MOT failures
Scrapping a car that failed its MOT
A failed test usually ends with a quote for repairs. When that quote is more than the car is worth to you, collection is the straightforward way out, and the car never has to be driven again.
MOT failures
Working out whether it is time
An MOT failure is not always the end. A worn tyre, a blown bulb or a wiper blade is cheap to put right. The decision gets harder with corrosion near the sills or subframe, a failed emissions test, worn suspension on both axles, or several faults at once.
A sensible test: add up the repair quote, then think about what the next twelve months will probably bring. If the total is close to or above what the car would sell for, scrapping is usually the better use of your money.
Before the truck comes
- The failure sheet (VT30), if you have it to hand
- Keys and the V5C logbook
- Tax: it is refunded automatically once the DVLA knows
- If the old MOT has run out, the car must not be driven on the road
Good to know
The questions an MOT failure raises
- 01
Driving it home from the test centre
If the old certificate has expired you may only drive the car to a pre-booked test or to a place of repair. A collection from the test centre avoids that problem entirely.
- 02
Dangerous defects
A car with a dangerous defect should not be driven at all, even with time left on the old certificate. Ask for collection from wherever it sits.
- 03
Collecting from the garage
Plenty of cars are picked up straight from the garage that tested them. Give the buyer the garage's postcode and tell the garage when the truck is due.
- 04
Repair or replace
If you are already shopping for the next car, scrapping the old one first saves paying insurance and tax on two.
The route
How a collection is arranged
Four stations, the same wherever you live. The postcode decides who comes; you decide whether and when.
- 01
Your postcode
Give us the registration plus the postcode of the street, drive or yard where the car sits. That postcode picks the buyer.
- 02
The buyer for that area
The licensed buyer responsible for that patch reads the details and replies with a figure for the car.
- 03
A slot that suits you
Happy with the figure? Pick a day and a time window for the truck. Turn it down and that is the end of it, with nothing to pay.
- 04
ATF and certificate
Payment arrives by bank transfer, the car heads to an Authorised Treatment Facility, and its destruction is logged with the DVLA.
FAQs
MOT failures: questions
Short answers to what people ask before booking.
More on the full FAQs page.
Can a car with no MOT be collected?
Yes. It travels on the truck, so no MOT is needed for the journey to the Authorised Treatment Facility.
Does the failure affect the offer?
The offer reflects the car as a whole: its make, model, weight and condition. The buyer will ask what failed so the figure is realistic from the start.
Do I have to accept the offer?
No. An offer is just that. You can think about it, ask questions or say no, and nothing is owed.
How am I paid?
Into your bank account. Cash for scrap has been banned in England and Wales since the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, so expect a transfer, never notes.
Cars we collect
Other cars we collect
Seven situations we see most. Open the one that matches yours.
- 01
Insurance write-offs
Every category, bought back or not.
- 02
Accident damage
Bent, burnt or flooded, collected as it stands.
- 03
Mechanical failure
Engine, gearbox, clutch or electrics gone.
- 04
Non-runners
Will not start, steer or roll? Still collected.
- 05
Salvage cars
Worth more as parts than as a car.
- 06
Old and unwanted cars
Sitting unused, unloved or simply surplus.
Find out what your car is worth
Two details, the reg and the postcode, put your car in front of the licensed buyer for your area. Their figure, your decision.