Scrap Classic Cars? That sounds outrageous and there are reasons for it.
A classic car can be very beloved as they are historical and valuable, but how long can you keep a classic car? Even modern cars get way too damaged to be driven, so classic cars must have an expiration date as well.
And when do you send it to a scrapyard, what happens to it there? For the answers to these questions and some other similar ones, keep on reading.
Just a note, before we dive in. I want to remind you that we offer cash for all types of cars in Auckland region. So check us out if you have a car to sell.
What is a classic car?
To get started, we need to know what it means to have a classic car. Most people have classic cars as hobby cars that they collect. Classic cars are the ones that are collectable and worth preserving, according to Google. However, some people say a car becomes classic after it has been 25-30 years since its first release.
However, different people have different opinions on what is the period before a car can be considered classic. I am not an expert in classic cars but do know few are considered all-time-classic. Some of these cars are VW Beetle, Ford Model T, Porsche 911, Mr Bean’s Mini and much more. Again, that is what I know about classic cars and have never owned or driven any 🙁
Should you scrap classic cars?
Most people would say that scrapping a classic car is a sin because they usually are worth a lot.
Classic cars can be a very important part of a person’s life, like the people who like collecting them. However, you should know that the maintenance for these classic cars is very expensive compared to the maintenance of our everyday cars. This is because a classic car requires special repairmen devices, insurance costs, and other costs. But should you let a classic car get scrapped? Well, if you want to, then yes, you can. It might hurt a lot of car enthusiasts, but it is your car, after all.
Keep in mind that not all scrapyards will destroy a classic car. Yes, some scrapyards will not hesitate, but they don’t always want to destroy a car that holds value. Moreover, most of the time, the scrapyard worker will remove certain objects from the car that might hold value or send the whole car to be fixed somewhere and sell it. You see, a classic car usually has a lot of history attached to it, which makes it more painful just to get rid of it. A classic car is:
- Rare as usually only a few of the cars are left
- Historical, some of them are custom-made for the owners, and some survived World Wars
- Useful for another collector, remember one man’s trash can another’s treasure
- Worth a lot, especially if they are rare, and scrapping them won’t be as worthwhile
But for all of this, you should know that there is a difference between having a vintage or a classic car and just having a car that is junk and useless. If a car is neglected, dangerous even just by sitting in the garage, and attracts a lot of stray animals and insects, then maybe you should scrap it. A car like that will only bring down the local property prices and be a liability.
What to do with an unwanted classic car?
Well, after reading the previous section, if you are reconsidering scrapping your classic car and wondering what you should do about it, then keep on reading, folks!
Try and find a buyer who values classic cars and trust me, scrapyards do not.
The first thing that you should do is talk to the scrapyard owner of your choice and ask them what the scrapyard does with a classic car. They might give you an easy solution and take the car off of your hands without scrapping it. They might resell it, fix it, or do something else with it that doesn’t include pissing car enthusiasts. But if you don’t want to do that, here is a thing that you can do with a classic car that you no longer want: sell it! Now let’s look at the ways that you can sell a classic car successfully.
- Pricing: Don’t overprice it; just because you are emotionally attached to it doesn’t increase its value. So be realistic and have a fair price.
- Maintenance: Make sure that the car is in running condition; you should always take it to a mechanic before selling it to be 100% sure about its quality. Fix all the small things that you can fix, as it can improve the selling price as well.
- Cleaning: This is similar to maintaining it, but the car should be clean from the inside and without any personal belongings.
- Records: As you know, taking care of a vintage car is no easy job, so make sure you have records of all the places that repaired, maintained, and restored the car. This will make it easier for the buyer to maintain it and be grateful to you.
- Research: Before selling the car, make sure to conduct proper research to see the price that other sellers are asking for the same or similar car model. This will give you an idea of what people will pay for your car and see the prices in your area or country.
- Original parts: Ensure to maintain as many of the car’s original parts as you can. Classic car collectors love the cars because of their history and rarity. The fewer the amount of modern parts, the higher the price can go.
- Description: You should have a proper description of your vehicle, listing the year, make, model, colour, kilometres, and other performance details.
- Advertisement: Most importantly, advertise the car properly. Put up ads on relevant websites in your area with recent pictures and also put ads in the newspaper to increase your reach.
Lastly, to sell a classic car, you can do it online through TradeMe and other relevant websites, especially for selling and buying a classic car. Or as mentioned above, you could also sell it through a newspaper advertisement.
Just a note, we do not buy classic cars to scrap, unfortunately. We mainly buy old scrap cars to recycle them by using their re-usable parts and classic cars do not have a massive market in New Zealand.
