Your car is damaged – be that mechanical issues, electrical damage to the internal workings of the car or dented bodywork as a result of an accident. While the vehicle can still transport you from A to B, it may not be in a roadworthy condition. This poses a problem for your personal safety (and that of your passengers) as well as your legality as a driver. Should you opt to repair or sell the damaged vehicle? What qualifies a car as roadworthy?
As a South African driver – whether you are insured or uninsured – it is your obligation to keep your vehicle in a roadworthy state. (Depending on the extent of the damage to your vehicle, yours is likely not in a fit legal condition).
You may be asking the following questions: Is a repair job cost-effective? Should I be selling a damaged car? Where can I sell my accident-damaged car?
Let’s unpack the answers and give you peace of mind before you get behind the wheel:
#1 Is my car roadworthy?
While Mzansi may not be the most law-abiding nation, car accident statistics and resulting injuries and deaths remain a serious concern. Cars failing the roadworthiness test risk being impounded, and drivers face severe fines exceeding R3 000, depending on the car’s condition.
How can you know if your vehicle fails the roadworthiness test? Ask yourself the following questions:
- Identification: Do your engine & VIN numbers match those on the registration doc?
- Body: Is any rust or damage compromising the integrity of the bodywork or chassis? Are doors easy to open from the inside and outside?
- Interior: Are the odometer and speedometer in working order? Are seats secure and without damage? Are seatbelts operational?
- Lights: Are all lights and indicators in working order? Is the hooter operational?
- Windows: Are there any cracks in the windscreen? Are all windows designed to be opened in working order? Are the windscreen wipers in good condition and functioning?
- Tyres, brakes & wheels: Are tyres and wheels fitted to the correct size and within manufacturer specifications? Is your tyre depth a minimum of 1.6mm? Are brakes in working order? Any leaks from the hydraulic system?
- Suspension: Are shock absorbers functional with no leaks detected? Is the steering system in working condition and wheel alignment correct?
- Engine: Is the engine free from rust and leaks? Are all engine transmissions and mountings intact? Is the battery secured with no leaks or cracks?
#2 Should I be repairing or selling a damaged car?
If your vehicle fails the above roadworthiness test, you should ask yourself whether it is more cost-effective to repair or sell a damaged vehicle.
The age of your car and the extent of damage will determine whether a repair job is worthwhile.
Some advantages of a repair include: extending your vehicle’s lifespan, being cost-effective for minor damage or newer vehicles and maintaining your emotional attachment to a vehicle you may have owned for many years.
In most cases, however, selling a damaged car is the most financially savvy move. If you opt to sell a damaged vehicle, you benefit from quick cash, no further risk of problems following an unsuccessful repair, less stress, and the avoidance of overspending, especially on older vehicles or cars with extensive damage.
#3 Where can I sell my accident-damaged car?
General car dealerships seldom trade-in damaged cars, but there still is a market for selling a damaged car!
You have 3 options if you decide to sell a damaged vehicle:
While this option could reap the greatest financial reward, it can prove to be a cumbersome process to list your damaged car for sale online. Fielding numerous inquiries, arranging viewings and sifting through dodgy offers can be exhausting and yielding of few results. It can also waste a lot of your time and energy.
- Scrap yard
Junkyards or salvage dealers offer a quick and safe way of selling a damaged car, however it is only worthwhile if the vehicle is severely damaged. This is because scrapyards only pay sellers based on the weight of scrap metal on the vehicle. While it is a simple solution, it is unlikely to pay a worthwhile dividend.
- Online selling platform
Whether your vehicle has structural, electrical, mechanical, storm, flood or any other form of damage, selling on a trustworthy online platform is a viable solution.
But be sure to find a trustworthy platform that ticks all of the following boxes:
- Quick, safe & user-friendly selling process
- Industry-related, competitive pricing
- Free towing of your damaged car
- Hundreds of positive reviews on an independent review channel like Hellopeter
- All-inclusive deregistration of your vehicle
- Free, no-obligation offers on any damaged car
- Buys accident-damaged cars still under finance.
Driving an unroadworthy, damaged car on South African roads is a dangerous and illegal move that could have devastating consequences.