Junk Cars

The average person keeps their car for about 11 years before trading them in for a newer model. However, some drivers keep their cars until they’re unable to drive them safely.

If you’re one of them, you know that those old cars won’t be worth much to dealerships looking for trades. Instead, you’ll need to sell your car to a junk buyer.

Before junking a car, you need to make sure it’s ready. Here are a few key tasks to take care of before you scrap your old ride.

Remove Your Belongings

Before you can start getting quotes from different scrapyards, you need to clean your car out. Remove any personal belongings you have stored inside.

Check the trunk, under the seats, and any storage compartments in the car and remove the items you find. As a general rule, if it didn’t come with the car, you shouldn’t scrap it.

Shop Around

When you junk a car for cash, it’s always best to get several offers from scrap buyers in your area. Compare the prices they offer for your car and work with the company that offers you the highest payout.

You’ll also need to find out if they’ll cover the cost of transporting the car to the junkyard. If not, this could eat into your profits.

Part Out What You Can

Scrap yards don’t want to deal with every part of your car. They’re interested in the metal components. This means you’re free to part out the more valuable components before you look into how to scrap a car.

You may be able to get cash for things like the radio, tires, spoilers, and even the car’s battery. That said, you’ll need to remove the components yourself and post them for sale on your own.

Get the Documents Together

Before you can junk a car, you need to be able to prove that you own it outright. This means you need to get your documents in order before you head to the scrap yard.

You’ll need the car’s title, proof of registration, and anything else that shows you as the sole owner of the car. If you’re a co-owner on the car, you’ll need to bring the other person on the title with you at the time you junk the car. Otherwise, the scrap yard won’t be able to process the deal.

Remove the License Plates

Most DMVs in the United States request that you remove the license plates from your car anytime you sell it. Remove the plates from the car before you scrap it.

Then, return the plates to the DMV so they can cancel your registration and terminate the plate number appropriately.

Junking a Car Is Simple

Making the decision to junk your car for cash when it’s too old to trade in at a dealership is a great option. As long as you get the car ready beforehand, you’ll be in good shape.

Follow these steps before junking a car and you’ll be able to get the largest return possible.

Once you replace your old ride, you’ll need to keep it in good condition. Check out our latest posts for more auto maintenance tips and tricks.