Comparison
Scrap or sell privately, which actually pays better?
Honest answer: depends on the car. For most end-of-life cars, scrap wins on the maths once you factor in the time and hassle of private sale. For tidy, recent models with valid MOT, private sale usually wins by £200-£500.
Scrap to us
Pros
- Quote in 60 seconds
- Same-day collection, often within hours
- DVLA paperwork done for you
- Same-day bank transfer
- No viewings, no time-wasters, no scams
- No MOT or running condition required
Cons
- · Lower top-line price than private sale on tidy cars
- · Final, not negotiable on the day
Sell privately
Pros
- Higher top-line price for a clean, MOT'd car
- Choose your buyer
Cons
- · 2-6 weeks of viewings
- · You pay the MOT to make it sellable
- · Meeting strangers and payment-fraud risk
- · You handle the V5C yourself
- · Liability if buyer doesn't tax/insure
- · Still selling at trade value if it's tatty
Quick decision rule
If the car has 12+ months MOT, runs cleanly, and is under 10 years old: private sale will probably pay £200-£500 more than we will, and that gap is usually worth the hassle.
If it's MOT-failed, written-off, over 12 years old, or has a known fault: scrap wins. By the time you've paid the MOT (£55) and an inevitable repair (£200-£600) just to make it sellable, you're behind on the maths, and you still have to find a buyer. If yours won't start at all, our non-runner and classic-car page covers what a dead car is still worth.
If you can't be bothered with a single viewing:scrap wins regardless. Your time has a value, and £30 isn't worth losing a Saturday over.
Where to start
Send us the reg + a couple of photos. We'll tell you what we'd pay within an hour. If the number makes private sale look better, we'll say so. If not, we'll book the truck and handle the V5C and DVLA paperwork for you, so there's none of the liability you carry on a private sale.