Remove personal items first
Before your car is collected, remove your belongings and anything you are entitled to keep. Check the glovebox, centre console, boot, under the seats, door pockets and storage trays. Old parking permits, receipts, insurance documents and service paperwork are often left behind.
Clear personal data
Remove phones, dashcams, sat navs, memory cards and garage remotes, and clear Bluetooth pairings and saved addresses from anything built in.
Be careful with valuable parts
If the quote assumed the catalytic converter, alloy wheels, battery, stereo or spare wheel are present, removing them can change the final price. Tell the buyer before collection if anything has been taken off.
What should usually stay with the car
Keys if available
Wheels needed for recovery
Battery if it was included in the quote
Catalytic converter if fitted and included
Any parts you declared as present
Number plates
If you want to keep a personalised number plate, start the DVLA retention before the car is collected. Once the car has been scrapped it may be too late.
Collection day
Make sure the car can be reached safely. If it is blocked in, has flat tyres or cannot roll, say so before the driver arrives.