The exhaust became a bit noisy on the old Primera GT a few months back, and the local tyre/exhaust place showed me all the rusted joints, that it was blowing at the front, and that the baffles had collapsed at the back, and it really needed a whole new exhaust system. Which would be £500.

It's a 13 year old car with a dent in the back, and 138K miles. It's doubtful it'd be worth £500 even in perfect working order. And this is on top of spending about £300 to get it through the last MOT.

I was thinking I'd run it until the tax ran out, which was end of Jan. But last week I decided it was worth hanging onto and bought another 6 months of tax. And guess what happens on the 1st Feb? Now it sounds like it hasn't got an exhaust (maybe it fell off, I haven't looked). I know some on here would probably pay to make that much noise, but not me.

It's probably the best car I've ever owned, considering how little it cost me (£1K), how many gazillion miles I've done in it, how reliable it's been, and how much fun it is to drive.

I've never been in a position of scrapping a car before. Any tips? Is it reasonable to expect to get any cash, or should I just consider myself lucky if somebody will collect it for free?

 

If you don't get a buyer i'd take that off your hands as a summer project to fiddle with

Scrapping, you might get £100 ... maybe £150, I don't think they care if it's running or not.

You'd probably get your money back cashing the taxi in ....

 

You may be able to get a new section fabricated cheaply or something.

Can you not PX it against something terribly exciting like a new Kia Embarrassment or something?

 

A scrapper will tell you it's worth nothing but he'll take it off your hands etc. etc.

You want £100 for it minimum.

Alternatively, why not try http://www.partsfinder.co.uk/ - it emails scapyards all over the country and tells them what you're looking for, they'll then contact you offering parts if they have them, and you can have them couriered to your door. I kept the Saab beater we had running for a couple of years on a Haynes manual and parts found this way.

 

Mark,

there's a Victor Muller of Spyker BV, who's interested in how you did that...

 

I can imagine the email going to the scrappers now;

From: Partsfinder
To: Scrapper

Subject: Parts for Saab

I am looking for 10000 short engines of various capacities, 3000 entire shells for the 2010 9-5 (or shells for the previous version and an experienced panelbeater), 7000 shells for the 9-3 and assorted electrical and transmission items.
Can swap for slightly offbeat Dutch supercar.

V. Muller.

 

The local scrapyard gave me £50 for it today. Maybe I should have shopped around, but I couldn't really be bothered and have already been putting it off for 2 weeks. And at least I get the tax and insurance refund (about £200).

I feel quite sad really.

And it means I now have only one car for the first time in four years.

 

i'd have welded up the exhaust!

 

Funny how we get sentimental about this old jap crap!

Go buy something old & bonkers.