Top 5 Reasons Why Cars Get Scrapped

It’s been your favorite workhorse for years, but now, your vehicle is in trouble. When it is time to scrap rather than sell? It’s a tough decision, and although cars aren’t living things, it can feel a bit like saying goodbye to a family pet. To help you make the call, we look at the top reasons why cars get scrapped. If this is your much-loved jalopy, maybe it’s time you took the plunge and called for an easy out such as that offered by a company offering vehicle removal in Perth

1. The Repairs and Maintenance Bill is Getting Crazy

Back in the day, your vehicle was as reliable as you could wish, but now, you’ve barely made one repair when the next one crops up. Sadly, your beloved car may be best scrapped – unless you don’t mind the roadside breakdowns – and the bills that follow it. Just because a cr was reliable back in the day doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way, and mounting repair maintenance costs are a sure indication that the forces of entropy are against you. Selling may be an option, but your chances of fetching a good price are low, and your car may just be worth more in cash terms if you simply went the cash for scrap route.

2. It’s Guzzling Gas 

If you’ve had to rebore the engine a few times, or your wheels date back to a fondly-remembered time when fuel was cheap and fuel economy wasn’t an issue, the sheer gas-guzzling nature of the beast may mean it’s time for it to end its days in a junkyard. Keep a log book – or use a handy app – and determine just how much your transport costs to run. You may discover why your monthly earnings just aren’t going far enough these days. 

3. Time for it to Rust in Peace

Depending on the make and model, a new engine, transmission, or both, may not be too expensive to consider, but heavily rusted bodywork, quite possibly coupled with a dicey transmission and a dodgy engine, may be the final straw. The rusted body panels that you can see could just be the tip of the iceberg. Once rust sets in properly, it’s likely to be everywhere: floorboards, chassis, mountings. And since a car reaching this stage of decay is likely to be pretty old, it’s quite likely that both engine and gearbox are on their last legs. Rust in peace old friend. Your time has come!

4. It’s Unsafe

Although it may be unfair to say that automakers in decades past didn’t care about safety, it’s certainly true that they need to adhere to much higher standards these days. And even some relatively new models are rated by authorities as being very unsafe indeed. There are even 2019 models that are getting a pretty bad safety rap. Although the temptation to sell a relatively new model car even though it has a poor safety record may be great, scrapping it may be the ethical alternative. 

5. Fixing it Costs More Than Resale Value

The most pragmatic reason for scrapping your car could be the sheer cost of getting it repaired. If the resale value of your car is lower than the repairs, you have an effective way of judging whether repairs make economic sense. They don’t. By the same token, you won’t be able to sell your car. After all, who is going to pay for a car that will cost more than it’s worth to get going? 

Time to Say Goodbye – and Start Over

Buying a new vehicle, or even a “new” second-hand car is a big step, but when the time comes to replace your old runabout with something new, it’s also an exciting event. Remember to shop smart, especially if you’re opting for a pre-owned vehicle – after all, you just scrapped a car, so you definitely don’t want to find yourself with someone else’s scrap on your hands! Look out for the top reasons to scrap when shopping for a replacement and don’t pay for a car that’s more trouble than it’s worth! Happy hunting.

Robert Cooke
Rob is a certified mechanic and long-time automotive enthusiast who has worked on everyday passenger vehicles, race and rally cars, and derby cars.