Can you sell ride on toys that do 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 ride on toys
These are the faults that move ride on toys down the grades, and the first things a buyer will ask about:
- Degraded batteries on powered ride-ons
- Cracked plastic bodies
- Missing chargers, often proprietary
- Faded plastic from outdoor storage
Grading it honestly
Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £7 to £40. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £4 to £22. 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:
- Charge it fully and test the run time
- Check the body for cracks around stress points
- Confirm the charger is present
Photographing the fault
Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:
- The whole toy from the side, clean, on a plain surface
- The seat, footwell and steering, where wear concentrates
- The charger and battery compartment
- Any crack, faded panel, missing sticker or broken wheel
What to state in the listing
Alongside the fault itself, buyers of broken ride on toys want these confirmed:
- Whether it is foot-powered, pedal or battery, and the voltage if electric
- Manufacturer’s age and weight guidance, as printed on the toy
- Whether the charger is included, and honest battery run time
- Dimensions, and whether it dismantles or folds
Type, brand and power: “12V Electric Ride On Jeep, 2 Seater, with Charger” or “Little Tikes Cozy Coupe, Foot Powered”. Voltage is a genuine search on electric ones, and the age range printed on the toy is worth including because parents shop by it.
What buyers will ask
Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:
Time it and give a real figure. Batteries degrade, buyers know it, and an honest twenty minutes beats a vague claim of an hour.
Say it in the title. Replacement chargers must match voltage and connector, and buyers who have hunted for one before will filter your listing out without this.
Read the guidance moulded into the plastic or printed on the label and quote it. Parents are buying for a specific child and will not guess.
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:
- Sturdy construction with no cracks
- Working electrics and batteries on powered models
- Recognised brands with spares available
- Complete with chargers and accessories
If the work would cost more than the gap between £22 and what sound ones fetch, sell them as they are broken and let the buyer decide.
When to list it
Peaks before Christmas and again in spring when gardens come back into use. Clean electric ride-ons with a working charger sell within a week in season.
Getting it to the buyer
Bulky and light. Collection is usual and most fit in an estate car with the seats down — give the dimensions so the buyer knows before setting off.
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 them? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full ride on toys selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.
Frequently asked questions
Is broken ride on toys worth anything?
Yes — typically £4 to £22 at For Parts against £15 to £90 working. Repairers and people harvesting one component buy deliberately at this end. Degraded batteries on powered ride-ons
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 sturdy construction with no cracks and a repair rarely restores those.
What do buyers ask about a faulty ride on toys?
The fault itself, in detail. Time it and give a real figure. Batteries degrade, buyers know it, and an honest twenty minutes beats a vague claim of an hour. The listing that answers it before being asked is the one that sells.
See also: what ride on toys are worth by condition · how to sell ride on toys · condition grades explained · all broken & damaged guides · all selling guides.