Damaged Cars Wanted Pays Gauteng Sellers Before the Tow Truck Leaves

One question comes up more than any other when someone sells a written-off or non-running car to a buyer they have never met: when does the money actually arrive? Damaged Cars Wanted, the vehicle buying service run by Lou Appel's Auto Spares from its yard on Booysens Road in Selby, Johannesburg, answers it in a single line. The car does not move until the money has cleared or is in the seller's hand. This November, as Gauteng motorists look to wrap up loose ends before the festive break, the company is putting that payment promise at the centre of how it buys.

The business buys accident-damaged, non-running and otherwise unwanted cars, bakkies, 4x4s, SUVs and light delivery vehicles across Gauteng, with a particular focus on Johannesburg and surrounding areas. It has been buying damaged vehicles from the same Selby yard since 1939.

Payment before collection, by EFT or cash

Once a seller accepts an offer, Damaged Cars Wanted books a tow truck or a driver, depending on whether the car still runs. On collection day, payment goes through before the truck pulls away. Sellers can choose an EFT into their bank account or cash on the day.

For anyone trying to sell your damaged car without the worry of chasing a buyer for money afterwards, that order of events removes the biggest risk in the transaction. The seller is never left without either the car or the payment.

From photos to a same-day offer

The process starts with a few details. Sellers can get in touch by phone, email, WhatsApp or the form on the website, and are asked to include four to six photos showing the front, back, both sides, the engine bay and the dashboard, along with whether the car runs. With the photos and the VIN, the team sends a preliminary offer, usually within a few hours.

The website is direct about what it does not do: no auction rounds and no inflated quote that gets cut down at inspection. The seller can accept the offer or come back with a counter, and the team will either confirm or explain what is stopping it from getting to that number. There is no obligation either way.

What the yard buys

The company says it will buy any make, any model, any year, in any state. The conditions it sees most often include front-end smashes, rear and side impacts and rolled vehicles, whether the insurer has coded the car as Code 2, 3 or 4. It also buys non-runners and cars with mechanical failures such as blown gearboxes, seized engines, slipping clutches and failed timing chains.

Hail-damaged, flood and water-damaged and fire-damaged vehicles are on the list too, along with cars that have electrical faults such as dead body control modules or immobiliser problems. The website notes that the offer is not docked because of fault codes. High-mileage vehicles and cars that have been standing for years, under a tarp or behind a workshop, are part of the regular intake.

Free collection across Gauteng

Collection across Gauteng is free and is not deducted from the offer. Outside the province, collection is quoted case by case. Sellers whose cars are still roadworthy can also drop them off at the Selby yard.

Most sales are completed within 24 to 48 hours: photos in the morning, an offer the same day and collection and payment the next day. Quicker turnarounds are possible for sellers who are local and ready to go.

Paperwork handled in-house

Alongside payment, paperwork is the other part of a sale that tends to worry people. Damaged Cars Wanted handles the NATIS change of ownership, SAPS clearance where needed and yard deregistration. Sellers sign once at collection and the team files the rest.

Ideally, sellers should have the original NATIS document or a duplicate from their nearest licensing department. If the papers are lost or there is a finance hold on the vehicle, the team has dealt with both situations before and asks sellers to mention it upfront.

Why it matters before the festive season

For many households, November is the month to settle outstanding matters before the shutdown. A damaged car standing in the driveway can be one of them, especially after an accident or a storm earlier in the year. Choosing to sell damaged cars to a buyer that pays first and collects second means the matter is closed in one visit, with money in the account before the holidays begin.

The company's long history in the motor trade is part of how it gets to a fair offer. Eighty-plus years of buying damaged vehicles means the team already knows what a gearbox is worth, what the panel work would cost and what the parts are still good for. Its approach to selling damaged cars is built on getting to a fair number on the first try rather than haggling a seller down twice.

An alternative to the usual routes

The website is candid about the problem it is trying to solve. Selling a written-off, accident-damaged or non-running car usually ends in one of two ways: a tow bill that eats into the offer, or weeks of messages from buyers who never commit. Damaged Cars Wanted positions itself as the alternative, with one offer, no callbacks from random buyers later and towing arranged at its own cost.

For insured vehicles, the company notes that if an insurer wants to write off a hail-damaged car and the salvage offer is poor, it will pay the owner directly.

Office hours

The office is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm and is closed on weekends. On public holidays, sellers are asked to call ahead. With the end of the year approaching, sellers who want their cars collected before the break are encouraged to send their photos in early.

Sellers can request an offer, upload photos and read the full list of vehicles the company buys at https://damagedcarswanted.co.za/.

About Damaged Cars Wanted

Damaged Cars Wanted is a vehicle buying service operated by Lou Appel's Auto Spares, which has bought damaged cars and bakkies from its yard at 233 Booysens Road, Selby, Johannesburg, since 1939. The company buys accident-damaged, non-running, hail-damaged, water-damaged, fire-damaged and high-mileage vehicles across Gauteng, makes same-day preliminary offers, collects free of charge within the province and handles NATIS, SAPS clearance and deregistration paperwork in-house.

Media Contact
Damaged Cars Wanted
Email: info@usedautospares.co.za
Phone: +27 11 493 8260
Website: https://damagedcarswanted.co.za/