FAQ

Does the vehicle run?
The description of `starts` or `drives` means that either it did so when we collected the vehicle OR a member of staff has started/driven to the Sales Area. `Drives` will usually mean that it moved backwards & forwards & should not be taken to mean that the car has been driven any distance whatsoever. All salvage is sold as seen & without warranty. Gowing Auto Salvage cannot guarantee or verify the mileage as being correct on any vehicle that we advertise for sale; this does not affect your statuary rights.

If the vehicle has a N/R in the damage description, this generally means that it will not start as we do not have either the keys (very rare) or the vehicle has got an electrical fault with it (this will require diagnostic equipment which is outside our control). We move all vehicles with the N/R using a unique forklift attachment that fits over the tines of the forklift, using this we move the cars to the storage area, and when a claim is settled, the cars into the Sales Area, by using this no damage will happen to the underside of the vehicle.

Because of the high volume of cars that we handle (7,500last year) it would be impossible for us to employ staff to thoroughly check cars over & get them all running (however we do try hard on this point) simply we put the cars out for sale & allow customers to make up their own mind up about them. We do, however, assist by providing 2 sets of heavy-duty jumper packs, although these may, at times, not have sufficient power after a hard days usage by customers. We would recommend customers to bring their own battery

Purchasing a Vehicle?
When you purchase a vehicle from our self you will have to provide ID (passport, driving licence or a utility bill will do) at the point of sale, this will not apply if you have purchased from us in the last two years. This rule has been made law by the Government and not Gowing Auto Salvage, this law is to try and combat vehicle crime and tractability of the owner by the DVLA.

What about Tax and MOT?
Just about every Insurer checks MOT before they pay out on a claim, this means that the cars will have been taxed & MOT`d at time of theft/accident etc. BUT the tax is personal to the owner & is not passed to us, the Insurer then usually retains the MOT, this being the only means that any Insurer has to make sure that a car is checked over before being used on the road again (however we do in some circumstances receive the MOT’s and usually the V5 for all cat D’s)

Do you have the parts to repair this car?
Our parts department has a comprehensive range of parts, to promote car sales, we offer a discount on used parts supplied to repair cars purchased from us. You really need to speak directly to the sales team who will give you prices & availability when you purchase a car. Alternatively E-mail them on sales@gowing.co.uk
We insist that parts are NOT removed from another sales vehicle in the Sales Area. Close Circuit Television monitors the entire site, and anyone found rifling through cars would be asked to leave period.

How much will it cost to repair this car?
We don`t do repair estimates - our advice is to show images of the car to the person who would normally repair a car for you. If the repairer wants to speak to us directly, well gladly try to help answering any enquiry.

Does it need jigging?
The majority of cars that we sell do NOT require jigging, but some of the more heavily damaged cars do need jigging, although the latter is not always the case.

Can I drive it away or do you deliver?
The vehicle is not in a roadworthy condition and is sold with no warranty and without M.O.T. and must not be used on any public highway until it is repaired to a standard, which will enable it to be driven on a public road and comply with all legal requirements. You must obtain a M.O.T. certificate before allowing it to be driven on a public road or selling it or otherwise dealing with the vehicle. The vehicle is sold as damaged or as an insurance company total loss.

We recommend bringing your own trailer as the most cost effective option, but we do offer a very competitively priced delivery service. We have a minimum charge of £30 + vat locally, and then places further a field we charge £1.00 per mile + vat. We will gladly quote for specific places.

Delivery is usually first thing in a morning (we will always notify you the day before delivery)& is on one of either our 6-car transporters, or our single car trailer, so it is important that delivery addresses have sufficient access for these vehicles. Company policy is that cars must be paid for in full prior to delivery, as the drivers will NOT collect ANY outstanding balances. All deliveries will take place a maximum of 10 working days after full payment (usually this is only a couple of days)

What does Category A, B, C, D & E mean?
Over 10 years ago, bone fide salvage dealers & Insurers agreed a code of practice to combat vehicle crime through categorising salvage by the extent of damage using codes A, B, C, D or cat E for other cars that were not damaged enough to warrant recording.

Seriously damaged vehicles (cat A & B) would only be sold as suitable for parts. Equally, genuinely repairable salvage (cat C, D & E) would be categorised as suitable for sale to repair.

A = Absolute junk – i.e. the costs of collection & processing exceed any return from selling parts from the salvage.
B = Break for spares – i.e. the costs of collection & processing are less than the probable return from selling parts from the salvage
C = Can be repaired, but the COR (Cost Of Repairs – at dealer retail price) exceeds PAV (Pre-Accident Value) May need a Vehicle Identity Check (Government money making scheme, charging £35 to check a chassis number that has already been inspected)
D = Definitely repairable (& assessed COR less than PAV)
E = NOT recorded as damaged at HPI etc ie stolen recovered or minimally damaged cars

Do you have a website?
Yes: www.gowing.co.uk
The website is updated nightly, so the website should always be correct every morning (unless the web host has had a technical problem).
The site contains 5-7 photos of all the vehicles together with a brief description of the known damage & other relevant details of each car. Also, you can "browse" the site in several different orders such as "Make & Model", "Price", Individual manufacturer (select "Ford" if you are only interested in Fords) etc. Your comments or suggestions are welcome in "Feedback".

Directions & a good map can be found under the "Find Us". Our E-mail is sales@gowing.co.uk

What about VAT?
Cars do not attract VAT - the price you see is the price you pay
Vans & commercials are subject to VAT: add the current rate of 17.5%
Bikes & Caravans do not attract VAT.

When do you get more cars in?
Amazingly, some people think that we must get a delivery of cars on a certain day, say Tuesday morning as an example. This is totally incorrect!
We are contacted directly to several major Insurance companies, which allow us to pass the savings on to you! (You`re then not paying the dealers` margins!)
We collect cars for Insurers shortly after the accident/theft and store them securely until the claim is settled. The Insurers then e-mail us (or fax us) with clearance details. This means that there is a steady flow of vehicles coming more or less all the time.

Can you contact me when you get a certain car in?
We do not hold cars back for preferred buyers, however on the cars wanted section you can register with us and request a specific make and model of vehicle, then when we get this make and model that you require we automatically send an e-mail saying Gowing Auto Salvage now have the vehicle that you requested, it’s so easy to use, this allows you an excellent opportunity to buy the vehicle that you require. Please be aware that the Auto Trader advert is never less than 6 days out of date because the copy is sent on a Friday/Monday morning for publication at the end of the next week.
You can receive emails notifying you of the latest additions to our stock by accessing our `vehicle watch page`

The above hasn`t answered my question
If you have a question that has not been answered by the above, or require clarification, please e-mail to sales@gowing.co.uk & we`ll respond quickly & add it to our FAQ if appropriate.

Thanks for your time and patience in helping us to help you.