Knowing whether your car actually is junk will help to narrow down your options for selling it. For instance, you wouldn’t list a totaled vehicle under a “new car for sale” category on Craigslist.
You also probably wouldn’t consider selling your barely used vehicle to a junkyard. But how can you tell if you have a junk car?
It isn’t always obvious from the outside if a car is junk. Sure, a sedan whose previous shiny red coat is now rotted from rust can be classified as junk.
But looks aren’t everything — an older car that’s still in good condition on the outside might be in rough shape on the inside.
Typically, a junk car is one that can no longer perform its purpose. It can no longer safely transport you from point A to B.
If the engine seizes at every red light or shuts down after several miles, it’s not really doing what it needs to do anymore.
At that point, you’ll need to start considering whether the car that has served you for so long is nearing its end.
The best way to determine if your car is junk is by comparing its current value with the total estimated cost of repairs that it needs.
If you’ve already put in thousands of dollars to repair it and it’s still breaking down on you, you can compare its value to the amount you’ve spent.
Either way, if the cost to keep it running is higher than its value, it’s likely a junk car.
Now that you know your car doesn’t fit into the “used car” category and is instead a junk car, you’re probably wondering how much you can get for it. In short: it depends.
There are many factors that go into determining the value of a car.
The year, make, and model are the simplest indicators of value: older cars typically have less value than newer ones and certain makes and models are more desirable than others.
Value calculators on websites like Kelley Blue Book can easily tell you your car’s worth based on those factors.
However, things get a little more complicated with junk cars. That’s because there isn’t a clear-cut formula for figuring out their value.
Junk cars are junk for different reasons. Some are missing crucial parts like engines while others are torn apart. These factors will carry different weights of importance to different buyers.
Ultimately, the amount you can make from your junk car will vary. However, obtaining several quotes from different potential buyers will help you get an idea of its perceived value.
Although you know that someone out there will buy your non-working vehicle, you may be struggling to figure out where exactly that someone is.
It can be particularly difficult to find the right buyer if you live in an area where everyone drives the latest models; not even the used car dealerships are interested in your clunker.
Fortunately, you don’t have to sell locally when you have the internet. Through digital marketplaces, you can find buyers in nearby cities and states that are looking to buy junk cars.
All you need to do to get your car in front of their eyes to make a listing. Creating one on multiple sites will be even more beneficial.
Listing online is a cheap and easy way to attract prospective buyers. You’ll even be able to compare offers in one place. However, not all buyers will want to pay a fair price for your car. So, it might take a while to find the right buyer with all the haggling you’ll have to do.
In the meantime, you could visit local mechanic schools or shops and see if they are interested in a junk vehicle. Alternatively, you could visit more traditional used car buyers such as dealerships and scrap yards.
You don’t need to go through any hassle with the traditional car sales process when you sell to CarBrain.com. Our entire process is completely online, free, and without haggling. In fact, you don’t even need to leave your couch.
All you need to do to start is enter information about your vehicle into our pricing calculator. Like other buyers, we’ll consider the year, make, and model of your car.
But unlike other buyers, we’ll analyze dozens of other data points like the wholesale value of your car before it was damaged and the current demand for it. As a result, you’ll be given a quote that’s completely unique to your vehicle.
If you are happy with our offer, you can press accept and move on to scheduling your pick-up. That’s right, towing is also included in the process and is completely free.
We use local towing companies that can easily come to you and take your car away in 24 to 48 hours.
With us, you won’t have to deal with haggling, hassling, and waiting. We provide a simple and easy process to sell your damaged vehicle and get cash. Get your free, guaranteed quote from CarBrain today.
Companies that specialize in junk cars! CarBrain, for instance, has nearly 15 years of experience purchasing less-than-perfect cars, and we always make fair-market offers with free towing and title transfer assistance included.
A junked car's value depends on a few conditions, including the size of the vehicle (which relates to how much metal is in it) and the condition of the engine, transmission and catalytic converter, since they are the most valuable parts in a vehicle. It also depends on the current scrap metal price.
Offers could range from $100 to just around $1,000 for a scrap car depending on the conditions stated above. The easiest way to find out is to request an offer.
The best way to sell your car for scrap is to contact a business near you that specializes in buying cars with problems. This could be a local junkyard, a pick-n-pull or a nationwide online business such as CarBrain. ;)
In most cases, all you need to do is describe the vehicle, and possibly send some photos of the car. You can get an online quote and arrange for a pickup from wherever your car is currently located. You'll be paid on the spot for your car.