A Kerb Hit Can Travel Further Than The Rim
Wheel damage after kerb strikes is common on narrow lanes, tight bends and awkward pull-ins, but the damage is not always limited to the alloy. A heavy hit can bend suspension, damage steering, split a tyre, crack a wheel or push trim into the tyre.
If the car is being priced for scrap or salvage, say how it happened in plain terms. Clipped kerb at speed, dropped into a pothole, slid into a verge, hit a stone edge or mounted a kerb while avoiding another vehicle all give useful context.
Show The Wheel From More Than One Angle
One photo of the outer rim is not enough. Take a front view, side view and a wider shot showing the wheel position compared with the body. If the wheel leans, sits too far back, rubs the arch or points a different way from the other wheel, photograph that clearly.
Also show the tyre. A sidewall bulge, split tyre, flat tyre or shredded tread can affect whether the vehicle rolls safely. A car that looks repairable in a driveway photo may still need proper recovery equipment.
Steering And Suspension Details Affect The Quote
Tell the buyer whether the steering wheel is straight, whether the car pulls, whether it makes a scraping noise, and whether you drove it after the hit. If the car was recovered home and parked up, say that instead of calling it a runner.
Suspension damage can reduce repair interest, but it does not remove all value. Engine, gearbox, body panels, interior parts, catalyst and undamaged wheels can still matter. The buyer needs enough information to weigh parts value against loading difficulty and damage.
Garstang Access Adds Another Layer
A kerb-struck car parked on a flat town driveway is different from one left near a farm track or lane entrance. If the damaged wheel will not roll, the driver may need more room to winch it. If the vehicle is nose-in against a wall, it may need moving carefully before loading.
Send a wide photo of the parking position. Mention narrow gates, gravel, grass, soft ground, a sloping drive or limited turning space. Recovery planning is easier when the driver knows the awkward bit before setting off.
If the car has been moved since the kerb strike, say how it moved. Driven slowly home, pushed into a yard and recovered by truck all tell the buyer different things about wheel and suspension condition.
Keep the damaged wheel visible in the photos if possible, rather than turning it away from the camera.
Price It As A Damaged Vehicle, Not A Hopeful Repair
When comparing scrap car prices, do not hide the wheel damage to keep the first number high. A quote built on incomplete information is more likely to drop at collection. It is better to explain the bent rim, flat tyre and steering issue early.
The salvage value may still be fair if the car is complete and parts are usable. Clear kerb-strike notes help the buyer decide whether they are pricing a simple damaged runner, a non-runner needing winching or a car where the repair plan has properly ended.