Specialist car breaker selling parts online

Enthusiasts, independent garages and owners of older or niche cars who can't easily find parts.

Higher prices for hard-to-find, tested parts sold through marketplaces or your own site, plus scrap value of leftover metal.

• Deep knowledge of specific makes or models
• Part identification and testing
• Photography and online listings
• Packing and posting bulky items

• Dismantling end-of-life vehicles generally needs an environmental permit or authorised treatment facility status, check the exact requirements for your nation
• Scrap metal dealer licence from your local council (check if it applies in your area)
• Insurance for stock, public liability and goods in transit; employer's liability if you take on help
• Selling parts you can't test or describe accurately leads to returns and refunds, so be clear about condition
• Safety-critical parts such as airbags and brakes have extra rules and risks, check what you can legally sell
• Marketplace fees and courier costs can eat into margins on heavy parts

Startup costs are typically around £15,000 to £60,000, depending on your unit, tools, the vehicles you buy and insurance. Marketplace fees and courier costs on heavy parts can also eat into your margins.

Monthly revenue is typically around £4,000 to £18,000, depending on the makes you specialise in, how well you list parts and how many sell. These are estimates of sales, not profit, and it usually takes around 25 hours a week.

Check the exact requirements in your nation for an environmental permit or authorised treatment facility status, and whether a scrap metal dealer licence applies. Safety-critical parts such as airbags and brakes have extra rules, so check what you can legally sell.