Non-runners
Scrapping a car that doesn't run
A car that has sat unused for months, or simply won’t start, can still be valued and collected. Whether it has a flat battery or a seized engine, it doesn’t need to move under its own power.
Non-runners
Cars that stopped where they stand
Plenty of cars end their lives parked: on a drive after a long illness, in a garage after a house move, or on a street after a breakdown nobody got round to fixing.
A non-runner is collected with a recovery vehicle and a winch, so it doesn’t matter whether it starts. What helps is knowing where it is and how a truck can get to it.
Before the day
- Clear a path to the car if you can
- Check there's nothing stored inside it
- Find the V5C if it's available
- Tell the buyer where the car is parked
Good to know
Things that make the collection smoother
- 01
Access
Say if the car is in a garage, behind a gate, on a narrow lane or in an underground car park.
- 02
Flat tyres
Cars with flat or missing tyres can still be collected; just mention it.
- 03
SORN
A car declared off the road can be scrapped as normal.
- 04
Keys
Mention it if they're lost, as it can affect how the car is moved.
How it works
The full circle
Four stages take an unwanted car from your drive to a new life as recycled material. Here’s what happens at each one.
- 1
Value
Enter the registration and the postcode where the car is parked. The details go to a licensed buyer who covers that area, and they come back with an offer.
- 2
Collect
Agree the offer and pick a day. The car is collected free of charge from a drive, a street, a car park or a garage, wherever it happens to be.
- 3
Scrap
The car goes to an Authorised Treatment Facility, where fluids, the battery and hazardous parts are removed safely and the paperwork is completed.
- 4
Recycle
Reusable parts are recovered, and the shell is shredded so the steel, aluminium and other materials can be made into something new.
Questions
Non-runners: questions
Straight answers to what people ask before scrapping a car.
Can’t see your question? Read every answer or call 0800 058 8087.
The car has been off the road for years. Is that a problem?
No. Age and time off the road are part of the valuation, not a barrier to collection.
Is a car with a SORN treated differently?
Not for scrapping. Once the car has gone, tell the DVLA it has been scrapped, which ends the SORN.
Is there a charge for collection?
No. Collection is free wherever the car is in the UK, there are no admin or hidden fees, and turning down an offer costs nothing.
How quickly will I hear back?
Usually within about an hour of your details reaching the buyer. If you haven't heard by then, call us and we'll follow it up.
What we scrap
Other situations we handle
Choose the situation closest to yours for what to expect.
Ready to scrap your car?
Get an offer from a licensed local buyer in minutes, with free collection whenever suits you.