How Car Wreckers Value Your Damaged Car
Your car may have experienced damage from floods, stolen parts, or a bad accident. Instead of leaving it to rust, you can make a bit of money from it. Car wreckers can identify and recover parts of your car that are still usable.
Nowadays, you can sell your car in any shape and get quick money. You can check out companies like Car Wreckers Hamilton to get more insight. So, if you’re wondering how much you can get from your old and damaged car, here’s a quick look as to how car wreckers determine the value:
- They Consider The Model And Brand Of Your Car
Not all cars are created equal. Older cars will most likely have outdated parts that may be difficult to sell. Likewise, if your car is a luxury vehicle like a BMW or Mercedes Benz, the parts may be sold at a good price. This means that car wreckers may place more value on luxury cars than very old models or non-luxury vehicles.
- Usable Spare Parts
No matter how damaged your car is, chances are its spare parts are still reusable for someone looking for spares. Here’s a list of spare parts that can be recovered from your car:
- Mirrors
- Transmission system
- Car seats
- Engines and engine parts
- Windows and windshields in good condition
- Taillights, headlights, and blinkers
- Exhaust system parts
Your car engine is still likely to hold value even after a bad accident. Car wreckers can remove car engines and transmissions and sell them for a decent amount. So, if your car is badly damaged, don’t throw it away as you can get something out of it. See Car Wreckers Rotorua to get more insight on spare parts.
- Valuable Electronic Components
These are mostly found in modern cars. Car electronic components include electronic modules, starter motors, entertainment systems, and alternators. These can be removed by car wreckers and resold. Most of them are very valuable.
- Tires And Wheels
Second-hand car tires and wheels can still be sold to other car owners. Unless your car tyres have holes larger than 5 to 6mm, they can be repaired and resold. Car wreckers can easily determine whether your damaged car tyers are still valuable.
- The Car’s Catalytic Converter
This device controls the exhaust emission of your car. It also reduces pollutants from a car’s exhaust fumes. Brand new replacements for catalytic converters can be very costly. If you have a car powered by an internal combustion engine like diesel and gasoline, chances are it uses a catalytic converter. Catalytic converters contain precious metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium, which make them valuable targets for thieves looking to sell them for scrap. Installing a cat shield can help deter theft and protect your vehicle’s exhaust system.
Car wreckers can also recover catalytic converters from damaged cars and resell them for a good amount of money.
- Hazardous Materials In Your Car
It’s not unusual for damaged cars to have hazardous materials in them. This refers to anything that’ll possibly affect the safety of the vehicle and/or cause injury to the driver or occupants, such as:
- Molds – When cars are flooded, molds may develop inside over time as a result of moisture. Mold has a toxic smell and can cause health issues. These include allergic reactions, and sometimes long-term respiratory issues.
- Aftermath of Accidents – It’s highly likely that your car will have blood stains after getting involved in an accident. This is enough for a car to be marked with a biohazard status.
A common hazardous material found in damaged cars is sodium azide. it’s the propellant used in airbags. Hence, it’s found in cars that have been involved in accidents. Another hazardous material is mercury. Mercury may be found in high-intensity headlamps, screens, and anti-lock brake systems.
Car wreckers will dismantle your car and take special care to dispose of hazardous materials. This process may also affect the value of your damaged vehicle.
- Extent Of Damage
When a vehicle is completely wrecked, it may be difficult for car wreckers to recover spare parts from it as most of them will be damaged too. This means that they will not be able to make a decent amount from selling your car’s spare parts. Thus, your car may be valued lower.
- The Rest Of The Car
After all the processes have been done, what remains of the vehicle is not just disposed of. Rather, it’s processed further. Car wreckers will go on to remove the heating system, wiring, air-conditioning system, and harnesses.
After ensuring that the car is completely stripped off, car wreckers usually crush what remains of the damaged car into a chuck. This is then sold for recycling to a steel mill.
Conclusion
If you have a damaged car, there’s still something you could do about it. You can take it to a car wrecker service of your choice. They will carefully dismantle and recover parts of your car that can be fixed or are still usable. All the processes discussed will help them estimate the value of your car before they buy it.
