Midlothian towns from Dalkeith through Bonnyrigg to Gorebridge are thirty-five miles from the yard and fall inside our regular Edinburgh loop instead of needing their own trip.
IN SHORT
Scrap A Car Scotland collects scrap cars, vans and MOT failures in Dalkeith free of charge, pays by bank transfer the same day and handles the DVLA side, including the Certificate of Destruction. The town is 35 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.
Newer estate streets here are narrow with parking on both sides. Where a transporter cannot turn, we use the recovery unit and lift the car out to the nearest wide point rather than cancelling the job.
Midlothian falls inside the same loop as Edinburgh, over the Queensferry Crossing and round the city bypass. A Dalkeith or Bonnyrigg lift is a short add-on to a run we are already making.
What we typically collect in Dalkeith
Fast housebuilding around Dalkeith, Mayfield and Bonnyrigg means a lot of households replacing an ageing runabout. We also see ex-mining village cars that have quietly sat for years since the owner stopped driving.
Areas we collect from around Dalkeith
Bonnyrigg
Eskbank
Newtongrange
Mayfield
Gorebridge
Loanhead
Access and parking in Dalkeith
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 Dalkeith vehicle is valued: weight of the shell, the parts still worth recovering, and the transport cost of getting it the 35 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 Dalkeith 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.
DALKEITH COLLECTIONS
What collection looks like in Dalkeith
The same trucks, drivers and paperwork every time - here is the kit that turns up when you book a scrap car collection in Dalkeith.
Free collection across Dalkeith and surrounding areas including Bonnyrigg and Eskbank.
Non-runners are winched straight onto the bed, so a car that has not started for years still gets lifted from a Dalkeith 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.
Our transporters run into Dalkeith from the Thornton yard, 35 miles away, often same week, frequently next day.
A full load heading back from a Lothians run to be depolluted and processed under our SEPA waste carrier licence.
SAME COLLECTION RUNS
Nearby towns we also collect from
Our Dalkeith transporter covers the surrounding towns on the same route, so if the vehicle is not actually in Dalkeith you are still very likely inside our free collection area. Pick the closest town for local postcodes, timings and access notes.
The new estate roads are too narrow for a transporter.
Common problem, easily solved. We use the recovery unit on tight estate streets and, where needed, winch the car out to the nearest wide point instead of abandoning the lift.
Do you collect in Bonnyrigg, Mayfield and Gorebridge?
Yes, plus Newtongrange, Eskbank and Loanhead, all on the same free collection basis.
Can you take a car from a back garden?
Yes, if there is a route out. Give us a rough idea of gates, slabs and fencing and the driver will bring the winch gear to suit.
How does Midlothian pricing compare with Edinburgh?
The same. Midlothian is inside our Edinburgh loop, so there is no distance penalty for a Dalkeith or Gorebridge address.
Do you collect scrap cars in Dalkeith for free?
Free, everywhere in Dalkeith 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 Dalkeith?
Collection is often same week, frequently next day from the point you say yes. We are 35 miles away at Thornton in Fife.
Will you buy a non-runner or MOT failure in Dalkeith?
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 bank transfer is made on the same day as collection and may arrive after the car has been collected. Cash is not an option for anyone: it has been banned for scrap metal in Scotland since 2016.
What paperwork do I need in Dalkeith?
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 Dalkeith 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 Dalkeith 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 Dalkeith 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 Dalkeith, phone us and we rebook or cancel with nothing to pay.
Can I get a road tax refund after scrapping in Dalkeith?
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 Dalkeith as well as cars?
Yes. Cars, vans, pickups, 4x4s, light commercials, motorhomes, hybrids and electric vehicles are all collected free across Dalkeith.
"Excellent service as they come to you. Reis picked my car up. Was as helpful as can be, gave excellent communication regarding pickup time and was a laugh. Handled the document side of things and made the process ease. Will use the service again if needed."
Jordan Cameron
Google
Brilliant service
"Brilliant service! Fast, polite, and a good price given. A great experience all round - would highly recommend."
Emma Ashby
Google
Best price around
"Easy quote, best price around compared to the rest. Arrived to collect on time, collection driver was very helpful. Would I use them again... absolutely."