Scrap a Non-Running or Mechanically Failed Car

A seized engine, a failed gearbox or an electrical fault nobody can trace can leave you with a car that costs more to fix than it is worth. Cars in that state can still be scrapped. Here is how non-runners are collected, valued and processed.

  • Free collection
  • Does not need to start
  • Paid on collection
  • Certificate of Destruction if scrapped

For a no obligation quote, complete the form or call

0800 002 9733 or 07766 797 352

GB

Non-running cars and mechanical failures

A car does not need to be in working order to be valued and collected. Common reasons people scrap a car include:

  • Engine failure: a seized engine, head gasket failure, timing belt or chain damage, overheating damage.
  • Gearbox and clutch: a failed gearbox, a slipping or seized clutch, driveshaft problems.
  • Electrical faults: wiring or control-unit faults, or a car that will not start for reasons that are expensive to diagnose.
  • Fuel system problems, including damage after the wrong fuel has been used.
  • Cars that have stood unused for months or years and would need significant work to run again.
  • Cars that still run but are uneconomical to repair.

Does the car need to start or move?

No. Non-runners are loaded onto a recovery vehicle, so the car does not need to start or drive. To plan the collection, the collection company needs to know:

  • whether the car rolls freely and whether the steering and handbrake work;
  • whether all the wheels and tyres are fitted and hold air;
  • where it is parked: a drive, a garage, a car park or the roadside;
  • whether the keys are available.

Describing this accurately lets the collection company bring suitable equipment and avoids a wasted journey.

Collection and access

Collection is free. Once you accept a valuation, you agree a collection time with the collection company. The timing depends on that company and your location. If you need the car moved by a particular date, say so when you enquire.

Mention anything that affects access: narrow lanes, steep or gated drives, underground or multi-storey car parks, parking permits or low clearance. If you need to cancel after accepting, give at least 24 hours' notice by phone. Cancelling later may mean a charge for the aborted journey. The full picture is on free scrap car collection.

How a non-runner is valued

A person at the collection company values the car from the details you give. For a non-runner, the value comes mainly from its weight and materials and from the parts that can be reused. The failed component matters: a seized engine, for example, cannot be reused as a working engine, but the gearbox, panels and other parts may still have value.

Leave the car complete. GOV.UK notes that a treatment facility can charge a fee if essential parts such as the engine, gearbox, bodywork or wheels have been removed (how to scrap your vehicle). If anything is already missing, say so when you enquire, because the car is inspected on collection and the valuation can be revised if it differs from the description. See scrap car prices for the full list of factors.

Mechanical condition and the MOT

The MOT does not test the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox (GOV.UK). A car with a valid MOT can still have a major mechanical failure, and a car that failed its MOT may be mechanically sound. If the MOT has also run out, keep the car off the road until it is collected. More on MOT failure cars.

Paperwork

You will need the V5C log book, if you have it, and photo ID. When the car is scrapped, give the V5C to the treatment facility but keep its yellow section. Then tell DVLA the vehicle has gone to an authorised treatment facility. If the car is completely scrapped, you receive a Certificate of Destruction within 7 days. Every step is set out on how it works.

Who does what

  • Scrap A Car For Cash (operated by Lead Stack Ltd, company number 15877625) takes your enquiry and passes it to an affiliated vehicle collection company that covers your area.
  • The collection company values the vehicle, collects it free of charge and pays you on collection, in line with the terms you agree with them.
  • If the vehicle is completely scrapped, that happens at an authorised treatment facility (ATF), which gives you a Certificate of Destruction. A vehicle that is repaired and resold instead does not get one.

More detail: how it works and our terms and conditions.

Related guides

MOT failure carsRepair or scrap, and why no MOT is needed for collection.Accident damaged carsDamaged and non-driving cars after an accident.Scrap car pricesWhat decides a valuation and why it can change.Free scrap car collectionArranging collection, access and what to have ready.How it worksValuation, collection, payment, V5C and DVLA.

Get a valuation for your non-runner

Tell us the registration, postcode and what is wrong with the car, and the collection company covering your area will contact you with a free, no-obligation valuation.

Get a free valuationCall free: 0800 002 9733

We take enquiries from across England, Scotland and Wales — see the areas we cover.