it is taken to a government Authorised Treatment Facility as, legally, these are the only facilities which can scrap your car. Salvaging works slightly differently as the car may have been purchased by somebody who has the intention of repairing it and returning it to the road at a later date, or with the intention of using it’s parts to help return another vehicle to the road. Scrap Car Comparison only enables buyers which have the most trusted reputations to have access to our service so you can rest assured knowing you are in safe hands when it comes to selling your scrap vehicle.
Once you have agreed upon a price for your vehicle with one of our buyers, they will be in contact to discuss suitable dates to collect your vehicle. Our buyers understand that people lead busy lives so they will always arrange collections for a date which is mutually convenient. There are a few steps you can take in order to make sure your scrapping experience runs as smoothly as possible.
We’re all guilty of leaving things in our cars only to find them months after we thought we had lost them. Use this opportunity to check under the seats, in your doors, along the edges of your seat and in the boot to make sure you recover all of those forgotten possessions before your car is collected.
Ensure Your Vehicle Is Accessible.On the day of collection you will need to ensure that your vehicle is located in an area wide enough that it is accessible to a recovery vehicle.
Once your vehicle has been taken away ensure that section 9 is completed and sent off to the DVLA. If your car has been scrapped then you will usually receive a certificate of destruction around 7 days later, however please note that this is only in instances where the car has been recycled for scrap. You will not receive a certificate of destruction if the car is used for salvage as the vehicle will have been reused for parts, and will not have been destroyed.