Tips For Selling Your Clunker To A Junk Car Buyer

If you own an old clunker that needs a lot of costly repairs, it might make more financial sense to sell the car for junk rather than to invest in repairs. Even if your car has been sitting for a long time and won't start, you may still be able to sell it for junk. Even if you don't get a lot of money for the car, it's still better than having to pay someone to haul the car off of your property. Here are some things to know about selling a junk car.

Learn About DMV Requirements

The first thing you'll want to do is get the title ready. If you lost the title a long time ago, you can get a copy from your local DMV. The DMV may also have regulations on what you need to do when you sell a car for junk. These regulations vary by state, so it's a good idea to check your state's website or give them a call. Transferring the title properly can save you from trouble further down the road if the car gets involved in a legal matter and your name is still on the title.

While a junk car buyer may require a title before they buy your car, they may not follow through and put the title in their name. You'll want to file paperwork with the DMV if necessary to make sure you are off the title when the car is no longer in your possession. In addition, you'll want to know what you should do with the license plate when the car is sold.

Consider Same-Day Service

While selling a junk car isn't an emergency, if your car breaks down on the road or fails to start in a parking lot, you'll have to consider if you want to pay to have it towed back home before you sell it. Call around and see if you can locate a junk car buyer who can come to your location within a reasonable amount of time. If you can get service within a few hours, it may be worth it to wait on the buyer and avoid the towing bill. You can use the wait time to clean all your personal items out of the car, call the DMV, and arrange for transportation home.

Figure Out How To Get The Most Out Of Your Car

While you may be happy with getting the car towed out of your yard without paying a fee, if you're going to sell the car, you might as well get as much money as you can. Junk cars are often priced on the amount of metal they contain as well as how valuable their parts are to a junkyard. It could be worth it to pull a few valuable parts out and sell them to a junkyard and then sell the body for its metal. You may also get more for your car if you remove seats, carpets, and other parts that aren't in good enough shape to be resold. This may require that you call various places and describe the condition of the car to determine its value. If it is an old clunker, the main value may be in the metal. If it's an old sports car or vintage model car, some of the parts, even things like door handles, could hold value.

Selling your old car for junk is a great way to get rid of an eyesore in your yard and a good way to avoid sinking money into a car that's turned into a money pit. Whether your car is running or not, give a junk car buyer a call for a quote on what they'll pay to come haul it away.