You can sell a car that is broken or doesn't run. Junk car buyers, salvage yards and private buyers all take them. Here is who pays what.
A car that won't start, won't shift or won't pass inspection is still worth money to someone. It has parts, it has metal, and somebody with a lift and free weekends may be able to fix it for less than you can. The hard part is knowing which buyers will actually take it, what they're paying for, and whether fixing it first would get you more. This guide covers all three.
Most of the cars we buy don't run
Start with a number, because it changes how people think about this. Of the cars we bought between March 2023 and May 2026:
- 36% ran and drove
- about 24% started but couldn't be driven
- about 40% wouldn't start at all
Those figures come from what sellers told us about the car when they got their offer. Body damage was common too. About 40% of those cars had dents, and one in five had broken glass or lights. The average car was a 2006.
So a car that doesn't run isn't a special case that needs a special buyer. It's the normal case.
Who buys cars that don't run
| Buyer | Takes a non-runner? | How the car gets there | What they're paying for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junk car buyer | Yes | A tow truck comes to the car | Parts, metal and resale |
| Local junkyard or salvage yard | Yes | Their truck or yours. Ask if the tow is deducted | Mostly metal, plus parts on common models |
| Private buyer | Sometimes | The buyer brings a trailer | A fixable car at a discount |
| Dealer, as a trade-in | Sometimes | You tow it to the lot | Wholesale auction value |
| CarMax | It says it will make an offer on nearly any car | In-person check. Pickup has limits and a possible fee | Retail or wholesale auction value |
| Carvana | No | Not applicable | It requires a car that drives |
A junk car buyer and a salvage yard are the two buyers built for this. The difference between them is usually the tow and the math. A yard that only crushes cars pays for weight. A buyer that also resells parts or whole vehicles can pay for more than weight when the car has parts people want.
Does CarMax buy cars that don't run?
CarMax's help center doesn't rule it out. It says the company is "interested in buying pretty much any car," and that the ones it won't retail go to its wholesale auction.
Two practical limits apply. The offer has to be verified in person before you're paid, and CarMax says it may need to test drive a car to check its mechanical condition. Pickup is offered at most locations, with distance restrictions and a possible fee. So plan on towing a dead car to the store yourself, and call that store first to confirm it will appraise one. A car headed for auction gets a wholesale price.
Does Carvana buy cars that don't run?
No. Carvana's stated requirements are that the vehicle is newer than 1992, has a working odometer, and can be driven safely. A car that won't start, or isn't safe to drive, doesn't meet them.
Can you trade in a car that doesn't run?
Sometimes. A dealer can take a non-running trade and send it to auction, but nothing obliges them to, and the allowance will be small. You also have to get the car to the lot. Get a cash offer first. If the trade-in number is lower, sell the car separately and bring the money to the deal. In states where a trade-in lowers the sales tax on the next car, count that too.
What a broken car is worth
A buyer adds up three things: what the usable parts will sell for, what the metal weighs, and whether the whole car can be resold to someone who'll fix it. That's why the details matter more than the word "broken."
- Is it complete? An engine, transmission and catalytic converter that are still in the car add value even when they're dead. Missing ones subtract it.
- What exactly failed? A car that needs a battery or a starter is a running car one inexpensive part away. A car with a seized engine is a parts car.
- Which car is it? Common models with strong parts demand hold their value. So do heavier trucks and SUVs, which carry more metal.
- How is the rest of it? Straight panels, intact glass and a clean interior give a dismantler more to sell.
- Is the title in your name? A clean title widens the list of buyers.
- Where is it? Local scrap prices and tow distance both move the number.
Across our purchase ledger the median payout is $400, and the top 10% of cars pay more than $1,090. Those figures cover running and non-running cars together. We don't break out a separate median for non-runners yet. For your own car, the junk car value calculator gives a ballpark, and a real offer takes about 90 seconds.
The cars people sell us most often
In order, the ten most common vehicles in our recent purchase records are:
- 2007 Honda Accord
- 2005 Toyota Camry
- 2008 Toyota Prius
- 2012 Ford Focus
- 2013 Hyundai Elantra
- 2010 Toyota Prius
- 2007 Toyota Camry
- 2006 Honda Accord
- 2006 Toyota Corolla
- 2003 Honda Accord
These are ordinary commuter cars at the age when one large repair costs more than the car is worth. A dead hybrid battery on a 2008 Prius is the classic example.
Fix it first, or sell it as it sits?
The test is simple. Take what the car would sell for fixed, subtract what it will sell for today, and compare the difference with the repair bill. If the repair costs more than the difference, sell the car as it sits.
Here is a made-up example to show the arithmetic. Say the car would bring $3,500 fixed and the offer as it sits is $600. The repair adds $2,900 of value. A $1,200 repair is worth doing. A $4,000 engine isn't.
Two cautions. Get the repair estimate in writing, because a spoken estimate tends to climb once the work starts. And remember that the repair doesn't guarantee the sale price. You carry the risk that something else is wrong.
Cheap fixes can be worth it. A battery, a tire or a jump start that turns "won't start" into "runs and drives" changes which buyers will look at the car. Major work rarely pays back on an older one.
More on the repair side: what to do when a mechanic says it isn't worth fixing, whether an engine replacement is worth it on an old car, and what an engine rebuild costs.
Guides for specific failures
- Blown engine: selling a car with a blown engine
- Seized or locked engine: what to do when the engine locks up
- Hydrolocked engine: what hydrolock means for the car
- Cracked block: options for a cracked engine block
- Head gasket: signs of a blown head gasket
- Transmission: signs a transmission is failing
- Hybrid battery: when a hybrid battery dies
- Won't start: first steps when a car won't start
- Frame damage: what frame damage means
- Flood damage: whether a flooded car can be repaired
How to sell it, step by step
- Collect the facts. Year, make, model, trim, mileage, VIN, what's wrong, whether it starts, and whether you have the title.
- Describe it honestly. Buyers price from your description and check the car at pickup. A car that matches gets the quoted price. One that doesn't gets a new price.
- Get two or three quotes on the same description, on the same day if you can. Scrap prices move.
- Ask each buyer the same questions. Is towing included? Is the price firm if the car matches? How and when am I paid? What paperwork do you need? Our guide to choosing a junk car buyer lists the red flags.
- Leave the car whole. Pulling the battery, wheels or catalytic converter changes the offer. If you'd rather sell the parts yourself, decide that before you take quotes.
- Do the paperwork at pickup. Sign the title, get a bill of sale, and get paid before the car leaves. Our state title instructions show where to sign.
- Close it out. File your state's notice of sale if it has one, handle the plates the way your state requires, and cancel the insurance.
With us, steps 3 through 6 look like this: an offer in about 90 seconds that holds for 7 days, a free tow that is same day or next day in most metro areas, and cash or a check before the car leaves.
No title, or money still owed
Without a title you still have options, but they depend on the state. Start with selling a junk car without a title. If there's a loan on the car, the lender holds a lien and has to be paid before the title can transfer. If the car was totaled and you still owe on it, see your options with a totaled car and a loan.
Common questions
Can you sell a car that doesn't run?
Yes. About two out of three cars we buy can't be driven. Junk car buyers and salvage yards buy them as they sit, and the tow is normally part of the deal.
Who buys cars that don't run near me?
Local salvage yards do, and so do nationwide buyers who send a local tow operator. We buy nationwide. See cash for cars near me.
How much can I get for a car that doesn't run?
It depends on the car far more than on the fact that it's dead. Across everything we buy, the median is $400, and one car in ten pays more than $1,090.
Is it better to fix a car before selling it?
Only when the repair costs less than the value it adds. Small fixes that make the car start and drive can pay back. Major engine or transmission work on an older car usually doesn't.
Do I have to tow it somewhere?
Not with a junk car buyer. The tow comes to the car. With a dealer, CarMax, or a yard that doesn't offer pickup, getting it there is up to you.
If you'd like a number before you decide anything else, get an offer. It takes about 90 seconds, it's good for 7 days, and there's no obligation. For every other way to move a car on, see how to get rid of a car.