Scrap my car in Edinburgh
An end-of-life car in Edinburgh, collected at no charge, paid for by bank transfer and taken to a licensed treatment facility for recycling.
- Any make, any condition
- Firm price in writing on WhatsApp
- No admin fees
Edinburgh's layout sets the terms for a collection. The City Bypass links the M8 at Hermiston Gait with the A1 at Old Craighall, and runs come in that way before turning for Leith, Gorgie, Corstorphine or Craigmillar. The centre is different: Old Town closes, New Town streets with permit-only parking, tram lines along Princes Street and Leith Walk, and controlled parking zones that stretch out through Marchmont, Bruntsfield and Newington. A recovery truck has to stop and winch from the kerb, so we need the exact street before anyone is sent. Edinburgh's Low Emission Zone has been enforced in the city centre since June 2024, and a petrol car below Euro 4 or a diesel below Euro 6 faces a penalty for driving in. If that car also needs work to pass its next MOT, it is worth comparing the repair bill with what it would fetch as it is.
Motor Salvage Group buys end-of-life cars and vans in Edinburgh and the surrounding area. Tell us the registration, whether the car starts and whether you have the V5C, and we come back with a firm price. There is no collection charge and no admin fee: the figure we quote already allows for the journey, and the figure we agree is what you are paid.
Where in Edinburgh we collect
Our drivers cover Leith, Portobello, Morningside, Gorgie, Corstorphine, Newington, Craigmillar, Granton, Sighthill, Wester Hailes, Stockbridge and Gilmerton, across the EH1, EH2, EH3, EH4, EH5 and 14 more postcode areas. If your postcode is not listed, send it with the reg anyway and we will confirm on WhatsApp whether we can collect.
How collection works in Edinburgh
Fort William to Edinburgh is around 145 miles, so collections in the capital are scheduled, not sent on the day you get in touch. Edinburgh and Lothian jobs are grouped into runs, the date and time window are agreed when you accept the price, and the driver rings on approach. You are paid by bank transfer, and the licensed ATF issues the Certificate of Destruction and notifies the DVLA once the car is scrapped.
Getting the car ready for collection
Scrapping is final, so check nothing of value is left in the car. Do not forget a personalised plate: once the car is destroyed the number cannot be recovered, so retain it through the DVLA first, as what to sort out before you scrap a car explains. Take out your belongings, any removable stereo or sat nav, and service books you might want to keep. On the day, have photo ID, any keys you have and the V5C if you have it. If a wheel will not turn after months standing, mention it when you send the reg so the right equipment comes to Edinburgh.
How a scrap price is worked out
A car at the end of its life is valued mostly on weight and metal, so a large estate or 4x4 usually carries more value than a small hatchback, and mileage makes little difference. Completeness matters: a car with its catalytic converter, battery and wheels still fitted is worth more than one that has been stripped. The make and model count where the engine or gearbox is in demand, and a newer car with one costly fault may be worth more if you look at selling it as a broken car. Distance from Fort William and how easy the car is to load are part of the figure, which is why there is no separate collection charge. Scrap metal prices move, so we tell you how long the price stands.
After the car has gone: the DVLA and your certificate
The piece of paper that matters is the Certificate of Destruction. The licensed treatment facility issues it when your car is scrapped, not us, and it shows the vehicle was destroyed legally; the facility also informs the DVLA. Selling to us counts as a sale to the motor trade, so report the sale to the DVLA yourself as well. GOV.UK says you can be fined if you do not, and until the DVLA knows, you are still recorded as the keeper. You can cancel the insurance once the car has been collected, as there is no need to wait for the certificate. Keep the certificate with your records, alongside the date the car left Edinburgh, in case a letter about it ever arrives.
Read our full guide to scrapping a car, see how we price and collect, or ask for a firm price.
Three steps. One WhatsApp message.
You never fill in a long form or wait on hold. Send the reg, we do the rest.
- 1
Send your reg on WhatsApp
Message us your registration and postcode, with a line on condition and a photo or two if the car is damaged. Or use the quote form, which opens WhatsApp with your details filled in.
- 2
Get a firm price
We price on weight, make and model, condition and completeness, demand for its parts, distance and that week's metal prices, then reply with one figure. No range, and no haggling on the doorstep if the car is as described.
- 3
Collected and paid
We agree a collection date. The driver checks the car against your description and sees your ID, and you are paid by bank transfer.
Other ways we can help in Edinburgh
Sell broken car in Edinburgh
Sell a car that will not start, has a fault or failed its MOT. No repairs, free collection, paid by bank transfer.
Learn moreAuto salvage in Edinburgh
Sell a written-off, crashed, flooded or fire-damaged car. We price on the whole vehicle, not just its weight.
Learn moreCar scrappers in Edinburgh
Spot a legitimate car scrapper: traceable payment, a permitted ATF and a Certificate of Destruction when the car is scrapped.
Learn moreScrap yard in Edinburgh
Skip the trip to a scrap yard. We collect end-of-life cars free, pay by bank transfer and use licensed facilities.
Learn moreBreakers yard in Edinburgh
Breakers yard near you? We collect your car free to be broken by licensed partners. We buy cars; we do not sell parts.
Learn moreAuto breakers in Edinburgh
Sell your car for its parts value. We price what still works, collect free and pay by bank transfer.
Learn moreCar dismantlers in Edinburgh
How a licensed facility dismantles a car: depollution, parts recovery, recycling and, once it is scrapped, your Certificate of Destruction.
Learn moreElectric car scrap in Edinburgh
Scrap an EV or hybrid safely. Battery handled by specialist licensed partners. Free collection, paid by bank transfer.
Learn moreQuestions people ask us
My car is in a permit parking zone in Edinburgh. Do I need to arrange anything?
Tell us the street and the zone when you send the reg. The driver loads from the kerb, so on a narrow street or one beside the tram lines we plan the approach in advance. If the car is taxed, insured and has a valid MOT, moving it to a wider road beforehand can help. If it is not road legal, do not drive it, even a short way.
Do you collect from Leith and Portobello as well as the centre?
Yes. Leith, Portobello, Granton and Musselburgh are covered, along with the western suburbs out to Corstorphine, South Gyle and Ratho. Towns further out, such as Dalkeith or Penicuik, may be on the same run: send the postcode with the reg and we will confirm on WhatsApp whether we can collect.
Is an Edinburgh LEZ penalty a reason to sell the car?
Not on its own. The zone only affects driving in the city centre, so a non-compliant car can still be used elsewhere. It becomes a reason when the car also needs costly work, such as repairs to pass an MOT. We price the car as it is from the reg and its condition, so you can weigh that figure against the repair bill.
What documents should I have ready when the car is collected?
Photo ID, the V5C logbook if you have it, and any keys you have. Hold back the yellow section of the V5C: either post it to the DVLA, or report the sale online with the 11-digit reference and keep the slip. With no logbook, bring proof you own the car, such as a purchase receipt, and write to the DVLA instead.
Should I take the battery or catalytic converter off before the car is scrapped?
No. Both are part of what the car is worth, and the price we quote assumes they are still fitted. Taking them off lowers the figure and gives you something else to dispose of. If either has already gone, or the converter was stolen, say so when you send the reg so the price is right first time.
My car still has finance on it. Can I scrap it?
Not until the finance is dealt with. A car on hire purchase or PCP belongs to the finance company until the agreement is settled, so settle it first or get the lender's written permission to sell. Mention the agreement when you ask for a price, so the collection can be planned around it.
Does mileage change what I get for a scrap car?
Very little. A car at the end of its life is valued mainly on its weight and metal, with some extra where the engine, gearbox or catalytic converter are in demand. Mileage starts to matter when a car is worth more for its parts, so mention it when you send the reg.
Scrap your car in Edinburgh: send us the reg
Send your reg on WhatsApp for a firm price, or call us. Free collection, paid by bank transfer.