How To Negotiate With A Scrap Car Dealer When Your Vehicle Reaches The End Of The Road

Posted on: 6 July 2022

If you're looking to buy a replacement car on a budget, you'll have plenty of options in the Australian used-car market. And if you want to trade in a vehicle in order to get such a replacement, many second-hand dealers will oblige. However, there is a limit to the type of vehicle that you can offer in this situation, and if your current set of wheels has covered a great distance in its life, you may need to look elsewhere. If you find yourself in this situation, what can you do with your old clunker as you clear the decks for a new acquisition?

Dealing With An End-Of-Life Car

Some people love to keep a particular vehicle for a long time. It may represent nostalgic value or run well, but before they know it, the odometer may have added some additional zeros, and the vehicle may be running out of road. In this situation, you should discuss available options with a scrap car for cash dealer. But first, you may wonder if you can salvage certain components and sell those off separately to generate some more cash.

Stripping The Best Parts

Even though a vehicle may have reached the end of its days, some parts may still be in good condition. After all, it's not unusual to change alternators, batteries, clutches, brake systems and other parts from time to time, and some of these components may still be serviceable. In addition, some other dealers may pay good money for certain types of precious metal that can often be found in catalytic converters, so you may be tempted to take that part as well before you venture to a scrap car merchant.

A Shortsighted Approach?

While this may sound like a good idea, you may end up shooting yourself in the foot. Remember, the scrap car dealer will be looking at your vehicle from a commercial point of view, and they are not there simply to take it off your hands. They want to know if there are components they could strip off and sell to make a profit from the transaction. If you've taken all of the "good parts" away, they may not be interested in helping you at all. Also, the vehicle may no longer be mobile because you have taken wheels, suspension struts or other items off. In this case, it may be much harder to move it physically, which could also present a challenge.

Your Best Approach

So, before you get too carried away, talk with a scrap car merchant. You may find that they'll give you a good price for the vehicle with all of these parts in place, and this should save you the trouble of trying to sell them individually anyway.

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