6 Things You Should Know Before Scrapping Your Car

Vehicles play an undeniable role in increasing environmental pollution. Governments have been implementing corrective measures to curb emissions and control pollution levels. The Government of India has announced a scrapping policy to get rid of old vehicles, which are the root cause for the increased emissions.

Scrapping means cutting the car into pieces and recycling it for varying purposes. A few factors you need to be aware of before handing over the vehicle for scrapping.

When to Scrap Your Vehicle?

The main reasons for scrapping a car are life, condition and fitness. Let’s look into the occasions where you should scrap the car.

• If the car is severely damaged in an accident – At times, the damage may be beyond acceptable limits. You may not get a fitness certificate even after repair and reconditioning if the strengthening members of the body are heavily damaged.
• If the life of the car reached the maximum permissible limit – Every vehicle is authorized to be used for a certain period only. In regions like Delhi, you can drive a diesel vehicle only for 10 years and a petrol one for 15 years. The life may be extended if the vehicle is in good condition and it passes the fitness checks.
• The car that was not in use for a long period – The vehicle need to be scrapped if it has remained unused for a longer period of time than normal. And it cannot be made serviceable after overhauling also.

The Procedure for Scrapping a Car

The government has approved a few scrapping agencies for the service. You need to approach any of the scrapers along with the documents. The scraper would scrap the car after perusing the documents. And would provide you with the scrap certificate stating that the vehicle of the subject registration number has been scrapped.

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The documents to be submitted for scrapping the vehicle are stipulated by the government. The documents to be submitted for scrapping the car are:

• Copy of RC book
• Certificate stating that the car is unfit for use
• PAN details
• Bank account details for receiving the amount post scrapping of the car
• Cancelled cheque
• A death certificate would also be required if the registered owner of the car is not alive

6 Things You Should Know Before Scrapping the Car

We are elaborating on the six things that you should know before scrapping your car. Make a note of these points before preparing to scrap your vehicle.

1. Planning is Important for Scrapping the Vehicle Properly

The vehicles that have completed the approved life have to be scrapped without fail. Using the car even after the stated life period will invite heavy fines and legal complications to the owner. Plan at least a month in advance before the last authorized date of use.

2. Can I Extend the Life of the Vehicle?

You can also consider extending the life of the car instead of scrapping it. Two things you must confirm here; whether the vehicle is in a condition to obtain a fitness certificate and whether keeping the car for use rather than scrapping is financially beneficial. Regions like Delhi have a strict vehicle scrap policy. The fitness inspection process is also stringent in such areas. Hence, the car must be in really good condition if you want to avoid scraping.

3. Taking the Decision

It’s a painful thing to watch your beloved car going down the hammer. Decide after adequate analysis and ascertainment regarding scrapping. Once you have finalized it, go to the nearest government approved scrap yard for further process. Don’t forget to carry the requisite documents for scrapping.

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4. Arrange the Documents

The documents we have specified in one of the previous sections need to be carried for scrapping the car. If you are not the owner of the car, authorization from the owner is mandatory for initiating the process. A death certificate is required if the owner of the car is not alive.

5. Deregister the Scrapped Car

Don’t get the scrapping done on any centre. But, you should approach only the government-authorized scrap centre for scrapping the car. The agency will release the documents, including the images of the car post scrapping and the chassis number after scrapping. The details would be uploaded to the VAHAN system after six months of scrapping.

6. Amount for the Scrapped Vehicle

The scrap centre would pay a specific amount for the scrapped car. Most of the metal parts would be recycled. Don’t expect much from the scrapped car. The price paid per kilogram of metal is around Rs. 15-20. You can consider selling the individual components separate if those are in working condition. This is another reason for planning the scrapping well in advance. So that you can find buyers for different parts and accessories.

Although the scrapping policy is designed to reduce pollution caused by vehicles, it is also expected to boost the automobile industry. The buying and selling cycle is presumed to augment with more cars and other vehicles being removed from the road. Strict regulations from the government are necessary for controlling the rapidly increasing pollution. And vehicle scrapping is intended for the same.

On the other hand, monitoring and controlling factory emissions also is vital to maintaining healthy air.