If you're a car owner with an ageing set of wheels, you may well be in the situation where you need to decide whether to fork out for repair bills or consider scrapping your vehicle altogether. Even if you rely on your car day to day, the most worrying aspect may be about the ongoing need to inject a lot of your hard-earned money into keeping an ageing machine ticking over or helping it become functional again after a breakdown.

While there may be several different suggestions about when is the right time to opt for vehicle disposal, two key considerations you should make centre around your vehicle’s wear and tear and its value.

Degree of wear and tear

Most people buy property with the expectation that its value will appreciate over time. However, the opposite is the case with cars as their use involves plenty of wear and tear of different parts that instead causes it to lose value over time. Even with strict precautions for maintenance, some highly priced repairs cannot be avoided. For example, continuous car use can lead to hoses, belts, and rubber cracking while drying out and the rotor metals wearing thin or warping. Electrical parts will also fail with time and create an increasing need for repair and upgrade.

The progressive failures, warping, and wearing out of car parts can lead to increased costs when it comes to maintenance expenses. For example, the timing belt can be an expensive car part to fix, yet it needs to be replaced in most instances when the car has run for 100,000 miles. With the replacement of this part, the dealership might also recommend the replacement of the remainder drive belts and the water pump to boost your vehicle's efficiency. Such a package of upgrades and repairs could cost well into the hundreds. If you find yourself in this situation, it is important to consider how often you are having to make repairs and the cumulative costs of doing so against the costs of buying a newer vehicle.

Assessing value

Before choosing to dispose of your car, it is important to ask yourself whether or not the car brings you the value you need from it. For instance, if you have a car for long-distance travel or commuting, it is important to ask whether the car can sufficiently meet your travel needs now and in the future. In addition to the value you place on your vehicle, it is important to ask yourself how much value it may still hold to a potential buyer - this will help you decide whether to sell it or scrap your car. If it no longer suits your needs, then it is a good idea to compare the actual value with the salvage value if it could be disposed of via car recyclers.

The value factor should be weighed up against the age of your vehicle and any wear to its parts. For example, if your car was once essential for transporting your family or travelling long distances, but your children now have their own cars or your circumstances have changed, then you might want to consider trading in your old set of wheels to find a newer more efficient model that meets your current needs rather than spending money to keep an old motor going.

If you are interested in finding out more about our car scrap service, contact us today or get a free quote online.