The engine is arguably the most important part of a car – without it you’re not going to be getting anywhere. Well, what happens if you don’t have an engine? Or maybe the one you do have doesn’t work well at all? National Scrap Car has all the answers for those eventualities, showing you that there’s actually a fair number of options open to you.
Can You Scrap A Car With No Engine?
So, what can you do with a car without an engine? Driving is obviously out of the question, but you might be surprised to know that you can absolutely still scrap it. Of course you must be prepared to accept a lower offer than you might receive had your car still been complete. Scrap prices are often calculated based on the weight of the vehicle you are sending to the scrap pile, and it almost goes without saying that taking the engine out makes a car considerably lighter.
In some cases, cars sent to scrap yards may not be instantly scrapped, but instead will have their usable parts removed and sold on as spares. This is known as being sold as salvage, and often it will be for a higher value than that of a car that has been sold solely as scrap. However, again, like scrap values, it’s worth bearing in mind that a car without an engine is much less likely to be worth salvaging (the engine is one of the most valuable parts of a car), and even if it is, it will be considerably less than one without.
How to Sell a Car With a Replaced Engine?
If you decided to have your engine replaced (or replace it yourself) as a result of the previous power unit and the time has come to move on, you might be wondering whether that new engine is going to cause any issues in the long run. As with any car sale, the most important thing is to be as transparent as possible. Don’t give potential buyers any chance to haggle you down – if you’re completely honest from the outset, then there’s no chance of them ‘discovering’ an issue further into negotiations.
For further peace of mind for any potential buyers, make sure you have all of the relevant documentation pertaining to any repair works that have been carried out. This will provide an accurate description of everything your car has been through, and again ensures that prospective buyers don’t have any nasty surprises, or negotiation tactics to latch on to.
Is it worth replacing an engine in a car?
Working out whether or not it’s worth replacing your car’s engine depends entirely on what the car is, and what you intend to do with it afterwards. If the cost of replacing the engine is close to, or even exceeds, the value of your car, then it’s probably not going to be worth the hassle (and expense) to put a fresh one in – particularly as you’re unlikely to be covered by insurance. However, if this is a car that you intend to keep until it literally falls apart around you, then it may be worth replacing the engine if that’s the only part causing you a problem.
If you’re looking to replace the engine to boost the value of the car before a sale, then you’ll need to make sure you’re repairing it with an engine of a similar, or better, state than the one you’re replacing. However, as mentioned previously, you’ll need to be transparent with potential buyers about the fact there’s a new power unit in the car, otherwise they could use it as a bargaining chip to your detriment.
Another point to bear in mind is that if your problems run deeper than just an engine issue, you could find that even after the heavy expense of repairs, plus hours of labour, may not get your car running the way you want anyway. You could be heading down a long path, expensive path, so be prepared and make sure you get the advice of more than one expert if you’re unsure.
Summary: Should I Sell or Scrap My Car?
So, what should you do? With a dodgy engine, or no engine at all, selling your car privately might be much more trouble than it’s going to be worth. By scrapping your car, you’re taking away any of that uncertainty, particularly when it comes to the likelihood of getting the car back on the road.
If you’ve decided that scrapping your car is the best option for you, then you’re in the right place with National Scrap Car. We’re committed to finding you the very best price for your car, and by getting a free and no obligation quote you’ll see real prices in as little as 60 seconds. All you need to do is give us your reg number and postcode, and with collections available up and down the country, your car will be gone before you know it. Get started today and find out just how much you could sell your scrap car for.