Selling a Car for Scrap to a Junkyard - What You Should Know

It has happened to many people - ownership of that old piece of junk that won't seem to disappear out of their lives. It could be a rusting metal shell stuck on the front lawn, an unmovable leaking mess in the driveway or an extra vehicle just taking up space in the garage. Whatever the reason to get rid of it, selling a car for scrap to a junkyard may be the ultimate solution.
Work on a price
What you should know starts with figuring out the value of the car. If it is in driving condition, carry it around to multiple junkyards to see what the best offer is. Should the car not be drivable then call around with a proper description for the contacted junkyards to make a relative price assessment. Most of them will be happy to come to the location for a more thorough visual inspection. Unless all options have been exhausted or expediency is the case, avoid on the spot offers. To maximize selling price research the type of car to be sold just in case it may turn out to be more valuable than it looks. Also, finding a scrap yard that specializes in the make and model being junked could bring in a little more cash.
Clean up
To prep the car for sale, ensure no important documents or items are left inside. Take the time to go through the paperwork for the vehicle in order to confirm its legal status to avoid any potential legal issues down the road. Incorrect credentials such as mismatched VIN numbers could come back to haunt sellers so get and keep copies if necessary. Further preparation for delivery to the scrap yard can mean draining the oil, coolant, and gasoline from the vehicle if required.
Avoid extra costs
When the sale agreement is struck, make sure to confirm with the scrap yard how the vehicle will be handled to avoid any extra costs for delivery. Most junkyards will happily pick up the car for free but some do charge a fee for pick-up towing dependent upon the distance. Check with the junkyard to see if they offer tax credit which may allow a tax deduction based on the sale price of the car.
Finally, don't just sell and forget. While the use of the wreck is up to the buyer, making sure the title has been transferred can avoid any legal problems arising from that use coming back to haunt the seller.


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