Your car is very much like a pet. It has been with you for years and you’ve had plenty of good times with it. But just like most things, your vehicle has to withstand and eventually give in to abuse. Even if you may have taken good care of it, the time comes when you have to pull the plug. And it’s time to let go and scrap your car.

How do you know when it is time to junk your vehicle? After all, you deem it reliable and have grown familiar with it. It can be a difficult process to determine when you need to sell your old car, and you have to be meticulous about it.

If it costs you a hefty amount of money to care for your car, or if it is no longer safe or legal to drive, then it’s a telltale sign that it’s the end of the road. You then have to consider your options for unloading it (Scrap any model of car immediately UK).

7 Main Reasons For Junking Your Car

1. Maintenance, repairs, and caring for it have become costly

You may not have to bother about your car payment, but have you taken into account your monthly expenses for its repairs and maintenance?

Upon reaching 150,000 miles, the engine and transmission of a car begin to deteriorate. Its windows, whether automatic- or even old-fashioned roller- get squeaky and slow, or it may no longer work at all. Repairs for minor problems such as these can add up quite quickly, especially when it comes to accessing available parts as well as paying for labour.

Then the malfunctioning door locks or the seats cannot be adjusted anymore. If components of your vehicle like its trunk lock, gas tank door, or automatic locking keys start to fail, then the time may be right to junk it.

2. Can it keep up with safety ratings?

Newer vehicles are designed with sophisticated safety equipment and are expected to adhere to stringent safety ratings. New technology in cars fits them out with airbags along with other equipment that can keep drivers and passengers safe in case of serious accidents. Basically, it’s dangerous to drive a car that doesn’t have airbags.

Another functional safety mechanism incorporated in new cars is Bluetooth technology wherein the driver can talk on their phone hands-free while inside their vehicle. Its GPS feature can guide you to where you want to go instead of getting confused and lost about direction. You wouldn’t want to end up on the wrong side of town.

Do you still have wires dangling on your dashboard when you plug into your old audio port? Then it’s time. Your car needs to be scrapped.

3. Your family is growing

It may be time to replace your two-seater from college now that you’re settled down and starting your family. You’re thinking of keeping your old vehicle in the garage, but all it will do is take up dust and cost you money in the long run.

If trading is not an option, or if doing so wouldn’t give you sufficient value, then junking your car is a practical idea.

Cars that are junked aren’t always broken or beat up. But scrapping them is a smarter move than dealing with the fuss and hassles of selling them.

4. It has low resale or trade value

It will be tricky to sell your car if it reaches 150,000 miles. Or if you ever get something at all, its trade-in value will significantly plummet.

You may have taken proper care with your car, but high mileage sends a signal to buyers and dealers alike that it will be expensive to buy it.

To be done with it fast and once and for all, scrap your car and get cash for it. The last thing you’ll want to do is to hassle with a dealer or beg a buyer to get it off your keeping.

5. Your social status has improved

Perhaps you’ve grown beyond your old car, what with you starting a new corporate job. By all means, you have to walk the talk and dress the part. It is time to drive a new updated car and get rid of the old one. After all, there are a lot of people that you need to impress. As you progress in status, so should the make and model of your car.

6. Rust has become an issue

It’s not that rust really is bad, as long as there’s just little of it. You may have bought a vehicle for your daily commute two years ago and didn’t bother about the rust spots. Then again, it is a sign of additional troubles to come if rust has become an issue.

It is a particular cause for concern if rust has pervaded the undercarriage of your vehicle because this component serves as its support. Is the frame rusting as well? Then consider that its other functioning part may be the same.

Before it becomes a junker, let go of your car. But it is already that if it is really rusted out, so scrap it.

7. Its title is missing

Have you obtained a car or inherited one without a title? If you get a title for your old vehicle, you’ll have to do so through a long, tedious and costly process. You could actually decide that the time and effort are not worth it.

You cannot sell a car that doesn’t have a title, too. It is illegal. Left with no other options, you can just scrap your vehicle.

Conclusion

For the above and other reasons, you may be thinking about disposing of your old car. But then again, make sure that you do it according to the guidelines of the law.

You and your car have been through so much together, and finally saying goodbye to it can be tough. But it has to be done, anyway, and you can likewise make money out of it. Do things right and all will be well when you part ways with your car.

Read: Debunking 8 Common Car Driving Myths in the UK