Guide 13
There is no single number that tells you when a car is finished. There is a set of questions, though, and answering them honestly usually makes the decision for you.
In short
Ask for an itemised quote covering every fault, not only the one that stopped the car.
Look at what similar cars of the same age and mileage sell for. Be realistic about condition.
MOT advisories and the service record show what is coming next.
Tax, insurance, servicing and any clean-air charges are part of keeping the car.
If the sums do not work, get a scrap valuation and compare it with selling the car as it stands.
Start with the simplest comparison: the repair cost against the car’s value after the repair. If the repair is more than the car would be worth, it is hard to justify unless the car means something more to you. If it is a large share of the value, look closely at what else is due.
Be honest about the repaired value. A car with a fresh repair is still an older car with older parts everywhere else.
The government’s MOT history service shows every test for a car since the records went online, including advisories. Repeated advisories for corrosion, suspension or brakes are a forecast. A car that needs welding now and has a corrosion advisory elsewhere is likely to need more.
A repair keeps the car running, but it does not stop the other bills. Before you commit, add up a year of keeping it:
Some situations make the decision straightforward: a Category A or B write-off, a failed engine on a car of modest value, structural corrosion in several places, or a car that has sat unused so long that tyres, brakes and seals have all perished.
In those cases the useful question is no longer whether to scrap, but how to do it properly, and the main guide covers that.
A sound car with a single fault, a well-maintained car with a clean history, or a model that holds its value well can all justify a repair that looks large at first. So can a car that would be expensive to replace for your needs, such as an adapted vehicle.
Questions
Short answers to questions this guide often raises.
If the car runs and could pass an MOT with modest work, a private or trade sale may give more. If it needs major work, a scrap valuation is usually the realistic comparison.
Often, especially for big quotes. Another garage may diagnose the fault differently or source parts more cheaply.
No. It means it cannot be driven until the faults are fixed, unless its previous certificate is still in date and there is no dangerous defect.
Guides
Start with the registration and postcode. A licensed buyer covering your area comes back with an offer, and collection is free.