How to Sell a Broken Generator

A broken generator is still worth selling — typically £20 to £125 at For Parts, against £80 to £500 in working order.

Can you sell a generator that does not work?

Yes. Repairers, people replacing one component and buyers who want a project all shop deliberately at this end. None of them will accept a fault they discover after paying.

What actually goes wrong with generators

These are the faults that move a generator down the grades, and the first things a buyer will ask about:

Hard starting from stale fuel and gummed carburettors
High running hours with no service history
Noisy open-frame models in residential use
Corroded fuel tanks

Before you list it

Drain the fuel before it goes anywhere. A part-full tank makes it undeliverable by any carrier and a hazard in a car boot.

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £36 to £225. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £20 to £125. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.

Working out what you actually have

Establish the fault properly rather than guessing at it:

Start it from cold and run it under load
Note the running hours if a meter is fitted
Drain and refresh the fuel before demonstrating

Photographing the fault

Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:

The whole generator from a three-quarter angle
The control panel with every socket and the breaker visible
The engine, plate and hours meter if fitted
The fuel tank, oil filler and any rust, leak or damage

What to state in the listing

Alongside the fault itself, buyers of broken generators want these confirmed:

Continuous and peak output in watts
Fuel type, tank capacity and approximate run time
Whether it is an inverter generator, and what sockets it has
Running hours if known, service history, and that it has been tested under load

Output, type and fuel: “2.5kW Petrol Generator, Inverter, 4 Stroke”. Output in watts or kilowatts is the search, and inverter models are a distinct and higher bracket because they produce clean power for electronics. Say the fuel type and whether it has been serviced.

What buyers will ask

Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:

“Does it start easily?”

Start it from cold and answer from that. Stale fuel is the usual reason a stored generator will not start, and a machine that starts readily is worth substantially more.

“Is it an inverter model?”

Say plainly. Inverter generators produce power clean enough for laptops and sensitive electronics, and buyers who need that will not risk a conventional set.

“What output is it?”

Give continuous and peak figures. Buyers are matching it to a specific load, and quoting only the peak figure is misleading.

Is it worth repairing first?

Usually not, unless it is cheap and you can evidence it. What lifts the price is condition and completeness, which a repair rarely restores:

Inverter generators, which are quieter and cleaner
Low running hours with documented servicing
Starts readily from cold
Clean fuel system with no stale petrol residue

If the work would cost more than the gap between £125 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is broken and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Lifts in autumn and winter around storm season and power cuts, and in summer for events and camping. Tested working machines sell quickly whenever demand spikes.

Getting it to the buyer

Drain the fuel before transport — a fuelled generator on its side leaks and is a fire risk. Collection is usual given the weight.

WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Ready to list it? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full generator selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Is a broken generator worth anything?

Yes — typically £20 to £125 at For Parts against £80 to £500 working. Repairers and people harvesting one component buy deliberately at this end. Hard starting from stale fuel and gummed carburettors

Should I repair it before selling?

Usually not, unless the repair is cheap and you can evidence it. The things that genuinely lift the price are inverter generators, which are quieter and cleaner and a repair rarely restores those.

What do buyers ask about a faulty generator?

The fault itself, in detail. Start it from cold and answer from that. Stale fuel is the usual reason a stored generator will not start, and a machine that starts readily is worth substantially more. The listing that answers it before being asked is the one that sells.