Selling an old car for removal is usually the easy part. The tow truck turns up, the driver hooks it on, you get paid, and the thing that has been leaking onto your driveway for two years is finally gone. What catches people out is the half hour before that – the plates still bolted on, the spare key in a kitchen drawer, the garage remote clipped to the visor, the paperwork nobody mentioned until afterwards.
Here is a straightforward run-through for Perth sellers, including the WA-specific bits that trip people up.
Sort the paperwork first
Your number plates stay with you
In Western Australia, plates belong to the registered owner, not the vehicle. When you sell a car for wrecking or removal, the plates come off and stay with you – they do not go on the truck. You can hand them back to the Department of Transport, or hold onto them if you have a plate you want to keep or transfer to another vehicle. Take a photo of the plate number before you unscrew them; you will need it for the paperwork.
If there is registration left on the car, returning the plates to DoT is also how you start any refund of the unused portion.
Lodge a Notification of Disposal
Once the car is gone, you need to tell the Department of Transport you no longer own it by lodging a Notification of Disposal. This is the step that protects you. Until it is lodged, the vehicle is still recorded against your name, and anything that happens with it – infringements, abandonment, storage issues – can land back on you. It can be done online through DoTDirect and takes a few minutes.
ID, ownership and finance
You will need valid photo ID at pickup. You do not have to be the registered owner – plenty of cars are sold by a family member, an executor, or someone clearing out a deceased estate or a rental property – but the ID has to be current and the sale has to be legitimate.
Two things that will stop a sale: a vehicle still under finance, and a vehicle that is not lawfully yours to sell. If you are not certain whether an old loan was ever cleared, a PPSR check will tell you before you waste anyone’s time. Bodies with no chassis are also a no.
Empty the car properly
Once a vehicle reaches a licensed wrecking yard it gets dismantled, so anything left inside is effectively gone. Do a slow lap with the doors open rather than a quick glance.
- Glovebox and centre console – service books, sunglasses, loose cash, USB sticks
- Under and between the seats – phones, cards, and the things that fell down there in 2019
- Boot and spare wheel well – tools, jumper leads, camping gear, the spare tyre if you want to keep it
- Sun visor and door pockets – garage remotes, SmartRider cards, parking permits, gate fobs
- Roof racks, tow balls, bike carriers, dash cams and aftermarket stereos – remove them if you want them, because they leave with the car otherwise
- Personal documents – anything with your name, address or account details on it
Also cancel your insurance policy on the vehicle, but do it after the car has actually been collected, not the night before.
Keys and what actually affects the offer
Round up every key you have, including the spare in the drawer and the one on your partner’s keyring. A missing key rarely stops a removal, but having them all is one less thing to sort out on the day.
More relevant to what you are paid: the car’s make and model, its weight, whether major components are still in it, and current scrap metal values. Stripping parts off before the truck arrives usually works against you – a car missing its battery, wheels or catalytic converter is worth less than the same car intact. If you have already sold parts off it, mention that when you call so the quote reflects reality.
Clear the way for the truck
Tow trucks need room and a straight path out. Before pickup, move other cars off the driveway, unlock any gates, and clear bins, trailers or garden waste from around the vehicle. Flat tyres, seized brakes and cars parked nose-in against a fence are all workable – the driver deals with that daily – but it helps to mention it when you book so the right truck is sent.
If the car is in a strata complex or on a verge, have a think about access and let the yard know when you call.
What the day itself looks like
Cash For Cars Perth covers the Perth metro area from a licensed wrecking yard at 5 Hantke Place, Welshpool, where vehicles are dismantled and recycled. Removal is free and usually same-day – often within two to three hours if you call before midday on 0420 262 651. Payment is cash or instant OSKO transfer, handled before the car leaves your property, not after.
Running, non-running, accident-damaged, flood or fire-damaged, deregistered, written-off – cars, utes, trucks, vans and 4WDs are all bought, with up to $9,999 paid depending on the vehicle. Metro only, though: Bunbury and further south are outside the service area.
Ready when you are
Plates off, car emptied, paperwork ready, driveway clear. That is the whole job. When you have worked through the list, call 0420 262 651 for a quote – the yard is open Monday to Saturday, 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM.