Repair bill £2500, Value £1250 makes scrapping a no brainer. Never done it before. Any advice on suitable local scrappers?
Car is still drivable to dump and has about £40 worth of diesel in it.
Stuart
Scrapping Cars - Advice
Re: Scrapping Cars - Advice
Hi Stuart
Firstly, I'd say it's always worth getting a second opinion. I had an astronomical estimate for some work on my Mercedes (from a relatively local Mercedes specialist). I'd taken the car to them because it was making a metallic graunching noise and the gentleman who usually looks after my cars was unavailable at the time.
I was quoted over 3K on a 25+year old car! (Albeit with less than 70K on the clock and in pristine condition.) I was in despair, but the owner of that specialist garage had said that if I decided to sell instead, he'd be interested in buying. My usual car gentleman advised me to get a second opinion and spoke to a contact of his who gave the car a thorough examination. There was nothing wrong mechanically and he couldn't find ANY of the issues that the specialist had said would cost over 3K to repair. Something just needed greasing, which that second opinion garage did without charge.
I later passed the car on to my brother (it was too big for me and Sydenham) and (touch wood) two years later it's still going strong and enjoying life in the country.
Secondly - if you really do want to sell your car - try Gumtree. I had a very old Honda Civic that I'd owned from nearly new and it failed its MOT and really, really wasn't economical to repair. I put it on Gumtree and had LOADS of offers. I turned down one from someone who wanted it for "old banger" racing ... cheek!! But in the end sold it to someone who wanted to work on it as a hobby. £125.
Better than nothing.
Firstly, I'd say it's always worth getting a second opinion. I had an astronomical estimate for some work on my Mercedes (from a relatively local Mercedes specialist). I'd taken the car to them because it was making a metallic graunching noise and the gentleman who usually looks after my cars was unavailable at the time.
I was quoted over 3K on a 25+year old car! (Albeit with less than 70K on the clock and in pristine condition.) I was in despair, but the owner of that specialist garage had said that if I decided to sell instead, he'd be interested in buying. My usual car gentleman advised me to get a second opinion and spoke to a contact of his who gave the car a thorough examination. There was nothing wrong mechanically and he couldn't find ANY of the issues that the specialist had said would cost over 3K to repair. Something just needed greasing, which that second opinion garage did without charge.
I later passed the car on to my brother (it was too big for me and Sydenham) and (touch wood) two years later it's still going strong and enjoying life in the country.
Secondly - if you really do want to sell your car - try Gumtree. I had a very old Honda Civic that I'd owned from nearly new and it failed its MOT and really, really wasn't economical to repair. I put it on Gumtree and had LOADS of offers. I turned down one from someone who wanted it for "old banger" racing ... cheek!! But in the end sold it to someone who wanted to work on it as a hobby. £125.
Better than nothing.Re: Scrapping Cars - Advice
If this is the result of an accident rather than your car just being old and knackered, spend three pounds on a glass guide (the industry bible), and cross-reference it with autotrader sales that match your car's spec's as closely as possible.
I negotiated an almost a 50% increase in the value of my "scrap" car from the insurers, after they gave me a derisory initial valuation.
Because I'm a stubborn sod, I then bought my motor back from them for £500, fixed the car with second hand doors from the scrap yard (miraculously, the cost of repair halved when the garage was doing it as a private jobs) - and ended up making a £500 profit on the whole affair.
Four years later, my "written off" car is still road legal, and going strong.
Insurers, and car repair companies', first quote will typically be ludicrously high / low. Haggle - aggressively.
I negotiated an almost a 50% increase in the value of my "scrap" car from the insurers, after they gave me a derisory initial valuation.
Because I'm a stubborn sod, I then bought my motor back from them for £500, fixed the car with second hand doors from the scrap yard (miraculously, the cost of repair halved when the garage was doing it as a private jobs) - and ended up making a £500 profit on the whole affair.
Four years later, my "written off" car is still road legal, and going strong.
Insurers, and car repair companies', first quote will typically be ludicrously high / low. Haggle - aggressively.
Re: Scrapping Cars - Advice
Nope this is a heavily used and abused 13 year old car. The ECU needs replacement, The glow worm renewing. There is corrosion, the discs need replacing and the next service will require cam belt replacement. And there could be more when all of that is sorted.
There is a time to say goodbye. If cars were mechanically rather than electronically controlled I could fix it myself and nurse it on a couple more years. Italians are amazing designers and engineers except when it comes to circuit boards.
Looks like Sydenham Scrap Metals is going to get the business. £75 per ton. At least its a heavy car
Bid me £500 tonight and an original frog eyed 2001 Fiat Multipla 1.9 diesel six seater is yours!
Stuart
There is a time to say goodbye. If cars were mechanically rather than electronically controlled I could fix it myself and nurse it on a couple more years. Italians are amazing designers and engineers except when it comes to circuit boards.
Looks like Sydenham Scrap Metals is going to get the business. £75 per ton. At least its a heavy car
Bid me £500 tonight and an original frog eyed 2001 Fiat Multipla 1.9 diesel six seater is yours!
Stuart