JOHANNESBURG, October 2026. Gauteng motorists whose cars have been pummelled by hail or declared a write-off by their insurer may be sitting on more value than they realise, according to Damaged Cars Wanted. The vehicle buying service, operated by Lou Appel’s Auto Spares from its yard on Booysens Road in Selby, is calling on owners of hail-damaged, accident-damaged and non-running vehicles to request a same-day offer now that the Highveld summer storm season is under way, rather than letting an idle car lose value in the driveway.
The arrival of spring means the return of heavy afternoon thunderstorms across the province, and hail is never far behind. One bad storm is enough to cover a roof and bonnet in dents, crack the glass and ruin the trim. Some owners get away with a straightforward repair. Others find their insurer has judged the car uneconomical to fix, leaving them with a salvage figure that seems far too low and a vehicle they no longer trust on the road.
When an insurer declares a write-off
Hail-damaged vehicles are bought directly by Damaged Cars Wanted. Where an insurer plans to write a car off and puts forward a weak salvage offer, the business will pay the owner directly instead. Cars classified by the insurer as Code 2, Code 3 or Code 4 are all accepted, and the company’s own guidance states that Code 3 and Code 4 vehicles can be sold provided the paperwork matches the vehicle.
Owners hoping to sell damaged cars without delay are drawn to the simplicity: a damaged vehicle becomes money in the bank, with no drawn-out rounds of repair quotes and no private buyers quizzing them on what still works. A handful of photos is enough for the team to assess the car and return a no-obligation cash offer on the same day.
More than storm damage
Hail may be this month’s seasonal theme, but the business takes almost any make, model or year, in nearly any condition. That covers accident-damaged cars with front, rear or side impacts, rolled and smashed vehicles and non-runners. It also includes cars with seized engines, blown gearboxes, slipping clutches or broken timing chains, along with electrical problems such as failed body control modules or immobiliser faults.
Flood and water-damaged vehicles are welcome too, from cars with submerged interiors to electrical write-offs, as are fire-damaged vehicles ranging from engine bay fires to complete burn-outs. The business buys damaged 4x4s, SUVs, light motor vehicles, bakkies and LDVs, plus high mileage cars and vehicles that have been left standing in a garage or yard for five years or longer. A flat battery or flat tyres will not change the offer.
Step by step
Anyone planning to sell your damaged car this spring will find the steps laid out clearly on the website.
First, the owner shares the car’s details by phone, email, WhatsApp or the online form. This should include four to six photos showing the front, rear, both sides, the engine bay and the dashboard, along with a note on whether the vehicle runs. After reviewing the photos and the VIN, the team returns a preliminary offer, typically within a few hours.
Sellers are free to accept or to counter. The team will then either agree or explain what prevents it from meeting that number, and there is no pressure in either direction. When a price is agreed, the business arranges a tow truck or a driver, depending on whether the car is still running. Collection anywhere in Gauteng costs nothing and is never subtracted from the offer.
The seller is paid before the car leaves, either by EFT into their bank account or in cash on the day, depending on their preference. The vehicle stays put until the funds have cleared or the cash is in the seller’s hand. Most transactions wrap up within 24 to 48 hours: photos in the morning, an offer that day, then collection and payment the next.
Admin taken care of
Because hail and accident claims come with plenty of admin already, the business takes on the transfer process itself. The team handles NATIS change of ownership, SAPS clearance where required and yard deregistration. The seller signs a single time at collection and the business files everything else.
Having the original NATIS document, or a duplicate obtained from the nearest licensing department, keeps things simple. If the papers have gone missing or the car is still under a finance hold, the business has handled both before and simply asks sellers to raise it at the outset.
Decades behind every offer
Lou Appel’s Auto Spares has bought damaged cars and bakkies from the same Booysens Road yard in Selby since 1939, and points to more than 85 years in the motor industry. Its deep background in parts and salvage lets the team gauge the worth of a gearbox, the likely cost of panel work and which parts are still usable, so it can put forward a fair offer the first time.
Each offer reflects the car’s year, make, model and mileage, how complete it still is, current salvage market prices for its parts and the cost of getting it back to the yard. For that reason, no fixed prices are published online. Instead, the business provides a genuine figure once it has the photos and a VIN.
Gauteng coverage, centred on Johannesburg
The service focuses on vehicles in Gauteng, especially those near Johannesburg. Owners of roadworthy cars can bring them to the yard, or the team will travel to the vehicle. Collection from outside the province is quoted individually, and the cost is usually built into the offer rather than billed on top.
For households and businesses selling damaged cars in the wake of a storm, this October’s message is straightforward: there is no need to watch a hail-dented or written-off car lose value in the driveway. A few photos are all it takes to get a firm offer the same day.
Motorists in Gauteng can find out more and request an offer at https://damagedcarswanted.co.za/.
About Damaged Cars Wanted
Damaged Cars Wanted is a vehicle buying service run by Lou Appel’s Auto Spares from 233 Booysens Road, Selby, Johannesburg. It purchases damaged, non-running, accident-damaged, hail-damaged, water-damaged and fire-damaged cars and bakkies throughout Gauteng, with same-day offers, free collection within the province, payment by EFT or cash on the day, and NATIS, SAPS clearance and deregistration paperwork handled in-house. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Media Contact
Damaged Cars Wanted
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +27 11 493 8260
Website: https://damagedcarswanted.co.za/
