If your old car is rusting in your backyard, then why not sell it and earn some hard cash in exchange? You might not get thousands of dollars for your car, but you could at least get hundreds of dollars.
You might think that selling an old scrap car will take a lot of effort and get you little money, but that’s not necessarily true. However, what’s true is the longer you let your car sit around, the less money you are going to get for it.
The best advice would be if you are done with a car, you can start the selling process without worrying about the car’s condition.
A few tips are highlighted in this article just to give you an idea of how you can sell your damaged or broken car.
Selling Your Junk Car “As Is”
Your car might have some faults that need repair. If you don’t want to spend big bucks repairing it, you can sell your car in its faulty condition.
All you need to do when you are posting your sales ads (no matter if you are doing it online or offline), is mention that you are selling the car “as is.” It is vital to make the buyers aware of all the problems beforehand. You definitely don’t want the buyer to come and want his money back or ask you to pay for the repairs.
You should be aware that such “as is” car ads take some time to find an interested buyer.
If you are in a hurry to get rid of the junk car, you can also contact used car dealers. One thing to keep in mind is that you’ll need to bargain very hard with those car dealers if you want a decent price. They will not want to offer much for a cash purchase.
Selling Your Junk Car as Parts
You might get some extra dollars if you sell the vehicle as parts rather than selling it as a whole. Whether it is worthwhile to break your car down and sell it part-wise depends on two things.
One is whether the vehicle is in good shape and the parts are working. If the car has been in an accident or damaged in some other way but most of it is still in good working order, you may get more money selling the parts rather than the whole.
The second thing to consider is whether you have the skills (and the time) to separate the parts. If you’re not mechanically inclined, you should probably steer clear of the parts route.
The original parts of vehicles are well appreciated in the market. Mainly the parts which are in demand are:
- Windshields
- Metal body panels
- Tires and rims
- Seats
- Batteries
- Engines
- Transmission fluid
You will still have a question to answer if you part out your old car – what about the car -body? What can you do with it? Read on to get your answer.
Selling Your Junk Car as Scrap Metal
After you sell your junk car’s useful parts, the body can be sold as scrap metal. Usually, the car body has tons of steel in it, so obviously scrap buyers would love to get their hands on it.
If your car is bad shape, even if the parts are unusable, don’t worry. You can sell it whole to the scrap buyers. That way, you can at least get the value for the metal. Large vehicles like trucks or SUVs are going to give you more money than small cars.
One thing to realize is that the scrap buyers will need to put more effort into separating the plastic and the metal from the car. So, if you are selling your car as scrap metal, you likely won’t get as much as you hoped for.
However, if you need to sell your damaged car as fast as you can, then “scrap metal buyers” is one of the best options or you can rely on purchaser like Damagedcars.com.
Selling Your Junk Car to an Auto Salvage Yard or Junkyard
Another good option for getting rid of your old car is by selling it to an auto salvage yard or junkyard.
If you wish to go for the junkyard option, then you need to make sure if the local junkyard accepts junk cars in the first place.
The auto salvage yard will strip your vehicle of sellable parts once you sell the car to them. Then they’ll recycle anything that can be recycled.
That’s why you should let the salvage yard know if you have already sold any parts as that will affect what it’s worth to them.
Clarify ahead of time if the auto salvage yard gives free pick up and tow service. Most reputed auto salvage or junkyards will definitely provide free services, but make sure so you won’t get any surprises.
You can check this auto salvage yard directory to find a junkyard near you.
Selling Your Junk Car Online
When almost everything is available online to buy and sell, it is obvious that there would be a market for junk cars, too.
Many websites particularly deal with junk cars and can quote a reasonable price for your vehicle.
Before you choose to sell your junk car online, you need to find out if the online companies can pick the vehicle from your location.
Needless to say, you need to do some research before choosing an online buyer for your junk car. Go through all the reviews of other customers to ensure you are going to get a good deal.
Selling Your Junk Car Legally
It doesn’t matter where you are selling your junk car, the process has to be legal. Knowing the rules beforehand is going to help you to do everything legally.
The rules differ in each state in the case of private and commercial vehicle sellers. In order to stay away from any type of penalties (civil or criminal), it’s better to know the rules beforehand.
Conclusion
If you understand the market value, it is always the better choice to sell the car yourself rather than deal with used car dealers. It’s a good idea to start by quoting 10% above your car’s expected value to leave room for the buyer to bargain.
Last but not least is to make sure that you do not get cheated by scams. Many attractive offers may come your way, but you need to settle for cash or cashier’s cheque only.
Selling your old broken car is undoubtedly a great option to earn some money you can use for some other productive things.
Following the tips mentioned here can help you to junk your car and get some cash.