Scrap car comparison: how to compare quotes properly
A scrap car comparison is only useful if the quotes are for the same thing. Collection, the certificate and the payment method all vary, and a headline figure that drops on the day is the oldest trick in the trade. Here is how to compare like with like.
Scrap car comparison: key facts
| What should be included | Collection, the Certificate of Destruction and payment by bank transfer |
|---|---|
| What the certificate costs | Nothing. Charging for it is an offence |
| What changes a quote | Whether the car is complete, whether it drives, and where it is |
| Payment | Bank transfer or non transferable cheque only. Cash is unlawful |
| Identification | You will be asked for photo ID and proof of address. That is required by law |
| The check that settles it | The buyer's permit number on the Environment Agency register |
Get the quotes onto the same footing
Three questions make most quotes comparable.
- Is collection included, or am I delivering it? A collected car is worth less to the buyer than one driven in, so a higher quote may simply assume you are doing the driving.
- When is the money paid, and how? Before the car leaves, or after. By transfer, which is the only lawful route, and to whose account.
- Who issues the Certificate of Destruction? If the business quoting is a broker rather than a facility, ask which facility the car actually goes to, and check that one.
Why a quote drops on the day
The usual reasons are honest ones. The car weighed less than described, or parts were missing, or it could not be driven onto the transporter. The dishonest version is a high quote offered to win the booking and then reduced once the vehicle is loaded, when saying no has become awkward.
The protection is simple. Describe the car accurately, including anything missing, and agree the figure in writing before it is collected.
Reading a high offer
A quote well above the others is worth a second look rather than instant acceptance. Ask who is paying it and how. Nobody in England, Wales or Scotland may lawfully hand you cash for a scrap car, so an offer of notes tells you the buyer is working outside the rules that also protect you. The same goes for a buyer unwilling to give a permit number or a certificate.
You can check any site on the Environment Agency's end of life vehicles public register, or search our directory by postcode for companies that handle vehicles.
What you should end up with
Three things: the money, in your bank account; the Certificate of Destruction; and the yellow section of the V5C. Then tell DVLA yourself, which is covered in our guide to the DVLA scrap car paperwork and carries a £1,000 fine if it is skipped.
Broker or facility?
This is the distinction that explains most confusion. A broker arranges collection and takes a margin; an authorised treatment facility actually holds the permit, destroys the car and issues the certificate. Both are legitimate, and a broker can be perfectly useful if you have an awkward vehicle in an awkward place.
What matters is that you know which you are dealing with, and which facility the car ends up at, because that is the business whose permit protects you. Ask the question directly: who is the authorised treatment facility, and what is their permit number? A broker that cannot answer is one to leave alone.
What to get in writing before collection
| The figure | The exact amount, stated against the vehicle's description as you gave it |
|---|---|
| Collection | Included or not, and whether a non-runner is a problem |
| Payment | Method and timing. Bank transfer, and whether before or after collection |
| The facility | Name and permit number of the site the car goes to |
| The certificate | Confirmation it is issued and that there is no charge for it |
Describe the car honestly
This is the most effective thing you can do to stop a quote being cut on the day, and it costs nothing. Say if the catalytic converter is missing, if wheels or body panels have gone, if it will not roll or steer, if it is off a road and behind a gate. Every one of those genuinely changes what the car is worth or what it costs to collect.
A quote given on an accurate description is a quote that holds. A quote given on an optimistic one is an invitation to renegotiate while your car is on the back of a lorry.
Comparing quotes is only half of it; comparing the sites behind them is the other half, which our guide to finding a scrap yard near me covers.
Frequently asked questions
What should a scrap car quote include?
Collection or a clear statement that you are delivering, the Certificate of Destruction at no charge, and payment by bank transfer. Get the figure in writing before the car is collected.
Why did my quote drop when they collected the car?
Often because the car was lighter than described or parts were missing, which are legitimate reasons. It can also be a tactic. Describing the car accurately upfront and agreeing the figure in writing avoids both.
Is the highest quote always the best?
Not necessarily. Check who is paying it, how, and which authorised facility the car will actually go to. An unusually high offer paid in cash is a sign the buyer is not working within the rules.
Do comparison sites charge me?
Most earn commission from the buyer rather than charging you, but ask. What matters more is which facility the car ends up at, because that is who issues your certificate.