Saying goodbye to a car for the final time can be a painful, but necessary, experience. But once the decision is made what happens next? Suzanne Keane explains how to end the life of a car
Whether it’s because of damage beyond repair or because routine maintenance has become too expensive most cars will eventually reach the end of their lives.
So how do I get rid of a car?
The old banger gathering dust in the garage is no longer a option, since 2005 vehicles have to be disposed at a licenced and authorised treatment facility. These centres are responsible for making sure that any hazardous materials in a car are removed such as batteries, coolant, brake fluid and catalytic converters.
The End of Life Vehicle regulations ensure that you will be issued with a certificate of destruction for your car and that you can dispose of it without any cost – this cost is covered by the manufacturer and importer as long as the car is complete and you haven’t removed any valuable parts or filled it with other waste!! You will also need to bring the Vehicle Registration Cert with you when disposing of the car.
(If your car can’t drive to the centre you may have to pay for the transportation cost)
The manufacturer/importer of your car is required to have an authorised disposal facility in each city/council area so get in contact with them or your local council to find your nearest centre and remember if you have more than 3 months road tax remaining you will be entitled to a refund – which may be useful towards the cost of your new car!
Suzanne Keane
23rd September, 2013
