It’s a truly sad day when your once reliable companion has finally given up and is no longer with you. When the cost of fixing your old car up ends up costing more than the car is worth, the pragmatic person in you should be saying goodbye and getting rid of it. Instead of buying new car, you can visit this page for quality and affordable car rentals that suit your needs and style. In many cases, when a car has broken down beyond repair, the normal thing to do is scrap your car and get it sent off for recycling.
There are exceptions to this rule – you would be absolutely nuts to send off a classic or rare car to the scrapyard, but we are sure this isn’t something you need to be told!
There are lots of cash for cars companies out there these days which specialise in junk car removal and recycling vehicles. Although you may have a sentimental attachment to your old pride and joy, if it is no longer working and is just going to sit there collecting dust, the best thing you can do is have it recycled. Recycling cars has a lot of benefits for the environment and it is something which you should consider doing. Ultimately, money talks and if your car is destined for the recycling centre, you should just get it over and done with.
There are two major ways you can scrap your old car.
#1: Take It to Be Recycled
Your best option for scrapping your old car would be taking it to have it recycled by a proper recycling or junk car removal company. Virtually every component in a vehicle – from the tyres all the way down to the gearstick – can be recycled into new products, commodities and vehicles. Cars are full of materials which can be recycled and the benefits for the environment are immeasurable.
In addition to this, there are certain substances in cars – such as battery acid and engine oil – which are toxic and can have seriously harmful impacts on not just the environment, but human beings too. A specialist car recycling company has all the tools necessary to properly dispose of these toxic elements, so they are definitely your best bet.
You should only drop your car at a recycling centre which has all the right certification and approval from the government. Car recycling is a highly regulated business and it can be a criminal offence to knowingly take your car to a recycling centre which is not approved or regulated!
#2: Donate It to Charity
There are countless charities all around the country which are focussed on scrapping older cars. These charities will collect your vehicle, complete any required paperwork, and take it away to be recycled or sold for its scrap parts.
The great thing about these charities is that they will donate all the cash you would have received for scrapping it to a charity of your choice. Using these organisations is a simple and easy way to scrap your old car and do some charitable good whilst you’re at it. If you don’t need the petty cash from your old motor, donating it to a charity is something you should consider doing. It’s a really simple way to give to charity and eliminates virtually all the stress and headaches associated with scrapping an old car.
Your car will be collected free of charge and you will benefit from the satisfaction of knowing that you are doing your bit for charity.
The Law
The UK highly regulates the scrapping of old cars, thanks in part to the fact that the EU requires that 95% of all scrap cars are recycled. There are many things you need to do in the eyes of the law when you do scrap your car, whether that be through the recycling option or the charitable option.
You will need to notify the DVLA when you have passed the vehicle on so that they are aware you no longer hold responsibility for the vehicle and do not have to pay road tax for it. If you have taken your car to a recycling centre, you will need to obtain a Certificate of Destruction and pass this on to the DVLA too. A Certificate of Destruction can only be issued by an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF), which are the only organisations in the UK legally entitled to recycle cars.
Under the Scrap Metal Dealers’ Act 2013, it is illegal to be paid for your scrap car in England & Wales, so you should be sceptical of anybody offering you money for your old car.
Scrapping your old car is a fairly simple and painless process which has immeasurable benefits for both the environment and wider society. If you have an old car which no longer functions, you should consider taking it away to be recycled rather than letting it gather dust in a garage.
