If you’ve got an old, damaged, or unwanted car sitting in the driveway, you’ve probably run the numbers in your head: could you make more money pulling it apart and selling the engine, panels, and other bits separately, rather than selling the whole thing to a wrecker in one go? It’s a reasonable question – parts can sometimes add up to more than a single cash offer. But before you get the socket set out, it’s worth knowing what’s actually legal, what’s actually involved, and whether it’s worth your time.
Is it legal to part out your own car in WA?
Generally, yes – if it’s genuinely your car and you’re doing it as a one-off rather than running an ongoing operation. Western Australia’s licensing rules around dismantling vehicles and dealing in second-hand parts are aimed at businesses that trade in vehicles or parts commercially, not someone taking the engine out of their own Falcon to sell privately. That said, where a casual sale ends and “trading” begins isn’t always spelled out clearly, so if you think you’ll be doing this more than once, it’s worth a quick check with the WA Department of Transport or a licensed second-hand dealer before you start.
Regardless of whether you sell the car whole or strip it for parts, a few WA rules apply either way:
- Number plates stay with you, not the car. They come off and stay with you as the registered operator – they don’t transfer with the vehicle or its parts.
- You need to lodge a Notification of Disposal with the WA Department of Transport once the vehicle has been sold or dismantled, so your liability for it is closed off.
- Stolen vehicles, cars still under finance, and bodies with no chassis can’t legally be sold or parted out – and most buyers, wreckers included, won’t touch them.
What DIY parting out actually involves
Finding a buyer for every single part
Selling a whole car is one transaction. Selling it in pieces might be a dozen or more – engine, gearbox, panels, doors, wheels, electronics, interior trim – each needing its own buyer, its own negotiation, and often its own removal and postage or pickup. It can pay off for parts in genuine demand, but plenty of components simply won’t sell and end up sitting in the shed.
Dealing with fluids and hazardous materials properly
Before anything comes off the car, oil, coolant, fuel, brake fluid, and the battery all need to be drained and disposed of correctly – not tipped out or left sitting in the vehicle. A licensed wrecking yard handles this as standard practice. Doing it yourself means sourcing a facility that accepts used automotive fluids and batteries, and building that into your own time and effort.
What’s left over at the end
Once the useful parts are gone, you’re left with a bare shell, and that’s often the hardest part to shift. Most wreckers won’t buy a body without a chassis, since there’s little left worth recycling. You’ll typically need a separate arrangement with a metal recycler to take the shell away, which can mean more phone calls and, depending on condition, a fee to have it collected.
What actually affects value, parts or whole
A few things matter more than most people expect: how common the make and model is (popular models have more buyers chasing spare parts), whether the engine and gearbox still run, how extensive the damage is, and how many other people are already parting out the same model near you. A rare or newer vehicle with an intact drivetrain can genuinely be worth more in parts. An older, high-mileage car with a tired engine usually isn’t – the labour and hassle of parting it out often outweighs what you’d actually clear.
Selling the whole car instead
Selling as-is skips all of the above. A wrecker inspects the vehicle, makes a cash offer that accounts for its parts and scrap value, and takes it away – running or not, damaged or not, registered or deregistered. At Cash For Cars Perth, we buy cars, utes, trucks, vans, and 4WDs in any condition across the Perth metro area, including accident-damaged, flood or fire-damaged, and written-off vehicles, for up to $9,999. Towing is free and usually arranged the same day, often within two to three hours if you call before midday.
Payment is cash or instant OSKO bank transfer, handed over before the car leaves your property, and all you need to bring is valid photo ID – you don’t have to be the registered owner. We’re a licensed wrecking yard at 5 Hantke Place, Welshpool, so the vehicle is dismantled and recycled properly, no separate arrangements needed for the shell or the fluids. One note if you’re further afield: we cover Perth metro but don’t service Bunbury or areas further south.
Weighing it up
If you’ve got the time, a genuinely valuable set of parts, and a market for them, parting out your own car can work out ahead – just go in knowing it’s several transactions and a fair bit of legwork, not one. For most people with an old, damaged, or unwanted car, selling it whole is simpler, faster, and avoids being left with an empty shell nobody wants at the end.
If you’d rather skip the pulling-apart and just get paid, call Cash For Cars Perth on 0420 262 651 for a same-day quote. We’re open Monday to Saturday, 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM.