FAQs: Buy a motor

Why use Motorbreaker.co.uk?

Fast-growing salvage motor network in the UK. With an extensive and increasing list of suppliers and contacts, our customers can be assured of efficient service for the procurement of motors and their parts.
Our dealers usually procure models from leading insurance companies and many are used for spare parts and repairable premier vehicles can be sold at a heavily discounted price. Also, it is possible to obtain competitively priced parts, which therefore ensures a cost-effective repair.
It is also possible to access private sellers, looking to dispose of vehicles which might be considered too expensive to repair either through an accident or mechanical problem. Economically priced vehicles are also accessible due to perhaps a private individual moving abroad or needing to raise some finance by selling their car.
By using the MotorBreaker.co.uk, you can find your preferred vehicle whether a car, van, truck at a discounted price plus an option of a salvage category (A, B, S, N, U or X) read more.
Research the price of necessary parts to repair your motor using our advanced FIND A PART system. You could potentially save up to 85% as compared to dealer prices.

We recommend viewing the vehicle before the purchase in order to ensure you are fully aware of the extent of the damage. It's always worth being cautious.

Why would somebody rebuild a motor vehicle?
When buying a rebuildable vehicle, you are able to obtain a late model at a much cheaper price which can prove to be a good investment when re-selling.

How safe are rebuildable motor vehicles if repaired?
If the vehicle is properly repaired by experienced personnel, they are just as safe as a new or used vehicle. However, you must always trust an expert.

What do the technical damage description abbreviations refer to when buying Salvage motors?
Before you purchase any Salvage motors make sure you are aware of the technical damage description abbreviations used as follows:

N/S	Near-side (which means the passenger’s side of the vehicle)
N/S/F	Near-side front
N/S/R	Near-side rear
O/S	Off-side (which means the driver’s side of the vehicle)
O/S/F	Off-side front
O/S/R	Off-side rear

Can anybody or a garage, repair a rebuildable vehicle?
Most body shops can fix repairable vehicles. If there is no frame/structural damage, it is possible to repair yourself (if you are competent/trained). Our Garages section lists reputable garages that can help you. Find your local garage.

Where can I get all the parts for a repair?
Our network sells parts so you can rebuild a vehicle. You can save up to 85% of a dealer price.
MotorBreaker.co.uk makes it easy to find any part. Satisfied customers, loyal database of breakers helping you to find the right part, easily, quickly and efficiently. Easy and efficient service at home or work via your computer, mobile device without the need to travel to breakers' yards.
Get FREE with no-obligation quotes! Start your search here!

What are the salvage categories and explanations?
The Salvage Code of Practice is determined by the Association Of British Insurers (ABI). The code ensures salvage vehicles are categorised correctly to ensure only safe vehicles are on our roads. On 1st October 2017, the ABI updated this code to reflect more accurately the complexities and conditions of salvage vehicles.

Category A - A vehicle that has been written off and must be totally destroyed including all parts.

Category B - A vehicle that has been written off from which spare parts may be salvaged, but the body shell must be crushed and it should never return to the road.

Category S - Formerly category C. A damaged vehicle which the insurer has decided not to repair, but which could be repaired and returned to the road. Category S or C vehicles require a VIC inspection. Recorded at DVLA and HPI. Vehicles categorised as S or C category require a VIC test before the DVLA will issue a new registration document. This will then be noted on the V5C.

Category N - Formerly category D. A minimally damaged vehicle which the insurer has decided not to repair, but which could be repaired and returned to the road.

Category X - A motor vehicle which is not listed as being damaged on the HPI register, or one which may have very little damage. These vehicles may have been stolen and then recovered.

Category U - Used or Unrecorded vehicles that may have sustained accident damage. The vehicle is not governed by ABI categorisation guidelines and is unlikely to have been reported to the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud Theft Register (MIAFTR).

How can I contact a seller?
You can contact a seller directly through our website messenger or via the contact details provided in their advert.

Do I need to buy a subscription to bid for a Salvage motor?
In order to use the bidding function, you must be subscribed to one of the account types that permits this. If your account does not allow you to access this function you can opt to upgrade your account by purchasing a bidding subscription.

How does the Bidding subscription work?
Bidding subscription runs on a monthly basis. Subscription is automatically renewed each month unless we receive a cancellation request within the cancellation period.

When can I cancel my Bidding subscription?
To ensure full cancellation, subscriptions must be cancelled at least 10 days prior to the next payment date. Any cancellations made within the 10-day period will be cancelled the following month.

How much is the Bidding subscription?
The Bidding subscription is charged at £20 per month.

Do I have to use an automatic bidding option when buying a Salvage motor?
You are not required to purchase a Bidding subscription as you can also contact and communicate with the seller directly through our online messenger or by their contact details if provided. However, many sellers prefer to use the online bidding system given its transparency and efficiency in determining the best buyer. If your account does not permit this function, you can always upgrade your profile.

What is the Bidding system?
We provide an automatic bidding system for buyers and sellers of salvage motors. The bidding system allows you to enter your current bid and set increments to the maximum bid you are willing to offer. It saves you time by automatically increasing your bids as others outbid you until your maximum bid is reached. You will receive email notifications updating you of the bidding progress allowing you to minimise your risk of missing out on a purchase.

What are the specific terms used in the bidding system?
The terms commonly used in the bidding process for a Salvage motor are as follows:

Current offer – the current maximum bid placed across all buyers
Current bid – the amount you are willing to offer
Maximum bid – the maximum amount you are willing to offer
Increments – the amount by which you are willing to automatically increase your Current bid to outbid other buyers until your Maximum bid is reached.

How do I place an automatic bid?
Please see the steps below to place a bid:

Enter the amount you are willing to start the bidding process within the ‘Current bid’ section and press confirm. Note, your bid must be higher than the ‘Current offer’ present for that advert.
Optionally enter the maximum amount you are willing to offer within the ‘Maximum bid’ section and press confirm. Note, your maximum bid will be instantly out bided if someone has already setup a higher amount than your Maximum bid.

If a maximum bid has been entered, set up the ‘Increment’ at which you would like to outbid the ‘Current offer’, should you be out bided. The process will repeat up until your ‘Maximum bid’ has been reached or out bided.

How does the automatic bidding system work?
As described in the section above, set up your ‘Current bid’ and optionally the ‘Maximum bid’ and ‘Increments’ as required.

Two examples of the process are provided as follows:

Example 1 – only ‘Current bid’ provided

Current offer for Salvage motor is £100.
User A enters a ‘Current bid’ of £150.
If no higher ‘Maximum bid’ has been provided by any other buyers, ‘Current bid’ of £150 from User A becomes the ‘Current Offer.’
If a higher ‘Maximum bid’ has been provided by another buyer, Users A ‘Current bid’ of £150 will instantly be out bided.

Example 2 – ‘Current bid’, ‘Maximum bid’ and ‘Increments’ provided

Current offer for Salvage motor is £100.
User A enters a ‘Current bid’ of £150, ‘Maximum bid’ of £500 and ‘Increments’ of £25
If no higher ‘Maximum bid’ has been provided by any other buyers, ‘Current bid’ of £150 from User A becomes the ‘Current Offer.’
If User B enters a ‘Maximum bid’ of £200, the ‘Current offer’ will update to £225 and will belong to User A.
If User C enters ‘Maximum bid’ of £550, the ‘Current Offer’ then will update to £550 and will belong to User C.

Can I make a one-off bid?
Yes. Simply enter your ‘Current bid’ and press to confirm. Leave the ‘Maximum bid’ and ‘Increments’ sections blank. If you ‘Current bid’ is a winning bid it will appear as a ‘Current offer’.

How can I track my bid?
You will receive notification emails if any updates in the bidding process occur. In addition, you can log onto Motorbreaker.co.uk to review the progress of your bids.

Can I cancel my bid?
Once you have placed your bid, it cannot be cancelled, retracted or deleted. You must notify the seller immediately and request them to reject your bid.
We expect all sellers and buyers to be genuine and truthful when participating in the bidding process. Buyers must comply with the Purchase Conditions as set out in our Terms of Use.

Can I change my automatic bid preferences?
Once a bid has been placed, you can apply the following updates:

Current bid – can only be increased
Maximum bid – if the ‘Current Offer’ is higher than your ‘Current Bid’, you can always increase your ‘Maximum Bid’ to outbid others and make your ‘Current Bid’ the ‘Current Offer’
Increments – if you set up a ‘Maximum bid,’ you may choose to set up bid ‘Increments’ of £25, £50 or £100. If no value is selected, by default the increments will increase by £25 until your 'Maximum Bid' is reached.

What happens next when the Seller accepts the bid?
When a Seller accepts the bid, to finalise the sale get in contact with them directly over our online messenger or using the contact details, if provided. The Seller may also get in touch with you directly over the online messenger.

Can I pay a deposit to secure the sale of Salvage motor?
The Seller may ask for a deposit in order to secure the sale. Note ONLY UK breakers can accept deposit payments on our website via Stripe. No other Seller types have this option available. If you would like to agree on a deposit out of our system, you can do this at your own risk and discretion.

How can I make a payment for a deposit?
On our website, you can ONLY pay a deposit to a UK Breaker via Stripe. We would highly recommend you pay through our platform via Stripe, however, this is up to your risk and discretion.

Will I lose the deposit if I change my mind?
All UK Breakers should have Terms and Conditions available on their UK Breaker online profile for customers to view. This should specify details regarding deposit payments. If such information is missing, please get in touch directly with the UK Breaker to confirm and agree the terms.

Can the Seller decline to sell Salvage motor?
Yes, it is entirely up to the seller to decide whether to finalise the sale. The seller is not obliged to sell the Salvage motor. However, we expect the sellers and buyers to be genuine and truthful when participating in the sales process.

What does ‘Under offer’ mean on the Salvage motor advert?
‘Under Offer’ means that the Seller of the Salvage motor has accepted an offer, but the offer hasn’t yet been finalised. In this situation, the Seller could opt for another offer in the event of a failed sale or continue with the bidding process.

Can ‘Under offer’ sign be changed?
Yes, if for some reason the sale of Salvage motor doesn’t go through, the seller has an option to change the status of his advert in order to continue accepting bids.

How long does the bidding process last?
The Seller can advertise Salvage motor for as long as needed, thus the bidding process will last for as long as the advert is live.

Does your website allow Sellers to add links to third-party websites where they are advertising the same Salvage motor?
Yes, we aim to make it easy as possible for Buyers and Sellers to find, buy or sell Salvage motors.

What does the status visuals refer to?
To make it easier to follow the bidding process when buying multiple Salvage motors, the platform provides you a segregated status view as follows:

Winning (yellow) – your ‘Current bid’ is equal to the ‘Current offer’
Loosing (orange) – your ‘Current bid’ has been out bided
Lost (red) – the bidding process has completed and your bid has been out bided
Deposit required (blue) - the seller is a UK Breaker and requires a deposit to secure the sale
Won (green) – the Seller has accepted your bid, you should get in touch with the Seller to secure the deal.