Car dismantlers for Atherton: free collection to a licensed facility

Dismantling an end-of-life car legally needs an authorised site, trained staff and proper handling of every fluid, which is why it cannot be done on a driveway. Our part is to buy the car from you in Atherton, collect it on a recovery vehicle at no charge and take it to a facility authorised to do the work.

We buy the car and handle the collection from Atherton; the dismantling itself is done by a licensed partner facility. Before you hand the driver the V5C, tear off the yellow V5C/3 slip. You then tell the DVLA you have sold the car to the motor trade, either online with the V5C reference number or by filling in the slip and posting it. If you tell the DVLA online, keep the slip with your records. We do not sell the parts the facility recovers.

Atherton is about 300 miles from our Fort William base, and collections here are grouped with other north-west and Cheshire collections, including Crewe, into scheduled runs that come round less often than our Scottish ones. We agree the date when you accept the price. Tell us where the car is parked and how close a truck can get. Postcodes, districts and how collection runs in Atherton are on our page for Atherton.

Dismantling, stage by stage

Here, in brief, is what happens once the recovery truck pulls away from Atherton. At the facility the car is booked in and checked against the details recorded at collection. Trained staff drain its fuel, oil, coolant and refrigerant and remove the battery, tyres and airbags. Parts worth reusing are taken off and stored. The bare shell goes to a shredder, which reduces it to small pieces so that ferrous and non-ferrous metals can be separated and recycled. The facility, not us, records the car as destroyed with the DVLA and issues the Certificate of Destruction when the car is scrapped.

Preparing a car for dismantling

Your part in dismantling is short, and most of it happens before collection. Have photo identification ready and, if you have the V5C, check that it shows you as keeper; if it does not, or it is lost, tell us before we agree a price. If the car has a private registration you want to keep, apply to the DVLA to retain it now, because it cannot be moved once the car has been scrapped. Remove personal items, including anything in the boot and door pockets. Leave the battery and fluids alone: depollution is done at the facility. If you do take any parts off, let us know before the price is agreed. Finally, mention anything that affects loading, such as flat tyres, a seized handbrake or a tight driveway.

Unlicensed dismantling and why to avoid it

The certificate is the reason the destination matters. A Certificate of Destruction shows that your car was treated and destroyed legally, and only an Authorised Treatment Facility can issue one. A yard without that authorisation cannot, however convincing its paperwork looks. The facilities we use are licensed partners, and we will name the one taking your car from Atherton if you ask. When the certificate arrives, keep it with the DVLA's confirmation that you sold the car to the motor trade and a note of the price and the collection date. Together they answer any later question about the car.

Read our full guide to how car dismantling works, see how we price and collect, or send us the reg.