first thing is this may be in the wrong section, but I'll let Q sort that out...

I need to get fully info'd on the rules regarding breaking up of written off cars. Shortly I shall be taking possession again of the car I crashed a few weeks ago. Part of the rules of me having the car is, when I'm finished with it, I need to get it certified when broken up.

I've heard conflicting views on this, so I could really do with some expert knowledge of people who have salvage experience with cars that were NOT to be allowed on the road again. (like I'd even try that with my wreck!)

I don't know a) If there is a time limit on the period I can keep my wreck before getting it offiicially scrapped? (I could theoretically keep it stored for years) what are rules on spares and bits I take off my wreck? I've heard rumours about not being allowed to sell on these parts, even if they're perfectly fine! :eek: c) What about the DVLA? They're gonna want to know the car is being scrapped, so, even though the car is in my hands, should I be sending the V5 back to Swansea telling them the car is no longer on road-worthy, or do I send it back with some scrapped certificate?

My best way would be to send the V5 to the DVLA with a couple of piccies I plan to take, of my mate driving over the wreck in a huge swingshovel.

Any assistance with my confusion regarding salvage will be extremely welcome!

Cheers

Might be worth getting in touch with a1topdog. He may be able to shed some light on this.

Jason, read this fact sheet which might contain at least one answer you seek. If the insurer keeps the V5 and surrenders it, and passes legal title of the wreckage to you, I would have thought that you could break the car for bits and sell them without any problems. But maybe there is more to it than that.

Hmmm

Insurer told me to retain the V5 because they only want it if their the one's that will be disposing of the wreckage... This only added to my confusion.

I think I really need to study the V5 accurately to see what it says on it. To be honest I've only ever looked at it twice, for the couple of times I taxed the car.

Jason, as the insurance company aren't interested, para 8 on the back of the V5 would appear to apply, ie you should only tell DVLA that the vehicle has been scrapped if it has actually been broken up or destroyed by you. Are you going to get a refund on the tax disc? If so, DVLA will presumably need a SORN signed by you.

Are you going to get a refund on the tax disc? If so, DVLA will presumably need a SORN signed by you.

I'm not as stupid as I look (which is quite stupid). I took the tax disc out the car straight away (I'll admit it was the recovery bloke that told me to do it) and did the S.O.R.N thingy the first monday after the crash - and I already have received a cheque for 4 months tax and got it in my bank account.

Once I got a look at my car inside the garage, under good light, I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that this car was never ever going to be repaired, which is why I spent a feverish few minutes removing everything aftermarket out of it...

C'est la vie.

Cheers

Jason,

I think the main issue is that with a valid V5 and a written off car, in theory a similar car could be purloined and the identity from your wreck transferred to the new car. That's why things were tightened up a little. I'm sure I have read about this more but I'm darned if I can remember where.

Check the DVLA (or whatever they are called now) website to see if there are any rules that you should be aware of.

Quick Google has returned this site, which makes interesting reading.

Jason, my comments about the tax disc were an attempt to be helpful - not to cast aspersions on you. You have obviously been very busy since the big day. :(

Thats OK Denis - I didn't mean that statement to sound derogatory... It was meant to be more mickey taking out of myself... sorry.

Howard - I'm gonna scan that website now - seems similar to Denis' find though, which looks equally useful.

Cheers

EXCELLENT edit: I just took this quote from that website:

Category A or B vehicles

Under the Code, vehicles categorised as either A or B are considered to be so severely accident damaged that they

should never reappear on the road. These vehicles should therefore not be subject to a VIC. Category A, vehicles

should be destroyed completely and Category B vehicles should be dismantled for salvageable parts.

My car was deemed a category B write-off. I'm kind of glad it wasn't a category A else I probably would have come off a fair bit worse, health-wise. So I'm not allowed to try and repair the Furby, which I never ever would want to, and all I need to do is to surrender my V5 to the DVLA as a scrapper for salvage like Denis said.

[wipes sweat from brow] *phew

Cheers

:moved:

since you asked for it... and take this :minus1: too Batman!

I didn't think talk about furbies was allowed in the drawing room, so I refrained from posting it there...

:minus1: to you too! :P

Part of the rules of me having the car is' date=' when I'm finished with it, I need to get it certified when broken up.

Cheers[/quote']

This doesn't sound correct - this is why.

If you crashed your car and the insurance company certified it as a write off they would also give it a write off category - B,C or D.

C's require a VIN check before they can go can on the road - you do not get issued with a V5 before this check has taken place. - If you have a V5 your car can't be a CAT C.

D's - don't need a VIN check and you will more than likely have the V5. If you don't you can still apply for it from the DVLA - no problems there. - This could be your car - but there would not be any instruction placed on you to scrap the car. You can do with it as you please.

B's - these are Breaker Only cars that can never go back on the road. The spares can be sold but the shell must be scrapped.

You make yours sound like it is a "B" , but it can't be because these are only sold by the insurance companies (maybe via a middleman) to licensed car breakers. This is to do with all of the environmental issues regard disposal of the waste. - The insurance company would not let you keep it to break yourself unless you had the relevant breaker / disposal licenses.

If I was you I'd call your insurance company and ask what Category they have class your damaged car as.

MOVED:- to General.

Think this is a car topic not a lifestyle topic.... unless Jason plans to make a habit of this

Its deffo category B AND they had no problem releasing the car to me (for 10% of market value though, which was fair enough)

It was this license thing which got me - I deliberately told them I was not intending to sell on any spare parts to Joe Public, because I really wanted it as spares for a new Fabia, which is what I did tell them. It's just that I was thinking if I had good solid parts on the wreck which I've no need for, why not let the Briskoda gang have the option of using them, especially if their need is a lot more dire than mine.

Cheers

(ps: this clarification is proving most excellent! - [*does "Bill & Ted" air guitar move ])

... (for 10% of market value though ...

10% of scrap value, or 10% of actual value if not, err, damaged?

mode>

What is the scrap value for your car, or aren't you allowed to say?

That handy to know....

I'm sure all you'll have to do now is send off the V5 declaring the car has been scrapped.

I'm not sure what its like in your area , but the last time i tried to scrap a car I had to pay the breaker to take it away. This is because the scrap value of metal is now next to nothing.

Be prepaired for this unexpected cost.

Your local council may take it away for free or a small charge, if you are lucky (to stop you dumping it on the street) - but my council want the V5 before collecting the car - which you don't have - its worth giving yours a call though.

Simon - I don't saying the scrap value - basically insurers are knocking

Jason under EC regulations to bury cars would require you to produce a EIA (Environmental Impact Assesment)! But I'll keep it hush hush!

Be fun to dig it up in 15 years time.....

Jason under EC regulations to bury cars would require you to produce a EIA

What about if you wanted to dump it in a lake/pond?

Rob.

Jason under EC regulations to bury cars would require you to produce a EIA (Environmental Impact Assesment)! But I'll keep it hush hush!

EC regs mean diddly squat for half the things that go on down here. Besides, this swingshovel can dig a 27 foot deep hole, whilst sat in one spot, so good luck to the poor EC regs dept employee with a shovel trying to gain evidence! :P

Besides, it will just be put alongside all the other bits of scrap machinery down there - It's amazing how much scrap machinery a farm can produce in two or three decades!

Cheers

PS: boo-hiss to the EU rules. They suck!

Jason

Have PM'd you

Jason, why not do the obvious and ask the DVLA - they have an excellent website - http://www.dvla.gov.uk/ and are usually very helpful people. Get it from the horse's mouth, instead of all this hearsay (apologies to all my learned briskodian colleagues, but we're not getting definite answers, only conjecture).

So - get the write-off class from LV and ring the DVLA and ask - sorted!

Sagely advice

Sagely advice

He knows his onions