If you have a car in the driveway in Rockingham that you no longer need, you have a few ways to move it on. Which one makes sense depends on the car’s condition, whether it still drives and holds a licence, and how much time you want to put into the sale. This guide covers how selling a car works in the Rockingham area: deciding whether to sell or scrap it, what a vehicle is worth, the paperwork you need in Western Australia, and how pickup works when the car can’t be driven.
Should you sell the car or scrap it?
Start by being honest about the car’s condition. If it still runs, drives safely and has a clean licence with reasonable kilometres, it has real resale value, and a private sale or a dealer trade-in will usually get you the most for it. A tidy used car that still drives well is worth advertising properly, with clear photos and whatever service history you have.
If the car has failed a roadworthy inspection, needs repairs worth more than the car itself, has been written off, or has sat off the road so long its licence lapsed, a private sale becomes hard work. At that point the practical buyers are a licensed wrecker or a car removal service that pays for the vehicle as scrap metal and salvageable parts and tows it away. Keep in mind that a statutory write-off can never be re-licensed and is limited to parts or scrap, while a repairable write-off can go back on the road only after it passes WA’s write-off inspections (transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/vehicle/written-off-vehicles).
If you are genuinely undecided, our guide on whether to sell or scrap a car works through the trade-offs in more detail.
What affects what a car is worth
No two cars price the same, but the main things a buyer or wrecker weighs up are:
- Make, model and demand – common vehicles with a strong local parts market hold value better. An older Ford Falcon or Territory, for instance, is well past local manufacturing now, so its value leans more on parts demand than on resale.
- Age and kilometres – higher readings and older build years pull the figure down, though a well-kept older car can still do respectably.
- Condition – body damage, rust, and the state of the engine and transmission all count, and whether the car starts and drives is a big one.
- Completeness – a car that has been stripped for parts, or is missing wheels, panels or its key, is worth less.
- Licence status – an unregistered car can still be sold, it just has to be towed rather than driven.
- Location and access – where the car sits in the Perth metro area and how easily a tow truck can get to it.
Because the details decide the number, the fairest way to find out what your car is worth is to give us a call on 0420 262 651 – we price it on the specifics and confirm the figure before pickup.
Paperwork for selling a car in WA
Once a sale is agreed, the seller must notify the Department of Transport within seven days that they have ceased to be the owner of the vehicle, and provide the buyer’s name and address. Failing to notify can result in a penalty (transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/vehicle/buy-sell-transfer/sell).
Standard WA number plates stay with the vehicle and pass to the new owner. If you have personalised or optional plates you want to keep, you need to exchange them at a Department of Transport centre before the car is sold. On the day, have photo ID and something that shows you own the car, and hand over the registration papers with the vehicle if you still have them.
Pickup and access around Rockingham
If the car isn’t driveable, or you would rather not deal with buyers at all, a removal service comes to you. We cover Rockingham and the surrounding suburbs – Baldivis, Port Kennedy, Secret Harbour, Waikiki, Safety Bay and Singleton – along with the wider Peel and southern coastal area, and offer free car removal in Rockingham.
Clear a path so the tow truck can reach the car, take out your personal belongings and any aftermarket gear you want to keep, and have the key and plates ready. Once the details and figure are agreed, pickup is usually quick, and payment is made at collection.
If you would rather skip the private-sale process altogether, call Cash for Cars Perth on 0420 262 651 for a quote on your Rockingham car and a free removal booking.
Common questions
Do I have to be the registered owner to sell a car in Rockingham?
You need to be the legal owner, or have the owner’s written authority to act for them. You will be asked for photo ID and proof of ownership when the car changes hands, and the sale must be notified to the Department of Transport with your details as the seller.
Can I sell a car that isn’t running or registered?
Yes. An unregistered or non-running car can still be sold – it just has to be towed rather than driven, and a wrecker or car removal service is usually the easiest buyer for one.
What happens to my number plates?
Standard WA plates stay on the vehicle and transfer to the new owner. Personalised or optional plates you want to keep must be exchanged at a Department of Transport centre before the car is sold.
How quickly can a car be picked up?
Once the condition, location and price are confirmed, removal in the Rockingham area can usually be booked for the same or next day, with payment made at collection.