What is a half cut?
A half cut is a vehicle cut across the middle so one complete end can be shipped intact. A front cut carries the engine, gearbox, radiator pack, wiring loom, suspension and front panels still bolted in their original positions. A rear cut carries the rear subframe, axle, panels and lights.
- Front cut: engine, gearbox, loom, suspension, front panels
- Rear cut: subframe, axle, rear panels and lights
- Ships cheaper than the same parts crated separately
- Ancillaries stay attached, so nothing goes missing
- Engine and gearbox are a matched pair from one donor
Half cuts exist because shipping an assembled end of a car is cheaper and safer than shipping the same components separately. The cut is made across the middle of the vehicle, and the end being sold keeps its parts bolted in their original positions.
Front cut
Carries the engine, gearbox, radiator pack, wiring loom, suspension, steering rack and front panels. Sometimes called a nose cut. This is the more commonly traded of the two, because it contains the drivetrain.
Rear cut
Carries the rear subframe, axle, rear panels and lights. Bought for rear-end accident repairs and for axle and differential replacement.
Why buyers choose them
Lower freight cost per component, nothing missing because the ancillaries stay attached, and a guaranteed matched engine and gearbox from one donor vehicle.
Why this matters when you are buying
Terms like this one get used loosely in listings, and the difference between two of them is often the difference between a part that fits and one that does not. If a seller is vague about which they mean, ask — a straight answer takes a message and saves a return.
For anything mechanical or electrical, back the description up with a part number. It removes the ambiguity entirely.
Related terms
- Engine code — The manufacturer code identifying an exact engine variant — the only reliable way to confirm that a replacement engine will fit.
- Gearbox code — The manufacturer code identifying an exact gearbox variant, used to confirm fitment in the same way an engine code is.
- Container consolidation — Combining many separate parts or orders into a single shipping container so the freight cost is spread across the whole load.
- End-of-life vehicle (ELV) — A vehicle that has reached the end of its useful life and is destined for dismantling, recycling or breaking for parts.
- Spares or repair — A condition label meaning the item is sold as faulty, incomplete or untested, and is expected to need work before use.
- Reconditioned — A part that has been stripped, cleaned, repaired and restored back towards its original specification, usually with a working guarantee.
Where to go next
The full glossary defines every term used across the UK salvage and export trade. For the practical side, our guides and articles cover buying, selling and shipping in detail — or just ask us, which is usually quicker.
Where this applies
Get a quote or a stock list
Tell us what you need — a single part, a vehicle or a full container — and we’ll come back with availability, pricing and shipping.