Here at Take My Scrap Car, we always like to think of our company as something of a comprehensive resource in terms of advising and helping members of the public when it comes to key automotive matters. We cannot claim to be 100% knowledgeable on every single subject and now would we wish to be. Nonetheless, in terms of cars that are quite ready for recycling, we like to think we know a few things.

Which is the reason we’re also fairly well educated on the process of buying second-hand cars – especially with the intention of avoiding taking home a rust-bucket. It is really not until it happens to you that you can appreciate the horror of buying what seemed to be a true bargain on the surface, only to discover pretty quickly it only has one destination…the scrap yard. 

So with this in mind, here is a short overview of a few useful tips for avoiding taking home a rust-bucket and having to call Take My Scrap Car much sooner than you would have liked:

1 – Be Realistic
First up, the most important rule of all to follow in terms of buying second-hand cars is that if it appears too good to be true, it almost surely is. Just as is the case with new cars, second-hand cars at any level have something of a list or standard price which you could expect to pay for them. That means that if you find what seems to be a bargain for hundreds of pounds less than it should be, approach with extreme caution.

2 – Take an Expert
If you don’t know one end of a car from the other, ensure you take somebody who does. Better yet, ensure it’s somebody with comprehensive knowledge about cars who is aware of exactly where to look and the kinds of warning signs to watch out for.

3 – Run A Few Checks Online
It is worth bearing in mind that these days there are many incredibly useful online services which can tell you whether the vehicle you’re looking at has been scrapped, stolen in written off at any point in the past. This is an easy way of finding out the true details about the vehicle you’re considering, before even thinking about going ahead with an offer.

4 – Don’t Be Rushed
If the vehicle you’re looking at is great, the seller is most likely inundated with offers and it indeed is the hottest ticket in town and the seller has nothing to gain by trying to rush you. By contrast, if they are pretty desperate to get rid of it because nobody else with even a little common sense is interested, they’re much more likely to pressure you into buying it. Quite self-explanatory if you think about it.