Norm Reynolds Motors was among the car yards along Burwood Highway, Ferntree Gully, counting the cost of the weekend's weather.

Owner Norm Reynolds said he was only partially covered by insurance for hail damage to his vehicles.

"What we're trying to do is sell a few cars off to people at wholesale prices and get our money back. Hopefully a few people take that offer up.

"They're getting a cheap car, and it helps us with a few problems."

Mr Reynolds said 58 cars on his lot had been damaged.

He said it was going to be hard for car yards with limited or no insurance.

"They've either got to sell the car as is, or they've got 50 cars to repair and then sell.

"The hard part is that the whole yard has been damaged, and then you've got nothing to sell."

Mr Reynolds said some cars were a complete write-off, with sun roofs smashed in and windows and lights broken.

"In 10 minutes, it [the weather] can break you.

"You can have a business, then you're out of business.

It's damaged $500,000 to $600,000 worth of cars."

Another car yard owner, Jeff Zaninelli from JZ Motors, said he was also facing a big bill from damage to more than 40 cars.

"It came down too quickly to do anything.

"It really was a matter of sitting back and watching the destruction."

He said customers who had bought cars on Saturday morning had been understanding of the situation the car yard was in.

"We've virtually got no prepared cars to sell. We'll be selling our hail-damaged vehicles at below cost.

"It really is a matter of clearing stock at the moment, and making money isn't an option."