Scrap offer or project-car buyer: compare written offers

Compare the written terms and what you would keep, not only the headline offer. A scrap collector, dismantler and project-car buyer may be pricing different included items or assuming different collection conditions. Put each offer beside the same vehicle description before comparing seller-paid costs. An attractive quote with unresolved deductions is still an unresolved quote.

Are the buyers offering on the same vehicle?

Start with one dated specification: the car's present condition, recorded status, loose parts, keys, documents and collection location. State whether wheels, catalytic converters, batteries, chargers, tools or other pictured items are included. Do not remove items after a quote without telling the buyer and asking whether the offer changes.

Describe known access constraints. A car that does not roll or steer can require different collection arrangements from a rolling car. Have the person arranging transport confirm the actual plan; a seller's description is not an equipment assessment.

The buyer's intended use does not settle your price. A project buyer can still make a lower offer, and a dismantler can offer terms that suit you better. Assess the actual proposal rather than assuming one category of buyer always pays more.

What should each written offer specify?

Use this original comparison worksheet for offers you have received. Blank cells are questions, not zero-cost assumptions.

Ask for a revised written offer if the buyer learns something material. Keep both versions with dates and the reason for the change. Do not compare an old figure for one condition with a new figure for another.

How do you compare what remains after costs?

For each offer, define G as its gross amount and C as the costs you still have to pay under those exact terms:

net proceeds under the offer = G - C

Only include assessed costs. Enter zero when a cost has been checked and does not apply, not when nobody has answered the question. If a collection charge remains unknown, leave the net result unknown until it is resolved.

Do not subtract a deduction twice. If the buyer has already reduced the gross amount to account for a missing part, note that adjustment instead of subtracting it again. Keep money already spent on the project in a historical ledger; it is not a new collection cost.

A higher gross offer can leave less after seller-paid costs. A higher calculated net also does not settle payment risk, collection timing, the credibility of a condition or your ability to complete the transfer. Keep those judgments beside the arithmetic rather than hiding them inside a score.

What if the quote changes at collection?

Review the stated reason against the description and conditions used for the quote. Was new damage found, was an included part missing, or had the buyer assumed access that was never confirmed? Record the difference before deciding whether to proceed.

If the revised amount or process is unacceptable, do not treat your earlier comparison as a reason to ignore it. Resolve any cancellation or collection commitments under the actual agreement and relevant local rules. This worksheet does not create cancellation rights or decide a dispute.

Keep private financial and identity records out of the public advert. Arrange the necessary checks through a process you understand, and do not equate a payment screenshot with money received.

What changes when an offer comes through DNF?

DNF's terms describe a listing and introduction service. DNF does not buy the car or handle the purchase funds. Accepting an offer makes the listing sale pending. Contact details follow once any required platform fees on both sides are paid, so the parties can arrange the next steps; this does not establish payment of the vehicle price, collection or a completed sale.

Use the same worksheet for a DNF introduction and an outside offer. Record the agreed vehicle, included items and collection terms separately from the platform event. A listing marked sale pending should not be reported in your records as a completed handover.

If you want to invite project buyers to assess the same evidence, prepare a listing with the known damage and unknowns. You can also browse vehicles to see how sellers describe projects. Advertised prices show what sellers ask; they do not establish what either category of buyer will pay for yours.