How To Sell Your Car to a Junkyard

It used to shine, but that beat-up old cruiser has been sitting in your garage, taking up space and gathering dust, for years.

You’re ready to get rid of it, but who would want it?

Believe it or not, more people than you’d expect. Even if it doesn’t run anymore, there are still valuable parts and materials in that old hunk of junk that you can cash in.

The pros who know how to get rid of cars call it “junking.” In a nutshell, you’ll sell your car to a junkyard, where the automotive technicians will take all the good stuff for resale.

Not only do you get your space back, but you now have a little jingle in your pocket. Before you call up a tow truck to get started on the process, do you know how to junk a car the right way?

Today we’re going to share nine tips on how to navigate the process and junk your car with ease (follow our tips and you’ll be driving away feeling satisfied!) Want to know more? Let’s go!

How to Junk a Car?

#1. Clear Out All of Your Personal Items.

A recent survey of 1,000 drivers found that one-third of drivers surveyed clean the contents of their vehicles once a year. Or worse? Twelve percent never clean out their vehicles!

Are you one of those people? If that’s how you treat your everyday driving car, what about that other car you’ve got just sitting there in the backyard?

When was the last time you cleaned the glove box, scrubbed the floor, or vacuumed the seats?

Who knows what you’ll discover when you finally go to clean it!

When you do decide to use a car-recycling service, your car doesn’t need to be washed or detailed before you bring it in.

Mechanics have seen it all and are able to look past most general garbage. However, do remember to take out your personal belongings, like insurance cards or jewelry.

Be sure to check the trunk, other compartments, and check underneath the seats. If the seats are adjustable, lean them back and forward if you need to.

#2. Remove the Parts you Can Sell to Enhance Your Profit (or Cash Flow)

The purpose of junking your car is to make money! In saying that, before you hand it over to a junkyard and it turns into scrap metal, consider removing any valuable parts.

Things like:

Alternators
Entertainment/Radio Systems
Starter Motors
Batteries
Wheels

You are likely to get more money for these items by selling them separately; however, if you want to use junk my car buyer companies, they may take care of this step for you. Then you won’t have to worry about losing money while these parts are victimized by the crushing force of a car crusher, lol.

All you have to do is call and have them tow your vehicle! If you go with a decent company, the towing is free!

#3. Paperwork Matters.

There might be some instances where you can scrap your car without any documentation proving that you are the rightful owner. However, if you do this, your original clunker might not garner you as good a deal.

It’s better to have the titles and paperwork handy. This way, you can simply transfer the ownership information onto the junk car buyer’s documents (to establish the transfer of your duties and responsibilities).

Then, if for some reason – theft or something unfortunate happens, you rest easy without having to deal with a theft investigation! Forget your title or not sure where you placed it? No worries!

While you’re at the DMV, inquire about your state’s requirements concerning titles of junked cars.

Some states do not require you to show any title or form of ownership if the car meets a certain age criteria. Vermont, for example, has no titles on vehicles older than 15 years.

#4. Remove the Tags or license plates.

Yes, once it is in a junkyard, your car may be crushed immediately. So why have the hassle of removing the tags or license plates? Tags and titles always go together. When you go to the local DMV to cancel your title, they may ask for the tags as well. Call the DMV to make sure you understand the specifics.

Most will also ask that you remove the tags when you make the ownership transfer. Have some antique tags sitting around that you can no longer use? They are not doing you any good while they are in that box in the corner. Check out these 13 license plate recycling ideas to convert your junk into a creative piece of art.

#5. Cancel your Automobile Insurance Policy.

In all the excitement and rush from learning how to dispose of an old car that doesn’t run, you may forget to make the most important phone call to your insurance agent!

It is important to get your expert on what is happening. Update them on anything that has changed in your policy since you last checked in, and let them know that you will not need insurance coverage on that vehicle.

You can get stuck making monthly policy payments to pay for your junk car. However, you could also have prepaid for some months in your policy already. You will receive a check in the mail equal to that difference if you’ve prepaid for the rest of the year! That’s even more found money!

Even if your policy is about to expire and you plan to junk your car the day it runs out, call your agent anyway. This will be a good business move and will come in handy down the road when their bonuses or deals come.

#6. Do Your Research.

You never have to jump at the first offer. Take the time to compare all your options. Even if your car is in disrepair, you may receive several offers with a range of prices.

You should shop around to find the buyer who pays you the best. Keep in mind that if you are trying to sell your junker back to a dealership or broker, those will always pay the lowest at auction.

You should consider two main questions for yourself at this stage.

How badly damaged is this car?
What is the approximate value of this car?

The second answer is for you to figure out. Once you know the approximate value, you will be able to determine if someone made you a “low-ball” offer or a good offer.

If you end up selling to someone, make sure to ask about their towing services! You want to find a buyer who can tow the car from its current location without transferring that burden to you.

Ask if they will tow the car for free and, if NOT, see how much you would save if you delivered it yourself.

It is always easy and convenient to have somebody else take care of things but this may be something that ends up in your favor as long as the math is correct.

#7. Verify All Licenses.

Many states, junk car dealers must have a proper license before they can operate. With that in mind while it may take some time to check into this accreditation, it will be worth it.

Prior to working with any car buyers, ask for an active license. In some instances, you should be able to go online and check for e-services that your state may offer, so it can be as simple as entering the number and verifying active status.

It should be paramount to you to locate a reputable and reliable dealer so that you have some assurance in the process of working with them and not becoming a liability if anything goes wrong.

Suppose you work with some shady dealer who only pays you half of the money, while promising to return to pay the remaining half later. With only the above information I am pretty sure meeting a legal professional will be an uphill challenge.

However, when you turn over the risk to the licensed dealer, there’s efficiencies and professionalism with the car dealer managing all of your records and important documents.

But if you choose to engage with a shady dealer even after realizing their poor work practices, you could be charged fines and/or imprisonment.

#8. Inquire About Non-Metal Parts.

There are many different parts and components of your car that are not metallic. You might consider your built-in sun visors, your seats or cushions, or your cup holder.

Some junk yards would prefer that you bring in your vehicle completely stripped to its metal shell. Other junkyards simply do not care if you do not remove additional parts.

You should ask around and see if there are any junkyards that buy scrap cars in your neighborhood. Some prefer just a metal shell, but others are fine with their excess accessories.

If it is only metal, they want, you can strip everything not glued to your vehicle’s shell. Doing this helps you appeal to more buyers in this category.

Also, during this process, keep in mind that there are some non-metal components, including gas, that you must take care around when taking them out.

Sure, tossing everything into a big bag might seem efficient, but it might also be hazardous.

Your best bet is to hire a mechanic to execute this great effort for you. You will be paying for this service, but you will be fine knowing it was completed the right way.

#9. Understand the Weight Scale.

How do junk car buyers know how much to pay for your junk car? They will typically measure the price of your vehicle by weight scale and pay a base price by the ton.

For example, if a dealer is paying you $200 per ton for a vehicle that weighs 2,000 pounds (one ton), you’ll make roughly $200. The irony of this? That beat-down tank of an SUV is worth more at the junkyard than that new shiny hybrid in your driveway.

While the calculations should be as simple as possible, it may come as a surprise that not all weight scales are created equal; in fact, different dealers may have different weight scales! While doing your buyer research, find out what it looks like.

If the weight scale you see is old or has been previously modified in any way, move on. These could produce an unreliable reading of your car’s weight and impact how much you earn.

To ensure you get the best and fairest experience possible, ensure you partner with a reputable and experienced dealer, and one that uses a certified weight scale.

How to Junk a Car and Get Paid Fast

If you have a run-down car that is not worth the space it’s taking up, it’s time to do something about it. You now know how to junk a car, but you are busy and you have little time, or money, to spend wasting time on costly towing.

You want a junk car buyer to handle the entire junk car process for you, starting at pickup.

You have owned it for many, many years, and it has become so familiar that you gave it a name, and it has treated you loyally to its last dying breath. But now the time has run out, and you can no longer rely on it. You must junk it.

So you lament and ponder how to get rid of a junk car.

You know the process is going to be worse than a root canal, and you want it done as efficiently as possible. You’re likely asking, “How do I get the most money for a junk car?”

If the goal is to obtain the most money you can for your junk car, then the process of getting rid of a junk can not be done hastily. You must take your time, develop a plan, and finally execute it over a lengthy period of time, in a responsible manner.

If you rush it, you may make bad decisions that can will get you arrested, leave you with a whole lot less money in your bank account than you dreamed of, or make you wonder, How could have been so easily taken advantage of.

Make A Plan

If you own a car that even you understand needs a trip to the junk yard, put aside the idea of trading it in for a dealer to sell you a different car for that same reason. Just flat out sell it to that dealer, maybe even dirt cheap, or sell it to a private buyer from an ad in your local newspaper or websites like Craigslist or Auto Trader.

Once you acknowledge this, at that point you can sit down and gather your thoughts and take a stab at making a checklist that you can follow throughout the process in an attempt to make the experience as bearable as possible without any unforeseen snafu.

Below is one possible checklist to consider hitting along the way.

Gather relevant information about your car.
Research the process for how to scrap your car to a scrap car buyer.
Get real with yourself about a reasonable price for your car.
Locate businesses near you that will scrap your car.
Be aware of scams.
Confirm that you have the title to the car.
Remove anything valuable from your car that you can sell yourself.
Remove personal belongings from your car.
Cancel the automobile insurance coverage you have on your car.
Remove the license plate from your car.

Collect Relevant Information About the Car

You should be ready to provide information about the car for sale to the business. This would include:

The title of the car
The year, make, and model of the car
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
The state of the exterior and interior, plus mechanics
The odometer reading
Photos of the exterior and interior, plus the engine compartment
The estimated worth of the car

Check Edmunds or Kelley Blue Book for a rough estimation of your car’s worth. Both of these have data about trade-in values. Be honest, and look for your year, make, and model, and worst-case scenario.

If you don’t have the title of the car, look at your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles webpage and follow the instructions on how to obtain a duplicate title.

Research How To Scrap Your Car

It’s probably a good idea to search the Internet for valuable information on how to scrap your car.

This information is important because many states have laws as to the type of person you can sell a junk car to, how you must store the junk car while you trying to sell the junk car, and additional laws. Answer these questions:

Is the car drivable?
Did the car parts suffer any serious damage?
Are there any parts in good condition that can be salvaged?

Be honest and answer if any parts of the car were damaged from an accident and if the engine and/or the transmission are engaging too badly to be repaired.

Parts that are salvageable and thus marketable include wheels and tires, alternator, body parts, windshield, back glass, seats, and more.

Getting a Realistic Price for Your Junk Car

When thinking about how to maximize money for a junk car, there are certain realities.

First, the amount of money you will receive is based on the amount of metal in your car. Cars are made from about 2400 pounds of steel and 500 pounds of aluminum.

When the metals are recycled, they are made viable to produce new automobile parts, among other products, that prove the types of metals quoted earlier. Also, established markets have been created to price the various metals like steel, iron, aluminum, and copper as they relate to producing car parts

Some cars have catalytic converters that have exotic metals in them, like platinum and palladium.

Metals are only one aspect of getting the most money for a junk car.

Second, your junk car is made up of other products that might have value; even a junk car in very obscene condition can have usable parts that can be taken off, repaired, and sold. Auto recycling companies see value in these other materials as well.

In addition, the value of these other pay may increase based on the make and model of the car.

Auto recyclers create markets to sell these parts either directly to smaller retailers around them or online to a national customer base.

So there is no lack of opportunities to maximize the amount of money for your junk car.

Find Businesses to Scrap Your Car Near You

Junk yards and car recyclers are the businesses that will likely pay cash in exchange for your junk car.

Search online for “sell my junk car,” “sell my junk car near me,” and/or “how to sell junk car.” Once you perform the search, make a list of junk yards and car recyclers listed in the results.

You can also search websites like Yelp to see customer ratings of the businesses on your list. This can help you choose which businesses to follow up with.

After you’ve narrowed down your list, contact the remaining businesses. You can either call them or email them and include the information you gathered when describing your car.

Make sure to email them pictures of your junk car so that they can actually see what you’re describing. Request quotes from each.

Once you have gathered a good list of potential buyers, including amounts they will pay, take some time to consider what offers you have received.

It is important to realize that some of the quotes may include towing while others will not. Be certain to understand what the quoted price includes and who will pay for the tow.

There are some factors to contemplate that may influence which business you ultimately sell your car to.

You also want to determine if the junk yard, car recycler or any other business that buys junk cars is licensed to operate in your state.

If your state requires a license and you have a contract to sell your car to an unlicensed entity, you could be in a world of hurt potentially losing money, having to pay a fine, or even time in jail.

If your state requires a license, check your state database of licensed junk yards and car recyclers just to make sure the business you have chosen is in fact licensed. Be sure to also ask to see the license when you visit the junk yard.

You also want to check that the scale used to weigh your car or the metal removed from the car is a certified scale.

If the scale is not certified, there may be no accuracy when weighing, and that could result in you being paid less than the true value of your vehicle.

Ask the junkyard manager to show you a current certification demonstrating that the scale is calibrated.

Beware of Scams

Most junk car buyers are trustworthy; however, some are not, and you may get scammed. Be aware of the following scams.

The towing was NOT included when the yard manager said it was.
Bait and switch scams.
Delayed payments.
The yard manager tells you your car is worthless.
Their math is wrong.
They state that you don’t need to sign the title over.
The yard is not licensed to purchase your car.
The yard offers awards and discounts that are essentially worthless.

Remove Valuable Items That You Can Sell Yourself

You may have parts in your junk car that have some real value, and you can sell them yourself. Here are some of those parts:

Quality Tires
Alloy Wheels
New Battery
Electronics including sound system components and GPS Navigation System

You can scavenge those things and anything else you can think of as having value and substitute what is needed to get the car to the yard. For instance, substitute quality tires for bald used ones, substitute alloy wheels for cheap used rims.

You’ll want to focus on metal items when identifying and removing valuable items, but they don’t just have to be metal items, they may include other items that a junkyard does not want. These include:

Seats
Dashboard
Carpet
Headliner
Door Panels
Glass
Sound insulation
Hoses
Bumper Covers
Headlights and Taillights
Outside plastic trim
Fluids including oil, transmission fluid, washer fluid, brake fluid, and coolant.

After you remove the items from your junk car, put them in a safe place, then come up with a fair price for the items. When you are ready you can sell them on eBay, Craiglist or other websites.

Cancel Your Auto Insurance

After you decide who you will sell your junk car to and know the exact date of the transaction, call your auto insurance carrier and cancel coverage, effective on the date of sale.

Your auto insurance carrier should refund you money for any coverage you paid for after the date you terminated coverage.

Take The License Plates Off The Junk Car

You need to remove the license plates off of the car. Many of the State Departments of Motor Vehicle want you to turn the license plates back into them before the registration of the car can be canceled.

In many states the license plates belong to the previous owner of the sold car and he or she can use the plates on another car.

Again, you must take the license plates. If you do not, then they can be used on a car that is used in a crime. The plates would identify you as the car owner and you would be subject to arrest.

Junking Your Car!

It’s time to say goodbye to that piece of junk taking up space on your property. The junking process ultimately depends on whether the car runs or not, and whether or not the junkyard has towing. So in the best-case scenario, here’s what you can expect:

The junkyard will send a tow truck to you.
The drive may want to verify that the car’s condition is what you said it was.
You sign the title over to the junkyard.
You receive a check or cash for the agreed amount.
The driver will tow the car.
You’ will never have to think about that car again!

Of course, things don’t always work that way. You may have to tow the car to the junkyard yourself, at your expense. In this case, you will sign the car title over once you are at the junkyard.

Be certain you are paid the agreed upon monetary amount. Less-than-honest locations may attempt to lower the price on you by saying the condition is not matched your description. This is why it is so important to describe your car accurately from the outset!

What Happens to a Junked Car?

You may think that your car will end up in the trash, but this is usually not the case. Recall that there are reusable parts and recyclable materials on your vehicle before it arrives at the scrap yard.

The salvage yard will remove, salvage and sell any valuable parts off of your car. The other parts such as the scrap metal will go to steel mills; the recyclable plastic will go to the recycling company.

Closing After-Sale Documentation

Depending on which state you live in, you may need to submit paperwork after you sell the car. This can be related to a bill of sale that you complete when you arrive at the junkyard or a notice of vehicle sale that needs to be submitted to the state. You will want to get informed about your state’s laws related to car sales before you junk your car.

How To Sell Your Car to a Junkyard – 9 Tips