Edinburgh sits half an hour from our Thornton yard over the Queensferry Crossing, which makes it one of the cheapest areas for us to service and one of the best prices we can pay. We collect from the whole city, from Leith right out to Balerno.
IN SHORT
Scrap A Car Scotland collects scrap cars, vans and MOT failures in Edinburgh free of charge, pays by bank transfer the same day and handles the DVLA side, including the Certificate of Destruction. The town is 30 miles from our licensed yard at Thornton in Fife, and collection is often same week, frequently next day. What we quote is what you are paid: no admin fee, no collection charge, nothing knocked off at the kerb.
Controlled parking zones and the city centre LEZ shape when we can get to you. We schedule central Edinburgh lifts around the restrictions, so if your car is on a residents' bay let us know the street and we will pick a window that works.
Edinburgh is 30 minutes from the yard over the Queensferry Crossing, which makes it one of the cheapest areas in Scotland for us to service. Short runs mean we can offer collection windows rather than an all-day wait, and we can often fit a same-week booking in around an existing job.
What we typically collect in Edinburgh
The city's LEZ and controlled parking zones drive most of our Edinburgh volume. A lot of customers are clearing a second car they no longer use because the permit cost and the zone charge together outweigh the value of keeping it on the road. Student and rental turnover around Newington and Marchmont adds another steady stream.
Areas we collect from around Edinburgh
Leith
Portobello
Corstorphine
Morningside
Sighthill
Gorgie
Granton
Liberton
Access and parking in Edinburgh
Telling us where the vehicle actually sits is the single biggest thing that stops a wasted visit. These are the situations we deal with most often locally:
Scrap prices move with the metals market, so we will not publish a fixed figure that is wrong by next week. What we can tell you is how a Edinburgh vehicle is valued: weight of the shell, the parts still worth recovering, and the transport cost of getting it the 30 miles back to our Fife facility. Give us the registration and we price it properly on the call.
Vehicle type
Typical examples
How it affects your quote
Small hatchback
Corsa, Fiesta, Polo, Aygo
Lightest shells, value driven mainly by reusable parts
Family saloon / estate
Focus, Astra, Golf, Mondeo
The most common vehicle we buy in Scotland
4x4 and SUV
Qashqai, Freelander, X-Trail, Discovery
Heavier shells and catalysts, usually the strongest prices
Van and light commercial
Transit, Vivaro, Sprinter, Berlingo
Priced on weight the same as cars, no commercial surcharge
MOT failure or non-runner
Any make, any age
No deduction for not starting, moving or being roadworthy
Find the V5C logbook - if it is lost we can still buy the car, it just changes the paperwork
Have photo ID ready in the name the payment is going to
Clear personal belongings, including the boot, door pockets and under the seats
Remove your private plate first if you want to keep it - once collected it is gone
Take the parking permit, dashcam and any aftermarket stereo out
Cancel the insurance and any tax direct debit after we confirm collection
AFTER COLLECTION
What happens to your vehicle
Transported to our licensed facility
Your car leaves Edinburgh on our own transporter and goes straight to the Authorised Treatment Facility at Strathore Road, Thornton, Fife KY1 4DF. It is never left with a third party or resold as a runner.
Depolluted and recycled
Fuel, oil, coolant, brake fluid and refrigerant are drained and disposed of under our SEPA waste carrier licence WCR/R/1137358. Reusable parts are recovered and the shell is baled for steel recycling - typically over 95% of the vehicle by weight is recovered.
DVLA notified and Certificate of Destruction issued
We notify the DVLA the same day and issue your Certificate of Destruction. That is the document that legally ends your responsibility for the vehicle, including tax, insurance and any future penalty notices.
Paid by bank transfer
Payment is made by transfer on the day of collection. Cash payment for scrap metal has been illegal in Scotland since 2016 - anyone offering it is not operating within the law.
EDINBURGH COLLECTIONS
What collection looks like in Edinburgh
The same trucks, drivers and paperwork every time - here is the kit that turns up when you book a scrap car collection in Edinburgh.
Tight streets get the small van, multi-car jobs get the transporter - we pick the right vehicle for the Edinburgh address before we set off.
The van handles permit bays, back courts and narrow lanes across EH1, EH2, EH3 and the rest of Edinburgh.
Free collection across Edinburgh and surrounding areas including Leith and Portobello.
Non-runners are winched straight onto the bed, so a car that has not started for years still gets lifted from a Edinburgh driveway.
Every vehicle is drained of fuel, oil, coolant and refrigerant before the shell is baled for steel recycling.
Fleet checks before the Lothians run - collection is free, whatever the state of the car.
SAME COLLECTION RUNS
Nearby towns we also collect from
Our Edinburgh transporter covers the surrounding towns on the same route, so if the vehicle is not actually in Edinburgh you are still very likely inside our free collection area. Pick the closest town for local postcodes, timings and access notes.
My car is on a residents' permit bay - how does collection work?
We schedule central Edinburgh lifts around the controlled parking zone hours so the truck is not sitting illegally while we load. Give us the street name on the call and we will pick a window that suits the restrictions on your bay.
Does the Edinburgh LEZ affect what my car is worth?
It affects demand, not our price. The zone has pushed a lot of older diesels off the road in EH postcodes, and we buy those on the same weight and parts basis as anything else, so being non-compliant does not reduce your quote.
Can you collect from the New Town or Old Town where there is no driveway?
Yes. Kerbside collection is normal in central Edinburgh. We need a clear stretch of road alongside the vehicle for the winch, so we will agree a time when the street is quietest rather than turning up at the school run.
How quickly can you reach Edinburgh?
Edinburgh is about 30 miles from our Thornton yard over the Queensferry Crossing, one of the shortest runs we do. That keeps our transport cost down and means collection is frequently next day.
Do you collect scrap cars in Edinburgh for free?
Free, everywhere in Edinburgh and across Lothians. We do not charge for the uplift and we do not take an admin cut, so the quote and the payment match.
How quickly can you collect from Edinburgh?
Collection is often same week, frequently next day from the point you say yes. We are 30 miles away at Thornton in Fife.
Will you buy a non-runner or MOT failure in Edinburgh?
Yes. Runners, non-runners, MOT failures, accident damage, insurance write-offs and cars sat on SORN for years are all bought. It does not need to start or move.
When do I get paid?
The transfer goes out while the car is being loaded, so the money is normally in your account the same day. Cash is not an option for anyone: it has been banned for scrap metal in Scotland since 2016.
What paperwork do I need in Edinburgh?
The V5C logbook and photo ID. We handle the DVLA notification and hand you a Certificate of Destruction from the Authorised Treatment Facility, so the car is legally off your name.
What if the car has no V5C logbook?
A missing logbook is not a blocker. Photo ID and proof of address in the keeper's name are enough for us to buy the car and notify the DVLA. Be wary of any buyer in Edinburgh who shrugs the paperwork off, because the liability stays with you until the DVLA is told.
Can you collect if the car is off-road or has no keys?
Yes. Our recovery units winch vehicles with flat tyres, seized brakes, dead batteries or no keys. Mention it when you book so the right truck comes to Edinburgh rather than a standard transporter.
Does someone need to be there for the collection?
An adult needs to be at the vehicle with the logbook and ID. Plenty of our Edinburgh collections are handled by a relative or neighbour while the owner is at work, and payment still goes to the keeper.
Do you charge anything if I change my mind?
No. No cancellation fee, no call-out charge. If your plans change before the truck sets off for Edinburgh, phone us and we rebook or cancel with nothing to pay.
Can I get a road tax refund after scrapping in Edinburgh?
You will. The DVLA issues the refund for whole months left on the tax as soon as we report the vehicle destroyed, and it stops any direct debit.
Do you take vans and 4x4s in Edinburgh as well as cars?
Yes. Cars, vans, pickups, 4x4s, light commercials, motorhomes, hybrids and electric vehicles are all collected free across Edinburgh.
