As the saying goes, change is the only constant. It goes literally for everything in life – including your beloved four-wheeled possession. So when it’s time to replace your old car, there are certain dos’ and don’ts that as a car owner you should know about in advance and to be followed. Let’s talk about it in detail. 

Dismantling your car – What to do

There are three essential things to take care of before you take your car off the road, permanently. These are as follows: 

• Deregistration 

Just like it’s important to license your car when you buy a new car and take it to the road, it’s of utmost importance to get your registration removed, officially. Before the registration of your vehicle is written off from the records of the New Zealand Transport Agency, if you have an outstanding licensing fee, you’ll need to pay that first.

This is when your vehicle’s license expired sometime back and you didn’t get it registered. Suppose it was 3 months back and now you want to permanently cancel the registration. In such cases, first, the pending fees of 3 months are to be paid. For heavy vehicles, like trucks (weighing over 3.5 tonnes), you need to clear the road user charges (RUC), if any, before the authorities proceed with your deregistration request.

• Check the fuel 

Check the fuel tank of your car/truck before getting your car dismantled (also called wrecking). After all, there’s no harm in getting that one last ride around the neighborhood. However, if your car is unfit for driving anymore, it is better to call a professional to siphon (drain) it. This way, you’d be able to use up every bit of the remaining fuel.

• Check for personal belongings

Many times, we toss coins and/or notes in small compartments by the car door, change box, etc. at petrol pumps or buying from a takeaway. Thoroughly check for these. Also, you might find personal belongings like small jewelry pieces, air fresheners, AUX cables, important papers, pen drives, etc. You must be 100% sure there is nothing in any of the compartments before handling your car for dismantling.

Dismantling your car – What not to do 

• Say no to DIYs

Do not attempt to bring down your car all by yourself. Always seek help from professionals. There are many car wreckers in Auckland that provide this service of wrecking or dismantling your vehicle at affordable prices. Most of these companies offer online options where you just need to fill in a few details like vehicle registration number, year of make, car model, etc. to get a quote.

• Wear protective gear

If due to some reason, you have to dismantle your vehicle on your own, do not do so without wearing proper gear. This means donning a good sturdy helmet, rubber gloves, and knee-length gumboots – for the very least. Also, you may rent the tools needed to take down the vehicle. However, try your best to avoid disassembling your car on your own.

• Note the readings 

Note the current odometer reading beforehand as it will be asked if there are any RUC

charges pending. For heavy vehicles like a truck, note the odometer as well as the hub odometer readings before handing off your vehicle.

And lastly, most people couldn’t call the car dismantlers due to the emotional attachment they have with their vehicle probably because they’ve been using it for a while or because it represents a particular memory to them. So, before calling the car dismantlers, do not forget to reminisce about the good rides you had in your car. Take some good photographs, have that last backseat kiss with your lover, or simply sit in it for a while – before it turns into scrap.