Selby is where this business has stood since 1939. Lou Appel’s Auto Spares works out of a real yard at 233 Booysens Road, just south of the Joburg CBD, and that single fact changes everything about selling a damaged car here. You’re not posting photos to a buyer in another province who quotes high, then knocks the price down when the tow truck arrives. You’re dealing with a third-generation family yard you can drive into, look at, and walk away from if the offer doesn’t suit you.
Most of Gauteng’s damaged car trade flows through Johannesburg, and Selby sits close to the middle of it. That keeps collection fast and payment immediate. We’ve spent more than 85 years pulling apart cars, selling the good parts, and paying owners fairly for what’s left. If you want the longer version of how it works across the province, there’s a proper walkthrough on selling a damaged car anywhere in Gauteng, but this page is about your city.
Which suburbs we collect from
We buy and collect right across Johannesburg, free, with no towing cost deducted from your offer. Being based in Selby means most of the city is a short run for our truck.
- The northern suburbs: Sandton, Randburg, Fourways, Bryanston, Morningside, Rivonia, Sunninghill
- Midrand and everything along the N1 corridor up towards Centurion
- Soweto, Lenasia, and the greater south west
- Johannesburg South: Mondeor, Glenvista, Rosettenville, Turffontein, Booysens itself
- The eastern suburbs and the Bedfordview side toward the East Rand
- Roodepoort, Florida, and the West Rand edge
If your suburb isn’t on that list, it doesn’t mean we won’t come. We cover the whole metro, and we buy beyond the city too, so neighbours in Pretoria and Tshwane, the East Rand, the West Rand, and the Vaal are all welcome to call.
The kind of damage we actually buy
Short answer: any. The reason we can say that is because we’re also a used-parts supplier. A car that’s worthless to a scrap yard, which only weighs the metal, can still be full of parts we’ll resell. A clean gearbox, a good cylinder head, doors, lights, a working ECU. That’s why our offers tend to beat what a scrap yard will hand you.
Accident damage and write-offs
From a bent fender after a Booysens Road knock to a car the insurer has declared a total loss, we buy it. We deal in all three South African write-off codes. Code 2 is an ordinary used car. Code 3 is a write-off that can be rebuilt and re-registered once it passes a roadworthy test. Code 4 is permanently demolished, parts and scrap only, never road-legal again. We’ll often beat the salvage figure your insurer quoted, because we value the parts rather than bid at an auction.
Non-runners and mechanical failures
Blown engine, seized motor, dead gearbox, an electrical fault nobody can trace. When a repair bill on an older Polo or Corsa climbs past R15,000 to R30,000, fixing it stops making sense. A car that won’t start and has sat in the driveway for months is still worth real money to us in parts, and we tow it ourselves at no cost.
Flood, fire, and hail
Johannesburg’s summer storms write off more cars than people expect. Hail dents, water damage to interiors and wiring, fire damage. We price each one on its full parts value, not just what you can see from the outside.
The same goes for bakkies, SUVs, 4x4s, and light commercials. A damaged Hilux, Ranger, or NP200 has a strong used-parts market, so those often fetch better offers than people assume. For the full list of what’s in scope, the site sets it out under the cars we buy.
How selling works in Johannesburg
The whole thing is built to be quick. In the city we can often inspect and pay on the same day.
- Send us the details. Call 011 493 8260 or WhatsApp photos with the make, model, year, mileage, and what’s wrong.
- Get a preliminary offer. We come back with a figure, usually within hours, not days.
- We inspect the car. Either you bring it to the Selby yard, or we send the truck to your suburb. We confirm the offer in person.
- Get paid on the spot. Cash or instant EFT, same day, and we handle the paperwork and the collection.
There’s no charge at any step, and the price we confirm is the price you walk away with. We don’t quote high and then trim it once we’re standing in your driveway.
What you’ll need to bring
Having the documents ready keeps the sale moving:
- Your South African ID or passport
- The vehicle registration certificate (RC1, also called the NATIS document)
- Proof of residence less than three months old
- Your banking details for the EFT
- A bank settlement letter if the car is still financed
If the car’s under finance, we’ll help you work through the settlement and the Notification of Change of Ownership (NCO) form, so the transfer is clean and you’re not left liable for a car you no longer own. For the documents and steps in detail, there’s a clear step-by-step rundown for selling a damaged car or a non-runner on the site.
Why a real Selby yard beats an online buyer
Plenty of websites will buy your damaged car in Johannesburg. The difference is what stands behind the offer. An online buyer is a phone number and a form, and when the tow truck pulls up, the inspection often produces a lower figure than the one that got you to agree. By then you’ve committed.
We’re a fixed address. You can drive to 233 Booysens Road, see the operation, meet the people, and check that the cash is real before anything changes hands. A family business that’s traded from the same corner of Joburg since 1939 doesn’t survive by lowballing locals at the last minute. The reputation is the business. And because we strip and resell parts rather than sell by weight like a scrap yard, the extra a damaged car is worth in components goes straight into the offer you get.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring the car to your yard myself?
Absolutely. You’re welcome to drive or tow it to 233 Booysens Road, Selby, during trading hours. If that’s not practical, we’ll collect it from your suburb at no charge. Either way the price is the same.
How quickly can you pay me?
In Johannesburg it’s often same day. Because the yard is in Selby, we can usually inspect quickly after your first call, and once we’ve seen the car you’re paid cash or instant EFT on the spot.
Do you buy written-off cars?
Yes, Code 2, Code 3, and Code 4. Even a Code 4 that’s only fit for parts has value to us. Send the details and we’ll often better the salvage figure your insurer offered.
What if the car doesn’t start or can’t be driven?
That’s fine. We tow non-runners at our own cost. A car that hasn’t moved in months is exactly the sort of thing we buy.
Do you buy cars that are still on finance?
We do. Bring or arrange a bank settlement letter and we’ll walk you through clearing the finance and transferring ownership properly.
How do I know what my damaged car is worth?
It depends on the model, year, mileage, and how much we can resell as parts. The fastest way is to call or WhatsApp photos. For background on pricing and the process first, the full walkthrough on selling an accident-damaged car in South Africa covers it well.
If you’ve got a damaged, non-running, or written-off car sitting in Johannesburg, the simplest next step is to talk to the city’s longest-running damaged car buyer. Send a few photos, get a fair offer, and have it gone and paid for, often the same day. Call 011 493 8260, send WhatsApp photos, or drive into the yard at 233 Booysens Road, Selby.
